By Jonah Bronstein<br><a href="mailo:bronsteinj@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Jonah</a>
They’re 14 hours ahead of us in Brisbane, Australia, which makes devoting an entire day to the NFL difficult. Instead of spending a leisurely Sunday watching American brutes smash into each other, the Aussie must wake up at 5 a.m. Monday, and figure out a way to watch the games while most everyone heads off to work or school.
Those were magic Mondays for Peter Fardon.
A club-level Australian Rules Football player, Fardon grew fond of the American game, particularly after country-mates Darren Bennett, Ben Graham, Sav Rocca and Mat McBriar made it to the NFL.
So last fall, eight years after he graduated high school, Fardon put together a DVD showing off his powerful punting ability, and sent it out to dozens of college football programs in the U.S.
Six-foot-one with a leg full of muscles — to paraphrase the ’80s band Men at Work — Fardon attracted the interest of a few programs, including superpower USC, and the upstart Buffalo Bulls.
After corresponding with coach Turner Gill and researching the international business program, Fardon moved halfway around the world in January to enroll at UB.
“It wasn’t much of a culture shock,” Fardon said. “But the weather was a big thing. It was summer over there when I left. ... I did manage to survive the winter.”
UB needed a new punter due to the graduation of Ben Woods, holder of several school records and a Ray Guy Award finalist last year.
Fardon, a champion high jumper in high school who won a pair of Australian Football League titles for the Western Magpie, impressed the Bulls during spring practices and was awarded a scholarship prior to training camp.
He struggled early in the season, but has since kicked his average up to 38.3 yards, including a long of 53 yards in UB’s loss at Central Michigan two weeks back. Seven of Fardon’s 18 punts this year have been downed inside the 20.
“We think he has great potential, kind of like our young linebackers,” Gill said.
Gill said Fardon’s rough start was due to his inexperience punting in game situations. Lately, Fardon’s been more consistent with his drop, and has been following through on his kicks better, rather than punching the ball, Gill said.
Fardonis old — and foreign — enough to list Top Gun and AC/DC among his entertainment preferences. But the 26-year-old has brought a bounty of life experience into the Bulls locker room.
“It’s a huge plus for us,” Gill said. “He’s become a mentor to these guys.”
He also figures to become a role model back home.
Said Gill: “There’s probably anywhere from 10 to 100 people from Australia getting ready to send their tapes.”
