SEC Preseason Position Rankings: Special Teams

Special teams gotta be really special

By Ryan Higgins Aug 8, 2014, 10:15am CDT

1. Texas A&M

The Aggies return all major specialist, including a punter who averaged 47.4 yards per punt last year.

2. LSU

Colby Delahoussaye may be one of the best place kickers in the conference. Add that too all the speed they recruit, they should have no problems with returners or coverage.

3. Georgia

Statistically, they return the best kicker and one of the best punters. Unfortunately, their return game was about as bad as the Razorback's secondary last year.

4. Alabama

You gotta hope for their sake Cade Foster got a little more leg strength in the off season. But seriously, they have the best returner in the conference coming back in Christion Jones. Field position matters considering they are breaking in a new quarterback and offensive coordinator.

5. Missouri

They return practically everyone on special teams, including kicker Andrew Baggett, who was the second leading scorer in the SEC last year among kickers. I would rank them higher if Baggett hand't doinked a 24 yard game winner (AT HOME) against South Carolina last season. Dude's clutch rating on NCAA this year would have been 0.

6. Arkansas

This almost strictly based on Korliss Marshall returning kicks. Sam Irwin-Hill will do a fine job punting and while the Hogs lost Zach Hocker, they pick up the #2 kicker recruit in the nation. As long as they can find a guy who doesn't Reggie Fish a bunch of punts, they will be at least a middle of the pack special teams unit.

7. Florida

The Gators always have the speed to have good coverage units. They have a solid punter, but their kicking situation is still a question mark.

8. Auburn

*Insert "kick six" joke here*

9. Kentucky

I think this is the first time Kentucky has broken the top 10 in any of my rankings. They lost their field goal kicker, but return all other specialist. This includes Javess Blue.

10. South Carolina

They return four of five starters on units that weren't any good last year. They were dead last in net punting, which I'm sure is a stat Spurrier doesn't give a... about.

11. Mississippi State

Is it a good thing if you return your kicker that was absolutely dreadful last season?

12. Tennessee

Auburn just ran back another kick as I write this.

13. Vanderbilt

I expect their special teams to improve with Derek Mason coming from a program that puts an emphasis on them. However, they lost both kickers.

14. Ole Miss

Their special teams haven't been special since Houston Nutt left.

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