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Shannon manages Malzahn's mind games to win punter job

Ian Shannon is working to settle one of Gus Malzahn's biggest areas of concern.
Ian Shannon is working to settle one of Gus Malzahn's biggest areas of concern. (Jay G. Tate/AuburnSports.com)

AUBURN | When Gus Malzahn said during SEC Media Days that the competition at punter was "probably the biggest question mark" for Auburn this season, people thought he was joking.

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Ian Shannon knew this was no gag.

The sophomore punter from suburban Atlanta won the job outright Tuesday by beating out Aiden Marshall, Tyler Stovall and Daniel Carlson. Hang time, get-off time and distance weren't necessarily Shannon's biggest stressors during the past few weeks.

The head coach himself, Shannon said, went out of his way to vex him with well-meaning yet passive-aggressive techniques to apply maximum pressure. Malzahn wanted Shannon to prove that he could put emotions aside when the critical moment arrived.

"He’s the head coach; it’s his job and he does his a really good job of it," Shannon said. " It’s good, though. He’s really good at ... trying to make people feel uncomfortable so games are just doing your thing."

What did Malzahn do?

He likes to stand just behind Shannon during certain portions of practice and let the youngster hear his presences. Words of encouragement? Hardly. Malzahn made it clear that Auburn needed Shannon to step up — to avoid letting special teams become a blight on what otherwise could be a strong year on the Plains.

Shannon insists he doesn't remember specifics about what Malzahn said. Listening, he believes, could have affected his ability to replicate good punts.

"You've got to tune him out a little bit because he’ll find something," Shannon said.

Shannon will do more than carry the hopes of Auburn's punting unit — and the defense as a whole — this fall. By wearing No. 43 jersey, made famous by the late Philip Lutzenkirchen, he'll be carrying on legacy that's cherished by Auburn people.

That convergence, Shannon said, is a twist of fate.

Shannon didn't start playing football until his sophomore year at Marietta High School. Until that point, he'd attended just one game as a youngster — to watch Lutzenkirchen play during his days at nearby Lassiter High School.

When Shannon was given the No. 43 jersey prior to last season, he was stunned.

"It might be God's decision," Shannon said. "Hopefully I can impact society the way he did. It's an honor. Philip Lutzenkirchen was the epitome of an Auburn man. I want to represent the number as best I can and hopefully be an Auburn man like Philip was."

Shannon punted three times as a reserve last season. He averaged just 30.7 yards.

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