An Australian punter, has become one of the intriguing enigmas in University of Washington football.
He departed from Jedd Fisch’s program after attending the first spring practice three days earlier, although he didn’t participate. This leaves the Huskies without a scholarship punter until the transfer portal opens again later this month.
A university official confirmed Zimmer’s exit but was unable to provide a reason for his decision.
The Huskies had invested significantly in bringing the Australian rugby player, who had no prior experience with American football, to Montlake as their primary punter. This commitment led to three-year starting punter Jack McCallister transferring to Nebraska and backup Adam Saul also entering the transfer portal.
Matt Doherty, UW’s senior director of player personnel, had previously mentioned that Zimmer was recruited based on a recommendation from individuals who frequently place Australian punters in U.S. programs.
“Generally, or at least at this point, they’ve put so many guys into this realm of college football their recommendation holds a lot of weight,” Doherty said at the signing date in December. “There’s obviously an evaluation on our end.”
On Tuesday, Zimmer relaxed in sweatpants while spending time with the other special-team players in the end zone at Dempsey Indoor, engaging in conversation with them.
He appeared in good spirits, and his distinct Australian accent was easily recognizable by the media members nearby, who were busy working on their stories.
The reason he wasn’t in uniform that day was not clarified, though it’s possible he was facing eligibility issues.
Currently, the Huskies have only one punter on their roster: Troy Pelz, a 6-foot-1, 193-pound sophomore from Lynden, Washington.
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