BEVO BEAT Football
Top opponents for Texas in 2017, No. 73: Oklahoma State P Zach Sinor
Posted June 21st, 2017
The countdown to kickoff is on. Over the 100 days before Texas takes on Maryland, we’re counting down the 100 best players the Longhorns will face in 2017. This series is all about impressing your friends at pregame tailgates and watch parties, so grab a notepad and buckle up.
Who is he?
Special teams should never go overlooked, but perhaps no fan base appreciates a specialist quite like Oklahoma State fans do punter Zach Sinor. The hashtag #SinorForHeisman dates back to 2015, and has produced hilarity such as this:
It's obvious the @HeismanTrophy is modeled after @ZachSinor29.
AdvertisementIt's obvious-er who's bringing it home this year. #SinorForHeisman pic.twitter.com/dRh8oIbqbf
— Year Of The D (@OKStateProbs) May 12, 2017
While the Cowboys do have multiple Heisman Trophy contenders (who we’ll get to later), reality says Sinor isn’t one of them. Fans can dream though, right? Sinor is legitimately one of the best punters in college football. The Ray Guy Award finalist averaged 42.8 yards per punt in 2016, and according to stats guru Bill Connelly only 16 of his 56 punts were returnable — with those 16 returns netting a total of 15 yards. You could say he’s almost as good as Texas punter Michael Dickson. Almost.
What should the Longhorns watch for?
Besides long, high and accurate punts? Not much. Opponents do have to be aware of the effect a good punter can have on a game, though. Having a player like Sinor or Dickson who can flip field position with one flick of the leg is invaluable. After last year’s meeting with Oklahoma State, Texas knows all about how special teams can change games.
Catch up on the series
No. 76: Deshaunte Jones
No. 75: Byron Pringle
No. 74: LaQuvionte Gonzalez
News on Bevo Beat is free and unlimited. Access to the rest of Hookem.com is included with an Austin American-Statesman subscription in addition to Statesman.com and the ePaper edition. Subscribe today at statesman.com/subscribe.
Comments