Special Teams Have a Large Impact

By: LONNY DEMAREE

Instinctively we tend to concentrate on offense, defense, and almost always the quarterback. The quarterback in the case of this addition of the Wildcats since he will be heavily leaned on to carry the team in the early going. Well from what I have gleaned and what's being reported by the coaches as well as others that have witnessed the scrimmages, Wilson will be just fine

The part of the team this writing will be focused in the special teams that's one-third of the football team. The long term success of the Virginia Tech Hokies has been outstanding special teams play honchoed by Bud Foster who is well paid for his services - $950,000.

The punt return duties will be leaned on heavily by junior Lynn Bowden. Last season Bowden had five attempts and returned two of them for touchdowns. His returns were very instrumental in two of UK's victories, at Missouri and the Citrus Bowl.

Bowden will also be one of the kickoff return guys. The Wildcats have several options for the kickoff duties - A. j. Rose, Travis Tisdale, M. L. Devonshire Jr., and Tae Tae Crumes. The team has an abundance of speed wich gives them several more options for Kickoff duties

Grant McKinnis register touchbacks on 36 of his 66 kicks last year. Given all the speed the Wildcats possess the coverage should be good. The same goes for the kickoff coverage

The Cats punting duties will handled by returning Max Duffy. His average per punt last season was 44.7. A duplication of those numbers should could continuously flip the field.

Chance Poore is slated to do the field goal kicking this season and by all accounts has a strong leg. He had a fifty-two yard make in the spring game albeit against the wind and no rush. Mark Stoops was ask about the the field goal kicking in today's scrimmage. "It was solid." Stoops answered in a confident, short reply.