Before we enter the 2024 Football season, we are doing our annual Position Group Breakdown Series on our flagship podcast, The ThunderCast. Next up in the series is Special Teams. Links to the episode from 6/22 are below, with the breakdown segment starting at 35:17. Give it a watch or listen for a deeper analysis on Special Teams.
Phil Steele’s Sun Belt Conference Ranking
13th out of 14 in the Sun Belt
Departed from 2023
Transferred Out
John McConnell – P > Mercer
Jayden Harrison – KR > Notre Dame
Mason Pierce – PR > Incarnate Word
Dominic Konopka – LS > Ohio
Exhausted Eligibility
Talik Keaton – PR
No Longer on the Roster/No Announcement of Transfer or New School
Kameron Lake – K/KOS
Transferred In
Aiden DeCorte – OL/LS – Central Michigan (Since the episode aired, DeCorte has announced that he is no longer at Marshall and is available)
Cade Davis – LS < NC State
Incoming High School Recruits
Jonny Aya-ay – K/P < Huntington High School
Projected Starters
KD: Rece Verhoff – K; Alec Clark – P; Matthew Bosset – LS; AJ Turner – KR; Elijah Metcalf – KR/PR; Tychaun Chapman – KR/PR
Rus: Chuck Montgomery – KR; DJ Stepney – KR/PR; agrees about Metcalf and Chapman as KR/PR
Strengths
Rus:
- SP Coach Jonathan Galante as nearly the only piece of continuity.
KD:
- Experience at K with Verhoff.
- Transferred in a lot of speed and elusiveness for candidates to be KR/PR.
Weaknesses
Rus:
- The unknown on who is starting; replacing just about everyone.
- Replacing an All-American KR; replacing a tremendous P.
- The PR unit only had nine returns last year. And when we punted, we allowed 30 returns in 68 Punts. We have to change that.
KD:
- Massive loss of production from last year.
- Pressure that might be put on K or P from the implementation of the Air Raid offense in the case of quick drives.
Hardest to Replace from 2023?
Rus and KD: Jayden Harrison
Most Excited to See in 2024?
Rus: Tychaun Chapman, who he believes will return kicks
KD: Alec Clark at P
Who Will Have a Breakout Season?
Rus: Alec Clark making an impact at P
KD: Whoever ends up being PR 1
Who Will Be the MVP?
Rus: Whoever ends up being K
KD: Rece Verhoff
Did Special Teams Get Better?
Rus: No, with the caveat that it is unknown who is going to do what.
KD: No, at this time. Replacing an All-American at KR. But that is because so much is unknown to us at this time.
As mentioned, there is a lot more discussion on the episode, so if you want to hear more about the individual Special Teams players and what we might expect going into the 2024 season, give the episode a listen or view.
Up next in this series was the breakdown for the Offensive Line, and that article will be published soon to go with the episode that is already out.
