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O.K., it's time. As much fun as it's been for seven months of having nothing to look back at but a disappointing and dreary season, it's time to start looking at the roster position by position, and then figuring out where that leaves us for the 2012 season. Let's start with our specialists and special teams.
David Teggart was special. Now two ways about it. And there is no basis to say that we won't step backwards this year iwth our placekicking. That having been said, I have no reason to think that Chad Christen, now a RS Jr., won't be more than adequate at least. And, remember, Teggart didn't win us a game last year the way it worked anyway (he had a chance to win the ISU game for us, with two over 50, but missed 2 in the 40s that was the margin of our loss.) What do we know about Christen? Well, we know that he's experienced and has a leg, as he's handled the kickoffs for two years. We also know that during a game in '10, he was good enough that Teggart got benched and he kicked. And, by all reports at that time, he had pushed Teggart pretty hard for the job. So I really expect to be o.k. here. Backing him up will be the true Frosh from Florida, Bobby Puyol, who may turn out to be very good but would have to be great from day one not to redshirt (assuming Chad stays healthy), and James Goodrich, a walk-on RS Frosh from Maine. I would be shocked if Christen didn't continue to handle the kicking off as well, where he's done a better than average job to date and should presumably improve as he gets stronger.
At Punter, the walk-on (at least when he entered the program) Cole Wagner returns for his third year as a starter. Wagner started the '10 season like he didn't belong, and ended it as a big reason why we won the Big East. However, he seemed to regress at times his sophomore year. Might have had something to do with the new staff's emphasis on directional punting. maybe not. Who knows. But while he did a very competent overall job in '11, I really think the potential is there for a huge year from him. The roster lists a freshman, walk-on named Justin Wain also, although the depth chart in the media guide names Christen as the backup.
Adam Mueller, now a RS sophomore long snapper from Illinois, returns for his second year as a starter. While he didn't to my recollection get downfield on punt coverage the way that Derek Chard or Martin Bedard did the prior few years, his snapping was without incident. That gives us stability there. The roster lists two walk-ons as backups -- RS Frosh Dom Manco and true frosh William Oldach.
One of the things that led to the fall off from '10 to '11 was that kick and punt returns went from being a plus to being a minus. Coverage really tailed off. Loss of key personnel (like Bama)? Different schemes? Less of an emphasis? Who knows. But it would be great to see it come back. On returns, Nick Williams (now back for his Senior season), while o.k., was not what it was or what we expected (other than the RU game that he played a huge role in). Blocking? Him spending more time in the WR mix? Again, who knows. But he's back and this needs to be a strength. The depth chart lists Taylor Mack and Deshon Foxx, both extremely quick and explosive (and thus more prototypical as punt returners than Williams, who relies more on shiftiness and feel) as competing for the backup, and lists Mack and Wilbert Lee as competing for the other KR shot. Nice to know they really want Lee on the field, and more on him when we get to the defensive backfield.
Bottom line, is that even with the loss of Teggart the return of Christen, Wagner, Mueller and Nick Williams will make us at least o.k. on specials overall. But, if this team is going to have a special season, specials needs to start dominating again like it did in the second half of '12. That will require all the cover guys and blockers to go back to how they played in the second half of '10, and not how they played last year. I have a good feeling about that.
David Teggart was special. Now two ways about it. And there is no basis to say that we won't step backwards this year iwth our placekicking. That having been said, I have no reason to think that Chad Christen, now a RS Jr., won't be more than adequate at least. And, remember, Teggart didn't win us a game last year the way it worked anyway (he had a chance to win the ISU game for us, with two over 50, but missed 2 in the 40s that was the margin of our loss.) What do we know about Christen? Well, we know that he's experienced and has a leg, as he's handled the kickoffs for two years. We also know that during a game in '10, he was good enough that Teggart got benched and he kicked. And, by all reports at that time, he had pushed Teggart pretty hard for the job. So I really expect to be o.k. here. Backing him up will be the true Frosh from Florida, Bobby Puyol, who may turn out to be very good but would have to be great from day one not to redshirt (assuming Chad stays healthy), and James Goodrich, a walk-on RS Frosh from Maine. I would be shocked if Christen didn't continue to handle the kicking off as well, where he's done a better than average job to date and should presumably improve as he gets stronger.
At Punter, the walk-on (at least when he entered the program) Cole Wagner returns for his third year as a starter. Wagner started the '10 season like he didn't belong, and ended it as a big reason why we won the Big East. However, he seemed to regress at times his sophomore year. Might have had something to do with the new staff's emphasis on directional punting. maybe not. Who knows. But while he did a very competent overall job in '11, I really think the potential is there for a huge year from him. The roster lists a freshman, walk-on named Justin Wain also, although the depth chart in the media guide names Christen as the backup.
Adam Mueller, now a RS sophomore long snapper from Illinois, returns for his second year as a starter. While he didn't to my recollection get downfield on punt coverage the way that Derek Chard or Martin Bedard did the prior few years, his snapping was without incident. That gives us stability there. The roster lists two walk-ons as backups -- RS Frosh Dom Manco and true frosh William Oldach.
One of the things that led to the fall off from '10 to '11 was that kick and punt returns went from being a plus to being a minus. Coverage really tailed off. Loss of key personnel (like Bama)? Different schemes? Less of an emphasis? Who knows. But it would be great to see it come back. On returns, Nick Williams (now back for his Senior season), while o.k., was not what it was or what we expected (other than the RU game that he played a huge role in). Blocking? Him spending more time in the WR mix? Again, who knows. But he's back and this needs to be a strength. The depth chart lists Taylor Mack and Deshon Foxx, both extremely quick and explosive (and thus more prototypical as punt returners than Williams, who relies more on shiftiness and feel) as competing for the backup, and lists Mack and Wilbert Lee as competing for the other KR shot. Nice to know they really want Lee on the field, and more on him when we get to the defensive backfield.
Bottom line, is that even with the loss of Teggart the return of Christen, Wagner, Mueller and Nick Williams will make us at least o.k. on specials overall. But, if this team is going to have a special season, specials needs to start dominating again like it did in the second half of '12. That will require all the cover guys and blockers to go back to how they played in the second half of '10, and not how they played last year. I have a good feeling about that.