LINCOLN, Neb. -- For weeks, Nebraska coach Mike Riley has been lamenting his teams inability to consistently return punts. Hes not the only coach with that problem as the punting game undergoes a dramatic transformation, with different kinds of formations and Australian kickers seemingly everywhere.The number of punt returns per game in the Bowl Subdivision since the start of the 2015 season is the lowest on record, and average yards per return also have declined.I think thats the most interesting thing in the last less-than-a-decade in college football, really -- the change in punting, punt formations, how the punts come out, Riley said.Nationally, last years per-team average was 1.57 returns a game. This seasons average is 1.59. Prior to 2006, it had never been lower than 2.23. Also, the average punt return has been less than 9 yards for seven straight seasons.In the Big Ten this year, there have been 1.85 returns per game per team. The average runback has fallen to 7.87 yards, lowest among the Power Five conferences, and only Michigan and Iowa average better than 9.Michigan star Jabrill Peppers is the Big Ten leader at 17.5 yards per return. Iowas Desmond King is next at 8.74. There are only 33 players in the FBS averaging 9 yards or better; there were 68 in 2002.One of the reasons for the drop, Riley said, is that punt-return units are facing formations that spread the field, compromising their ability to hold up coverage people at the line of scrimmage and set up blockers for a return.The different punt formations, punt styles that have come up have really made the punt-return team almost more of a defensive unit, making sure you cover everybody, Riley said. Theyre spread over the field, they go in motion, and that never used to happen in a punt. Everybody would stand back there with a personal protector, a couple of wingbacks, a couple of gunners. You knew where everybody was. You could rush or you could hold up, so its a little more complicated now.Another factor is that the art of punting has evolved with the invasion of highly skilled Australian punters into the college game.In the Big Ten, Ohio States Cameron Johnston and Marylands Wade Lees are starting for their teams. Daniel Pasquariello is the backup at Penn State, and Rutgers has Tim Gleeson, who has been injured. Johnston is fifth in the FBS at 47.2 yards per punt. Ahead of him are two of his countrymen, national leader Mitch Wishnowsky of Utah and third-place Michael Dickson of Texas.The Aussie punters typically are older and come from rugby and Australian rules football backgrounds. They often kick while moving, taking a handful of steps to the right or left before letting it fly, a far cry from the relatively immobile punters American fans are so used to. Rugby-style punts arent pretty, but they are effective, rolling toward the boundary and giving the coverage unit enough time to get downfield to limit return opportunities.They also execute sky punts that fly high and roll out, low punch shots into the wind that hit the ground and go another 15 yards, feathery pooch punts that pin opponents deep and floating, hard-to-catch knuckleball punts.Dan Orner, a private coach from Charlotte, North Carolina, who works with NFL and college punters and kickers, said the directional punt with a hang time of 4.8 to 5.1 seconds is still in high demand. But Orner said the influence of the Australians is undeniable.While were throwing the ball around at tailgates, Orner said, theyre kicking it around.The Australian influence, Orner said, has pushed American punters to add to their repertoires.Marylands Lees is the oldest player in the FBS and one of the most recent Australians to arrive. Hes a 28-year-old freshman and a former professional Australian rules football player.The only way to pass to a teammate is to kick the ball, Lees said of his old sport. To pass to my teammate, I have to kick him the ball while Im being tackled or trying to evade my defender. Accuracy and precision have to be spot-on. Thats why we can get so accurate.Lees said he first kicked an American football less than two years ago. He worked with a coach in Melbourne who helps connect Australian punters with U.S. colleges. Most of his punts are rugby-style, but he is comfortable doing whatever special teams coordinator Pete Lembo calls for in different situations, based, among other things, on where the return man is lined up and where the ball is on the field.All I have to do is just execute the punt and hope to get a fair-caught ball, Lees said, and Ive done my job.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org Bryce Love Jersey . 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He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season.Andy Murray battled back from a set and a break down to beat Milos Raonic and book his place in the final of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. The world No 1 also had to save a match point in a third-set tie break before eventually prevailing 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (11-9) in a tournament-record three hours and 38 minutes.The result extended Murrays winning run to a career-best 23 matches and sealed his first appearance in the final at the O2 Arena. Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals November 20, 2016, 5:45pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass He will play Novak Djokovic on Sunday for both the title and the year-end No 1 world ranking.Murrays reactionIt was a pretty amazing tie break, some great points, and I just managed to get the point at the end. The longer the match went on, the louder and better the crowd got. This is what we play for: for matches like this and arenas like this.It was a great match. It is one of the harder matches indoors; they are never normally this long. We had so many long games and long points. It was really tough.Im obviously tired. Ill just give it my best effort tomorrow. Its going to be tough, but Ill give it my best shot. Murray gives his reaction to beating Milos Raonic Shot of the matchRaonic wins a mammoth rally in the third set by turning defence into attack and then sending an unstoppable backhand down the line. Raonic capped this 20-shot rally with a fine winner Expert analysisPeter Fleming: It was remarkable. It was such a strange match. Andy Murray seemed to be in a coma for a set and three games but then roused himself and Raonic rolled over. The third set was so gripping, but it wasnt until the tie break that both guys answered the bell.Greg Rusedski: Absolutely brilliant that third set from Andy Murray. He breaks another record - 23 wins in a row. Its hard enough doing 10 in a row. We have the dream final, as long Novak Djokovic gets through. He has got to get in the ice baths and he has 24 hours to get ready, because he had to be tired in that third set. Greg Rusedski and Peter Fleming discuss Murrays victory The matchMurray was off the pace in the opening set and although he managed to hold serve up to 5-5, he was broken in the 11th game as Raonic drew first blood.dddddddddddd.The Canadian then broke again in the third game of the second set and with Murray appearing visibly agitated, it looked like his remarkable recent form had run its course. Murray pulled off this brilliant half volley during the second-set tie break However, the 29-year-old Briton performed a stunning turnaround over the next few minutes both mentally and physically, breaking immediately back and then almost gaining a second break as Raonic suddenly suffered a collapse.The underdog managed to compose himself and took the set to a tie break, but Murray bossed it right from the first point and the match went to a decider.Both players held serve up to 4-4, only to then break each other twice each in succession as nerves crept in. Raonic rode his luck with this volley at the net Murray once again seized the early initiative in the third-set tie break and earned three match points, yet Raonic saved them all before passing up on a match point of his own.Murray then engineered a fourth match point and this time took it when Raonic fired into the net to end a compelling, if not high-quality, match.Watch every match of the ATP World Tour Finals live on Sky Sports, or follow live on skysports.com/tennis and the Sky Sports app. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Also See: World No 1 permutations Murrays climb to greatness One of the best matches ever Thiem is a future major winner ' ' '