Week 1's Overnight Sensation: Tyler White, Punter

Each Monday during the 2024 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance over the weekend and earned the distinction of being the week’s “Overnight Sensation.”

Well... Admittedly, there aren't exactly a lot of choices for this one.

After a 23-13 defeat at home in which the offense sputtered and a valiant defensive effort fell flat in the final stanza, the list of options is sensationally short.

But after thinking about it overnight, we're shining a little love on a special teams guy.

Tyler White, this is your moment, and frankly, you earned it.

The redshirt freshman punter had the look of a weapon for Mike Elko & Co. in his first collegiate action.

The Southlake Carroll product did his job and produced an impressive stat line.

On his four boots, White accumulated 216 yards for an average of 54.0 yards per punt. With a long of 62, thrice his punts were downed inside the Notre Dame 20-yard line.

Here are his punts in chronological order:

When A&M's second drive of the night stalled at their 47, a 43-yarder was fair caught by Jordan Faison at the Notre Dame 13. An Irish three-and-out immediately followed.

In a 6-6 game in the second, his best boot of the evening — the 62-yarder — flipped the field as it rolled out of bounds at the Irish 14-yard line with 6:12 remaining before the half. Again, the visitors failed to score on the ensuing possession.

With the ball marked at midfield, White's third punt (which featured an Academy Award-worthy attempt at drawing a flag) leaked into the end zone with 1:22 left in the third. However, another three-and-out followed.

His fourth and final punt of the evening came with just 6:36 to play, traveled 61 yards and was downed at the Notre Dame 15.

However — despite being pinned relatively deep in their own territory — Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard orchestrated an eight-play, 85-yard touchdown march that proved to be the decider.

White did all he could on special teams, but the other two phases fell short in crunch time.

Should White hang around that 54.0 average, he would challenge for the program record, which is 51.0 set by Braden Mann in 2018 when he won the Ray Guy Award.

After all, with All-Americans at the position like Steve O’Neal, Shane Lechler and the aforementioned Mann, A&M might even be Punter U.

Could White be the next in line?

White's stats vs. Notre Dame
Punts: 4
Yards: 216
Average: 54.0
Long: 62
Inside 20: 3

White's 2024 stats
Punts: 4
Yards: 216
Average: 54.0
Long: 62
Inside 20: 3