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Matt Noll, a transfer punter from Delaware State, commits to Jackson State football

j.t. keith, mississippi clarion ledger
·2 min read
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Jackson State football first-year coach T.C. Taylor knows the value of special teams and is loading up on kickers.

Matt Noll, a punter from Delaware State, announced Friday he has committed to JSU.

"1000% Committed!," Noll wrote on Twitter.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Noll is from Robesonia, Pennsylvania and was a three-sport star at Conrad Weiser High School. He will be a junior with a redshirt year available. In 2021, Noll was named first team HBCU All-American and first team All MEAC as a freshman and sophomore while averaging 46.1-yards in the MEAC conference. Noll has a career long punt of 80 yards and several for 60 yards. Noll has versatility and was the holder on extra points at Delaware State.

Last season, Jackson State used junior Sam Johnson as the punter, who averaged 36.35 yards. Johnson was not listed on the Blue and White spring game roster.

Playing in the spring game was placekicker, Luke Jackson a transfer from Southern. Taylor used Jackson for long field goal attempts and Gerardo Baeza for PATs.

At Southern, Jackson kicked a 49-yard field goal against Grambling in the Bayou Classic to win the game.

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Last season, field goal kicking was nonexistent for JSU except for short field goal and PATs. With all of Jackson State's explosiveness on offense, once drives stalled, former coach Deion Sanders either went for it on fourth downs or punted. The Tigers attempted six field goals from 30-39 yards going 6 for 6, but only attempted one field goal from 40 yards, and none from 50.

With the addition of Noll, it gives Jackson State three kickers (Noll, Baeza and Jackson), on the roster going into preseason practices in August.

Jackson State opens the season in the Cricket MEAC SWAC Challenge Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. against South Carolina State.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Delaware State punter Matt Noll commits to Jackson State football