Australian and University of Arkansas punter commitment Max Fletcher will see his brother for the first time in more than a year when the Razorbacks host Cincinnati on Sept. 3 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
His brother, Mason, a freshman punter for the Bearcats, left Melbourne about year ago to report to Cincinnati. Their parents, Suzie and Dustin Fletcher, are hoping to make the trip to Fayetteville to see them.
“It’s been really exciting just the thought of watching each other punt in a crowd of 75,000 people,” Max Fletcher said. “There has been a bit of friendly banter of what’s going to happen during the game. But it’s just exciting and seeing each other for the first time in a while and hopefully both mom and dad can watch us play against each other.”
Fletcher, 6-5, 171 pounds, of Melbourne, credits Arkansas special teams coordinator Scott Fountain for his decision to commit to the Razorbacks on Oct. 25.
The future Razorback plans to arrive in Fayetteville in January to enroll for the second semester. His brother isn’t expected to make it back to Australia during the Christmas and New Year’s break.
“I don’t believe he’s coming home, so yes, the first time we will see each other will be when we play the game against each other,” Fletcher said.
Mason has been a good resource for Max in knowing what to expect when he arrives in America.
“We speak every day about what life is like on [a] college campus. We speak about everything – football program, campus life and what to expect in the future,” Fletcher said. “Just little stuff he has given me advice on as [an] Australian fitting into a new environment and getting to know everyone in the university.
"But he’s been great and we have grown closer to each other as we talk about college life.”
Unlike in the United States, there is no football played in high schools in Australia. Max became known to Arkansas though Prokick Australia, an organization that claims to have trained five Ray Guy Award winners and 17 All-Americans.
He will be the second Arkansas punter from Australia. Sam Irwin Hill, also a product of Prokick Australia, punted for the Razorbacks in 2013-14.
Fletcher’s brother has filled him in on how he should expect to be received by Americans.
“It is really fun. The American people embrace you as a person,” Fletcher said. “They have never even met an Australian person and they really take the time to get to know you as a person and they understand what you have done to travel all this way to a new country. It is a really comfortable experience to fit in with new people that you have never met.”
While excited about his opportunity with Arkansas, Fletcher will miss family, friends and other parts of life back home.
“The Australian culture, especially the food, weather and going to the beach, but I’m looking forward to living in Fayetteville for the next couple of years,” Fletcher said.
Sategna to visit
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and his staff are expected to host one commitment and a transfer for official visits this weekend.
Receiver pledge Isaiah Sategna, 5-11, 170 pounds, of Fayetteville, and LSU freshman defensive lineman Landon Jackson, 6-7, 273, are expected to visit the Razorbacks.
Sategna is an ESPN 4-star prospect and one of the top track prospects in the nation.
Jackson played at Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove before enrolling in January after signing with the Tigers. ESPN rated him a 4-star recruit, the No. 8 defensive end and No. 78 overall prospect in the nation for the 2021 class.
He entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.