OXFORD — Now entering his third year living in North America, Ole Miss senior punter Fraser Masin feels at home. He admits that first year, however, was pretty rough.
Masin is from Brisbane, Australia, and grew up playing Australian rules football. He and his father first found an interest in American football by watching “The Blind Side;” both are still Baltimore Ravens fans because of the film.
Getting used to American culture was not easy for Masin. He had to learn the ways of a football locker room, where you say “What’s up?” rather than “G’day.” He remembers getting a crash course in the Imperial measurement system in a weight room — rather than the metric system — and getting yelled at by a teammate because he put a five-pound weight on rather than a 10-pound one. Masin had to learn how to drive on a different side of the road and said he’s gained 20 pounds since moving to the United States, noting the perks of cheap fast food that he “loves the free refills in restaurants.”
And then there was the football side of things, which he admits he and his family still don’t have a great grasp of.
“Just like me, (my parents are) clueless. They have no idea what’s going on,” Masin said. “They’re texting me because they’re up if we have a day game, they’re up at like 2, 3 a.m. trying to watch it. And I check my phone, and it’s just a million questions of like, ‘Why did he drop that ball?’ I’m like, ‘No mom, you don’t understand.’”
But Masin now knows what he needs to know in American life is looking forward to a season he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to get. While he misses certain things about Australia — among those things are the beaches, he said, noting that Florida’s aren’t up to par with the ones at home — he’s enjoying every second of his last hurrah with the Rebels. And no, Masin doesn’t ever get upset when head coach Lane Kiffin opts to go for it on fourth down.
“I think what’s most different for me is just I think I’m finally comfortable being in America, like coming from overseas, culture-wise, teammate-wise. As simple as transportation, like getting around,” Masin said. “Just feeling really comfortable with myself and who I am now as a part of this team and what my role is and, just in my mindset going forward, I now feel for the first time … comfortable. And I think that’s going to be massive for me this year in doing my role for this team.”
Masin has been the Rebels’ starting punter since the 2022 season and has averaged 42.5 yards per punt in his two seasons. He was the 27th-rated punter in college football last season, per Pro Football Focus, and pinned 18 of his 48 punts inside the 20-yard line. The 2023 season was supposed to be his final collegiate campaign, but Masin was able to get a waiver from the NCAA to have an additional year of eligibility.
Masin said his father will be making the trek out for Senior Night this year.
“He loves it. He’s always sending me articles, telling me stuff three days after I found out,” Masin said. “ … They’re really passionate and really supportive. And yeah, I’m grateful that (my parents have) been able to come out here a couple times.”
Masin admits he misses the contact aspect of Australian rules football occasionally and that it’s odd only being on the field for a few plays as opposed to a whole game. But he admits there are moments he’s thankful for his protective gear.
“I do. I really do. If it was up to me, I’d run out there without a helmet and shoulder pads and hit somebody. But it’s very different. I was tackling people the same size as me. In the SEC there’s like, 6-foot-6, 250 (pound) returners. So, I’m happy to stay away from those ones. And then I’m happy I have the helmet on.”
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