Auburn isn’t just rebuilding - they’re reloading, and they’re doing it all the way down to special teams. On Tuesday (Wednesday in Australia), the Tigers added another piece to their roster overhaul by signing 25-year-old Australian punter Max Bourke. He’s set to arrive on campus this summer with four full years of eligibility, giving Auburn both a short-term option and a long-term investment at a position that often flies under the radar - until it doesn’t.
Bourke, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, brings a multi-sport background from Brunswick Secondary School in Victoria, Australia. He played Aussie rules football, basketball, and cricket - and was part of a championship run in the 2023 Division 1 YJFL. That kind of athletic versatility often translates well to punting, especially for Australians, who’ve become something of a pipeline for college football programs looking for strong, composed legs with game-ready instincts.
He’ll walk into a punter room currently led by another Aussie, Hudson Kaak, who transferred to Auburn from Oklahoma State last offseason. Kaak held down the job in 2025, averaging 42 yards per punt - good for eighth in the SEC.
He’s got one more year of eligibility, and with Bourke arriving this summer, Auburn is setting itself up for a seamless transition. It’s a smart move: develop the next guy while the current one finishes out his tenure.
Also in the mix is John Alan McGuire, who signed in the 2025 class out of Thompson High School (Ala.). He worked as a backup kickoff specialist and punter last season, giving Auburn even more depth and flexibility in the kicking game.
The addition of Bourke gives new special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski another chess piece to work with. Bronowski, who followed head coach Alex Golesh from Pitt, is clearly putting his stamp on this unit - and with Golesh overseeing a roster transformation that’s now seen 60 new additions (39 via the transfer portal, 21 from high school and JUCO), it’s clear the Tigers are leaving no stone unturned.
Bourke will be part of a summer enrollee group that includes defensive lineman Corey Wells, edge rusher Chris Wells, safety Damonte Tabb, and offensive lineman Mykall Lundy-Foster - all of whom signed during the early signing period in December. It’s a group that reflects Golesh’s aggressive approach to building a roster that can compete now and sustain success down the road.
Special teams might not always grab headlines, but in tight SEC matchups, a great punter can flip the field and tilt momentum in a heartbeat. With Bourke’s arrival, Auburn is banking on that - literally and figuratively.