Kent State Special Teams Fall Camp Preview

KENT, Ohio – As Kent State prepares for the upcoming season, special teams coordinator CJ Conrad has been putting his units through their paces during fall camp. With several position battles heating up and some established stars returning, the Golden Flashes are looking to build on last year's success in the game's third phase.

Kicking Game Takes Shape

One of the most closely watched battles in fall camp has been the competition for the starting placekicker position between returning kicker Will Hryszko and talented true freshman Sean Leonard. Both players have impressed throughout training camp, creating a genuine competition for the role.

Conrad has been carefully evaluating both kickers across all facets of the game, with detailed charting and daily evaluations driving the decision-making process.

"Everything's charted, everything is tracked, and those guys go just about every single day," Conrad explained about the evaluation process.

Hryszko has shown marked improvement since last season, with Conrad noting significant consistency and leg strength gains. Meanwhile, Leonard has immediately made an impact as a freshman, bringing exceptional talent to the competition.

"Sean Leonard has a lot of talent. Really excited about his future here," Conrad noted. "He's been awesome, too. It's been really good competition."

The battle between the veteran experience of Hryszko and the fresh talent of Leonard has created one of the most compelling storylines of fall camp, with both players pushing each other to higher levels throughout the process.

Punting Battle Remains Tight

The most compelling competition in the special teams room has been at punter, where Charlie Durkin and freshman Jake Stoeckell from Australia have been locked in a close battle.

"That's been the group I've been really excited to talk about because the competition has been so tight," Conrad explained. "Both guys have done such a good job of being consistent. They both have not really had down days."

Stoeckell's journey to Kent State has been particularly noteworthy, having arrived from Australia just three weeks ago. Despite the adjustment period, he's quickly adapted to his new environment and American college football.

"Jake just got here about three weeks ago from Australia, so he is adjusting to his new life, but he's been really good," Conrad said.

Meanwhile, Durkin has made significant strides since spring practice, earning praise for his development.

"Durk has been really good, too. He's improved tremendously. From the springtime to now, in my opinion, Dirk's a completely different punter. He's done a great job," Conrad noted. "The competition's very, very tight. I feel like I have two good punters, to be completely honest with you."

Veteran Leadership at Long Snapper

One position where Kent State feels completely secure is long snapper, where preseason All-MAC selection Gus Goodell provides both skill and leadership. Goodell has impressed the coaching staff with his professionalism and consistency after an injury.

"Gus is great. Consistent," Conrad said. "Coming off an injury, he handles himself really well. He's a calming presence for these kickers. They know the ball is going to be where it needs to be at the speed it needs to be. He's done a great job of taking care of his body and constantly being in the treatment room. It's a very calming presence to have him there."

Return Game Depth

While All-MAC kick returner Da'Shawn Martin returns as the established starter, Kent State has been developing depth in the return game. Da'Realyst Clark and Maurice Stephens have emerged as the primary backup options for kick returns, with both players bringing speed to the position.

At punt returner, Wayne Harris has locked down the starting role with his reliable hands and decision-making ability.

"He's very consistent in the fact that I trust him back there as a punt returner," Conrad explained. "There's a lot of decisions that have to be made, and he's been really steady with his decisions, his communication, his hands. Obviously, he's talented - he's good with the ball in his hands, and anytime we get Wayne Harris the football, our return could be one of them."

Building Coverage Units

Conrad emphasized that building effective coverage units goes beyond finding fast players; it requires a comprehensive evaluation process throughout training camp.

"Coach Carney gives me a lot of time to do competitions, so there's a lot of competing going on in the drill work. You're constantly getting evaluated there," Conrad said. "The one thing about special teams that people don't understand is it encompasses all football - tackling, blocking, leverage - and smart football players and reliable football players have to be on your special teams."

The coordinator has prioritized bringing energy and excitement to special teams meetings and practice, wanting players to embrace their roles rather than view special teams as a burden.

"My number one goal of training camp for everybody other than the kickers is to bring excitement to special teams and energy and juice," Conrad explained. "I want those guys to be in my meetings and feel excited about being on teams. That's the environment that I need."

As Kent State heads toward the start of the season, the special teams units are in good shape, with established veterans providing leadership while newcomers push for playing time. The tight competitions, particularly at punter, should only strengthen the units as the season progresses.

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