By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is looking toward the future with the beginning of the official visit season. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
What do they say? It always comes down to the kicking game, doesn’t it. Dave Aranda is among several head coaches that talk about the hidden yardage of a game that comes via the special teams.
That could come courtesy of a great return, a shanked punt or a punt in which the coverage team dropped the return man where he caught the ball.
Both punter and place-kicker for the Bears in 2023 is going to have a different look. Punter Isaac Power has graduated. And the battle to replace John Mayers as place-kicker is on. BU also needs a new kickoff specialist as Noah Rauschenberg transferred to North Texas.
There is also a new special teams coach in quality control coach Tyler Hancock. He spent the previous two seasons at Charlotte coordinating their special teams.
In a series breaking down the Bears position group by position group, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. In the final edition we break down the special teams.
Punter: When Power was good, he was very good. He averaged 41.5 yards per effort and dropped 15 inside the opposition’s 20-yard line and 12 others that were fair caught. But when he was bad, he hurt the Bears.
The heir apparent to replace him will be 2023 enrollee and January arrival Palmer Williams. The true freshman split time in high school as both the punter and kicker. Williams was rated as a 4 ½ stars by Chris Sailer kicking ratings. Williams excelled in 2022 averaging 43.3 yards per effort. That kind of average will help a team flip the field. If Baylor wants to look at him to split time as the kickoff artist, it can. Of his 59 kickoffs last year, 38 went for touchbacks.
PK: It would seem everything would fall to left-footed Isaiah Hankins to return to the starting role after winning it in 2021 before struggling toward the end of the year and losing out to Mayers. Hankins then won the starting job again in 2022. But a disastrous performance against BYU – missed 43-yard attempt, PAT blocked – meant the quick hook back to Mayers.
Hankins could have some competition from Michigan State transfer and Highland Park native Jack Stone. Stone likely will be this team’s kickoff specialist. He had 53 kickoffs for the Spartans in 2022, 13 for touchbacks. If Hankins doesn’t struggle, then Stone may also serve as the long field goal specialist. He booted a 51-yarder for Sparty in 2022. Then there’s Waco Midway product Bryce Boland who is there in case everything else goes awry. One interesting note is that Baylor only tried one on-side kick. It didn’t work.
Return/Coverage Game: You can figure when it comes to the kickoff return game that both Monaray Baldwin and Jordan Nabors will serve as the top two options. Each had a return beyond 35 yards last year. Nabors could also double as the punt returner as he was second to the graduated Gavin Holmes in the number of returns. Nabors shows promise because he has a great first step.
Baylor’s punt coverage team allowed 3.2 yards per return last year. That’s exceptional. Keep that number the way it is or less. The Bears kickoff coverage team allowed a 98-yard KOR for a touchdown against Oklahoma State last year and gave up several big returns during the season. That must tighten up for 2023.
The bottom line is that kicking is always going to be a wild card. If the punter is solid to great, then he can influence a game. If your kicker is consistent, you’re comfortable with him kicking anywhere. If Baylor doesn’t trust him, then it puts more pressure on the offense to score. The return and coverage teams are a matter of being disciplined.
In this season where Baylor needs to have a lot of things go its way to get into the Big 12 championship race, it can’t be average in the kicking game.
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is looking toward the future with the beginning of the official visit season. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
What do they say? It always comes down to the kicking game, doesn’t it. Dave Aranda is among several head coaches that talk about the hidden yardage of a game that comes via the special teams.
That could come courtesy of a great return, a shanked punt or a punt in which the coverage team dropped the return man where he caught the ball.
Both punter and place-kicker for the Bears in 2023 is going to have a different look. Punter Isaac Power has graduated. And the battle to replace John Mayers as place-kicker is on. BU also needs a new kickoff specialist as Noah Rauschenberg transferred to North Texas.
There is also a new special teams coach in quality control coach Tyler Hancock. He spent the previous two seasons at Charlotte coordinating their special teams.
In a series breaking down the Bears position group by position group, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. In the final edition we break down the special teams.
Punter: When Power was good, he was very good. He averaged 41.5 yards per effort and dropped 15 inside the opposition’s 20-yard line and 12 others that were fair caught. But when he was bad, he hurt the Bears.
The heir apparent to replace him will be 2023 enrollee and January arrival Palmer Williams. The true freshman split time in high school as both the punter and kicker. Williams was rated as a 4 ½ stars by Chris Sailer kicking ratings. Williams excelled in 2022 averaging 43.3 yards per effort. That kind of average will help a team flip the field. If Baylor wants to look at him to split time as the kickoff artist, it can. Of his 59 kickoffs last year, 38 went for touchbacks.
PK: It would seem everything would fall to left-footed Isaiah Hankins to return to the starting role after winning it in 2021 before struggling toward the end of the year and losing out to Mayers. Hankins then won the starting job again in 2022. But a disastrous performance against BYU – missed 43-yard attempt, PAT blocked – meant the quick hook back to Mayers.
Hankins could have some competition from Michigan State transfer and Highland Park native Jack Stone. Stone likely will be this team’s kickoff specialist. He had 53 kickoffs for the Spartans in 2022, 13 for touchbacks. If Hankins doesn’t struggle, then Stone may also serve as the long field goal specialist. He booted a 51-yarder for Sparty in 2022. Then there’s Waco Midway product Bryce Boland who is there in case everything else goes awry. One interesting note is that Baylor only tried one on-side kick. It didn’t work.
Return/Coverage Game: You can figure when it comes to the kickoff return game that both Monaray Baldwin and Jordan Nabors will serve as the top two options. Each had a return beyond 35 yards last year. Nabors could also double as the punt returner as he was second to the graduated Gavin Holmes in the number of returns. Nabors shows promise because he has a great first step.
Baylor’s punt coverage team allowed 3.2 yards per return last year. That’s exceptional. Keep that number the way it is or less. The Bears kickoff coverage team allowed a 98-yard KOR for a touchdown against Oklahoma State last year and gave up several big returns during the season. That must tighten up for 2023.
The bottom line is that kicking is always going to be a wild card. If the punter is solid to great, then he can influence a game. If your kicker is consistent, you’re comfortable with him kicking anywhere. If Baylor doesn’t trust him, then it puts more pressure on the offense to score. The return and coverage teams are a matter of being disciplined.
In this season where Baylor needs to have a lot of things go its way to get into the Big 12 championship race, it can’t be average in the kicking game.
