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Irish hopes kicking game will give it a leg up on the competition
A new pair of specialists figures to give the Notre Dame football team a leg up on the competition this season.
The departure of Kyle Brindza, Notre Dame's kicker for the past three years, has opened the door for highly-touted freshman kicker Justin Yoon, the No. 1 ranked kicker in the class of 2015.
Yoon, who hails from Milton Academy in Massachusetts, fought off an injured back during his senior year to make four of his six field goal attempts. According to Slap the Sign, Yoon converted a 52-yarder last seeason and registered a touchback on 80 percent of his kickoffs.
Yoon was invited to the Under Armour All-American Bowl where he made three goals, including a 47-yard attempt.
Notre Dame's punting duties figure to go to sophomore Tyler Newsome, who served as the backup placekicker, punter and kickoff specialist as a freshman in 2014.
Newsome, a 6-2, 205-pounder from Carrollton High School in Georgia, was a perfect 78 for 78 on his PATs and five for five on his field goal attempts during his last year in high school, according Slap the Sign.
Newsome averaged 38 yards per punt his senior year and was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution all-state team.
(h/t Slap the Sign)
