[EKUAlum05]

Special Teams...Special Teams...Special Teams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You get your punter back who actually did a pretty good job.

You get your Place Kicker back as well as the Woolum kid who should improve the kicking game.

Belfry has a huge crop of Freshman talent coming up who will be waiting their turn for their shot at varsity. You also have very talented Sophomores like X Willis, Gibbs, K. Carr, and the Sanger kid who will be in similar roles waiting in the wings. Throw in some upperclassmen talent like Dari, Bostic, and C. Maynard..all guys who can play the game but stuck in a logjam at their respective positions.... you put these ingredients together and you have 11 guys who can focus solely on the task of being a unit who can actually make plays and force the issue.

It seems for the longest time Belfry Special Teams has equaled..."Don't mess up, just play it safe". This typically translates to kickoffs returned to the 35 or 40 yard line, short punts that are not returnable, but maybe only travel 30-35 yards. When the opposing team punts unless it is a line drive the plan is to let it bounce and roll. On those punts, Belfry sends one guy to pressure.

The one constant from the 4 losses to Central has been Field Position. Belfry consistently has had an uphill battle to overcome starting positions for their drives, and subsequent short fields for Central.

The elite teams in KY (Highlands, Trinity, X, Bowling Green, etc) that dominate every year share a common trait with Central. They do not do anything to beat themselves. They don't put the ball on the ground, they limit their penalties, and their special teams are always a positive.

I would love nothing more than to see this group of young talent and upper classmen who are dying to make an impact embrace the role and actually be considered a legitimate threat to swing the game every time they are on the field.