Australian punter ‘Papa Bear’ looks to end USF career on a high note [Video]

TAMPA, Fla. — Football coaches aren’t supposed to play favorites, but USF head coach Alex Golesh is making a rare exception this season.

“Andrew Stokes is legitimately probably my favorite person on this football team,” Golesh said after Tuesday’s workout.

“I can definitely see that,” Stokes responded without hesitation. “It’s probably just because we’re closest in age.”

Golesh is 40. Stokes turns 31 in December.

“He’s 30,” Golesh paused. “He’s older than most of your young coaches, most of our graduate assistants and analysts.”

Stokes, a native of Perth, Australia, played seven years of Australian Rules Football before joining ProKick Australia. ProKick has a long history of training Aussie Rules players to become punters and kickers at American Universities and, eventually, the NFL.

Now a senior, Stokes has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to making …