Several Longhorns, including three freshmen, have proven to be valuable via their special teams efforts
In recent years in the NFL, two former Longhorns have set excellent examples for players Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks utilize on special teams. Adrian Phillips and Brenden Schooler have excelled in the third phase in the league, with Schooler recently gaining national attention for a highlight field goal block.
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“You can make a living on special teams,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “Brenden Schooler is a great example of that, a guy who is in the NFL.”
Sarkisian can use several players, many of them freshmen, as special teams aces. And thanks to Schooler, more and more players are embracing that role with the Longhorns.
“Seeing Brenden Schooler make his plays in the NFL and where he’s at now as a player, I feel like everybody sees that now and is really buying in,” Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy said Monday, days after earning Big 12 special teams player of the week honors.
For players like Schooler and Phillips, special teams is how they earn their money. For current Longhorns, with Kitan Crawford, Tre Wisner, Liona Lefau, and Jelani McDonald as great examples, special teams is how they earn most of their playing time.
“How do you create value for yourself as a player?” Sarkisian posed on Thursday. “You’re developing a whole other skill set that you can utilize to get on the field now but also for your future. You also show us about accountability. Can we count on you in those critical moments?”
Crawford has been a player that has used special teams skill shown throughout his career to earn more snaps on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Crawford is on kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block this season. He’s accumulated 165 special teams snaps and has earned a team-high grade of 82.2.
“I feel like it shows the culture around here,” Worthy said. “I feel like that shows everybody’s bought in. And you can make money off of special teams. That started with Kitan Crawford. I feel like he was a guy that bought in really on special teams, and everybody’s learning that you can make money on special teams, too. I feel like they’re putting in more effort all around.”
Crawford’s performance on standard down defense has been far more erratic, with a season-long defensive grade of 56.4. But in the third phase, he’s been a key part of the process.
Between playing safety and being on multiple “teams” as Sarkisian likes to say, Crawford has a lot of responsibilities. But he’s earned respect from his teammates for being willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. He had an outstanding example in that regard last season in Roschon Johnson, who was on a number of special teams units and was the second running back behind Bijan Robinson.
Those attributes apply not only to Crawford, but also to some younger players, too.
It’s not always easy as a freshman to dedicate effort and attention to special teams. Players like Wisner, Lefau, and McDonald committed to Texas to carry the football, make tackles, and limit offenses. But this season that trio has made a significant impact on special teams while preparing for future snaps at running back and linebacker.
“They’re taking their role better than anybody I’ve ever seen,” said Michael Taaffe, a special teams regular himself. “A lot of guys that come in and are really highly recruited, they want all the attention. Those guys just work. When they get their opportunity, a lot of times it is on special teams on Saturdays, they’ve been showing up. Tre’s showing up. Jelani’s been showing up.
“I’m proud of those guys, and I think they’re mature enough to know that once they ball out on special teams that offense and defense comes.”
Like Crawford, Lefau is on every special teams unit save for the field goal team. He’s even out-snapped Crawford in teams, 168-165. McDonald is on kick coverage and has made a number of plays, though he missed last week’s contest with BYU. Wisner is on kick coverage and punt return, and has made several jarring hits on opposing ball-carriers this season.
None of those three have seen heavy action during in-question games on first, second, or third down.
When speaking highly of that freshman trio on Texas’ special teams, Sarkisian singled Wisner out for making the most of his opportunities.
Sarkisian mentioned that for Wisner, a running back, there are a lot of players ahead of him on the depth chart. But Wisner saw an chance to use his speed, athletic ability, and football IQ to help the team.
“I can find a way onto the field if I buy into this special teams thing with Coach Banks; if I really work on the techniques and fundamentals; if I take the extra time there,” Sarkisian said in reference to Wisner. “And he did that. He captured that.”
Longhorn special teams have made an impact in several games this season, with a mix of freshmen and experienced players taking turns on game-changing plays. It’s as essential as quality play from the offense and defense, and good play by special teamers typically portends well for future success.
“You gain trust by just showing what you can do when the lights come on,” Taaffe said. “Then, you just keep going from there.”
