When head coach Todd Graham was asked during spring practice about the Sun Devils’ special team units, he was quick to point out that outgoing senior, Matt Haack, was the best punter he had ever coached. Junior college transfer Michael Sleep-Dalton realizes that he has a tough act to follow and isn’t deterred by the significant feat that lies ahead.

Sleep-Dalton redshirted last year and will now have three years of eligibility moving forward. He said that his first-year with the program has been very beneficial, especially learning from such an accomplished punter such as Haack.

“He helped me with the pre-practice routine,” Sleep-Dalton explained, “warm-ups, ball drops, stuff like that. I was focusing on pro style punting and Matt is really good at that. It was a good experience getting a better understanding and feeling comfortable about this coming season. It was getting a little frustrating towards the end because I was itching to get out there. But I was happy for Matt who really had a good season.

“So now in spring practice I have more confidence. I do feel the pressure and the big footsteps I have to follow. It’s good just getting more reps in practice now.”

The punter represents a popular trend in both college football and the NFL who have both brought in an influx of Australian punters. Sleep-Dalton, much like many of his fellow Aussies in college and the pros, played three years of Australian Football after graduating high school, and played at the highest possible level of that sport before reaching the professional level.

The 6-2 208-pound punter said that he first played American football some three years ago, and played in the United States for the first time at the City College of San Francisco where he arrived in January of 2015.

“My cousin Cameron Johnson played for Ohio State,” Sleep-Dalton said, “and I just started kicking with him. So, he kind of started me going and then I went to City College (of San Francisco). I love the (American) game and it’s very different than Aussie football. I do a lot less which is fun. I definitely don’t mind not getting hit as much.

“I was here in America before visiting some colleges and seeing Cam play a couple of games, so I got a feel for what the atmosphere is like and I enjoyed it.”

Now that he’s at ASU, the Sun Devil punter enjoys the fact that the numerous assistant coaching changes that have taken place in the program have skipped the special teams unit, and Shawn Slocum who recruited him out of junior college, is still his position coach as Sleep-Dalton truly begins his Division I career in the fall as the team’s starting punter.

“It’s huge,” Sleep-Dalton admitted. “He’s one of the main reasons I came here. Having an ex-NFL coach with so much experience – it’s just great having him at practice. He’s tells me things that I really don’t think about that help me and now I can teach myself.

“He’s helped me with things like changing the flight of the ball, he’s helped me out a lot.”

During his lone year at the City College of San Francisco Sleep-Dalton finished fourth in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) as a freshman with an average of 41.7 yards a punt in 2015 as he booted 45 punts, 20 landing inside the 20-yard line with a long of 62 in his freshman campaign.

When signed with the Sun Devils he was touted as a multi-dimensional punter who can use either foot in certain situations and utilizes rugby-style punting, in addition to punting traditionally.

“I guess If I get a bad snap I don’t have to re-assess myself,” Sleep-Dalton remarked. “I just kick with my left foot. It’s good to just kick it with my other foot. I’m definitely more powerful with my right foot. I can just get away being safe with my left.”

As much as Sleep-Dalton realizes the benefits the redshirt year has provided him, he’s naturally anxious to take to the field truly for the first time in an ASU uniform and showcase his skills.

“I’m definitely going to be nervous,” he said about the 2017 season opener. “But I think redshirting and traveling to every game, warming up properly and feeling the atmosphere I got to understand what it’s really going to be like.

“But nothing is going to compare to that first snap.”