12/17/2023 football Edit

COMMIT: Iowa Adds Aussie Punter Rhys Dakin

Adam Jacobi • Go Iowa Awesome

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Publisher, editor and beat writer, Go Iowa Awesome.

As Tory Taylor's star-studded Iowa Hawkeyes career finally comes to a close, the search for a replacement weapon became the highest priority for the special teams unit this offseason. Sunday, Iowa got that weapon.

Punter Rhys Dakin of Mazenod College in Melbourne, Australia — and the famous ProKick Academy that produced Taylor and dozens of other FBS punters — announced his offer and commitment to the Hawkeyes on Sunday afternoon:

Dakin is the 21st member of Iowa's 2024 recruiting class, and is projected to be the only scholarship punter on the roster. Rising senior Ty Nissen joined the team as a walk-on prior to the 2023 season after spending two years at Iowa Western CC.

Taylor leaves gargantuan shoes for Dakin to fill, after winning the Ray Guy Award and being named a unanimous All-American this season. Taylor is 20 yards away from breaking Johnny Pingel's 1938 record for most punting yards in a season.

Dakin's coach at ProKick Australia shared a video of Dakin bombing a punt with a 5.66-second hangtime:

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