Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Punter Keelan Crimmins

Crimmins, a transfer from Purdue, is expected to be one of the top punters in the Big Ten

Purdue Boilermakers punter Keelan Crimmins (30) looks down field Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, ahead of the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2025 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of Illini senior punter Keelan Crimmins. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players by searching in your favorite browser or clicking in our projected depth chart – coming soon.

Keelan Crimmins | Punter | Senior | No. 40

Hometown: Spotswood, Australia

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 225 pounds

Transfer schools: Purdue, Mississippi State

Preseason honors: Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Fourth Team, Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Fourth Team

Scouting report

Crimmins, 24, is a sturdily built, athletic punter who played Australian rules football and cricket back home in Australia. Too much has already gone wrong if a team's punter is forced to make a play on a ball carrier, but Crimmins is game and capable as a last line of defense.

Crimmins previously favored an Aussie-style rollout, but he says he'll be changing that after working on a more traditional American football punting approach in the offseason. He has one of the strongest legs in the Big Ten (and perhaps the country) but also has the touch to place the ball in strategic battles for field position.

Experience

Crimmins played his first season of college football at Mississippi State in 2023, signing with the Bulldogs as the No. 7-ranked punter in his class (and No. 3 from the renowned Prokick Australia). He had a solid debut in Starkville then transferred to Purdue, where the Boilermakers kept him very busy in 2024.

Crimmins led the Big Ten in total punts last year, averaging 44.9 yards per attempt – good for the 13th-best mark in the nation and third in the conference.

Year	Team	Games	Punts	Punt Avg.
2024	Purdue	12	64	44.9
2023	Mississippi St.	12	49	40.9

Media highlights

“He was the best punter in our league.”

Illinois coach Bret Bielema is stoked to have former Purdue punter Keelan Crimmins on his roster. pic.twitter.com/zlEAeZzKzi

— Sam King (@samueltking) July 22, 2025

What they're saying

"Punting previously in the Big Ten is gonna allow me to understand the conditions, understand who I'm playing against, what to expect come game day and the overall experience of what the Big Ten is all about," Crimmins said of his in-conference move from Purdue to Illinois.

2025 outlook

Crimmins is Illinois' No. 1 punter entering the season, and despite the addition of fellow transfer and Aussie Lars Rau, that isn't expected to change. The Illini are hopeful that Crimmins will be granted another year of eligibility after 2025, which tells you the kind of season they expect from him. His powerful leg will be valuable in often-blustery Big Ten games (especially as the season wears on), and his ability to not only bang long punts but also pin opponents against their goal line will be a huge asset for Aaron Henry's bend-but-don't-break defense.

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