Siposs 'not your average kicker'
AUBURN | The lowest ranked player in Auburn’s 2018 class could have the biggest impact this fall.
Arryn Siposs will make his way from his home in Melbourne, Australia to Auburn this summer with an excellent opportunity to win the starting punting position. He was rated a two-star by Rivals.com.
“He’s not your average kicker; he’s an athlete,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “He’s got a great leg, and I think this guy is really going to help us. I’m very excited about him.”
Siposs, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and 25-years old, played professional Australian Rules football and rugby. He is training with Pro Kick Australia, which has produced the last four Ray Guy Award winners.
Texas’ Michael Dickson in 2017, Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky in 2016, Utah’s Tom Hackett in 2015 and 2014, and Memphis’ Tom Hornsey in 2013 all won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter after training at Pro Kick Australia.
“I watched some Australian Rules football games, to be honest with you,” said Malzahn of recruiting a player from Australia. “I watched him play two games, which I don’t know all the rules to it, but you can tell whether a guy is a competitor. He’s a great athlete. He can kick it with his right foot or his left foot. He’s going to give us a lot of flexibility with our punt team, and then he has some film of when he was punting with the jugs machine. He’s got a super leg.
“And then you get a chance to meet him. Like I said, he came on an official visit, and when you matched up the Australian Rules football with the video that we saw, I think he’s got a chance to really help us.”
Auburn certainly needs help after finishing 13th in the SEC and 102nd nationally in punting last season with a 39.5 average. Ian Shannon averaged 39.8 yards before Aidan Marshall took over and finished with a 39.4 average.
Siposs could even help a punt coverage unit that ranked last in the SEC and 109th nationally allowing 11.4 yards per return including a 75-yard touchdown at LSU.
“Tell you what, I would bet he’s not going to be scared to tackle, because he’s been tackling without pads on. So I bet he’ll tackle somebody,” Malzahn said.
