It was fourth and 12 and Mitch Wishnowsky was on the field to punt, or so the 49ers thought.
You see, Wishnowsky didn't grow up a punter -- he grew up playing Australian rules football, which is similar to rugby. Which means he's an athlete. So on that fourth and 12, when he saw a crease around the right end, he didn't hesitate. He took off. Sprinted not just for 12 yards and the first down. He rumbled for 30. Unfortunately for him and the 49ers, the play didn't count because Ronnie Bell committed a penalty. But Wishnowsky had made a statement.
He's a weapon. The 49ers need to find more ways to use him, need to actually design and call some fake punts so they can take advantage of his size, speed and athleticism.
Wishnowsky is an excellent punter -- he can kick it far, he can pin it near the opponent's goal line, and he can spin it so it's hard to catch. He can do things other punters wouldn't dream of trying.
But the 49ers offense is so good this season, they don't need their punter to punt often. Wishnowsky has become the most underutilized player on the roster, and that's not a bad thing -- teams don't want to lead the league in punting attempts. But it's a shame to let such a dangerous player go to waste.
Kyle Shanahan is an offensive genius, which means he has the creativity to find ways to leverage Wishnowsky's talents more frequently. I, for one, can't wait to see how Shanahan incorporates Wishnowsky into the offense. Maybe he can play fullback.
There's nothing Wishnowsky can't do.
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