Through the uprights : Experience gives Fayetteville special teams a boost
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Fayetteville assistant coach Scott Williams describes a punt-blocking alignment during practice Friday at Harmon Field.
Special teams has become the focus for Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton and special teams coordinator Scott Williams.
Fayetteville boasts a returning starter at nearly all of the highprofile special teams positions. The Purple Dogs return their punt returner, punter, two kickers, snapper, deep snapper and holder.
"I think we're as good on special teams as we've ever been," Patton said. "Experience is big and we've got a lot of it coming back. Special teams is huge in the 7 A-West. That's a phase we can win each and every week. It's a very important but often overlooked phase. But we've been practicing it since Day 1. We feel like it's an area that we must win every week."
The toughest face for Patton and Williams to replace is Gionni Harris, who functioned as Fayetteville's deep man on kickoffs the past three seasons. But Patton is overflowing with confidence in move-in Bobby Petrino, who returned kicks and punts at his former school as a junior last season.
"He gives us a guy with good speed and real good instincts running with the football," Patton said. "We feel like with him back there we can be really good. He's a very good football player and I think he showed that in the scrimmage."
Petrino will be back deep along with Dylan Hale. Michael Heintzman, Coy Holmes and Alex Miller will also be back.
"We've got a lot of talent on kick return," Patton said. "They're not real big guys but they can move and they're physical up front and they're all good at handling the football."
Fayetteville returns two kickers who both logged substantial snaps last season. Juniors Will Rosteck and Drew Patton will both see time this season. Drew Patton made 39 of 42 extra points last season but has been hampered for the past three weeks with a hip flexor injury. Coach Patton said Drew returned to practice Tuesday.
Rosteck won a kicking skills camp competition in Tulsa over the summer and has been sharp so far in practice.
"We feel like we're very solid at kicker," Patton said. "I know I'm biased but I think we've got the two best kickers in 7 A. We're going to use both but we're not sure what areas we're going to use them in. We chart their progress each week and have kicking competitions in practice so we know who our kicker is going into each game."
Patton said he will utilize both kickers in every game this season.
"It may be a situation where one guy kicks field goals and extra points and the other guy kicks off," Patton said. "We might rotate them every kick. Some people might think that's foolish but when you have two good running backs or defensive ends you rotate them. Both kickers are very capable of helping us win ballgames and it's a luxury to have two great kickers."
Sophomore Chad Levin is another option should the Purple Dogs endure additional injury issues this season. Levin booted a 35-yard field goal in last Monday's scrimmage at home against Shiloh Christian.
Snapper Steven Shelton and holder Alex Miller bring continuity to extra points and field goals. Shelton enters his third season as snapper and Miller begins his second season as the holder. Shelton will also function as the deep snapper.
Sophomores Drew Gorton and Derek Hammer will back up Shelton as the snapper. Junior J. T. McCormick will back up Miller. McCormick pulled down a high snap and got the hold down in time for a successful extrapoint try in the third quarter against Shiloh.
Returning starter Kellen Summers will return punts this season. Petrino will also see action in punt return.
"We feel like we're in pretty good hands with all our return guys," Patton said. "They both have experience and they're very sure-handed."
Franco Broyles returns as the Purple Dogs'punter. Drew Patton and Brandon Allen could also see time at punter.
"We've got the utmost confidence in Franco," Patton said. "He's got a great leg and he'll be fine. Drew's got a big-time leg but just needs to work on the consistency part. Then Brandon comes in there in the scrimmage and booms a 40-yard punt so I think we've got that covered."
Patton also said his pupils have focused on blocking extra points and field goals. Hale, Demetrius Dean, Colby Berna and Cody Osbourn give the Purple Dogs height over the middle. Petrino's speed will be key coming off the edge.
"We've worked hard on that aspect of special teams," Patton said. "It was good to see it pay off with a blocked extra point against Shiloh."
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