Are miscalculations by Texas Longhorns special teams coordinator Jeff Banks about his punters a thing of the past?
After two disastrous seasons — 2022 and 2024 — the Longhorns have now taken experienced punters in each of the last two offseasons with Sunday’s commitment from Florida State Seminoles transfer Mac Chiumento while on a visit to the Forty Acres.
The 6’4, 222-pounder was ranked as a five-star punter by Kohl’s in the 2022 recruiting class, reporting preferred walk-on offers from Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi State, and Utah in addition to scholarships from Behune-Cookman, Charleston Southern, and Eastern Kentucky.
“Chiumento‘s most recent event was the 2021 Southern Showcase. He did very well in the kickoff competition. In January of 2021, he moved up in the rankings in both kicking and punting. Chiumento has a tall, athletic frame which allows him to do some great things as a specialist,” the site wrote.
“His leg strength is still developing but has made a nice jump since last June. He has the tools to be a very good punter/kicker. Chiumento’s development could be exciting in the next year. If he makes another jump like he did this past year he will be one of the very best combo k/p in the country.”
Out of Daytona Beach (Fla.) Seabreeze, Chiumento appeared in three games while redshirting in 2022, kicking off six times. The following season, he kicked off four times over two games before playing in the final two games of 2024 while serving as a holder.
In 2025, Chiumento finally broke through as the starting punter, averaging 44.0 yards on 27 punts with one touchback, 13 downed inside the 20-yard line, and six punts of at least 50 yards.