2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Dane Roy, P, University of Houston
Student-Athlete Profile:
- Dane Roy
- University of Houston
- P
- 6’7”
- 240 LBS.
- Hometown: Bunyip, Australia
- Twitter: @dRoy
2019 Accolades & Statistics:
- 2019 American Athletic Conference Co-Special Teams Player of the Year.
- 2019 American Athletic Conference First Team.
- Punts: 54
- Punt Yards: 2,531
- Y/Punt: 46.87
- Long: 69
- Touchbacks: 2
- Fair Caught: 8
- Inside 20: 30
- 50+ yards: 8
Congratulations on the All-AAC selection and STPOY award. What is the first emotion you felt when receiving this news? Who is the first person you shared it with?
Felt pretty excited, to be honest. I’ve missed out on those selections in previous years and it felt good to be recognized for all the hard work the punt team put in this year. I think I shared it with my family first, we have a family chat we all speak in.
You are a former Ice Cream salesman. Tell me a little bit about your experience in that profession? What was your highest selling flavor? Did you ever get sick of ice cream?
I was an outbound salesman ringing up gas stations and 7-Elevens and seeing what ice cream they wanted the delivery man to bring, always trying to up-sell, etc. Maxibons were pretty popular and no I never got sick of ice cream
Your hometown is famous for a mythological creature in Australia’s Aboriginal folklore, the Bunyip. What do you remember about this legend growing up?
In primary school, they used to talk about it and make up stories about it. Some children’s books were even written about Bunyips.
What have you taken away the most from Coach Holgorsen, Coach Gideon and the rest of the Houston coaching staff?
Coach Holgorsen is a football guy. He’s great value and definitely a coach who knows what they are talking about. He’s got that “do anything to win,” mentality while at the same time making sure all the players are developing as people too. I loved how he put all the trust into Coach Gideon and me on the field and it showed with our stats in the end. Coach Gideon was a great coach and Houston will definitely miss him. He flipped my entire punting career on its head and I’m on the radar of some NFL teams now which is huge for me.
When football is over, what do you aspire to do in the professional world?
I have a few plans up my sleeve after I stop punting. I’d love to bring college football over to Melbourne and play a yearly game. But at the same time, I’d love to be a graphic designer, a media personality or a voice-over artist.
If your life was a book, what would the title be?
That’s a good question! Probably make a punt joke in the title, as punters are another name for gamblers in Australia, and I like to gamble a bit. “Take a Punt.”
Give me your Mount Rushmore of all-time punters, past or present. What made you choose these four players?
Ray Guy, for obvious reasons and he is a great guy too, Shane Lechler for the amazing career and stats he has, Pat McAfee for his punting and entertainment, and the last one is between the 3 Aussies who were pioneers in punting. Darren Bennett, Sav Rocca, and Ben Graham. Those guys had great careers!
Is there a current or former NFL player you emulate your game after?
I probably think my style looks a bit like Dicko from the Seahawks, I changed up my swing for health reasons and it worked out to be better that way. I kind of punt it with a bent leg.
If I’m in Houston on a Saturday night during the Fall, where is the one place I have to eat?
If you’re after BBQ hit up The Pit Room or hit up Azumas for happy hour, downtown for the best Asian food.
You’re in front of all 32 NFL General Managers and have 15 words or less to give them your pitch on why Dane Roy will be an asset to their organization for years to come. What do you tell them?
I’ll be younger than Rocca and Graham when they started, that worked out for them.