Purdue Punter Jack McCallister Named Semifinalist for Prestigious National Award
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Purdue's Jack McCallister has been one of the top punters in the country through the first month of the college football season. But there's more to McCallister than just a strong leg. He's also been named a semifinalist for a prestigious national award.
On Wednesday, McCallister was named a semifinalist for the 2025 William Campbell Trophy, college football's premier award for scholar-athletes. A total of 78 players from the FBS level were named semifinalists.
From FootballFoundation.org, "Celebrating its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership."
The National Football Foundation will narrow down its list to 12-16 finalists for the Campbell Trophy on Oct.22. A winner will be named on Dec. 9.
Purdue was down 33-17 to USC with 50 seconds left in the game. It was 4th and 25 on their own 10 yard line. They decided to punt… and it wound up in THE LONGEST PUNT OF THE WEEK!!
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) September 15, 2025
CONGRATS TO JACK MCCALLISTER OF PURDUE FOR HIS 68 YARD PUNT AND LONGEST PUNT OF THE WEEK!!! pic.twitter.com/Z0UVSumOVr
McCallister's 2025 season through four games
McCallister has been fabulous through Purdue's first four games. The senior has punted 11 times this season, averaging 49.09 yards per punt. He has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line six times and has recorded at least one 50-yard punt in each of three games in which he's appeared.
McCallister was named to the Ray Guy Award's "Ray's 8" after a Week 1 win over Ball State and a Week 3 loss to USC. Purdue did not punt in its Week 2 win over Southern Illinois.
In last week's loss to Notre Dame, McCallister punted five times and averaged 45.2 yards per punt. His long for the day was 58 yards. The senior's longest punt of the season is 68 yards (vs. USC).
Also in last week's game, McCallister showed off some of his speed and elusiveness early in the game against Notre Dame. On a fourth-down situation, the Boilermakers dialed up a fake punt. McCallister scrambled for 10 yards and picked up a first down to keep the drive alive.
ANOTHER trick play from Purdue. This time it's a fake punt. 😳 pic.twitter.com/q6xbxJAzQZ
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 20, 2025
Purdue is off this week and will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 4, hosting No. 23 Illinois at Ross-Ade Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon and the game will air on Big Ten Network.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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