SFA Football 2012 Preview: Special Teams
8/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 24, 2012
SPECIAL TEAMS
Returning: Jordan Wiggs
Newcomers: Nick Bruno, Mason Juhl
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - With one of the top kickers in the Southland Conference and one of the top kick returners in the nation both back for 2012, the Stephen F. Austin special teams units have to be beaming with confidence on the cusp of the season opener.
As just a freshman, kicker Jordan Wiggs successfully booted a league-best 17 field goals and 36 of 38 extra points last season. Those numbers ranked him second in the SLC in points accounted for, putting up just under nine per game. More importantly, Wiggs hit 10 of his 11 tries from inside 30 yards, essentially turning any Lumberjack trip inside the red zone into guaranteed points each time.
An honorable mention all-SLC selection last season, Wiggs is a preseason all-SLC choice and his return will mark the first time since 2008 the Lumberjacks have had the same kicker back for consecutive seasons and the rest of the league has recognized his talents
He will be backed up by a pair of freshmen, Mason Juhl and Nick Bruno, while Bruno will likely take over for Drew Nelson with punting duties . Bruno averaged 41.8 yards per punt as a senior at Rowlett High School in 2011 and even converted eight of his 11 field goal attempts, while Juhl kicked each of the past two seasons at Highland Park High School in Dallas.
Meanwhile, the `Jacks can also boast one of the most feared kick returners in the country in senior Gralyn Crawford. He averaged nearly 24 yards per return a year ago and took one back to the end zone to earn all-Aemerica honors as a returner for the second consecutive season. In all, Crawford has returned either a kick of punt for a score five times in his career, which is already the most in SFA's recorded history.
His kick return yards, added to what he has accomplished as a receiver has him second all-time at SFA and on the edge of shattering Larry Centers' school record of 5,029 all-purpose yards for his career.
Aug. 9 - Quarterbacks
Aug. 10 - Running Backs
Aug. 13 - Wide Receivers
Aug. 15 - Offensive Line
Aug. 20 - Defensive Line
Aug. 21 - Linebackers
Aug. 22 - Defensive Backs
Aug. 24 - Special Teams
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