‘It’s Very Hard’: 19-YO Archie Wilson’s Mother Turns Emotional After Son’s Nebraska Admission

The Australian Punter, whose tears melted the internet two weeks ago due to homesickness, took to the spotlight again. This time, he wasn’t crying; rather, Archie Wilson beamed with joy as he reunited with his family in his college football debut for the Huskers. In their season opener, Nebraska triumphed over Cincinnati at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium 20-17. The Wilson family, along with Archie’s friends, flew all the way from Melbourne to see the Nebraska punter take his first steps into an entirely new realm.

Before the game, the Nebraska Cornhuskers shared a six-minute video on Archie Wilson’s story, narrating his journey from Melbourne to Lincoln. “It’s the perfect place for him to be, and I couldn’t be more happier,” his mom, Jessica, let out her emotions on Archie being far away from her in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“It was very hard leaving him here, but I was very comfortable leaving him here, knowing he’s in good hands.” Jessica recalled how Archie’s love for football began early. He was just eight months old when he started walking, and it wasn’t long before he started kicking the ball. Every day, when his dad, Lee, would come home from work, he’d be welcomed by balls flying all over the lounge.

At just 19, Archie Wilson’s journey hasn’t been without struggle. The homesickness of being thousands of miles away from his family has been tough. Yet, Nebraska has wrapped its arms around him. He found his new home at Lincoln. “To have like a response for Nebraska fans and people like that. It’s like, yeah, it’s good to be in a place where, like, you feel comfortable enough where people are actually going to care for you as a person,” he admitted.

His father, Lee, echoed the same sentiment. “…couldn’t be in a better place. When we saw the stadium for the first time, and he looked up and he said, “This is my home ground,'” Lee shared. Archie’s dedication towards gridiron and the Nebraska Cornhuskers peaked through all the emotions rolling off of him. Lincoln has found a special place in Archie’s heart, an exciting place to be. “I’m still just in shock at the state of the place. It’s a special place in me. So excited to be here. Yeah. Like you got no idea. No idea how excited he is to be here.”

His parents and siblings cheered for him from the stands as Matt Rhule’s team began their much-anticipated season with a win. All those years of hard work and grit culminated on the turf.

Archie Wilson rolls with calmness in his debut game

Moving on to the box score, it appears that Matt Rhule’s three-year charm has taken root. Archie Wilson chipped in four punts for 147 yards, averaging 36.8 yards per punt. Three of those kicks were in the 20-yard zone. One of his punts, which came about when Nebraska had a fourth down ahead of the halfway point, evoked a response from the broadcaster Roddy Jones.

“Wow … boy that was a clutch punt. For his first football game ever played in, he’s had a nice day punting the football,” Jones said. With compliments pouring in, Archie Wilson talked about how his calm attitude on the turf helped him give his 100%.

“I felt like I was able to enjoy the game,” Archie Wilson said. “I didn’t feel nervous or anything like that; The ball was snapped and I was like ‘Oh, I’m just doing the same thing I’ve been doing,” he said. Coming up next, he is gearing up against the Akron Zips on September 6.