Pokes' punter enters transfer portal

LARAMIE -- Nick Null Monday added his name to the NCAA transfer portal, joining Cameron Smith as the only other Wyoming player looking for a new home in 2021.

"Thankful for the opportunity," Null posted on his Twitter account. "Excited tor the next chapter."

Null, who came to Wyoming last season as a graduate-transfer from Cornell, served as the Cowboys' punter and kickoff specialist through all six games. Null was also thought to be in the mix for the placekicking role vacated by the school's all-time leading scorer, Cooper Rothe.

Luke Glassock won that job out of camp but an injury forced him to the sidelines and thrust true freshman walk-on John Hoyland into the starter's role before the season opener at Nevada.

Hoyland converted 13-of-14 field-goal attempts and all 16 of his extra points. He became the seventh Wyoming player in history to be named a Freshman All-American.

Null, a Bradenton, Fla., product, averaged 38.7 yards per kick on his 29 career punts at UW. He had a long of 51 yards in a loss at Colorado State. Five of those punts were also downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Like this one last November in Las Vegas:

Wyoming ranked 10th out of 12 Mountain West teams in net punting average.

The versatile Null also tallied 14 touchbacks on 35 kickoffs. That was good enough for fourth best in the league.

Null will have one year of eligibility in 2021 thanks to the NCAA granting an additional season thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The only other punter listed on the current Wyoming roster is Ralph Fawaz, a freshman from Cache, Okla. Here is a story about Fawaz in the Lawton Constitution.