By Christy Cabrera Chirinos

HurricaneSports.com



CORAL GABLES, Fla. – They trained together, learned to kick together and now, more than 9,680 miles from home, Lou Hedley and Bryce Coward will find themselves on the same field.



But on Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium, the two friends who met because of their mutual desire to find college football success in the United States will be on opposite sidelines.



Hedley – who hails from Mandurah, Australia – will be punting for Miami, while Coward – who hails from Hobart, Tasmania – will be punting for Bethune-Cookman and both can’t wait to catch up, after the game of course.



“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Hedley, whose heavily-tattooed, 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame made him a viral sensation when he signed with the Hurricanes in February. “We’ve both been through pretty long roads to get here and it’s pretty surreal now that we’re both here.”



Added Coward, “It’s pretty incredible. But as weird as it is, it’s becoming more commonplace. Every couple weeks, two guys that have gone through the Prokick Australia program together get a photo after a game where they’ve played against each other. So, for me, it’s massive. I think I’m the only Australian in the [Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference] at the moment, so this might be the only opportunity I get to play with one of the guys I’ve trained with. It’s an honor.”



It’s a scenario that, as Coward noted, has become increasingly common.



At least three games already this season have featured dueling Australian punters including Kentucky-Toledo, Rutgers-Iowa and UCLA-Cincinnati. And later this year when Hedley and the Hurricanes host Coastal Division foe Virginia Tech, punting for the Hokies will be Oscar Bradburn, who hails from Sydney.



Australian punters have also found their way to the NFL with Mitch Wishnowsky on the San Francisco 49es’ roster and Michael Dickson punting for the Seattle Seahawks.



“Football coaches are the ultimate copycats, right? If something works, you’re always looking for a solution and the things with specialists is if you don’t have one, you know you don’t have one,” Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz said. “To me, the trend will only continue to grow because everybody sees what these guys can do. I know for us, it’s a great weapon to have.”



In his first two games at the college level, Hedley has averaged 43.6 yards on his seven punts. In Miami’s opener against Florida, he often found himself punting from deep inside Miami territory, with a heavy rush coming at him.



Hedley, a former Australian Rules Football player who says he learned most of the rules of American football by playing Madden, joked that Diaz reminded him before the game – repeatedly – not to step out of the back of the end zone.

“There’s no way I was giving up a safety, that’s for sure,” Hedley said. “That first game I was pretty nervous. My kicks were sort of deep in the red zone, but it was an amazing experience. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but for me personally, it was good to get the first game out of the way. I felt a little bit more comfortable against North Carolina. I punted a lot better and I’m going to keep working at it each week.”



At Bethune-Cookman, meanwhile, Coward averaged 33.6 yards on his seven punts in the Wildcats’ opener, a 36-15 win over Jackson State.



And like Hedley, adjusting to college life has meant more than adapting to the American game.



“I get asked about Outback Steakhouse a lot,” he laughed. “It’s not actually that big in Australia. Everyone’s got 101 different questions, but it’s actually really cool. The regular student body, you meet someone in passing, speak to them and as soon as they hear your accent, everyone wants to come talk to you and ask questions. It actually makes it very easy, socially, to connect with people. And I’m happy to answer all their questions and whatever. It makes the experience that much more enjoyable.”



As much as both Hedley and Coward say they’re enjoying their respective college experiences, there have been challenges.



Learning American football has been one. For Hedley, going through Miami’s strength and conditioning program with David Feeley was another.

But neither of those have been as tough as being away from their families.



The 26-year-old Hedley is the father of a toddler, Loki. The two spend lots of time chatting via FaceTime to stay connected. Coward is married and he too, spends time connecting with his wife and family back home via long phone calls and video chats.



Still, both punters believe the sacrifices they are making now will make a difference later.



For Hedley, there’s also the excitement of knowing that later this season, Loki will visit Miami and have the chance to watch his father punt at Hard Rock Stadium.



“I’m excited to introduce him to all the coaches and staff here,” Hedley said. “And kicking at Hard Rock will be a blessing. It’s such an amazing stadium and weather-wise, it’s just great for kicking. I can’t wait to kick in front of our home fans. They’ve shown nothing but love for me, so I just have to keep doing my job. … I feel good out there. Hopefully I can just keep progressing.”

