Austin McCormick
 |
| No. 87 – New Orleans Second Lines | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Tight End |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 9, 2010 (aged 52) Tellico Plains, Tennessee, United States |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Tellico Plains High School |
| College: | Tennessee |
| ISFL Draft: | 2034 (S19) / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 |
| DSFL Draft: | 2033 (S18) / Round: 2 / Pick: 12 |
| Career history | |
| San Antonio Marshals | |
| Roster status: | Active |
Austin McCormick (born November 9, 2008) is an American football Tight End for the New Orleans Second Line of the National Simulation Football League (NSFL). He played college football for University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and has declared his intention to enter the professional ranks next season.
Contents
Early years
Born in the backwoods of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, Austin McCormick was the son of a local football star, Terry "Bull" McCormick. Austin speaks about how his father made sure all of his children held a deep appreciation for the sport. However, it came in a way his father probably didn’t expect. Suffering from a back injury while hiking in his early adult years, Austin's father was unable to pursue a career in sports. This led him to put unwanted pressure on his children to "achieve his dream" as Austin puts it. Football to them, while it did put them in their dad’s spotlight, allowed the boys to encounter good role models and an escape from their father. Nevertheless, it was not easy. This all culminated when, during the state finals, Austin had refused to land a "dirty" hit on a player in retaliation to a previous tackle. Bull McCormick was recorded storming the field midgame and verbally berating Austin. In the many video accounts found online, the Bull, then realizing he was being filmed, attempted to take his son away from the prying eyes of the stadium. When Austin refused to leave the field, his father smacked him across the face. This led to Austin, now filling into his 6'5" frame, to beat down his father on the fifty-yard line. Afterwards, Austin and his sibling moved in with their grandparents on his mother's side. Austin finished out his high school career and received an athletic scholarship to UTK.
Personal Life
Austin McCormick relocated to New Orleans from San Antonio in a transition he calls "pretty seamless, if you don't mind it being humid as all get out." He can be seen participating in many town events with fellow teammates. Most natably is Mardi Gras where Austin can be seen tweeting out for fellow NOLA player Mason Blaylock, who earned five beads over that night. McCormick had also taken a part-time job at John Curtic Christian Academy as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. Many have called this move, "questionable," but the NSFL Head Office have no official rules against this. McCormick says his work with the kids really helps him connect with the fans at large. "Seeing the passions these kids have for the game really brings it home you know. Really reminds me of myself."
College career
A Tennessee native, McCormick describes his time in Knoxville as a dream come true. Not starting until his sophmore year, McCormick became a fan favorite after his famous touchdown fingertip catch against the Florida Gators in the final seconds of the game. During his four years there, McCormick had 108 catches for 1,041 yards, won two John Mackey National Tight End of the Week, and was recorded as a viable blocker on the line.
College career statistics
| Year | Team | GP | Rec | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | Tennessee | 5 | 10 | 78 | 2 |
| 2030 | Tennessee | 13 | 15 | 135 | 3 |
| 2031 | Tennessee | 10 | 36 | 380 | 8 |
| 2032 | Tennessee | 10 | 47 | 448 | 8 |
Professional career
DSFL career
Declaring for the 2034 DSFL Draft (S19), McCormick was claimed from waivers by the Portland Pythons in 2033 (S18). Following a defeat by the Tijuana Luchadors in the Ultimini, McCormick entered into the DSFL draft. There, he went on to be drafted in the second round, as the twelfth pick, by the San Antonio Marshals. Under their program, McCormick switched his emphasis from balanced to a vertical threat.
Austin McCormick played one full season with the San Antonio Marshals as the starting TE. In his time there he was awarded two game balls in Weeks 6 and 14. Austin McCormick functioned in a more short yard receiver role, typically used to move the chains. Austin would again return to the Ultimini with the 6-8 Marshals where they would defeat their conference rivals, the Tijuana Luchadores, before being stopped by the Portland Pythons led by Jay Cue.
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad | BP | Wonderlic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
265 lb (120 kg) |
4.34 s | 4.24 s | 7.58 s | 27.5 in (0.70 m) |
10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
28 reps | 24 | ||||
| Fastest 40yd Dash by any TE | ||||||||||||
NSFL career
Following his heartbreaking 2034 (S19) season with the Marshals, Austin McCormick looked forward to the NSFL draft. Austin had made a name for himself as a top earner in his class and was looked at by many teams as a projected first rounder. Austin ended up drafted third overall in the 2034 (S19) Draft to the New Orleans Second Line. When hearing the news, Austin reportedly said, "That's great to hear."
New Orleans had recently traded their former TE due to disagreements over player management, and Austin was picked to take over a starter role for the team. Austin, again, filled a similar role that he saw with the San Antonio Marshals, now re-branded to the Minnesota Grey Ducks. Austin was reported to have become well adjusted to the new team, though he failed to earn much red zone success till later in the season. The New Orleans Second Line would go on to lose in the ASFC conference Championship to the Orange County Otters.
In McCormick's sophomore season, he saw extended use on the field. Slotting into WR in certain formations, McCormick doubled his previous yardage and tripled his touchdowns for the year. Still sitting on a run-first offense, McCormick took steps to increase his usefulness for the team. He started doing more reps with the Offensive Line to help with his run blocking, and still worked on his endurance training when he could. This culminated win McCormick running in the "Humana Rock 'n Roll Marathon" in New Orleans. New Orlean's season overall would be described as a let down by most of the team. Finishing 7-6, the New Orleans Second Line were able to beat out the Orange County Otters, but were stopped by the soon-to-be Ultimus Champions, the Austin Copperheads.
DSFL Regular Season Statistics
| Season | Team | Yards | AVG. Yards | Long | Touchdowns | Pancakes | Sacks Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2033 (S18) | Portland Pythons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 2034 (S19) | San Antonio Marshals | 523 | 8.9 | 23 | 2 | 26 | 1 |
NSFL career statistics
| Season | Team | Yards | AVG. Yards | Long | Touchdowns | Pancakes | Sacks Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2035 (S20) | New Orleans Second Line | 301 | 9.4 | 25 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| 2036 (S21) | New Orleans Second Line | 604 | 8.9 | 28 | 3 | 22 | 0 |
Achievements and records
Come back to this later
