Wing effect: LSU punter's ability to alter field position provides lift
NEW ORLEANS -- There is a LSU rap dance video in his honor and he is currently Baton Rouge's most eligible bachelor.
Perhaps, the biggest accomplishment for LSU freshman Brad Wing is that he's actually made being a punter, well, how do I put this: cool.
"Obviously when the punter goes on the field, most everyone is pretty disappointed," Wing said. "But I feel like I'm bringing a little bit of excitement to it and that's what I want to do.
"It is, I think, a very valuable position. Obviously I'm a little biased, but I feel it's a very important position and a lot of people overlook it at times. To sort of show everyone it can be [important], and if people are remembering the punter, then I'm doing good."
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Wing has done good, all right. Real good.
On Monday night when No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama meet in the Superdome for the BCS national title, the 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman could play a fairly significant role. He certainly did in the first meeting, Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Wing had a crucial 73-yard punt and four of his six punts pinned Alabama inside the 20 in the Tigers' 9-6 victory.
"He changed field position for them," Alabama punt returner Marquis Maze said. "That's a strong point of the game, field position. They won the battle."
Wing's kicking skills began when he was growing up in Australia.
"I definitely have a lot of variety of kicks," said Wing, who didn't move to the United States until four years ago. "Kids growing up here [in America] 5 years old get a football for Christmas and throw it around. In Australia, everyone kicks it around.
"There are different situations where I can do different things. I pride myself on placement and accuracy. I try to put it exactly where I want it."
Wing left Australia before his final year of high school when he was cut from his local Australian rules football club team, the Sandringham Dragons. His father suggested his son give American football a try so Wing moved to Baton Rouge for his final year-and-a-half of high school, staying with friends of his father.
"He could drop it on the 5-yard line and back it up, almost consistently," Kenny Guillot, his high school coach from Parkview Baptist High, told SI.com. "It looked like a great golfer like Tiger Woods working chip shots."
His numbers at LSU this year are stunning: of his 50 punts, 18 have been longer than 50 yards with nearly half of them (23) being downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Only five of his punts have gone into the end zone for a touchback and LSU's opponents have returned 17 punts for exactly 6 yards.
"He's probably the best weapon we have this year," LSU safety Brandon Taylor said. "He's giving the defense great field position and when you get the ball inside the 5 or inside the 20 almost every punt that just helps you out on offense and defense in field position.
"It's kind of a letdown for us if he doesn't do it. We try to stay on him. He hasn't let us down many times. We know once he's out there, he's going to put on a show."
On Oct. 8 against Florida Wing put on his show and was introduced to the country. He took off down the sideline for what appeared to be a 52-yard touchdown on a fake punt, but instead became the first player to have a touchdown nullified by the excessive celebration rule when he spread his arms before crossing the goal line.
It inspired a dance called Do The Wing.
"He told me he didn't think he was going to score," LSU senior Alex Russian said. "It was shocking. He said if he could do it again, he'd probably do the same thing.
"That's where he got star struck. He's like a teen heartthrob right now. All the women and young ladies and older women, you name it. It seems Aussie Pride has taken over."
Wing also has become a huge factor that the Tigers consider him a 12th member of the defense.
"The defense tries to claim me, the offense tries to claim me, too," Wing said. "I'm sort of in the middle. When I go on to punt the ball, I try to help the offense and defense."
Wing is averaging 44.1 yards per punt, but his accuracy could be a huge factor again in the BCS national title game.
"He's been extremely valuable," LSU safety Eric Reid said. "He gives us good field position every time he kicks the ball. He makes it easy on our defense when he pins someone inside the 20, makes it easy on the defense when a team has to go 80 yards instead of 50.
"He set the bar high for himself and he has to continue to perform to his level and we know he will. He helps us out tremendously."
LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis adds: "When you start talking about field position, that's a factor. Any time he can change it, it's a big factor. That always makes you better when that happens."
