Max Duffy said he always did his best when he was a little jittery. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Max Duffy finished his Kentucky career as the school’s all-time leading punter with a 46-yard average per attempt in 34 games. He led the nation in punting in 2019 his junior season at 48.1 yards per try and won the Ray Guy Award given to the nation’s top punter. He had a 75-yard punt against Auburn in 2020, the third longest punt in UK history.
Andy Smith, a former UK all-SEC punter and father of UK freshman kicker Jackson Smith, said Duffy had an “unusual” pregame routine that might have been the secret ingredients for his success.
“I remember my first game ever against Central Michigan. I could not sleep. I was so nervous and just did not know what to expect,” said Duffy, who came to the U.S. from Australia to punt in college. “When the game got here, I was so tired I could have slept on the sideline. I knew I had to do something to keep myself going or I was going to fall asleep.”
So what did Duffy do? He got a couple of cans of Coca-Cola and bags of fruit snacks.
“I put them away and I was back fully awake,” Duffy said. “After that every game, I would have a couple of cans of Coke during pregame and about 10 bags of fruit snacks.”
“I always did my best when I was jittery, nervous and over aroused. That’s probably why I struggled during (the) COVID (season). I liked the crowd. I would not recommend that sugar overload except on Saturdays for football but it did help make me the punter I was for Kentucky.”
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Duffy will be one of the celebrity judges for the Kiwanis Club Charity Chili Cook-Off Sept. 24 at Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville. Tickets are $10 to sample over 20 chilis prepared that day.
