LOGAN — The battle for a starting spot on Utah State’s special teams is up in the air until kickoff next Thursday. There are plenty of qualified candidates to fill the roles of special teams graduates from a year ago; however, the candidates have been neck-and-neck throughout fall camp.
“It’s been kind of an evaluation process for us, kind of going through some of our skill guys, and I think it’s gone really well,” Utah State special teams coordinator Dave Ungerer said.
Returning experience
There’s no question that the special teams is already feeling the loss of all-conference kickers Nick Diaz and Jaron Bentrude, however the return of long snapper Salanoa Galea’i (6-1, 240) and kicker Jake Thompson (6-0, 215) should help heal the wounds.
Galea’i, from Euless, Texas, played as the Aggies’ long snapper last year in all 14 games in 2014. Galea’i concluded his junior season with two special teams tackles and earned academic all-Mountain West honors.
Backing up Galea’i is senior Mark Hutchinson (5-11, 205).
Thompson returns to the mix after serving as the team’s kickoff specialist in all 14 games last fall. The junior from Logan kicked off 66 times for 4,032 yards (61.1 yards per kick). With 26 touchbacks on the season, Thompson recorded a season-high four touchbacks on six kickoffs against BYU (10/3). Thompson may be in the running for field goal responsibilities this fall.
“I’d say my mental side of it (is where I’ve improved the most),” Thompson told The Herald Journal. “I was the long field goal guy my first two years and was really adapting to being ready for that situation, and I didn’t respond as well as I wanted to. But I really focused on that this offseason and I’m looking forward to a great year.”
Another experienced returner is PK Brock Warren (6-2, 180). Warren, from Hyde Park, Utah, is battling Thompson for field goal opportunities.
“Jake and Brock have had a good competition through training camp and it’s really going to come down to the wire,” head coach Matt Wells said of the kickers after fall camp.
Jalen Davis (5-10, 175) is penciled in to be the guy to fill JoJo Natson’s shoes in the punt returning game as junior Kennedy Williams (5-8, 160) is said to be the starting kickoff returner after returning 14 kickoffs last fall.
Key additions
Logan native DJ Nelson (5-9, 200), who is fighting for a back-up quarterback spot, will start as Utah State’s holder this fall. Redshirt Zach Van Leeuwen (6-0, 185) and Houston transfer Andrew Rodriquez (5-10, 185) are battling for punt returning opportunities.
“We have a number of guys we think can do it and do it well, so we can have some different combinations of guys out there, depending on the game, the situation and those type of things. But we feel good about the quality of guys that we have in the return game,” Ungerer said regarding the return game.
Also joining the Aggies are punter Zach Lee (5-10, 190) and PK Dominik Eberle (6-3, 180).
Dark horse
After redshirting his first year as an Aggie, it looks like Aaron Dalton (6-4, 220) will fill the punting spot.
After learning from Bentrude last season, USU’s punting spot seems to be solidified by Dalton.
“I could kick a good ball usually, but it was how many I could (kick) in a row, and I just got really good with my consistency. And I’m really working hard on training smart and doing everything I need to do,” Dalton told The Herald Journal.
General outlook
Sure, the special teams is packed full of unknowns. But with the potential shown in both returning players and newcomers, Utah State’s special teams seems to be in good hands.