It’s partly a statistical quirk, partly an intentional outcome, but it’s 100 percent true — through seven games this season, South Alabama has yet to allow a punt return yard.

Of Jack Martin’s 19 punts this season, 10 have resulted in a fair catch, five were downed by the Jaguars’ coverage unit, one went out of bounds, one was muffed (i.e., a fumble without actually gaining possession) and one resulted in penalty for kick-catch interference (see chart at bottom). Heading into Saturday’s home game vs. Louisiana, not once has an opponent attempt a return.

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“You don’t go into a game plan and say, ‘Hey, we don’t want to allow any punt return yardage all year long,’” South Alabama coach Kane Wommack said. “But it’s certainly nice. I think we’re doing a really good job with our operation times of getting the ball off, but we’re getting height on the ball. And our gunners are doing a tremendous job right now. I mean, they’re consistently winning every single play.

“We’re also creating some formations that we didn’t have a year ago, in terms of getting more people down the field. Sometimes we’ll have three and four wide out there to cover, and so I think it makes it a lot more challenging for people to return. We’re also moving the launch point of the ball, so we’re not always kicking one way, one direction. Sometimes we’re kicking (to open side of) the field, sometimes we’re kicking to the boundaries. So between the launch point, gunners being effective and then having multiple gunners, I think that’s why we’re having success.”

South Alabama (4-3, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) is actually tied for fifth nationally in opponents’ punt return yardage, because four schools — Louisiana, Akron, Tennessee and Washington — have “surrendered” negative punt-return yards. But each of those four has allowed at least one return for positive yardage.

Another program, Kansas, has allowed only one punt return, but forced a fumble before the returner headed upfield. Though a muff technically counts as an attempted return, South Alabama and two-time defending national champion Georgia are the only two FBS teams that have not allowed an opponent to return a punt after making a clean catch.

“We go through who the punt returner is each week and everything, and just what we can do best to make sure that we don’t allow any returns,” Martin said. “And obviously the gunners have been doing their part to make sure that doesn’t happen. I really just try to hang the ball up pretty high and make sure that they don’t even get a yard ahead or anything like that. And I honestly hope there’s a chance for (returners) to drop it.”

Of course, the best way not to allow a return yard is not to attempt a punt in the first place. And that’s been the case in South Alabama’s last two games — blowout wins over Louisiana-Monroe (55-7) and Southern Miss (55-3). In those two games, the Jaguars scored a touchdown or field goal on 22 of their 26 offensive possessions. The other drives resulted in two missed field goals, an interception and the end of a half.

Martin has still gotten into both games as South Alabama’s primary holder on extra points and field goals, but has had little reason to keep his punting leg warm.

“I think we have hardly even had to get ‘punt alert’ up, because there haven’t even been that many third downs the past two games,” Martin said. “The offense has been doing a phenomenal job. But it’s a good thing. I go into every game with the mindset that I have to be ready to punt, but it’s good for the team we don’t have to. I feel like we’re probably one of the few teams in the country this year to be able to go two games in a row without punting.”

The fact that Martin is punting at all for South Alabama this season — let alone so effectively — is a bit of a surprise. The Jaguars were set to return veteran punter Jack Brooks for a fifth season, but Brooks decided over the summer to end his football career and enter the workforce in his native Australia.

That created an opening at the punting position, but Wommack and his staff hedged their bets rather than just hand the spot to the left-footed Martin. South Alabama signed Finland native Aleksi Pulkkinen and also added Division I transfer David Delgado, who had been mostly a holder at San Diego State.

However, Pulkkinen was ruled ineligible for the Jaguars’ first two games this season as an NCAA penalty for having played on a club team in his native country. And once preseason camp began, Martin emerged as the best of the bunch anyway.

Martin grew up in the Mobile area, and excelled in both football and baseball at McGill-Toolen Catholic School. But when it came time for college in 2019, he chose to walk on at Alabama rather than his hometown school.

He spent two seasons with the Crimson Tide, long enough to earn a national championship ring as part of the 2020 team. But when highly-regarded punting prospect James Burnip (another Australian) signed with Alabama in 2021, Martin figured his chances of ever seeing the field in Tuscaloosa were virtually nil and he entered the NCAA transfer portal.

(In a bit of an odd coincidence, another punter named Jack Martin transferred to Alabama from Troy in 2021. That Jack Martin, a Dothan native, also never attempted a punt for the Crimson Tide, but did kick off a handful of times and also made one field goal in two seasons before finishing his career in 2022.)

“Alabama was a great experience overall,” South Alabama’s Jack Martin said. “I don’t think I would be the player I am today if I hadn’t gone through that experience, because it was a real awakening as to how competitive college football is. I went there thinking I was the best of the best, but so is every other guy. It was a big reality check.

“But when I made the decision to come to South, I knew I’d have a better opportunity to compete. This is where I wanted to be.”

Martin sat behind Brooks in 2021 and 2022, not appearing in a game for the Jaguars in either year. In fact, his first time on a college field during a game came when he held on a field goal attempt during the first quarter of South Alabama’s 2023 season-opener vs. Tulane on Sept. 2.

When Martin did finally see action for South Alabama, he did so having recently lost one of his biggest supporters. His grandfather, Danny Martin (who worked for many years as parks and recreation superintendent for the City of Orange Beach), died Aug. 17 at age 69.

“That was kind of a motivating thing for me, it really was,” Martin said. “He supported me through whatever sport, whatever I did. He was a big fan and was hard on me, making sure I do my best. (His death) was really tough, but I told him this summer that I’ll do what I need to do and get the (punting) job for him. I know he’s looking down with a big smile on his face every time I go out on the field.”

Kickoff Saturday for South Alabama vs. Louisiana (4-3, 1-2) is set for 4 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The game will stream live via ESPN+.

South Alabama’s 19 punts this season: