Hawaii punters Gehrig Heil and Gannon Miller are getting an early jump on the fall, with the University of Hawaiʻi’s semester set to begin Aug. 24 but competition already underway to replace outgoing starter Billy Gowers.
Special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield said both are in development, which he considers normal at this stage. He noted last season’s place-kicker Kansei Matsuzawa and Gowers were also developmental before emerging as standouts. Sheffield said the staff stresses 1 percent improvement each day.
Matsuzawa earned All-America honors and is now with the Las Vegas Raiders. Gowers, who averaged 46.2 yards per punt as a 29-year-old freshman from Australia, transferred to defending national champion Indiana.
Through five training camp practices, Heil and Miller have shown promising flashes along with areas to refine.
Hawaii punters honing placement and hang time
Heil, a Texas transfer who redshirted as a freshman, has been precise hitting the targeted lane between the numbers and the sideline. He is working with strength and conditioning coordinator Bobby Thomas to add hang time.
Both punters are on full-body programs with sprints and squats. Heil, listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, back-squats 415 pounds. He said improving hang time comes from stretching, adjusting the drop by raising it slightly, and keeping steps short. He often carries a ball to practice to rehearse his drop and said he also drills it regularly at home.
Heil is also repping as a holder, a skill he practiced at Texas, with guidance from head coach Timmy Chang, who has holding experience from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Named after baseball legend Lou Gehrig, Heil has strong hands for handling snaps. He roomed in the spring with UH baseball pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno.
Consistency the goal for Hawaii punters
Miller, who played for the Air Force Prep Academy in 2025 and averaged 41 yards per punt in limited action, arrived at UH in January after a three-month gap without punting due to academics. He has flashed a powerful leg, touching five seconds of hang time and often hitting 4.8. He said the priority is to make 4.6-second hang times routine rather than peaking high and dropping off.
Miller wondered if leaving Colorado Springs’ 6,033-foot elevation would affect distance, but said the ball carries well in Mānoa. He closely tracks conditions, noting that wind, time of day, and humidity all influence flight. He said understanding those variables helps him manipulate the ball to reach target spots.
Both punters expect competition to remain open. Sheffield said he has been transparent that another punter could be added to the mix and that the players understand and accept the challenge. Miller praised Sheffield’s honesty, saying his own focus is on the process over immediate results, trusting development to lead where it may.
