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University of Minnesota Athletics
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
2020 Vision: Specialists
7/3/2020 9:24:00 AM | Football
Our last position preview going into the 2020 season takes a look at the unsung heroes of any football team: The specialists.Â
The Gophers were youthful on special teams a season ago outside of now graduated punter and holder Jacob Herbers. Michael Lantz played in 11 games as a true freshman kicker last season and finished second on the team in scoring with 71 points (eight field goals, 47 PATs). He connected on 8-of-11 field goals and ended the year with four straight makes. His first collegiate field goal was a 37-yard strike in double overtime that proved to be the game-winning points at Fresno State.Â
Redshirt sophomore Brock Walker played in five games and totaled 15 points (three FG, six PATs) a season ago. He also kicked off six times and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.Â
Redshirt junior kicker/punter Grant Ryerse made his collegiate debut last season. He played in 13 games and served as team's kickoff specialist. He kicked off 74 times, averaged 61.7 yards on kickoffs and recorded 31 touchbacks (41.8%). He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.Â
Redshirt senior kicker Anders Gelecinskyj is still looking for his first action in the Maroon and Gold. He began his career at Minnesota State in 2016 and connected on 6-of-9 field goal attempts.Â
The Gophers also welcome the No. 7 ranked kicker in the country by Kohl's Kicking Camp this season in Dragan Kesich. The freshman out of Oak Creek, Wis., earned 2019 All-State honors as a kicker and punter.Â
2019 Disney Spirit Award winner Casey O'Brien provided the moment of the year in college football a season ago. The five-time cancer survivor made his Minnesota and collegiate debut at Rutgers when he held three times on point-after attempts. He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. He made his home debut against Maryland and perfectly held on three point-after attempts.Â
Brady Weeks started all 13 games and served as team's primary snapper as a true freshman in 2019. Redshirt sophomore long snapper Michael Vojvodich is still looking for his first game action. He was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2019.Â
The Gophers have a pair of new faces at punter in Mark Crawford and Matthew Stephenson. Crawford enrolled in January out of Perth, Australia. He played Australian Rule's Football in the winter until he was 17 and then played cricket in the summer until he was 22. Prior to coming to Dinkytown, he was training in Melbourne with Prokick Australia.
Stephenson transferred to Minnesota after graduating from Middle Tennessee and has one season of eligibility left. He spent four years at Middle Tennessee and was the team's primary holder in 2018 and 2019. He punted 16 times in his career and averaged 37.06 yards.Â
The Gophers also return nine players who played on all four special team units on a regular basis last season. Quad Team members are considered starters in the Minnesota football program. Josh Aune, Justus Harris, Mariano Sori-Marin, Tyler Nubin, Braelen Oliver, Thomas Rush, Johnny Santaga, Alex Strazzanti and Calvin Swenson all played the key role in 2019.Â
The most experienced return man coming back is Demetrius Douglas. He has 32 kickoff returns for 727 yards and 18 punt returns for 150 yards and a touchdown in his career.Â
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The Gophers were youthful on special teams a season ago outside of now graduated punter and holder Jacob Herbers. Michael Lantz played in 11 games as a true freshman kicker last season and finished second on the team in scoring with 71 points (eight field goals, 47 PATs). He connected on 8-of-11 field goals and ended the year with four straight makes. His first collegiate field goal was a 37-yard strike in double overtime that proved to be the game-winning points at Fresno State.Â
Redshirt sophomore Brock Walker played in five games and totaled 15 points (three FG, six PATs) a season ago. He also kicked off six times and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.Â
Redshirt junior kicker/punter Grant Ryerse made his collegiate debut last season. He played in 13 games and served as team's kickoff specialist. He kicked off 74 times, averaged 61.7 yards on kickoffs and recorded 31 touchbacks (41.8%). He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.Â
Redshirt senior kicker Anders Gelecinskyj is still looking for his first action in the Maroon and Gold. He began his career at Minnesota State in 2016 and connected on 6-of-9 field goal attempts.Â
The Gophers also welcome the No. 7 ranked kicker in the country by Kohl's Kicking Camp this season in Dragan Kesich. The freshman out of Oak Creek, Wis., earned 2019 All-State honors as a kicker and punter.Â
2019 Disney Spirit Award winner Casey O'Brien provided the moment of the year in college football a season ago. The five-time cancer survivor made his Minnesota and collegiate debut at Rutgers when he held three times on point-after attempts. He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. He made his home debut against Maryland and perfectly held on three point-after attempts.Â
Brady Weeks started all 13 games and served as team's primary snapper as a true freshman in 2019. Redshirt sophomore long snapper Michael Vojvodich is still looking for his first game action. He was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2019.Â
The Gophers have a pair of new faces at punter in Mark Crawford and Matthew Stephenson. Crawford enrolled in January out of Perth, Australia. He played Australian Rule's Football in the winter until he was 17 and then played cricket in the summer until he was 22. Prior to coming to Dinkytown, he was training in Melbourne with Prokick Australia.
Stephenson transferred to Minnesota after graduating from Middle Tennessee and has one season of eligibility left. He spent four years at Middle Tennessee and was the team's primary holder in 2018 and 2019. He punted 16 times in his career and averaged 37.06 yards.Â
The Gophers also return nine players who played on all four special team units on a regular basis last season. Quad Team members are considered starters in the Minnesota football program. Josh Aune, Justus Harris, Mariano Sori-Marin, Tyler Nubin, Braelen Oliver, Thomas Rush, Johnny Santaga, Alex Strazzanti and Calvin Swenson all played the key role in 2019.Â
The most experienced return man coming back is Demetrius Douglas. He has 32 kickoff returns for 727 yards and 18 punt returns for 150 yards and a touchdown in his career.Â
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