Jack Stonehouse developed into top college punter through ‘fun-loving’ personality
Syracuse punter Jack Stonehouse, in his third year with the program after transferring from Missouri, has earned All-ACC honors each season with SU thus far. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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Jack Stonehouse struts into the Syracuse Football Performance Center lobby in his usual attire — pajama pants and a tank top. This time, it’s a black pair dotted with ghosts. Festive, of course.
Weeks prior, Stonehouse sported a t-shirt honoring Gail Lewis, the internet-famous Walmart employee. Of course, his signature mustache is present to match.
His special teams coordinator, Ricky Brumfield, describes his persona as a “don’t give a you know what mentality.” He’s always going to be himself.
“I think I’m the same person on and off the field,” Stonehouse said.
With his “fun-loving” personality — as his former high school coach Ed Croson puts it — Stonehouse could be seen as your typical specialist. But he’s far from that. In his fifth college season and third with the Orange, Stonehouse has established himself as a top punter in the country and one of SU’s most respected players.
As Syracuse head coach Fran Brown searched for a new special teams coordinator ahead of the 2025 season — SU’s third in three years — Brown had Stonehouse talk to all viable candidates. Stonehouse was also the only specialist in attendance among 68 athletes at Atlantic Coast Conference Media Day.
Now, seven games into the season, he’s solidifying his elite status with the nation’s fourth-highest average punt (47.9 yards) and third-highest hang time (4.42 seconds).
He’s piled up accolades throughout his SU career, earning All-ACC honors each season, a Preseason All-ACC mention this year and a spot on the Ray Guy Award Watch List, given to the nation’s top punter. All signs indicate he has an NFL future. Yet Stonehouse understands the key to reaching the next level is performing in the present.
“I’m worried about today. I’m worried about tomorrow,” Stonehouse said. “I’m not trying to look too far ahead.”
He is who is 24/7. From the first day he showed up, he caught us off guard.Mike Midkiff, former Syracuse long snapper
Stonehouse’s family connections also foreshadow what’s next. His father, John, punted at USC before a stint with the New York Giants. His uncle, Paul, did it at Stanford. He’s also trained with his cousin Ryan, who attended Colorado State and punted for the Tennessee Titans from 2022-24. The family’s athletic prowess isn’t limited to punting, as Stonehouse’s mom, Sue, played soccer at UCLA. And all three of his siblings have either played or currently play Division I sports.
John said the NFL isn’t Stonehouse’s only goal, describing it as gravy on top of an already successful career. Brumfield defines Stonehouse’s success in his get-off and hang times. Each situation is different, but Stonehouse bases it on keeping his average and net yards as close as possible while improving those marks, something he’s achieved each season.
Stonehouse was in fifth grade when John started working with him on the family trade. The experience was initially “frustrating,” John said, due to his son’s lack of leg strength. Still, the time allowed Stonehouse to hone in on his mechanics, viewing his father as a “free coach.” When it came time to focus on football, Stonehouse knew what direction he wanted to go in.
“No one grows up just like, ‘I cannot wait to be a punter,’” Stonehouse joked. “But it was like eighth grade, freshman year, where I kind of sat down and was like, ‘Okay, if I’m going to go to college football — which I want to do — I’m going to be a punter.’”
As a freshman at Chaminade (California), Stonehouse played quarterback, wide receiver and other defensive positions on its junior varsity team. He earned his opportunity to punt for varsity as a sophomore, occasionally handling kicking duties as well. Stonehouse began his senior year as the kicker, but when the Eagles couldn’t find a holder, he offered to hold kicks for then-freshman and current USC kicker Ryon Sayeri. The switch worked like a charm.
Croson, who coached at Chaminade throughout Stonehouse’s entire career, viewed him as another coach in his upperclassman seasons, helping all the specialists find their way. When it was time for college, Stonehouse had one thing in mind — he didn’t want to stay in California.
He took a shot at Mizzou, walking on and redshirting his freshman year before becoming the starter in 2022. But Stonehouse didn’t want to be a walk-on anymore. So in 2023, he took another chance, this time on a scholarship at Syracuse. He quickly found his place.
“He is who he is 24/7,” former SU longsnapper Mike Midkiff said. “From the first day he showed up, he caught us off guard.”
Jack Stonehouse boots the ball downfield in Syracuse’s most recent game against Pitt. In his third season with the Orange, Stonehouse ranks fourth in the country in average yards per punt (47.9). Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
Brumfield views the punter as the quarterback of the unit, making Stonehouse a focal point. It’s helpful that he once played under center. At 6-foot-1, Stonehouse is the tallest of his punter lineage. John sees it as a clear advantage for reaching the next level, as he can use his “long levers” for more distance.
Croson recalls a game in Stonehouse’s senior year where he came up on a punt and delivered a hit along Chaminade’s sideline, sending his teammates into a frenzy. Physicality has never been an issue.
With all the tools necessary to make the professional jump, Stonehouse continues to improve his game. Midkiff didn’t get to watch SU’s first five games this season, as he was away at Ranger School for the US Army. When he returned, he looked through his former team’s stats and saw Stonehouse was averaging around 50 yards per punt.
Midkiff called Stonehouse, telling him he was “balling.” But Stonehouse wasn’t satisfied, saying he was doing “just alright.”
Stonehouse has improved his knowledge of the position and the sport, which he credits to Brumfield, long snapper Ethan Stangle and simply being in college for five years. When Brumfield joined the Orange, he encouraged Stonehouse to try roll-out punts to pair with his pocket-punting ability.
Stonehouse is also adding to his bag with Aussie and Rugby punts, mixing with traditional boomerang and end-over-end boots. He feels his biggest strides have come in his directional punting, trying to reach outside the numbers while keeping hang time and distance.
Still, being a punter can be mentally challenging. When the offense is succeeding, they’re rarely called upon. Redemption for a split-second mistake takes longer than any other position. The necessary mindset matches perfectly with who he is.
“You’re only out there for three seconds, and good or bad, you’ve got to let it go,” John said. “You have to be that carefree kind of guy.”
On the surface, Stonehouse has a lot to live up to. His family’s resumé. Syracuse’s recent history of professional punters, like Riley Dixon. However, he’s already creating his own legacy at SU, whether through record-breaking yardage or a stylish pair of pajama pants.
