Scouting Nevada Special Teams

Special teams is always important to watch in any game.  After dealing with UTC, it's time to see what the Wolfpack bring this season and what impact it may have in this game.

Senior Allen Hardison (6-4 190-pounds) is the place kicker and kick-off specialist for the Wolfpack.  As a place kicker last season, he was 7 of 10 in field goal attempts, 5 of 6 between 20-29 yards and 2 for 4 between 40-49, his longest being a 48 yarder.  He was also a perfect 19 for 19 in extra point attempts.  As a kick-off specialist, Hardison kicked off 47 times for a total of 2939 yards, an average of 62.5 yards and only had one touchback, so the USF returners should have a chance to field the ball and turn it up field for good field position.  With that said about his leg strength, it also affects his field goal range.  He only attempted 4 kicks outside of 40 yards, so if the Bulls defense can stop the Wolfpack near the 30-yard line, it will make life hard for them.

At the punter position, the Wolfpack have senior Chase Tepemy (6-4 245-pounds) who punted the ball 7 times against Cal, averaging 43 yards a kick, doing well in his first game.   He will be taking the ball from redshirt freshman long snapper Connor Talbott (6-3 285-pounds) who also taking the field for the second time in his collegiate career.  It will be interesting to see how Talbott can handle a fast rush and how strong Tepemy's leg really is.  The Bulls should be able to get a good rush and should find themselves with good field position on most of the punts (unless Tepemy is able to blast the ball).

On the other side, the Bulls on kick returns will be facing sophomore running back Kendall Brock (5-9 195-pounds) who returned 25 kicks for 562 yards (22.5 yards a return) including a long of 35 yards in 2011.    In the last game, he returned 1 kick for 23 yards.  The Bulls struggled at times in kick return coverage, so it will be something they have to take great importance in and not give good field position to their high powered offense.  Senior defensive back Khalid Wooten (6-0 195-pounds) returned 9 kicks for 212 yards (23.6 per return) giving them another weapon to return kicks.  He returned 3 kicks for 65 yards (cannot let him get lose in the return game).

However, the Wolfpack don't have a lot of experience returning punts.  Rishard Matthews, who returned 23 punts for 307 yards is gone for Nevada, leaving them with no experienced players.  Wooten is listed as their primary returner but he fielded just 2 punts for -3 yards in 2011 (had 1 for 22 yards against Cal) and Brock has never returned a punt.  They will find a return man, but the Bulls, who were one of the best in the nation in punt coverages last season, should be able to corral the return game of Nevada here.

It should be interesting to see how the battle of special teams goes in this game and where each offense will line up to begin their drives.