Gerhard de Beer is a freakish athlete. The 6-foot-7, 320 pound offensive lineman for the Arizona football team initially joined the Wildcats’ track and field team where he became a Pac-12 champion in discus.
After winning a title as a discus thrower, de Beer turned his attention to football.
It’s been a long journey for de Beer, who moved to the United States from South Africa, and now he is ready for another challenge.
According to Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez, the Arizona big man is hoping to get an opportunity to line up as the team’s punter. It may sound crazy, but de Beer did play rugby and we all know how the “rugby-style punts” have become more popular at the collegiate level.
Oh, and Rodriguez is praising his talent’s, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh84Jm_OjA8
“Shoot, even Gerhard de Beer can punt a little bit,” Rodriguez said, via Sports Illustrated.
“He might have the best leg on the team, I just can’t imagine putting a 320-pounder back there. But he’s begging for an opportunity. He’s done it in practice and you can know when Gerhard’s punting because you can hear it. It sounds like a shotgun going off.”
Arizona’s current punter, Jake Glatting, has been struggling throughout the first half of the season. If there was ever a time to mix things up, it’s now.
For the sake of all of us, Rich Rod, please put de Beer in at punter.
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