Without a doubt the biggest weakness on Arizona State’s 2024 team was their special teams unit. They used three different kickers throughout the year, none of whom were reliable, and punter Kanyon Floyd ranked 135th in yards per punt.
The Sun Devils also ranked outside of the top 100 in yards per kick return and, while they 17th in yards per punt return, primary return man Melquan Stovall graduated.
Kenny Dillingham has frequently circled special teams as an area that needed major improvements this offseason. He also shared at the Big 12 Football Media Days that he plans to spend time working with that unit more this season. Transfer kicker Jesus Gomez is a step in the right direction, but this unit needs to improve elsewhere too if Arizona State can dramatically improve over last year. Our own Andrew Hayslett and David Howman break down the unit and what they’re looking for.
Hayslett: The special teams were the Sun Devil’s weak link last season. Naturally, Dillingham has brought in transfers in every position to compete for jobs creating intrigue and competition to improve the existing players.
“I think our special teams unit as a whole look better,” Dillingham said after Tuesday, the 19th’s practice. “We’re way further along (since the beginning of camp.)”
The punter position is one that sophomore Kanyon Floyd will likely have for at least the start of the year. The Sun Devils brought in redshirt junior Aussie Matt McKenzie to compete with Floyd. McKenzie was at prokick Australia for a while and has been running the scout team. Floyd has run the first team throughout fall camp. Neither punter has stuck out to me in these last few practices.
Howman: To your point, Floyd should be the starting punter this year. He was the fourth highest rated punter in his class when he committed to Arizona State, and you can see why in glimpses last year.
The issue for Floyd is consistency. He has the leg strength but there were too many punts last year he didn't strike well. That leads to poor hang time, outkicking coverage, and sometimes straight up shanking it. If he can clean up those fundamentals, though, Floyd has the talent to be an All-Big 12 punter.
That, alone, would be a huge help for Arizona State's punt coverage team. Remember, they gave up a punt return touchdown in the Peach Bowl, the same game they ended up losing in double overtime. But it'll take more than just Floyd for the Sun Devils to see major upgrades on special teams.
Hayslett: The biggest upgrade is redshirt senior transfer kicker Jesús Gómez. That name might ring a bell to Arizona State fans as he made the walk-off kick for Eastern Michigan against Arizona State in the game that ended Herm Edwards’ time with the Sun Devils.
Gómez will compete with returning redshirt sophomore Carston Kieffer for the kicking position. Kieffer’s 60% (3-5) on field goals was the percentage on the team. Gómez went 80% on field goals last year and had a long of 57 yards.
Gómez will likely get the nod over Kieffer as he has the experience and better leg of the two. The Mexican native has looked great throughout spring and now into fall camp. The lefty has kicked in cold weather games as he played in the Mid American Conference, which is crucial for excellence.
Howman: Gómez is nearly guaranteed to be an immediate upgrade, with all due respect to Kieffer. Thus far in practices, he’s looked the part at every step of the way.
I think one of the more under-the-radar areas for improvement in special teams is something Dillingham has admitted to already: more trick plays. Dillingham wants to see more fake punts, more fake field goals, more successful onside kicks, and more elaborate returns that break for big gains.
Charlie Ragle remains as the special teams coordinator, but Arizona State brought in Jack Nudo to assist with that unit. Nudo spent last season with FCS Austin Peay, where his special teams units averaged over 10 yards per punt return, 42 yards per punt, and recovered their lone onside kick attempt. Before Austin Peay, Nudo was part of Chip Kelly’s staff at UCLA.
Between Ragle, Nudo, and Dillingham - the head coach is taking a more hands-on approach to special teams this year, a first for the lifelong offensive coach and quarterback guru - Arizona State has a solid braintrust of coaches whose aim is to weaponize their special teams unit. That fact on its own has me very excited to see what gets cooked up in 2025.
Hayslett: That is an interesting point in that the Sun Devils might do more out of the box things on special teams, but I do not think we will see much of that. Instead, I predict that Arizona State will be up in a comfortable margin in most of their games to do that. With that line of thinking, the first time the Sun Devils will try that is in the game at Baylor.
Fresno State transfer Jalen Moss was brought in to help with returns. The redshirt junior receiver had a great year last season as he was ranked in the top ten in FBS for punt returns and punt return TDs. He was also a Second team All-Mountain West punt returner. Redshirt junior running back Raleek Brown has been taking reps at both positions as well. This is the first time Brown has taken snaps at punt returner.
“Be fearless,” Brown said of his mentality as a punt returner. “It’s coming together and I feel a bit more comfortable.”
Brown had a return that might have been a touchdown if the Sun Devils were tackling on the August 16th practice. Brown and Moss will both probably be the primary returners. I expect Moss to get the bulk of the returns but I am very curious to see what Brown can do if he gets a role.
Howman: All in all, the Sun Devils have a lot of weapons to use on special teams this year as they try to beef up that unit. Gómez's leg alone is so strong that Arizona State may not even feel the need to go for it as much, though Dillingham has reiterated he's still a naturally aggressive coach.
Given all the changes to this unit over the summer, there's no reason to think we won't see a major improvement to all aspects of the special teams group in 2025, which would go a long way towards making this team even better than they were a year ago.