UNC Punter Runs For First Down, Gets Obliterated In The Process And Has The Facemask To Prove It

UNC Tar Heels punter Ben Kiernan made an incredible play to salvage a blocked punt on Saturday afternoon against Syracuse.

With about five-and-a-half minutes left in the first quarter, Kiernan was called in to boot the ball away on 4th-and-3 with the Tar Heels up 3-0.

What the Tar Heels may not have banked on was Syracuse getting on top of Kiernan as fast as they did. Syracuse's Denis Jaquez Jr. managed to get a piece of the ball and blocked the punt.

It bounced to the side, but Kiernan was aware enough to track it down. Then, instead of panicking and doing something dumb like trying to get another punt away, he put his head down and legged it to the first down marker.

Unfortunately, he paid the price for it, and took a massive hit in the process.

That was a hell of a play from Kiernan. A hell of a job putting his body on the line to keep the Tar Heels offense on the field, too.

While it was a close one for sure, it was ruled that Kiernan had reached the first down marker.

Now... that hit.

UNC Punter Ben Kiernan's Facemask Got The Worst Of Brutal Hit

That brutal shot appeared to be courtesy of Syracuse linebacker Anwar Sparrow, and it was a heavy one.

How heavy? Let's check in on Kiernan's facemask, shall we?

Just going by that mangled face mask, Sparrow is lucky he wasn't told to hit the showers after that play.

I guess if there's a goof thing to take from that photo is that the facemask appears to have absorbed a lot of the energy from Sparrow barreling into Kiernan. Probably not enough of it for Kiernan's liking, but still, better than nothing.

Kiernan will get a lot of props from his teammates for putting his body on the line like that. Fortunately it paid off. UNC went on to win the game in a big way, 40-7.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle