Georgia Tech’s special teams could be strength this season, with kicker Harrison Butker and punter Ryan Rodwell both entering their senior seasons.
During Sunday’s special-teams practice, coach Paul Johnson said his squad “looked OK,” but needed improvement ahead of their Sept. 3 season opener against Boston College.
So far in camp, Johnson revealed Rodwell — one of 14 seniors — is struggling with consistency.
“(Rodwell) will hit two or three good (punts) and then he’ll hit one that’s not good,” Johnson said. “He’s got to do a better job punting the ball for us.”
In the Yellow Jackets’ 2015 season, Rodwell played in all 12 games and the average distance of his punts was 39.7 yards with 59-yard long and 12 punts over 50 yards.
Johnson added that although he knows Rodwell, a senior, is capable, he’s lacked consistency so far in camp.
Rodwell, a redshirt senior from Deland, Fla., recognizes his need for improvement before the Yellow Jacket’s Sept. 3 kickoff game against Boston College and has set personal goals to elevate the Yellow Jackets’ special teams production this season.
“I’m working on a lot of little things like the drop, steps, all that kind of stuff,” Rodwell said. “Just trying to be more consistent and help the team out. That’s the biggest thing.”
Rodwell worked with a private coach this summer who helped Rodwell with his form. Rodwell said he enjoyed “having extra eyes” on him while he trained.
Despite the inconsistency Rodwell has displayed during camp, Johnson said Rodwell will be the starting punter for the Jackets’ season opener despite having junior Grant Aasen listed as the backup punter. Aasen has been a member of the scout team and did not play his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Special teams coordinator and slot backs coach Lamar Owens handles punting and has seen to helping Rodwell make a strong start to his final season as a Yellow Jacket.
With a little over two full weeks left until the season begins, Owens said the entire special teams is a work in progress, not just Rodwell.
“Ryan is a fifth-year senior now and I know he wants to go out with a great year and go out with a bang,” Owens said. “He and Harrison — they want to have a great year and do their part to make the team successful.”
Owens, the same coach who recruited Rodwell, acknowledged Rodwell’s confidence in improving special teams.
Last season, Georgia Tech’s special teams finished 13th in punting in the ACC with an average of 39.0 punting yards per attempt.
As far as creativity with punting, Johnson has all the experience necessary to resurrect the Yellow Jackets’ punting game this season.
“I’ve coached for 38 years and I’ve punted about every way you can punt,” Johnson said. “We’ve run all kinds of returns and punt blocks. You assign it to the individual coaches and they research it and look at what they would like to do and how it fits their personnel.”
About the Author
