SDSU Football Special Teams Preview

When head coach Sean Lewis began assembling his staff last December, many assumed former special teams coordinator Doug Deakin would be retained as a holdover from Brady Hoke’s staff.

Photo byDon De Mars/ EVT Sports

Deakin came to The Mesa as a walk-on before leading the team as a captain. His special teams units were second-to-one, routinely beating Power 5 schools in the third phase despite the differences in depth. Lewis gave longtime colleague Zac Barton the unenviable task of replacing an Aztec for Life.

Nine months later, it is impossible to imagine Lewis leading SDSU without Barton. The Aztecs' associate head coach embodies Lewis' ethos.

Lewis has preached ownership, energy, and a blue-collar approach to his assistants. Having worked under Lewis for years, Barton has provided an example that the rest of the staff follows.

During drills, Barton is boisterous, mixing it up with the players and heaping praise and criticism when it is due. There is no task beneath him. From cleaning up after SDSU’s passing camps to throwing away trash on the practice fields, Barton is always first in line.

Barton is not Deakin. For this team, he is better.

Having no shortage of titles, Barton is also the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator. Last Thursday, he gave the East Village Times an exclusive interview detailing the third phase of the game at SDSU.

Below is a special teams preview that came from the conversation. This is the second of three preview articles. Last week, EVT took a deep dive into the offense.

The grades are from EVT only. They reflect the confidence level in the group as they head into the year. Barton provided the starters at each position.

“It’s been a little like riding a roller coaster,” Barton explained when asked how the special teams have progressed. “It’s been really, really good, and then, other days, that drop has come out of nowhere. Right now, it hasn’t been an effort issue at all. We’ve got to make sure that the understanding of why we’re doing things is at an elite level by next Saturday at 5:02 when we kick this thing off.”

Team Culture: A+

Visit any SDSU practice, and a difference between Lewis and Hoke is immediately evident. It is not the Aztec Fast pace of the practice that stands out. The former staff tried to maximize reps just like the current one. Unlike previous years, the Aztecs begin every practice with special teams and everyone on the roster participates.

Barton assigns every coach a part of the ensemble to oversee. Even Lewis rolls up his sleeves and works with a group. The athletes cycle through the activities regardless of position. Wide receivers are put through tackling drills just like defensive backs.

This segment of practice stood out to run game coordinator Mike Schmidt. Two weeks ago, he told EVT that more than just producing elite specialists, opening practice by working the entire squad through special teams creates football players.

Placing these drills at the beginning of each practice also elevates one of Lewis’ chief values. Special teams' success has as much to do with grit as with talent. The players who thrive in the third phase have more heart than those who can only compete in the more popular parts of the game.

Barton stole this idea from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota when he worked a few hours away at Winona State. He brought it with him to Kent State. Last season, he convinced the staff at Kansas to adopt the practice. Barton credited it with establishing the culture that led to the Jawhawks’ turnaround in 2023. This year, he is seeing fruit from the tactic with the Aztecs.

“I think it’s the most important thing that we do,” Barton said. “It trains the whole roster. Because once you get into the season, it gets so scheme-related, you’re really not working on technique anymore. You’re not working on blocking, tackling, inside hands leverage, all that stuff you get away from because you get to that scheme stuff. For us to have that ten minutes of special teams (individual drills) to start every day, that lets us work on that stuff all year long.”

Field Goal Kicker: D+

Starter: Gabriel Plascencia

Consistently inconsistent is the best way to describe SDSU’s field goal kickers this year. During Spring Camp, three specialists competed for a spot at the top of the depth chart and the scholarship that came with it. Even though Barton chose Plascencia as the winner, the school emphasized that the competition was still open because no one had reached the expected level.

Six days before the Aztecs' first game, the inconsistency remains. Nick Lopez, Plascencia’s main competition, has been limited by injury. Barton anticipates that Lopez will play at some point this season, but for now, Plascencia will be the guy heading into week one.

Last season, the former walk-on hit all four of his field goal attempts, including a long 46 against San Jose State. The conditions in that game against the Spartans showed Plascencia can excel in any weather. What he needs to do is become automatic inside 40 yards.

The top moment of 2023 was SDSU reclaiming the Old Oil Can to send Hoke off a winner in his final game as head coach. The second was Jack Browning’s 61-yard field goal against Air Force. More than half of Browning’s attempts exceeded 40 yards last year. Given Plascencia’s uneven practice results, it will be interesting to see how many attempts he receives from that range.

“We’ll have great days where we’ll go 100%, and (Plascencia)’s killing it,” Barton said. “The next day, we’re not where we need to be, and he knows that. I’m brutally honest with those guys. Gabe is probably his toughest critic. Bottom line, no sugarcoating it, we need to be more consistent.”

Long Snapper: A+

Starter: Ryan Wintermeyer

SDSU long snapper Ryan Wintermeyer competes at a professional level. He’s likely one of the top 50 to 60 people on the planet at his craft. His challenge as he aims to collect an NFL paycheck next year is earning an opportunity. Fewer roster spots exist for specialists at the next level than other positions.

Last year, the Aztecs allowed just 13 punt returns (t-25th in the nation) and gave up a measly 3.85 yards per attempt (t-18th). Wintermeyer’s excellence led the way to these great numbers. His quick snaps limited returners’ space. His terrific pursuit caused fair catches. He also bottled up nearly 25% of the opposition’s attempts. Wintermeyer made three stops in 2023, two of them were solo.

College schemes vary from the professional ranks because fewer long snappers can snap and block at the collegiate level. Barton said he has never used a long snapper as a blocker. Wintermeyer lobbied for the opportunity, and it is now part of SDSU’s approach. The NFL utilizes long snappers as blockers because it is a superior tactic, and it should give the Aztecs a leg up on the competition.

“To have that level of kid here is huge for us,” Barton said about Wintermeyer. “I know people don’t value it, but I’m understating his importance right now to what we’re going to be. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe how much he means to us here on special teams. … If you take him out, I think our backup is really, really good, but he’s ain’t Ryan.”

Coverage Units: A-

Featured Starter: Max Garrison

In 2010, former Aztecs Heath Farwell and Kassim Osgood were selected as Pro Bowl special team starters. Osgood from the San Diego Chargers represented the AFC. Farwell, a Minnesota Viking, suited up for the NFC. Their legacy lives on with the 2024 Aztecs.

Special teams aces are a rare breed. It defies logic and human instinct to race full speed down a football field to cover a kick. Experience has taught Barton that a team usually has one or two athletes courageous enough for the role. The Aztecs associate head coach marveled because SDSU has at least five of them on the roster.

Worrying that he was leaving someone deserving out, Barton heaped praise on S Jatavious MaGee, LB Brady Anderson, LB DJ Herman, CB Arnold Escano, and S Max Garrison. Their selflessness infects the rest of the team. Younger players like CB Tayten Beyer are following in their footsteps.

“Max Garrison is (all in),” Barton said. “In the old days with the wedge, Max would have been a wedge buster, a guy that’s going to throw his body in there recklessly for the good of the team.”

Kick Returners: B+

Starters: Ja’Shaun Poke and Jordan Napier

Injuries could derail one of the strongest aspects of the 2024 team. Ja’Shaun Poke and Kenan Christon have experience as kickoff returners. The dream of running them out together took a serious hit at Fan Fest when Christon went down with an injury. Barton confirmed the issue will sideline Christon for an extended period.

Teams frequently kicked away from Christon last season. Christon returned 16 kicks a year ago. Against Boise State, he took one of those back 71 yards. It was SDSU’s only return greater than 35 yards in 2023. Even with full health, Christon might have been Barton’s second option this year.

Poke should pass 1,000 career return yards on his first attempt this season. He presently has 983. All of those came at Kent State under Barton. Poke has elite speed, but he also runs with the toughness of a running back.

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Neither Christon nor Polk have scored a touchdown on a kick return. 2024 would be a perfect season to change that. With Christon out with an injury, look for WR Jordan Napier to start in his place. RB Lucky Sutton and RB Jaylon Armstead are next in line.

With Poke and Napier bringing back kicks, the Aztecs’ returners are interchangeable. If teams want to kick away from Poke, that improves Napier’s opportunities. Whoever is not racing downfield with the ball will fill in as a blocker. Should Sutton or Armstead get that role, the split would be more traditional between primary and secondary returners.

This offseason, Napier has grown as much as anyone on the team. Barton said the idea that he could help SDSU as a kick returner did not enter the staff’s mind until the end of summer. That he will replace Christon while the running back works his way back from injury is special.

“(Napier)’s come miles receiving corps-wise,” Barton said. “He’s dynamic when the ball’s in his hands. He doesn’t waste movement. He gets north and south. He’s been a guy that has moved back to that role that I’m super excited about. We’ve got to figure out ways to get him the ball in the return game.”

Punter: A

Starter: Tyler Pastula

When describing Pastula for a special teams update during Spring Camp, Barton commented that he expected there to be a drop off at the position since both of SDSU previous punters, Matt Araiza and Browning, are kicking in the NFL. Fast forward four months, and Barton’s expectations have risen. He believes Pastula can match Araiza and Browning’s effectiveness in 2024.

Pastula’s Aztec tenure got off to a rocky start. Barton tried to change his mechanics from an unconventional style to a more textbook approach. After a couple of weeks without success, Barton realized that Pastula was a fifth-year senior with a lot of collegiate success. He got out of the way, allowed Pastula to return to his past form, and SDSU’s punter took off.

A Pennsylvania native who transferred to The Mesa from the University of Albany, Pastula has thrived in San Diego because it provides a great kicking climate all year. Barton went to college near where Pastula grew up and compared punting there in colder months to kicking a rock.

After Pastula regained his form, he and Barton added to his repertoire. Aztec fans should expect more of a variety of punts than they are accustomed to seeing. In addition to the NFL-style kicks where hang time and distance matter most, Pastula has learned how to create chaos by rolling out before kicking the ball to either side of the field. Whatever the employed tactic, Pastula should consistently flip the field for the Aztecs.

The depth behind Pastula is terrific. Barton said 2024 will be the first time he’s had three punters on a roster that he would be comfortable putting in a game. Zechariah Ramirez and Eemil Herranen have both impressed but have not challenged Pastula’s starting spot.

“There’s no ifs-and-or-buts; (Pastula) goes out there and shows it every day that he’s the guy,” Barton said. “You go out there and watch that kid work, you watch what he does when we put him in game situations, he’s got a chance to live up to the standards that have been set here before with the NFL punters that have come through here in the past.”

Punt Returner: B-

Starter: Jordan Napier and Mikey Welsh

WR Mekhi Shaw’s leg injury has opened the door for Jordan Napier to handle punt returns. Napier will look to build off a solid 2023 season for SDSU returners. The Aztecs averaged 8.58 yards per return, which was good for 68th in the country.

Shaw handled most of the duties last year and was remarkably consistent. His long on the year was only 15 yards but he still averaged 7.2 yards on 14 attempts. Shaw will likely have the chance to build off those numbers when he returns to full health.

Barton mentioned two returners leading the way while Shaw is out, Napier and Mikey Welsh. It remains to be seen if Welsh is used as an upman to prevent squib punts and to block for Napier or if the competition is undecided.

Like Napier, Welsh has been among the stars of the offseason. Lewis selected him to wield the Aztec Shield at Fan Fest. The walk-on wide receiver can also count Barton among his fans.

“There’s just something about Mikey, man,” Barton said. “That little (SOB) makes plays now. He’s got a feel for it. He ain’t scared. He gets what we’re doing. He tracks it very well. He has an idea where the ball’s going.”

Kickoff Specialist: B-

Starter: Gabriel Plascencia

After years of Araiza and Browning blasting kickoffs into the endzone, SDSU statistically took a step back in this department in 2023. The Aztecs managed only 18 touchbacks last season. Only 18 teams had fewer. Their 27 returns allowed ranked No. 79 in the country.

Given Browning’s prowess at kicking deep into the endzone (he had 37 in 2022), part of the Aztecs' strategy could have been to force returns, gambling that they could cover a kick better than their opponents could return it. Browning also struggled with injuries in 2023, which could also explain the dropoff.

SDSU gave up 21.85 yards per return (96th in the country). On average, allowing returns did not cost the Aztecs. SDSU did give up a pair of returns over 40 yards last season but neither of the subsequent drives ended in points for the opposition.

Plascencia is expected to handle kickoff duties in 2024. Last year, he filled that role in four games, kicking off 16 times. He only had two touchbacks. His 62-yard-per-kick average meant returners received the ball at the three-yard line. Plascencia was good in reserve but there is growth left for his game.

“I’m hoping that on the coverage units (and) I tell the kickers that they can be so good that no one else matters, and I would love that,” Barton explained. “You know what makes a really good kicking unit? A guy that can put it on the top of the letters in the endzone.”