This story appears in the Aug. 13, 2018, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazine—and get up to 94% off the cover price. Click here for more.
He was a legend before he arrived in Salt Lake City, the 23-year-old freshman from the other side of the Earth. The chatter started in late 2015: Have you heard about the new Australian punter the Utes are bringing in? None of the Utah players had seen much video. The Internet yielded a head shot, at least, to those who were curious: a shock of long, straight blond hair with a face buried behind it.