As we enter the dog days of summer, AY takes a look at each position group and asks five important questions. We continue the series with the special teams corps.
1. Do the Aggies have the best special teams group in the nation?
They certainly have an argument for it. Tyler White averaged 44.9 yards a punt last season and was deadly at pinning opponents inside the 10, which led to him being a Ray Guy Award Semifinalist. Randy Bond made 20 of 24 field goal attempts and all 46 of his PATs and was a Groza Award semifinalist. Jared Zerkel pounds kickoffs out of the end zone routinely. The Aggies have to figure out who their returners will be, but they have a lot of talented options.
2. Is there any competition for the kicking jobs?
Not really. Maybe for the backup placekicker job, between Liam Padron and Zerkel, but that's about it. Barring an absolutely horrible slump, Bond and White are locked in for this season.
3. Is there anywhere that needs improvement?
Absolutely -- the coverage teams. On the occasions opponents had a chance to return a kickoff or punt, they tended to have significant success with it. The Aggies were 109th in kickoff return defense and 80th in punt return defense. Conversely, they were an anemic 124th in punt returns, averaging less than four yards a return.
4. Who will be the punt returner this year?
A lot of guys got work at returning punts this spring, including TK Norman, Izaiah Williams, KC Concepcion and Cobey Sellers, but odds are it will be Terry Bussey again. If he doesn't, Concepcion seemed most comfortable in the role.
5. Who will return kicks?
Last year, Bussey and Dalton Brooks handled most return duties. I could see that being the case again this year, unless someone like Tiger Riden or Kelshaun Johnson shows they can be big play threats.
