The responses to this should be.....interesting.
Losses from 2019: K Bailey Hale (15/18, long of 50, 77 kickoffs, 55 yard average, 9 touchbacks)
Projected Depth Chart for 2020:
K: Garin Boniol (True Freshman)
P: Brady Farlow (RS SR), Jacob Barnes (RS FR)
KR: Wayne Toussant (RS SO), Isaiah Graham (RS SR)
PR: Smoke Harris (RS SO), Cee Jay Powell (RS SR)
Thoughts:
Obviously Boniol is coming off the hip surgery that he had following his senior year of HS. He was starting to kick prior to spring practice and all signs point to him being healthy.
Farlow is back for his senior season after punting 57 times for a 38 yard average in 2019. He punted 9 times for a 42 yard average in the bowl game against Miami. More consistency is what is needed. Seems like we've been saying that for a while.
Barnes punted twice for a 29 yard average last season. Both punts came in the UAB game. He'll compete with Farlow for the starting punter role.
Toussant returned 15 kicks for a 26 yard average in 2019. He seemed to get much more comfortable as the season went on. He had a long return of 65 yards.
Graham has good speed, good return kicks or punts. Veteran presence, gets north and south quickly.
Smoke averaged 6 yards a return on 6 punts returned in 2019. He took one to the house against UTSA that was called back by penalty. He also had 4 returns for 38 yards against Miami. I think he'll be more dynamic back there in 2020.
Powell is Mr. Consistent back there. He's not going to muff the ball, but he's not all that explosive as well.
Tech is still going to be looking for a grad transfer kicker as well get into the summer. Boniol could be extremely good, but the element of the unknown is still there.
My biggest concern at this point is kickoffs.
What does your confidence meter look like in the special teams unit? 1-10?
Losses from 2019: K Bailey Hale (15/18, long of 50, 77 kickoffs, 55 yard average, 9 touchbacks)
Projected Depth Chart for 2020:
K: Garin Boniol (True Freshman)
P: Brady Farlow (RS SR), Jacob Barnes (RS FR)
KR: Wayne Toussant (RS SO), Isaiah Graham (RS SR)
PR: Smoke Harris (RS SO), Cee Jay Powell (RS SR)
Thoughts:
Obviously Boniol is coming off the hip surgery that he had following his senior year of HS. He was starting to kick prior to spring practice and all signs point to him being healthy.
Farlow is back for his senior season after punting 57 times for a 38 yard average in 2019. He punted 9 times for a 42 yard average in the bowl game against Miami. More consistency is what is needed. Seems like we've been saying that for a while.
Barnes punted twice for a 29 yard average last season. Both punts came in the UAB game. He'll compete with Farlow for the starting punter role.
Toussant returned 15 kicks for a 26 yard average in 2019. He seemed to get much more comfortable as the season went on. He had a long return of 65 yards.
Graham has good speed, good return kicks or punts. Veteran presence, gets north and south quickly.
Smoke averaged 6 yards a return on 6 punts returned in 2019. He took one to the house against UTSA that was called back by penalty. He also had 4 returns for 38 yards against Miami. I think he'll be more dynamic back there in 2020.
Powell is Mr. Consistent back there. He's not going to muff the ball, but he's not all that explosive as well.
Tech is still going to be looking for a grad transfer kicker as well get into the summer. Boniol could be extremely good, but the element of the unknown is still there.
My biggest concern at this point is kickoffs.
What does your confidence meter look like in the special teams unit? 1-10?
