Photo by: SFA Athletics
SFA Football Fall Camp Report | Special Teams
8/23/2018 10:20:00 AM | Football
‘Jacks wrap up on-field team workouts of fall camp with 19th preseason practice Thursday morning
The 2018 Stephen F. Austin football season is just around the corner and the Lumberjacks have begun fall camp, beginning the countdown to the 92nd season of Lumberjack football in Nacogdoches. Throughout the preseason camp, SFAJacks.com will break down each position or area of the team, today highlighting the special teams.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team continued its grueling preseason practices Thursday morning and completed its 19th fall camp on-field workout on the grass behind the athletics fieldhouse. For 11-straight days the Lumberjacks have hit the gridiron for either a practice or scrimmage, doing so Thursday in helmets, jerseys and shorts for the first time since Sunday.
With seasonable hot temperatures abundant, SFA hosted a much shorter 12-period practice before taking part in the Lumberjacks' final dress rehearsal of the season Friday night. Only going for about an hour and 15 minutes, SFA began the morning with its standard pre-practice positional drills, team playbook install and dynamic warmup. The quarterback/center exchange was one of the primary focuses of the pre-practice drills.
The emphasis of the day was on details and the 'Jacks worked on several special teams situations, beginning with point-after attempts and field goals. In addition to stances and starts, SFA got work in with punts and punt returns, onside kickoffs and kickoff returns. The tight end check-down, sprint out and a bad snap drill were also areas that the 'Jacks practiced during their special teams periods.
SFA wrapped up its 19th preseason practice with four periods of full team work as the 'Jacks conducted several specific play types including working on screens.
"We've been working really hard and getting better every day," junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz said following Thursday morning's practice. "It's nice to see good competition out here, you never know who is going to come out and have their day. We push each other and try to make each other better every day."
"Everybody is fired up," Ruiz added. "Everyone is excited and jumping around. "We want to go to Mississippi State and we want to give them a challenge for the first game. We're just not going to just lie down to them."
Special Teams
Only one of SFA's starting specialists is not returning in 2018 as the 'Jacks will have a new holder after the departure of Ryan Cottingame. However, junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz, senior punter Caleb Lewallen and senior long snapper Chris Wilkerson will anchor SFA on special teams as junior Texas transfer quarterback Josh Covey has had plenty of practice holding during fall camp.
Ruiz, a 2017 Fred Mitchell Award finalist, looks to be even sharper in his third season as a Lumberjack after going 14-for-18 on field goal attempts last season and nailing 3-of-3 from beyond 40 yards. He has yet to miss a PAT in two seasons (65-for-65) as SFA's starting place-kicker and owns a .771 field goal percentage (27-of-35) for his career.
Lewallen, a preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team pick, enters his third year as the Lumberjacks' starting punter and fourth as SFA's primary kickoff specialist. He was the reason why the 'Jacks ranked 25th nationally and third in the Southland in net punting (37.7 YPP) in 2017, averaging 39.1 yards per punt and 61.6 yards per kickoff.
Wilkerson, an NFL hopeful, will begin his third year as the Lumberjacks' primary long snapper and was named preseason All-America First Team by both STATS FCS and Phil Steele FCS Magazine. He has appeared in each of SFA's 22 games over the last two seasons and has played in a total of 32 games over the last three years.
"Chris (Wilkerson) being named a preseason All-American is very exciting," Ruiz commented Thursday. "It makes everyone work harder and match his level of excitement and enthusiasm every day. It makes you want to get to that level and achieve the same thing as well."
"Being able to follow the footsteps of Wilkerson and Lewallen, who also got preseason All-Southland Conference mention, makes you want to get better and compete with them," continued Ruiz. "If you get to that level then, obviously, you get a lot of recognition."
Also returning for SFA in 2018 is redshirt freshman kicker Kyle Murdock, who will be ready to step up for the 'Jacks when needed.
Three newcomers will join SFA's special teams' veterans as the 'Jacks welcome back junior kicker/punter Troy Duran, who was a letter winner in 2016 as a sophomore after appearing in two games. Two true freshmen, punter Max Quick (Lufkin) and long snapper Chase Ruiz (Clear Springs) will also both compete for playing time this fall. Chase is the younger brother of Storm Ruiz.
SFA ranked third nationally and second in the Southland a season ago in kickoff returns, averaging 26.5 yards per return, a single-season program record, and tallying 1,058 total yards on 40 returns. The 'Jacks could be even better in that area come this fall as junior safety Alize Ward, a preseason All-Southland Second Team all-purpose selection, returns after ranking second in the league and 13th nationally with a kickoff return average of 25 yards per return. He accumulated 726 yards on 29 kickoff returns for the fourth-most in a single season in school history. SFA will once again have the services of speedy sophomore running back Josh McGowen, who tallied 209 yards on seven kickoff returns for a team-best 29.9 kickoff return yard average.
The 'Jacks were equally impressive in punt return defense in 2017, ranking 19th in the nation and second in the conference by giving up just 4.71 yards per punt return and only 66 total yards. SFA will attempt to be just as strong in that area heading into its 2018 campaign.
Final Preseason Scrimmage
SFA will host its third and final scrimmage of the 2018 preseason Friday night at 6:30 p.m. as the 'Jacks take to the turf of Homer Bryce Stadium in complete pads.
Week One
The 'Jacks open up their 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. SFA hosts NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team continued its grueling preseason practices Thursday morning and completed its 19th fall camp on-field workout on the grass behind the athletics fieldhouse. For 11-straight days the Lumberjacks have hit the gridiron for either a practice or scrimmage, doing so Thursday in helmets, jerseys and shorts for the first time since Sunday.
With seasonable hot temperatures abundant, SFA hosted a much shorter 12-period practice before taking part in the Lumberjacks' final dress rehearsal of the season Friday night. Only going for about an hour and 15 minutes, SFA began the morning with its standard pre-practice positional drills, team playbook install and dynamic warmup. The quarterback/center exchange was one of the primary focuses of the pre-practice drills.
The emphasis of the day was on details and the 'Jacks worked on several special teams situations, beginning with point-after attempts and field goals. In addition to stances and starts, SFA got work in with punts and punt returns, onside kickoffs and kickoff returns. The tight end check-down, sprint out and a bad snap drill were also areas that the 'Jacks practiced during their special teams periods.
SFA wrapped up its 19th preseason practice with four periods of full team work as the 'Jacks conducted several specific play types including working on screens.
"We've been working really hard and getting better every day," junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz said following Thursday morning's practice. "It's nice to see good competition out here, you never know who is going to come out and have their day. We push each other and try to make each other better every day."
"Everybody is fired up," Ruiz added. "Everyone is excited and jumping around. "We want to go to Mississippi State and we want to give them a challenge for the first game. We're just not going to just lie down to them."
Special Teams
Only one of SFA's starting specialists is not returning in 2018 as the 'Jacks will have a new holder after the departure of Ryan Cottingame. However, junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz, senior punter Caleb Lewallen and senior long snapper Chris Wilkerson will anchor SFA on special teams as junior Texas transfer quarterback Josh Covey has had plenty of practice holding during fall camp.
Ruiz, a 2017 Fred Mitchell Award finalist, looks to be even sharper in his third season as a Lumberjack after going 14-for-18 on field goal attempts last season and nailing 3-of-3 from beyond 40 yards. He has yet to miss a PAT in two seasons (65-for-65) as SFA's starting place-kicker and owns a .771 field goal percentage (27-of-35) for his career.
Lewallen, a preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team pick, enters his third year as the Lumberjacks' starting punter and fourth as SFA's primary kickoff specialist. He was the reason why the 'Jacks ranked 25th nationally and third in the Southland in net punting (37.7 YPP) in 2017, averaging 39.1 yards per punt and 61.6 yards per kickoff.
Wilkerson, an NFL hopeful, will begin his third year as the Lumberjacks' primary long snapper and was named preseason All-America First Team by both STATS FCS and Phil Steele FCS Magazine. He has appeared in each of SFA's 22 games over the last two seasons and has played in a total of 32 games over the last three years.
"Chris (Wilkerson) being named a preseason All-American is very exciting," Ruiz commented Thursday. "It makes everyone work harder and match his level of excitement and enthusiasm every day. It makes you want to get to that level and achieve the same thing as well."
"Being able to follow the footsteps of Wilkerson and Lewallen, who also got preseason All-Southland Conference mention, makes you want to get better and compete with them," continued Ruiz. "If you get to that level then, obviously, you get a lot of recognition."
Also returning for SFA in 2018 is redshirt freshman kicker Kyle Murdock, who will be ready to step up for the 'Jacks when needed.
Three newcomers will join SFA's special teams' veterans as the 'Jacks welcome back junior kicker/punter Troy Duran, who was a letter winner in 2016 as a sophomore after appearing in two games. Two true freshmen, punter Max Quick (Lufkin) and long snapper Chase Ruiz (Clear Springs) will also both compete for playing time this fall. Chase is the younger brother of Storm Ruiz.
SFA ranked third nationally and second in the Southland a season ago in kickoff returns, averaging 26.5 yards per return, a single-season program record, and tallying 1,058 total yards on 40 returns. The 'Jacks could be even better in that area come this fall as junior safety Alize Ward, a preseason All-Southland Second Team all-purpose selection, returns after ranking second in the league and 13th nationally with a kickoff return average of 25 yards per return. He accumulated 726 yards on 29 kickoff returns for the fourth-most in a single season in school history. SFA will once again have the services of speedy sophomore running back Josh McGowen, who tallied 209 yards on seven kickoff returns for a team-best 29.9 kickoff return yard average.
The 'Jacks were equally impressive in punt return defense in 2017, ranking 19th in the nation and second in the conference by giving up just 4.71 yards per punt return and only 66 total yards. SFA will attempt to be just as strong in that area heading into its 2018 campaign.
Final Preseason Scrimmage
SFA will host its third and final scrimmage of the 2018 preseason Friday night at 6:30 p.m. as the 'Jacks take to the turf of Homer Bryce Stadium in complete pads.
Week One
The 'Jacks open up their 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. SFA hosts NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
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