Tory Taylor hadn’t ever seen an American football game in person prior to Iowa’s 2020 season opener on Oct. 24 against Purdue, let alone played in one. But only three games into the season, the Australia native is already one of the best punters in college football.

Any expectations Hawkeye fans had for the team’s punting unit this season have already been exceeded. In Iowa’s up-and-down start to the 2020 campaign, Taylor has been a consistently reliable player.

Taylor is averaging 46 yards per punt this season on 17 attempts. Against Michigan State in Week 3, Taylor put on a masterful performance. He punted seven times, averaged 45.9 yards per punt, downed five inside the Spartans’ 20-yard line, and even booted one of his attempts 61 yards.

The week before against Northwestern, Taylor averaged 49 yards per punt.

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Running back Tyler Goodson is coming off of a monster rushing performance against the Spartans and defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon has been one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the conference this season. Big names like that were expected to be among Iowa’s best players this season.

But for the first-year punter who is new to the sport to be perhaps the team’s most consistent player this season? I didn’t see that coming. And if you said that you did, I’m not sure I’d believe you.