Photo by: Brett Rojo
Tulsa Special Teams Preview
7/31/2019 5:45:00 PM | Football
You've heard coaches preach that all three phases of the game of football – offense, defense and special teams – are equally important. You'll never know what phase of the game will make the difference between a win and a loss.
In 2019, Tulsa's special teams returns its punter, deep-snapper and holder to the lineup, while Golden Hurricane return specialists have also made significant contributions. The place-kicking chores will be on the shoulders of someone new this season.
Adam Higuera (6-1, 221), as the deep snapper and senior punter Thomas Bennett (6-3, 182) each return for their third seasons. Higuera has been steady at the position since starting his first game as a true freshman in 2017. Bennett has established himself as one of the nation's top punters and was named to this year's Ray Guy Award preseason watch list, an award that is given to the nation's top punter.
Bennett ranked fifth in the country last season with a 46.6-yard average per punt, while placing 12 of his punts inside the 20-yard line.
"Adam has done a spectacular job in all the snapping duties and I think Thomas has a chance to be an NFL punter. His production since he's been here has been really good," said Montgomery.
Sophomore Cannon Montgomery (5-10, 180) also returns to the special team's unit as the holder after handling all of those duties in 2018.
Tulsa will go into fall camp looking for consistency from the place-kicking position. Red-shirt freshman Jacob Rainey (6-0, 193) turned in a solid spring season, while also on hand are junior walk-ons Zack Long (5-10, 170) and Kevin Neitzke (6-3, 173).
A fourth candidate is graduate transfer Danny Donley (5-8, 160), who is the only one of the four to kick in a college game and that came at Drake University.
"As for our place-kicking position, leg strength is one thing, but it's about a guy who can run out there when everything is on the line and be consistent with his production," Montgomery added.
Although Tulsa does have returning kick-return specialists in the likes of Keylon Stokes (6-0, 190) and Sam Crawford, Jr. (6-1, 206) and the possible return of Jarion Anderson (5-9, 180) from a medical injury, there will be others given an opportunity in fall camp.
Stokes and Crawford each returning kickoffs last year combined for 28 returns and 557 yards a year ago, and Anderson returned 11 punts for 139 yards and a 12.6-yard average
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
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Punter
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Place-kicker
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Deep Snapper
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Wide Receiver
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Place-Kicker
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Place-Kicker
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Wide Receiver
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