In a three-phase game, it garners the third most headlines.
Special teams are critical to winning tight games, winning those hidden yardage battles and creating big plays. Sometimes avoiding big plays from the opposition is just as important. Last season LSU had two punts blocked, one was returned for a touchdown by KC Concepcion of Texas A&M.
More than 25 years ago, former LSU head coach Nick Saban began using starters on special teams, a philosophy current head coach Lane Kiffin learned from his boss when they were on the same staff at the University of Alabama.
“All starters are available (on special teams),” Kiffin said. “We always look at what’s the difference between them and the next guy. Ideally, you’d like it not to be. So, you create more roles and less play counts come off. Part of punt is having a great gunner, which we did last year. We played a receiver that was lights out at gunner that that forced a lot of fair catches. So, it all goes together and we just always kind of look outside the box for ideas.”
The media hasn’t seen much special teams work during camp, but there was plenty to observe in spring practice. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Jayce Brown be LSU’s No. 1 receiver and top punt returner. Winnie Watkins and Tre Wilson should also figure into the wide receiver group, and they have the skillset to make people miss in the punt return game. Wilson’s hands were in question back in the spring when he muffed multiple punts during media viewing.
The running backs were used more often in kickoff work back in the spring. Dilin Jones, Harlem Berry and Caden Durham are all candidates to handle those returns as well as a sizeable role in the backfield.
LSU’s offensive potency will dictate how aggressive the Tigers are in the return game, both punt and kickoff, but don’t expect a specialized freshman to handle the roles. Kiffin and special teams coach Joe Houston are more likely to go with some of the productive options from the offense.
