Spring Football Daily Outlook - Special Teams

[MeanGreen61]

Spring Football Daily Outlook

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 04/16/2007

DENTON (4/11/07) - MeanGreenSports.com is previewing the 2007 North Texas football team with daily updates that will break down the team’s outlook by position. The updates will continue over the next seven days, leading up to the annual Green and White Game that will be played at Fouts Field on Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m.

Special Teams

The special teams had its fair share of highlights in 2006 from registering a Sun Belt best five blocked kicks for the year, to punter Truman Spencer earning his first all-conference honors. Spencer will return for his junior season to lead the special teams group that turned out to be one of the real bright spots of the 2006 campaign. A second season of all-conference honors are not out of the realm of possibility after he finished as the only non-senior in the Sun Belt’s top five in punting in 2006. The placekicking duties will fall onto a different foot for the third consecutive season for the Mean Green as redshirt freshman Steven Woodward will assume the role. Woodward was a highly recruited prospect out of Tulsa’s renowned Jenks High School and looks poised to step up after backing up senior Denis Hopovac last season.

Returners Statistics

Truman Spencer - 55 punts, 40.8 yard average, 15 downed inside 20

Special Teams coach Robert Drake on Special Teams

“I am very pleased with Truman Spencer, he is every bit as good as I had heard he was. He will be the leader and the strength of our kicking game and we expect him to have another great year. Steven Woodward has been pleasantly surprising. His accuracy and leg strength are very good, he just needs to get some experience kicking in a game when there is a lot more on the line. The number of athletes on this team really helps special teams. We have 10 to 12 guys who aren’t starters on offense or defense that will be major contributors on special teams and will allow us to make wholesale substitutions.”

[Charlie NT 73]

I was really impressed with Truman Spence last year. Very good punter-

He could punt the ball very high-good hang time-when needed, as well

as punt to the corners of the field. I can only remember one shank punt

due to a heavy rush. Good punts into heavy wind also.

I am excited about Steve Woodward- this was highly touted, and highly recruited-

Do not know how he came to NT but I am glad we got him.

Hopefully we will not have to worry about another 7 overtime game again!

Woodward can hit FG's from 50 yards out! This guy and Spencer can be our

secret weapons on special teams.

Speaking of special teams, I like the fact that atleast 10-12 guys can play

on our specail teams-alot of down field speed!

[good_ken]

Spring Football Daily Outlook

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 04/16/2007

Special Teams coach Robert Drake on Special Teams

“I am very pleased with Truman Spencer, he is every bit as good as I had heard he was. He will be the leader and the strength of our kicking game and we expect him to have another great year. Steven Woodward has been pleasantly surprising. His accuracy and leg strength are very good, he just needs to get some experience kicking in a game when there is a lot more on the line. The number of athletes on this team really helps special teams. We have 10 to 12 guys who aren’t starters on offense or defense that will be major contributors on special teams and will allow us to make wholesale substitutions.”

I wonder if this will end the practice of having starters play on special teams (ie Patrick Cobbs).

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I wonder if this will end the practice of having starters play on special teams (ie Patrick Cobbs).

Looks like it. There are many, many things that will please me if they do it differently than Dickey. In his defense, however, he did leave us with a fine punter, what I believe will be a fine placekicker, a good return man (if Robertson can become eligible again) and some good athletes for special teams.