New Virginia head football coach Bronco Mendenhall just pulled in his first five-star recruit as a Wahoo.
Sort of.
2016 Lawrence Central (Indianapolis IN) punter Nash Griffin announced on Tuesday that he has accepted a preferred walk-on position at UVa. A five-star punter per Kohl's Kicking, Griffin committed to UVa over a host of Division I offers, as well as walk-on opportunities from Michigan and Northwestern.
Mendenhall made a late push for the All-State kicker/punter in January, and thanks to some heavy persuasion by McDonalds All-American basketball signee Kyle Guy, the two Lawrence Central standouts will be reunited in college.
After talking to my family, coaches and friends I've decided to commit to UVA! #GoHoos #hoosrising @UVa_Football ⚔ pic.twitter.com/hheSlvxXAd
— Nash Griffin (@nash_griffin) February 10, 2016
That's my best friend that's my best friend congrats baby boi!!!!!!!!! #HoosRising https://t.co/MDFb9bH5bU
— King Wavy (@Kyle_Guy24) February 10, 2016
As you can see, Griffin and Guy are pretty fired up about it.
Griffin handled all kicking and punting duties for Lawrence Central last season. The future Wahoo put 22 of 41 kickoff attempts in the end zone for touchbacks in 2015. Additionally, Griffin punted 50 times with an average of 37 yards per attempt, including a season-high 62 yards on one boot last fall.
Griffin could not have picked a better time to enter the Virginia football program. Current punter Nicholas Conte will be a senior this fall, but the Honorable Mention All-ACC selection will leave a major void in 2017. After spending a year learning from special teams coach Kelly Poppinga, Griffin will be ready to hit the ground running in 2017.
Between Griffin and 2016 mid-year enrollee Holland Corbett, Virginia appears to be in good shape in the kicking game for years to come.