ASU Athletics: Top Storylines for 2017

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Oct 8, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils kicker Zane Gonzalez celebrates as he leaves the field following the game against the UCLA Bruins at Sun Devil Stadium. Gonzalez set an NCAA Division one FBS record for career field goals. The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

ASU Football: How will Special Teams Look after Successful Senior Class Graduates?

The special teams unit is the group that doesn’t nearly receive enough praise when they do well, but really most of the criticism when they make a mistake.

After a shaky 2015 season for kicker Zane Gonzalez and punter Matt Haack, they both bounced back big-time in 2016.

Gonzalez had one of the best seasons in school history, converting 23 of 25 field goals, including four field goals from 50+ yards.

He was also 16-for-16 in kicks under 50 yards and was named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week twice the season.

In Week 6 versus UCLA, Zane Gonzalez converted a 35-yard field goal to break the FBS for the most career field goals (89) surpassing Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins.

Gonzalez went on to win the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best kicker, becoming the second ASU kicker to win the award joining Thomas Weber who won the award in 2007.

Arizona State became just the third school with multiple Lou Groza Award winners.

Gonzalez was also honored as a unanimous All-American.

Safe to say, it will be difficult for Arizona State to replace his production.

On Monday, however, Arizona State secured the commitment of one of the nation’s top kickers, Brandon Ruiz.

ASU gets arguably the nation’s top kicker Brandon Ruiz, a local player and All-American https://t.co/Gt7b02CzaJ
— SunDevilSource.com (@SunDevilSource) January 16, 2017

The Gilbert, Arizona product decommitted from Alabama over the weekend before announcing his decision to stay home.

That will help fill the void a little bit.

Another unsung player on special teams was punter Matt Haack.

Haack was very active this season finishing the season with 66 punts with an average of 43.9 yards and 21 punts landing inside the 20-yard line.

His net average of 44.4 yards was good for sixth in the nation.

Both have graduated from the program, and ASU will have inexperienced players taking over thos positions.

Ruiz will be in competition with redshirt junior John O’Brien for the place kicker position, while a pair of redshirt sophomores, Australian Michael Sleep-Dalton and Greg Thomas, will battle it out at punter.

There could be some growing pains with the youth at both positions, but it gives ASU stability for those positions for the next three to four years.