From family of punters, Jack Stonehouse is making his own name with Mizzou football

Jack Stonehouse’s first start provided plenty of experience for Missouri's redshirt freshman. The second half featured virtually no offense, making the young punter one of the most important players on the field against Auburn.

Stonehouse was excellent in the contest, despite having to punt eight times.

"Every time I went out there I was more relaxed,” Stonehouse said. “I was more kind of in tune. I was like, ‘OK, this is where I need to put the ball, this is where I’m going to put the ball.’ I didn’t think it was getting more scary as time went on; I think I was getting more relaxed.”

His big moment came in the fourth quarter. After a Missouri pass was incomplete on third down, Stonehouse trotted onto the field to kick from deep in his own territory, taking the snap from the MU 17.

He hit the ball like a John Daly tee shot, and his punt flew high and far. Auburn’s Keionte Scott was unable to return it, and the home Tigers were forced to start on their own 15. The boot ended up being 68 yards.

Not bad for a first-time starter.

But it's hardly surprising. Stonehouse's punting prowess runs in his family's genes. Jack is the latest Stonehouse making a name for himself with his leg. That name has become one of Missouri's most reliable assets.

'Anything but kicker'

The Stonehouse family isn’t new to this. Jack’s father, John, punted at USC, while his uncle Paul did the same at Stanford. Paul’s son Ryan was a star at the position for Colorado State before taking on his current role as the punter for the Tennessee Titans.

Growing up in California, Jack started playing football around sixth grade, but early on in his career, he wasn’t sold on a future as a punter.

"He’s really athletic,” said David Machuca, who coached Stonehouse at Chaminade College Prep in West Hills, California. “We wanted him to play receiver, quarterback, anything but kicker.”

Jack remained a quarterback for his freshman year with the Eagles. After that, he had to make a choice. He could keep trying other positions, or he could enter the family business and focus all of his attention on learning how to punt, using the family’s signature overhand grip.

Stonehouse thought about it, seeking the advice of his relatives, who all delivered a similar message.

Punt.

“If you want to be great at something, you really have to be dedicated,” John Stonehouse said.

The family tradition could have been a lot of pressure on Jack. Still, he had no doubt about his choice.

“He knew that was kind of his path,” said Sue Stonehouse, Jack’s mother. “He knew that's what he wanted to do and was the best path for him.”

And it wasn’t like he stopped being athletic. Stonehouse, who has considered joining the military after his football career, was naturally strong and had speed that he credited to Sue, who played college soccer at UCLA.

The athleticism went to all the Stonehouse siblings. Jack’s sisters, Brooke and Jessie, play college soccer at Toledo and Wyoming, respectively, while his younger brother Josh is a sophomore for Chaminade (though not as a punter).

Jack played volleyball and basketball in high school. He was a danger on fake punts and also served as a wide receiver on Chaminade’s scout team, occasionally making a play against the starting defense.

“One particular practice, we threw a jump ball,” Machuca said. “It wasn’t short, it was probably a 20-, 30-yard pass, and he jumped right over our starting DB and caught it. Everybody went crazy.”

Jack was well-liked in high school, with Machuca citing him as one of the funniest players on the team. He grew into a hard worker, known for carrying the water out to the field with the other kickers before practice.

As his high school years went by, Jack got better and drew college interest. When the pandemic hit in 2020, normal recruiting was shut down and players couldn’t officially visit schools.

That didn't stop Sue from packing Jack and Jessie up and taking them on road trips to look at the schools they were considering. One of the stops was Missouri, which interested both Stonehouse siblings.

Coupled with how much the family liked special teams coach Erik Link, the trip made for an easy choice.

“I think once Jack saw Mizzou and the campus, he was sold,” Sue said. “I think he was convinced he was never going to leave California until he was at other colleges, especially Mizzou. He loved it. He loved that campus and he loved the whole feel of it.”

'I'm literally freezing to death'

John Stonehouse had always thought the best route was to get on the field as soon as possible in college. That wasn’t going to be an option for Jack at Missouri.

The Tigers already had a punter in Grant McKinniss, a veteran who had the job locked down, along with another young backup in Sean Koetting. Stonehouse would have to watch and learn.

It went better than expected. It even changed his dad’s mind.

“Just the knowledge, experience, getting your schooling down, I think it’s the better route to go,” John said. “I honestly didn’t think that before, but I definitely think it gives them time to mature.”

Jack took to Missouri like a fish to water. Entering college so far away from his family forced him to start growing into adulthood and learn basic skills like laundry and cooking.

When winter rolled around, it was significantly colder than Jack was used to in California. Somewhat surprisingly, he even enjoyed that.

Except for the scooter rides.

“He had an electric scooter, that’s how he was getting back and forth to school,” Sue Stonehouse said. “He was like, ‘My face is frozen, like I’m literally freezing to death,’ and we have no idea, we’re just like, ‘Wear a hat.'”

Jack made it through the winter and his redshirt season. He entered his redshirt freshman year in a battle to take over the starting punter job after McKinniss' departure.

At the same time, his cousin Ryan was locked in a competition of his own. After graduating from Colorado State, he was picked up by the Titans and was trying to take the starting job there from Brett Kern, who had been the Titans' punter since 2009.

The two Stonehouses chatted during their respective competitions.

“Probably every other week we called each other,” Jack said. “I don’t really have as much advice to give him as he has to me, so I would call and ask questions.”

The experience was also new for Ryan, who had never faced a position battle in college.

As the elder Stonehouse learned lessons with the Titans, he would pass them back to Jack in Columbia. Ultimately, Ryan won his competition and currently leads the NFL in average yards per punt with 54.9 and a net of 47.3.

“I realized how important it was to take every day, make it your best day and just continually stack those days,” Ryan said. “That’s the advice I gave him through the whole process and that’s what I took into my competition. Have a great day every day you go out there, and all you can do is control you.”

The Missouri competition was long. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz mentioned multiple times how it was one of the most intriguing parts of the offseason.

It was also another lesson for Jack.

'You just act like nothing happened'

When the starter was announced, Stonehouse was disappointed. Koetting won the job. After getting the news, Stonehouse was crushed.

“It definitely was a thing that I had to really think about,” Stonehouse said. “Redshirt, working hard, then going into my redshirt freshman year, I was thinking I was going to get it. But me and Sean battled the whole way and most respect towards Sean, love him.”

Stonehouse and Koetting remained friends, even living together for a portion of the offseason while Jack was between leases. Still, it didn’t ease the sting.

But Jack's family knew what he was going through. It was another time having an athletic family proved helpful.

“I told him, 'You just act like nothing happened,'” John Stonehouse said. "You know your punting routine. You just continue that exact same punting routine as if you were going to be the first-string punter.”

Stonehouse did just that. Every day he showed up to practice and worked, waiting for his opportunity to come.

It drew the attention of his head coach.

“(Stonehouse) was absolutely gut-punched and devastated,” Drinkwitz said. “Because you work so hard but you don’t get that reward right away and sometimes in life you’ve got to keep showing up even when you don’t want to. And he did that.”

After Koetting struggled early, Stonehouse got his chance in the third game.

Citing “competition” as the reason, Drinkwitz sent out Stonehouse for his first college punt against Abilene Christian. In Tempe to watch Brooke play soccer against Arizona State, John and Sue were sitting in a hotel lobby, watching the game on an iPad.

“All of the sudden I was like, ‘Hey, look, that’s Jack in there,’” John said. “We literally just realized that as he was punting the ball and then we weren’t really sure it was him. It was awesome to see.”

Jack’s punt went for 53 yards. The next week, he looked at the depth chart in Missouri’s facility and saw his name on top.

After texting John the news, he went to practice. His dad was in the stands at Jordan-Hare Stadium that Saturday as Jack was one of the best players on the field, despite the Tiger loss.

“I’m so happy he was there to see that,” Sue said. “It validated everything he’s done, for me, for Jack. Everything (Jack's) done in the last 15 years of his life basically, just either watching his uncles or watching his cousin and all the sacrifices these athletes make. ... That was a great, great moment for us.”

'He doesn't fake anything'

Despite some struggles against Florida, Stonehouse has remained the starter for MU. As he has continued to work, his family has seen improvement.

“He’s mentally locked in on the details that he needs to do,” Ryan Stonehouse said. “And conceptually, what are the best ways to maximize his net punting and field position. Technically speaking, he’s really developed his hangtime, I think his distance has really improved.”

Off the field, Jack has a big personality. He’s known for his sense of humor and general upbeat attitude regardless of what’s thrown at him.

“He’s very true to who he is,” Sue said. “He doesn’t put up any fronts. You get what you get when you get Jack. He doesn’t fake anything, he’s just very honest and genuine.”

Sue does wish Jack would make one change, which is the bushy mustache he sports under his facemask.

“The mustache is a hot issue in the family,” she said. “I would like for that to be gone as soon as possible.”

The mustache probably isn’t going anywhere. Still, Sue can live with it, given how much she’s seen Jack grow up.

“He’s working hard and he sees good, really positive results,” Sue said. “I’m proud of him for that, for academically working hard. He’s definitely grown up on all levels, just his understanding of football, his understanding of life, finances. He’s matured a lot.”

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Jack Stonehouse makes his own name as Mizzou's punter