Whether it happens directly or indirectly, football games are often won and lost in critical scenarios involving special teams units.
The more common mistakes – a missed field goal or a bad punt – are just as lethal to a team's hopes as a botched onside kick or a muffed punt provoked by solid coverage downfield and poor judgement of a ball's trajectory and failing to signal for a fair catch.
According to ESPN's 2014 team efficiency index (based on the point contributions of each unit to the team's scoring margin), ASU football is ranked 59th among Division I Football Bowl Subdivision programs with a rating of 52.5.
With junior kicker Zane Gonzalez (seventh in the NCAA with 22 field goals made) and junior punter Matt Haack back for two more seasons, the kicking game will be a strength.
No one will be catching Utah punter Tom Hackett, widely considered the best in the country, let alone the Pac-12. But Haack's average of 43.3 yards is adequate (it should be noted his career long is 65 yards) and it will be necessary more frequently now that Taylor Kelly will be on the sidelines rather than executing pooch punts to pin opponents deep as ASU so often did in short yardage fourth down situations in 2014.
ASU has been volatile on special teams under head coach Todd Graham, and it hired former Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum in the offseason to instill consistency and provide instruction from someone with six seasons of coaching in the NFL and coaching collegiately since 1989.
Both in the return game and coverage game, working to be more efficient and disciplined on kickoffs and punts will be a crucial aspect of Slocum's development. ASU averaged 3.7 yards per punt return, with a long of 18. On kickoffs, it averaged 24.1 yards per return, and had a long 96.
Utilizing impact players like sophomore running back Kalen Ballage will surely be a benefit – but so will having an elevated set of expectations and a desire to push the Sun Devil special teamers to become an elite force, which only motivates the leaders of the unit more.
"I think maybe the biggest thing is to push the leadership out on the front lines, out on the field," Slocum said. "Guys being able to be decision makers out there within our scheme, and really – play speed. One of the things that you see in the NFL is the play speed, and guys are playing because they're worried about their job on every play. That's been an emphasis on a daily basis."
Sophomore defensive back Armand Perry has been promoted to working with the first-team defense and should have the inside track to the starting field safety job.
"(Perry) is an athletic guy," Slocum said. "I'm excited about the group we have. With the perimeter guys, the skill guys, there's a number of people we have who can be impactful there, that's what it requires in terms of coverage."
With everyday players making up such a significant block of the special teams contingent, (like senior wide receiver D.J. Foster) there's an inherent injury risk. But while conventional wisdom would oppose putting players on the field to perform additional duties, Slocum and Graham view it as additional depth at their disposal and a testament to the versatility of their starters.
"From an interior standpoint, I think we've got enough running backs and linebackers that we can have a solid group," Slocum said. "Our tight ends have been a bright spot for us. I think we'll be able to use some more offensive skill players in coverage."
Sophomore DeAndre Scott, designated special teams captain, has made an impression on Slocum after frequently working with the Philadelphia native in the offseason and seeing him work diligently in film sessions and with other defensive backs who contribute to the kick and punt coverage or return teams.
"He's a motivated young man, he shows up everyday with the same positive attitude," Slocum said. "He's becoming more demanding of the players around him, and that's his role for us on special teams."
Scott has helped guide Perry into being another prototypical ASU defensive back – quick, skilled, and sharp-minded.
"We've both got the same mindset – strong-arm and get to the ball," Scott said. "I just lead by example, I make sure they're watching my first step and how aggressive I am in getting off the ball."
The winning culture has borne the attitude that Scott and so many others share – it might not be glamorous, but if chasing down ball carriers on punts will give his team a better chance to win, you can bet he'll get in line to do it.
"Everybody wants a spot on the field, and a spot to play in front of 75,000 people," Scott said. "It's very competitive."
Reach the sports editor at smodrich@asu.edu or follow @StefanJModrich on Twitter.
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