Meet Rhys Dakin, MSU's New Aussie, Roadtrip-Loving Punter
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Not many people get to say they've lived in East Lansing, Michigan; Iowa City, Iowa; and Melbourne, Australia.
Rhys Dakin is a unique guy playing a unique position in a unique sport. He grew up playing Australian rules football, a sport where throwing the ball isn't allowed and more closely resembles rugby than American football. You can punch the ball with your fist, but the best way to get the ball downfield is to kick it.
That was the sport Dakin wanted to pursue going up. The Australian Football League is wildly popular down under (Dakin's favorite team is the Hawthorn Hawks). That door never really opened for him, and Dakin was prepared to pick trades in carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing. He wasn't a super big fan of that option, either.
Fast forward a handful of years, and he's been a starting punter in the Big Ten for two seasons already and has wound up transferring to Michigan State. Here is how Dakin, MSU's next potentially great punter after Bryce Baringer and Ryan Eckley, got to this point:
Dakin's Journey
Dakin says he didn't start playing American football until he was 18. He's 21 right now, so things have moved quite quickly. Being from Melbourne, Dakin had the fortune of being right near a place called "ProKick Australia," a full-time punting academy that has helped produce Chicago Bears punter (and Iowa alumnus) Tory Taylor, Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson, and numerous other NFL and collegiate punters.
"I figured there was another way to become a high-level athlete and be in a great system [rather than play Australian football]," Dakin said. "So I was sort of just scrolling on Instagram and saw ProKick Australia and read more about it."
The idea hovered out there. Dakin's mom was born in Arizona, and he was visiting out there when he was suggested to a trainer to see if American football was something he could pursue.
"I did that and figured out that I had the leg and the talent to pursue that career," Dakin said. "I came back to Australia and did a bit more research on American football, and it looked pretty fun. I mean, I always knew it existed, just never thought I could do it. No one really figures out that they can actually play American football or be a punter until they're a bit older. But yeah, so glad to have found it, and I think it's what I was destined to do."
The rules of Australian football are a big reason why you see so many punters from the country punting now. Pretty much every popular American sport --- football (minus special teams), baseball, basketball, hockey --- prioritizes hand-eye coordination. Those who play Australian rules just inherently have better hand-foot coordination because of the amount of repetition from an earlier age.
It wasn't long after Dakin started at ProKick that he was recruited by Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods in December 2023. One great way to make an impression in that type of recruitment is to take the long, long trip from Iowa City to Melbourne. Woods made that trip, and going that far out of his way to see him did make an impact. Dakin committed later that same month.
"I just met him in the city of Melbourne at a little cafe," Dakin said. "That's when I first met LeVar. Then he came to training the next day, and then had dinner with my family at my house. That was the sort of Coach Woods introduction that I had. He flew out to come and meet my family and meet me, get to know me as a person rather than just recruit me, you know. So that says a lot about Coach Woods as a person."
Dakin went to Iowa and instantly became the starter. He also quickly excelled, averaging 44.1 yards per punt and receiving second-team All-Big Ten honors from the media. In 2025, the average was 43.6 yards per punt, with Dakin being an honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree. MSU's Eckley was the Big Ten Punter of the Year.
But then Woods left Iowa to be the special teams coordinator and assistant head coach at Michigan State. The news dropped on Dec. 18, giving Dakin some time to mull things over before the transfer portal opened. On New Year's Day, Dakin announced that he would be entering the transfer portal, committing to the Spartans only three days later.
"I knew that it was going to be a completely new program here, with the coaching changes and everything, but I know what I was going to get out of Coach Woods," Dakin said about the transfer. "I feel like he coaches me the best, and he knows how to coach me as well, and I know that he's always had success, so I figured I would see that success here. That's ultimately why I came here, because one, he's a great human being, and two, he gets the best out of me."
Away from Football
Dakin also has a couple of hobbies he likes, including fishing, basketball, hiking, and road trips. He still has a girlfriend back in Iowa, so Dakin is used to driving long distances. Living in, well, Iowa, also requires one to drive some longer distances to have some fun.
"If you've ever been to Iowa, you know there's not a whole lot to do, except grow crops and play football..." Dakin said. "In terms of like road trips, if you want to go somewhere and do something fun and explore new things, you sort of have to drive a long way in Iowa."
Dakin has already learned the glories of "up north" in Michigan. That's right in his wheelhouse of road trips, fishing, and golfing.
"I've heard the summers here are beautiful, near the lakes and everything," he said. "I'm going to try and get out fishing in those lakes, too. So, yeah, I've got some cool places to explore out here."
Hear Directly from Dakin
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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