Louie Matsakis has worked behind the scenes as the most prominent figure with Kentucky's special teams unit for a long time now and he's on the lookout for someone who can compete to be the Wildcats' next punter.

To that end, this week he extended a preferred walk-on opportunity to Louisville (Ky.) Trinity punter Carter Schwartz.

Schwartz does not look like your typical punter. He's 6'3, 215 pounds.

"I was a soccer player," Schwartz told Cats Illustrated. "I was always a couple of years ahead of my age, but when I got older I wasn't fast and I didn't have the cardio."

He has only been punter for three years, and is an Australian-style specialist.

"I started learning the Australian style about at the very beginning of learning punting," Schwartz said. "I always liked learning how to put different English on the ball like a pool player, and after watching and studying the incredible things that Australians can do with the football I started trying to really dial my different types of punts in so I would have different tools for different situations."

He attended a Kentucky camp last summer and that's when the relationship started up with the Cats. That was a specialist camp, where he met Matsakis, saw the facilities, performed well, and stayed around for a while afterward.

Schwartz is very familiar with former Kentucky punter and Ray Guy Award winner Max Duffy.

"I work with Max. He runs a kicking camp and I've been fortunate to get out and work with him a couple of times," Schwartz said. "He's definitely been a very big help with Kentucky in the process."

Purdue, Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Eastern Kentucky are some of the other schools that have been in contact with the Class of 2023 prospect.

"Right now I am planning on going to the UK game next week."

Schwartz added that his first kicking coach was former Kentucky specialist Ryan Tydlacka.