Mason Fletcher, son of AFL legend Dustin Fletcher, channelled his Australian football background with a historic drop punt in the opening quarter of the Cincinatti Bearcats' week eight win over the SMU Mustangs (29-27).

The punt effectively travelled end-zone to end-zone, eventually bouncing out-of-bounds for a Cincinatti touchback.

At 84-yards, the punt set the all-time franchise and conference record for the longest punt in history and took pressure off the Bearcat's defence after being trapped only five-yards out from their own end-zone.

It easily eclipsed his season-best 54-yard punt as a freshman last year, and increases his 2022 season average to 49.2 yards, second most in the competition.

Fletcher expressed his gracious thoughts on twitter following the game.

โ€œAppreciate everything this program and (Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell) has given me. Also appreciate my punt team, not possible without them," Fletcher wrote.

Fletcher grew up learning the art of the long kick in an Australian context from his illustrious father; known for his mammoth torpedo and drop punts which often sailed over opposing team goals for six-points.

However, an unfortunate back injury while playing NAB league U/18s for the Calder Cannons prohibited young Fletcher's chances at an AFL career. He instead decided to skip the 2019 AFL national draft to seek out a scholarship at the University of Cincinatti in 2020.

The decision has seemingly paid dividends as Fletcher took the field in all 14 games as a freshman, and finished fourth in the Athletic Conference for yards per punt with an average of 43.0

The now sophomore is averaging 49.2 yards per punt through eight games and making American headlines as another successful Australian punter, joining the likes of Arryn Siposs, Max Duffy and others.