2015 Terps Football: Special Teams Preview

The special teams units for the Terps have been mostly reliable all around in recent seasons. The evolution of kicker Brad Craddock and the use of skill players like Stefon Diggs and Will Likely in the return game has been a huge advantage. Craddock was automatic last season and Likely continued to be elusive returning punts. Both are going to be major factors again in the 2015 season, but turnover at the punter position will be the biggest wild card.

The field position battle was up and down throughout last season, getting big returns to swing an advantage, but struggled with poor punting that allowed the opposition to get an advantage. Once the Terps got across the opposing 40 yard line, they are within scoring range and really helped the offense when it struggled.

These same advantages will be there for the Terps in 2015 as the key components will return. The three-way race for the punter position will hopefully give head coach Randy Edsall plenty of options to improve in that aspect of the game.  

(Discuss on the BSL board here)

Brad Craddock, K  Senior

2014: 18-19 FGs (94.7%), 44-44 PATs, 98 points

2013: 21-25 FGs (84%), 37-38 PATs, 100 points

2012: 10-16 (62.5%), 23-25 PATs, 53 points

The improvement of Craddock through the years has been incredible and a special journey to watch unfold. After missing a potential game-winning field goal against NC State as a freshman, Craddock used that hard lesson and turned it into motivation for his future. The 2014 Lou Groza Award winner (best kicker in the country) had a remarkable year for the Terps and redeemed that missed attempt against NC State by drilling the game winner at Penn State.

In 2014, Craddock set a school record by hitting a 57-yard field goal against Ohio State. He nailed his second field goal of 50 yards or more after making one from exactly 50 yards against Rutgers.  His 94.7 percent field goal percentage was the highest in the history of the program. From 2013 into 2014, he connected on 24 consecutive field goals, another Maryland football record. Craddock’s historic season for the Terps resulted in the Groza award and being named a second team All-American.

Craddock enters his senior season on the 2015 Lou Groza Award watch list and preseason a second team All-American. The work Craddock has done in the past with former Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover has come to light in his progression through the years. From the early struggles as a freshman to the Groza last year, he has been a staple for Maryland football and mirrors the mold of Edsall’s program.

Punter Competition

Nathan Renfro’s departure from the program has left a void at punter for the Terps, but given his struggles, a change is welcome.  The new punter next season is likely to be a freshman and there are three fighting for the position according to the depth chart.

Nicholas Pritchard New Egypt, N.J. (New Egypt HS)

Nicholas Rubinowicz Wellington, Fla. (American Heritage School)

Lee Shrader Newport News, Va. (Warwick HS)

The biggest need from whoever earns the role is to help the Terps win field position battles. Renfro was inconsistent for the Terps and did not always help switch the field when the offense was backed into its own territory. Too many times last season, Renfro had punts barely get across midfield. He also struggled with his accuracy and the ability to pin opponents within their own 20. With having three young player competing for the position, it not only gives Edsall multiple options, but it also opens up for competition to max out players’ potential.

Early reports from camp indicate that Pritchard, a walk-on, has been the one who has stood out to Edsall thus far.  Rubinowicz is a true freshman and ranks up there with Pritchard for the starting job. Shrader, a redshirt freshman and walk on, is behind out of the gate due mainly to his lack of conditioning.

It would not be surprising if we see both Pritchard and Rubinowicz in the season-opener against Richmond, especially if the Terps can handle business and build a solid lead. For whoever ultimately wins the job, consistency will be the biggest key.

Return Specialists

Will Likely, Junior PR/KR

2014: 20 PRs for 225 yards and 1 touchdown, 16 KRs for 496 yards and 1 touchdown

2013: 16 PRs for 205 yards and 1 touchdown, 28 KRs for 729 yards

The primary return man for the Terps in 2015 is going to be Will Likely and there won’t be much competition for the job. DeAndre Lane and Taivon Jacobs have the ability to play the roles, but Likely has been a game-changer for the Terps on special teams. He has made big plays to shift field position and put points on the board. He is a dynamic athlete and is one of the best special teams players in the Big Ten.

In 2014, Likely took a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the Foster Farms Bowl against Stanford. His 31 yards per return average was best in the Big Ten and ranked fourth nationally. His lone punt return touchdown on the season came against West Virginia when he went 69 yards to the house. He also finished third in the conference in punt return average with 11.1 yard per return. As a freshman, he scored on a 63 yard punt return against Virginia Tech.

Likely will be the guy deep for the Terps again on special teams and the real battle will be for who joins him on kick returns. To help find ways to keep get him on the field, my guess is that Lane will be the second man on kick returns. Jacobs will be one of the Terps leading receivers and to prevent injuries, Lane should be given the opportunity. Plus, Lane has the speed to make things happen on special teams and could be a valuable piece.

Q&A with Zack and Chris

Q: Brad Craddock has become one of the best kickers in the country, possibly even the best after the Groza Award last season. What is the biggest improvement you’ve seen in him since his freshmen season?

Kiesel: The biggest improvement from Craddock has obviously been his consistency. After that rough freshman season that saw him struggle mightily with both field goals and extra points, he worked with former Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover to try to find some consistency in his kicking. They changed his technique, and his sophomore season was nearly perfect. Last season we saw him hit long field goals (like the 57-yarder against Ohio State), and hit some field goals in the clutch (like the game-winner against Penn State). His sophomore season was all about consistency, last season was simply incredible to watch as he only missed one field goal, and it’s tough to imagine what lies ahead for him in his senior season.

Garman: The thing that I have seen change from Craddock is his confidence. He goes out there now and expects to make every kick he lines up for, even kicks from long distance. His work with Stover was huge and a major reason why he won the Groza last season. He really rebounded from his missed kick against NC State as a freshman and I think that was his turning point. He was rattled mentally after that miss and used that as motivation to bounce back from and never have that feeling of let down again. His progression as a player through the years has just been remarkable.

Q: Will Likely is the premiere return specialist on the team with Taivon Jacobs and DeAndre Lane behind him. Between Jacobs and Lane, who do you see being able to have a bigger impact and is it possible one could replace Likely at punt returner just to reduce his workload?

Kiesel: Unless he suffers some sort of an injury, I don’t see Randy Edsall removing Likely from both returner roles. During his time here, many people speculated that Edsall would remove Diggs from those roles in favor of a less important player. However, until he suffered an injury in 2013, he was the starting returner for the Terrapins. Likely is a threat to take it to the house on any given play. You don’t just take a guy like that off the field because you’re worried about him getting injured. Jacobs and Lane have the potential to be good returners, but don’t give the same explosiveness that Likely gives.

Garman: It is highly doubtful unless he suffers an injury. He is too valuable of an asset for the Terps on special teams to even think about moving him out of either return role. After the numbers he averaged last season as a return man, he was one of the best in the Big Ten and in the country. Likely’s ability in the open field to miss tackles and break away speed is a combination that doesn’t always come through Maryland football. Lane could have some opportunities throughout the season, but it is Likely’s job.

Q: On the various units of special teams, what do you see as the Terps’ biggest need?

Kiesel: It’s really tough to find a weak spot in Maryland’s special teams, but the punt unit is probably the weakest. The Terrapins will be breaking in a new punter, and there is a three-way battle going on for that job in camp. I believe freshman Nicholas Rubinowicz will come away with the starting job, but he’s competing with Lee Shrader and Nicholas Pritchard. Nathan Renfro was very inconsistent at punter over the past few years, so the coaching staff will certainly be hoping for more consistency from whoever they name the starting punter coming out of camp.

Garman: The biggest weaknessspecial teams has been finding a consistent punter. Likely as a return man is a huge advantage in winning the field position battle, but sometimes it seemed like that as negated by Renfro’s inability to execute punts. This is the biggest need entering 2015 and Edsall will be hoping that one of his freshmen can step up and finally provide stability to the position. Rubinowicz is the scholarship player of the group, so he should have the advantage in winning the job, but he is being pushed by Pritchard. This will be an intriguing position battle going into the season.