Job No. 1 for Boise State special teams coach Stacy Collins? Replacing an ‘elite player’
New Boise State special teams coordinator Stacy Collins didn’t mince words when asked how the team was going to replace specialist Avery Williams this year.
“You don’t,” Collins told the Statesman a couple days before spring practice began. “He was an elite player, and his ability to be a return man and also a block specialist is pretty unique.”
Williams was named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons, and the former walk-on finished his college career with nine special teams touchdowns.
He declared for the NFL Draft in December, leaving the Broncos with major holes to fill at kick and punt returner, and they aren’t likely to get filled by one player.
“You’re going to have to do it by committee a little bit more,” Collins said. “So what you do is find other guys to step up. ... We’ve got a great group from the top down.”
During his introductory press conference in January, Collins said his notion has always been to get the best players on the team involved in special teams, and he’s not shying away from that.
In Boise State’s case, that means wide receiver Khalil Shakir might find himself returning some kicks and punts this fall. It’s something he’s already done in his career, but Collins isn’t ready to put him at the top of the depth chart yet — especially since Shakir is missing spring practice while he recovers from offseason surgery.
“There are guys that are younger who are going to be in those roles and guys who show up that you’re not sure about yet,” Collins said. “But we’re going to put our guys out there who can change the game and put our guys into situations to change the game.”
Speed, agility and vision are at the core of what most coaches look for in return specialists, but Collins said returning kicks requires a different set of skills than fielding punts.
“There’s an innate ability with return guys,” Collins said. “For kick return, it’s a guy who can catch that ball going vertical and just like the ‘Days of Thunder,’ get through the smoke, take it high, go vertical and find that seam.”
First and foremost, punt returners have to understand simply when to catch the ball, he said.
“There’s a lot of decision making going on while that ball is in the air,” Collins said. “We need to have the threat to block punts to keep people in, but at the same time when we make the change, be able to create enough space to give the returner room to be dynamic and make people miss.”
Williams led the Mountain West last season with 15.3 yards per punt return and ranked No. 4 with 28.1 yards per kickoff return. He also blocked two punts and scored four special teams touchdowns.
Here are some players to keep an eye on this spring as the Broncos search for a new return specialist.
Return specialists
Kick return
▪ WR Stefan Cobbs, R-Jr., 6-0, 182 — Cobbs returned punts and kicks at Fossil Ridge High in Texas and averaged 22.1 yards per kick return as a senior. He confirmed to reporters in March that he’s been doing the same this spring for the Broncos.
Boise State head coach Andy Avalos said he was surprised this spring by the Broncos’ speed at wide receiver. There are a few highlight clips out there of Cobbs using his speed to get behind defenders in practice, so why not see what he can do in the return game?
▪ WR Kaden Dudley, Fr., 5-11, 212 — Dudley returned kicks and punts at Palmer Ridge High in Colorado. He also started at running back, wide receiver and defensive back. The three-star recruit enrolled early and has been on campus since January. He’s an explosive slot receiver, and at 212 pounds, he has the frame to take the punishment that comes with being a return specialist.
▪ TE Austin Bolt, R-Fr., 6-3, 210 — The 2019 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, Bolt returned punts and kicks at Borah High, taking two kicks back for touchdowns his senior year. He’s an impressive athlete, who racked up 1,391 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground after moving to quarterback as a senior.
Punt return
▪ WR CT Thomas, R-Sr., 5-8, 180 — If catching the ball is what’s most important, why not go with a fifth-year senior who catches passes for a living? Thomas showed off his speed in last year’s win at Air Force when both of his receptions went for touchdowns: a 75-yard pass on the Broncos’ first play of the game and a 26-yard strike later in the game. He also returned the first kickoff of his career last season.
▪ WR Latrell Caples, R-Fr., 6-1, 189 — He came out of the same high school program that Thomas played for, Lancaster High in Texas, and as a senior, Caples returned three punts for touchdowns. He also showed off how reliable his hands are with 117 catches in three varsity seasons.
▪ N Kekaula Kaniho, R-Sr., 5-10, 186 — If reliability is the issue, a fifth-year defensive back who has scored four career touchdowns has to be in the discussion. Last season, he scooped up a blocked field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown. In 2018, he recovered a punt that was fumbled by Williams and returned it 74 yards for a score, and in 2017, he returned both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns.
This story was originally published April 7, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
