POSITION BREAKDOWN:
Special Teams
8/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 2, 2007
SPECIAL TEAMS PHOTO GALLERY
Overview:
The TCU special teams will again be a strength with the return of first-team All-MWC return specialist Brian Bonner (5-11, 199, Sr.) and Chris Manfredini (5-9, 165, Sr.), one of the more accurate field-goal kickers in the nation. Newcomer Clint Gresham (6-3, 225, So.), a transfer from Oklahoma, will take over for Jared Retkofsky as the short and long snapper. Derek Wash (6-4, 177, Sr.) and David Porter (5-11, 170, RFr.) will battle for the starting punter job. Wash averaged 37.5 yards on 13 kicks last season.
What Coach Patterson is saying:
"I believe you can judge a football team by the way you play special teams. It is going to be interesting to see how everyone approaches the new kickoff rule. We'll have a new punter and have to find out who is going to assume that role. We have a good snapper and feel very good about Chris Manfredini as our kicker."
What other people are saying:
"This unit is almost always an area of strength under Patterson"
- Phil Steele's 2007 College Football Preview
By the Numbers:
12.7 - yards per punt return by Brian Bonner in 2006 as he ranked first in the Mountain West Conference and 16th nationally
29.0 - average yards on five kickoff returns last season by 2007 MWC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Brown
30.8 - percent (4-of-13) of punts placed inside the opponent 20-yard line by Derek Wash last season
89 - punt return yards by Brian Bonner against Northern Illinois to set a TCU bowl record
92.1 - percent (35-of-38) of field-goal attempts made by Chris Manfredini in his collegiate career
