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Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics
Position Preview: The Specialists
8/30/2015 8:00:00 AM | Football
Frtiz excited about group heading into opener
The Georgia Southern football team set the bar extremely high in its first season of FBS play. By winning the Sun Belt Conference title, the Eagles duplicated what just two other teams in the history of college football had accomplished, and became the only team to do it with an undefeated league record. With 13 starters back, five on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense, Georgia Southern will try to meet and surpass that standard in 2015 by reaching the first bowl game in school history.
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the specialists, led by head coach Willie Fritz.
COACH FRITZ ON THE SPECIALISTS:
"Younghoe had a very good spring and camp and has earned the starting position for us in terms of extra points, field goals and kickoffs. I really feel good about him, Alex Hanks and the new guy in Tyler Bass, although we'll probable end up redshirting Bass. At punter, Matt Flynn and Ryan Nowicki are competing. We chart those guys every day and Matt's done a really good job. Both of those guys will travel and we'll see who ends up being the more consistent guy. At kickoff return, Derek Keaton and Montay Crockett did a really good job for us there last year and will get the first crack at handling the job again this year, provided they are healthy. At punt return, we're still looking at a few guys and trying to figure that out. We're doing a lot of catching and seeing who does the best job with that; that's the main thing. So we're still working on that."
BRIEFLY:
• A veteran group returns in the kicking game. Senior Alex Hanks and junior Younghoe Koo are back as well as senior punter Ryan Nowicki. Hanks made 10-of-14 field goals, and Koo notched 24 touchbacks on kickoffs. Koo currently leads in the battle for the place-kicking job, but Fritz knows he has two experienced kickers at his disposal.
• Nowicki wound up the season averaging 40.18 yards a punt with 16 inside the 20 and six over 50 yards, but Matt Flynn is right there with him battling for the spot. Fritz has indicated that Flynn has a slight lead, but the coaches will continue to let them battle and chart them every day.
• Both long snappers are also back in senior Jake Banta and junior Jake Abraham. Nowicki is also the leader for the holding position on field goals and PATs.
• Derek Keaton and Montay Crockett handled most of the kick returns, and Keaton was named a preseason All-Sun Belt selection as a kick returner in Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Athlon Sports preview. He averaged 27.81 yards a return with a long of 60 yards. Look for Derek Keaton or true freshman Malik Henry to get first crack at the punt return duties, although that is still up in the air.
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
TODAY - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the specialists, led by head coach Willie Fritz.
COACH FRITZ ON THE SPECIALISTS:
"Younghoe had a very good spring and camp and has earned the starting position for us in terms of extra points, field goals and kickoffs. I really feel good about him, Alex Hanks and the new guy in Tyler Bass, although we'll probable end up redshirting Bass. At punter, Matt Flynn and Ryan Nowicki are competing. We chart those guys every day and Matt's done a really good job. Both of those guys will travel and we'll see who ends up being the more consistent guy. At kickoff return, Derek Keaton and Montay Crockett did a really good job for us there last year and will get the first crack at handling the job again this year, provided they are healthy. At punt return, we're still looking at a few guys and trying to figure that out. We're doing a lot of catching and seeing who does the best job with that; that's the main thing. So we're still working on that."
BRIEFLY:
• A veteran group returns in the kicking game. Senior Alex Hanks and junior Younghoe Koo are back as well as senior punter Ryan Nowicki. Hanks made 10-of-14 field goals, and Koo notched 24 touchbacks on kickoffs. Koo currently leads in the battle for the place-kicking job, but Fritz knows he has two experienced kickers at his disposal.
• Nowicki wound up the season averaging 40.18 yards a punt with 16 inside the 20 and six over 50 yards, but Matt Flynn is right there with him battling for the spot. Fritz has indicated that Flynn has a slight lead, but the coaches will continue to let them battle and chart them every day.
• Both long snappers are also back in senior Jake Banta and junior Jake Abraham. Nowicki is also the leader for the holding position on field goals and PATs.
• Derek Keaton and Montay Crockett handled most of the kick returns, and Keaton was named a preseason All-Sun Belt selection as a kick returner in Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Athlon Sports preview. He averaged 27.81 yards a return with a long of 60 yards. Look for Derek Keaton or true freshman Malik Henry to get first crack at the punt return duties, although that is still up in the air.
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
TODAY - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
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