Notre Dame lands commitment from Australian punter nicknamed 'Thor'

The trend of international punters making their way to college football isn't slowing down anytime soon. On Wednesday, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish landed a commitment from Australian specialist James Rendell. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder played semi-professional football in Australia previously but has been working with NFL punters to make the transition.

Nicknamed "Thor," Rendell is the son of former Australian rules footballer Matt Rendell. His father played 256 games throughout his career, notably earning two All-Australian team nods and winning two Fitzroy Club championships.

The younger Rendell has been working hard to make his own name. He'll be on campus in June and be a freshman this fall. The 23-year-old will have up to three years of eligibility in South Bend.

Notre Dame needed a new starting punter after Bryce McFerson struggled in 2023 and opted to enter the transfer portal. Rendell could be a huge upgrade, literally and figuratively. He's posted a maximum hang time of 5.1 seconds and has earned praise from coordinator Marty Biagi and NFL punters Michael Dickson and Tory Taylor.

The Fighting Irish begin their season at Texas A&M, so Rendell will have an early opportunity to prove himself against a hostile crowd. He was previously committed to Hawaii, but said Notre Dame's history pulled his attention.

“Notre Dame is such a prestigious school and a rich history," Rendell told Irish Sports Daily . “It’s an institution where like-minded students and athletes go to reach their full potential, which is what I aspire to do. It’s the biggest and best team in college football. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.”

Will Rendell be up for such a challenge? We've also seen Ohio State add fellow Australian Nick McLarty to its 2024 class, so this could be a defining moment for the Aussies' efforts to invade American footie.