Walk-on graduate transfer punter Jon Sot answers the question ‘Why Notre Dame?’
The perfect opportunity opened up, and Harvard punter Jon Sot took advantage of it.
The specialist entered the transfer portal when the Crimson’s season concluded on Nov. 20, hoping to find a new home to utilize his final year of eligibility, and Notre Dame reached out. Sot was interested right away. The Irish continued communicating with the New Jersey native throughout bowl season, and Sot announced his decision to head to South Bend on Twitter on Jan. 18.
“Notre Dame has so much to offer, so it was hard for me to say no to that,” Sot said. “With the transfer of (starting punter Jay Bramblett), it was too good (of an opportunity) for me to not want to come in and compete for that starting spot.”
Notre Dame stuck out to Sot for the same reasons it does to many: great academics and a football program that is both historically elite and recently in the national conversation. The graduate transfer will enroll in the Mendoza School of Business.
“It’s a one-year program, and it seemed like the best fit for me so I could manage football and academics,” Sot said. “I know a couple of other guys on the team have done that program.”
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Sot’s personal goal is to win the starting job at Notre Dame, but he was very clear that individual accolades aren’t the priority. He wants to win a national title, and he will do whatever it takes to help the team do so.
“A national championship would be a dream come true,” Sot said. “I’m doing my work while I’m not there to make sure I’m doing as much as I can to be able to help. I know on campus, they’re working really hard to get it done as well.”
Sot will graduate from Harvard in May and arrive in South Bend shortly after that.
The specialist was a first-team All-Ivy League performer in 2018 and 2019, averaging 41.1 yards per punt in 2018 and downing 19 of his 51 kicks inside the 20-yard line. His average was the second best in school history and led the Ivy League. Sot was atop the Ivy League once again in 2019 with 42.3 yards per boot.
Eight of Sot’s 57 2021 punts traveled farther than 50 yards with a long of 67. He downed 24 kicks inside the 20-yard line, only had two touchbacks and forced 28 fair catches.
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Freeman’s leadership, Mason’s passion drew Sot in
Sot started communicating with Notre Dame while former head coach Brian Kelly was still at the helm, but he has since developed strong relationships with both head coach Marcus Freeman and special teams coordinator Brian Mason.
“I’ve talked to Coach Mason a good amount,” Sot said. “He’s really, really passionate about special teams, which is something that I really like. He keeps me updated on what’s going on while I’m finishing up here.
“Then just seeing how the guys on the team have rallied behind Coach Freeman is something I wanted to be a part of. I’ve heard a lot of positive things. I wanted to come be a part of that so bad, and I’m super excited.”
Mason’s special teams room will now have nine players, as the coach said he wanted to breed as much competition as possible.
“We needed some more experience,” Mason said during his first media availability at Notre Dame. “We needed some more competition to be able to offset at certain positions where maybe we were a little inexperienced having to replace a starting kicker and a starting punter.”
He found just that in an experienced Sot.
