Special Teams Shortcomings
Special Teams hampered the potential of the YSU Football Team last season. Despite returning the 2024 FCS Punter of the Year and a Third Team Phil Steele Freshman All-American placekicker (2023), the special teams unit struggled mightily in critical situations.
Against Michigan State, the Penguins surrendered an 83-yard punt return that put the Spartans on the YSU four-yard line. In a must-win game vs Towson, the Tigers converted two fake punts for first downs and capitalized with touchdowns.
The woes continued in MVFC play, with YSU allowing a 100-yard kickoff return and fumbling its own return attempt vs North Dakota State.
With Thomas Fletcher now leading the unit, the Penguins hope special teams can become a strength rather than a liability.
Fletcher is a young coordinator who has rapidly climbed the coaching ranks. After playing on national championship teams under Nick Saban and finding success at West Alabama last season, he now steps into a larger role at YSU.
Though it won’t be an easy task trying to correct a unit that ranked 122nd in punt return defense and 100th in kickoff return defense. With P Brendon Kilpatrick, LS Byron Floyd, PR Max Tomczak, and KR Flash Wilson all gone, Fletcher will have to lean on younger players to rebuild special teams.
Young Prospects
Replacing a talent like Brendon Kilpatrick at punter is difficult, but redshirt freshman Evan Anderson underwent a crucial developmental period last fall and has the high school background to suggest he’s more than ready to step up.
At West High School, Anderson earned First Team Class 5A District honors as a punter and started on varsity for three seasons. After attending Kohl’s Professional Camps, he received a four-star kicker rating, five-star punter rating, and graded out as the #36 punter.
A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Anderson is known for his short, consistent steps and ability to spiral the ball with ease.
Long snapper Nate Boozer will replace Byron Floyd. Boozer is a former Walsh transfer, where he totaled nine tackles including seven solo stops in 2024 and redshirted in 2023. In high school, Boozer received recognition as a Second Team All-Suburban League National Conference nominee.
Kick return and punt return duties are still up for grabs, but Grand Valley State transfer Lynn Wyche-El has the speed and quick burst to take both roles. Last season, he had seven kickoff returns for 154 yards and eight punt returns for 26 yards.
The only sure thing on special teams’ is the kicking game, as placekicker Andrew Lastovka and kickoff specialist Josh Wilkins return.
Lastovka went 15-of-21 on field goal attempts and 57-of-58 on PATs on his way to the Honorable Mention All-MVFC ballot last season.
Wilkins totaled 89 kickoffs, 29 of which were touchbacks. He recorded nine kickoffs against Robert Morris, Murray State, and Indiana State.
With a new coordinator and several new faces, spring practice will be critical as Fletcher begins rebuilding the Penguins’ special teams unit.
