Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | PUNT | YDS | AVG | LONG | IN20 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 4 | 187 | 46.8 | 54 | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 1 | 49 | 49.0 | 49 | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 26-13@ San Diego State | 6 | 248 | 41.3 | 46 | 3 | |
| Total | 11 | 484 | 45.7 | 54 | 4 |
#11
Patrick Rea
5th-year punter for James Madison. From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
6′2″ · 195 lb · Melbourne, VIC · St. Patrick's College Ballarat
The numbers
44
yards per punt · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 punts, 41.3 avg, at San Diego State
Inside the 20 · 36%
0%field median 33%60%
4 of his 11 punts died inside the 20. The field median is about one in three, among 134 FBS punters with 5+ punts this season.
The story
5th-year punter for James Madison. From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
The full story, with sourcesPatrick Rea
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane. Patrick Rea has played for three head coaches across four seasons and two programs.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022
James Madison
2024–2025era →
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Played under 3 different head coaches: Curt Cignetti, Bob Chesney, and Billy Napier. Multi-era developmental context.
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
49 yards per punt · 1 punts · 49 long
Dominant 84-point win at home against Wagner.
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +6 punts, +3 punts inside the 20.
Season context · Team result + system
2022Louisiana Tech3-9HC: Sonny Cumbie · Balanced
2024Louisiana Tech5-8HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-leaning
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
2026James Madison3-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-heavy, slow tempo
How he plays
Play style
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
James Madison carries two punters; Rea has taken all eleven punts.
The battery
James Madison’s specialists
- #37Hayden RossLong snapper · 3rd-year
- #47Mitchell DietzelLong snapper · Jr.
- #11Patrick ReaPunter · 5th-year11 punts · 44 avg · 4 inside the 20
- #84Andrew BennettPunter · 3rd-year
- #5Morgan SuarezKicker · Gr.5 of 5 on field goals
- #95Baylen WoodmanKicker · 2nd-year
Where he came from
From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
DNA match
Player DNA
Steady
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane.
P
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Robert LeFevre’s 2021 season.
Matches Robert on
Yards / punt
Weight
In-20 rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Reis Vernon's junior season at Kansas (2022).
Matches Reis on
Class year
In-20 rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Patrick Rea
Background
2025: College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Played in all 14 games, serving as team's primary punter and holder Had 48 punts for 1,968 yards, averaging 41.0 yards per punt Had six punts over 50 yards, 16 punts inside the 20 and three touchbacks Season-long 61-yard punt at Marshall…
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology