2026 games, yards per punt per game. W and L: the team’s results.
Patrick Rea
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane. Played for three head coaches across four seasons and two programs.
Play style
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane.
Punter archetype · season enumeration
Leg vs placement
42.1 gross, but 14 of 38 inside the 20 (36.8%) — in between — no clean archetype. no clean archetype
Net average is unavailable — no per-punt return-yardage linkage exists in the source data.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
James Madison’s specialists
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 9 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | PUNT | YDS | AVG | LONG | IN20 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 4 | 187 | 46.8 | 54 | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 1 | 49 | 49.0 | 49 | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 26-13@ San Diego State | 6 | 248 | 41.3 | 46 | 3 | |
| Wk 4 | W 46-20@ Old Dominion | 4 | 157 | 39.3 | 50 | 1 | |
| Wk 5 | W 45-17vs Marshall | 3 | 142 | 47.3 | 59 | 2 | |
| Wk 6 | W 27-24@ Georgia Southern | 4 | 168 | 42.0 | 47 | 1 | |
| Wk 7 | W 49-22vs Georgia State | 3 | 115 | 38.3 | 41 | 2 | |
| Wk 8 | L 31-34@ App State | 7 | 316 | 45.1 | 56 | 2 | |
| Wk 9 | L 21-24vs Troy | 6 | 218 | 36.3 | 41 | 2 | |
| Total | 38 | 1600 | 42.1 | 59 | 14 |
Week 1 · 2026
W 20-13
vs Liberty
46.8 yards per punt · 4 punts · 1 inside the 20
A close one, won by 7 at home.
Last game (Wk 9): 6 punts, 2 punts inside the 20.
Season context: team record and system
Punter profile · Distance and placement
Where his punts land, not just how far
Inside the 20
37%14 of 38Touchback rate
5%2 of 38Yards / punt
42.138 puntsLong
59yards42.1 yards/punt on 38 punts · 37% placed inside the 20 · 2 touchbacks.
James Madison carries two punters; Rea has taken all 38 punts.
2026 is in progress.
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coachesPlayed for 3 head coaches at 2 schools: Sonny Cumbie, Bob Chesney and Billy Napier.
From Melbourne, VIC — one of 84 Australians punting in FBS this season.
