A Look at the 2008 SFA Special Teams
8/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 29, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - - As the Lumberjacks enter the 2008 season an area of improvement that the coaching staff focused on was special teams. SFA head coach J.C. Harper appointed receivers coach Todd Schonhar as the new special teams coordinator. Schonhar's first task was to instill a sense of pride in the special teams.
"We did not rank very well in the conference or the nation last year in special teams," said Schonhar. "Football is made up of three parts -- offense, defense and special teams. We may have games where the offense is struggling, and the defense is playing well or vice versa, but if you can win two of the three battles you've put your team is a good position to win. We have to do our part better.
"We have to be more consistent in all areas. We need to improve on our kick coverage, and at the same time put our offense in better field position when given the opportunity. We have to be perfect on extra points, and I would like to see us be at least 80 percent on field goals," added Schonhar.
The 'Jacks will have a stable of backs and receivers with speed to burn in the kick return area. The early favorites are receivers Aaron Rhea and Duane Brooks. Rhea averaged nearly 20 yards per return last season, while Brooks has big-play potential.
"We're going to be using the same group of guys for both kickoff and punt returns," said Schonhar. "Aaron Rhea and Duane Brooks top that list, but Contrevious Parks, Marcus Taylor and Vincent Pervis are all in the mix."
While Parks and Taylor each have the ability to get the ball up the field in a short period of time, Pervis may be the diamond in the rough. Pervis earned all-conference honors as a kick returner during his freshman season, but the question for Pervis is health after last year's season-ending injury.
Senior Cory Long returns for his final season in a Lumberjack uniform. Long was the team's starting kicker for first half the 2007 season, and enters his senior year among the school's all-time leaders with 154 points.
Similar to the 2007 campaign, Long will receive a challenge from incoming freshman Drew Nelson. Nelson, who has already won the punting job, played in the Texas High School Coaches Association's All-Star game. Nelson will have big shoes the fill in his punting role replacing school-record holder Ryan Gooch as the team's punter.
Should neither Long nor Nelson lock down the kicking role for SFA, don't count another rookie, Matt Baldwin. Baldwin is a 6-1, 195-pound product from Houston CY Falls.
The 'Jacks return sophomore Dustin Kempf who served as the deep snapper last season. Along with junior Joe Savoie, SFA should be solid in this area. Freshman quarterback Dalton Williams is penciled in as the holder.
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