Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Fall camp position breakdown: special teams
8/23/2018 3:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – There's a bit of a changing of the guard with an aspect of Middle Tennessee's special teams.
Gone is two-year starter and MT all-time field-goal percentage leader Canon Rooker, and replacing him is redshirt sophomore Crews Holt, who's only kicked one field goal in his college career.
In the punting game, there's a bit of a battle brewing with two-time Ray Guy Award Watch List nominee Matt Bonadies and Matthew Stephenson, who's had a stellar spring and fall camp.
Here's a little more on the special teamers:
Placekicker
Crews Holt, R-So., 5-11, 185
Special teams coordinator Mike Polly: "Crews has done a pretty good job. He just continues to work … he's a really accurate guy, and I think he'll do a good job for us. I think being behind Canon the last two years really helped him out."
Notable:
Sam French, Fr., 5-11, 195
Notable:
Punter
Matt Bonadies, Sr., 6-1, 211
Mike Polly: "We're always, at every position, looking for competition. Both Matts have done a pretty solid job this summer, and it's nice to know you have two guys doing well who you can count on."
Notable:
Matthew Stephenson, R-So., 5-10, 212
Notable:
Russell Roberts, Fr., 6-0, 175
Notable:
Punt Returner
Reed Blankenship, So., 6-1, 195
Notable:
Ty Lee, Jr., 5-9, 178
Notable:
Kick Returner
Brad Anderson, So., 5-8, 175
Notable:
• Played in nine games and had seven starts
• Second on the team with 491 rushing yards while also ranking second in receptions with 33
• Tallied two 100-yard rushing games
• Earned his first collegiate start against Bowling Green and responded with 16 carries for 104 yards while adding six receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown
Ruben Garnett, R-Jr., 5-9, 168
Notable:
Long Snapper
Daniel Sargent, R-Jr., 6-0, 224
Notable:
Russ Hiett, R-So., 6-0, 210
Notable:
Jack Dunphy, Fr., 5-10, 210
Notable:
Holder
Matthew Stephenson, R-So., 5-10, 212
Kickoff specialist
Matt Bonadies, Sr., 6-1, 211
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
Gone is two-year starter and MT all-time field-goal percentage leader Canon Rooker, and replacing him is redshirt sophomore Crews Holt, who's only kicked one field goal in his college career.
In the punting game, there's a bit of a battle brewing with two-time Ray Guy Award Watch List nominee Matt Bonadies and Matthew Stephenson, who's had a stellar spring and fall camp.
Here's a little more on the special teamers:
Placekicker
Crews Holt, R-So., 5-11, 185
Special teams coordinator Mike Polly: "Crews has done a pretty good job. He just continues to work … he's a really accurate guy, and I think he'll do a good job for us. I think being behind Canon the last two years really helped him out."
Notable:
- Nailed first kick of his career, a 41-yarder, in 2017
- Brentwood, Tennessee native (Ravenwood High School)
- Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Kicker of the Year (2015)
- All-state (2015)
- 17-of-22 field goals and 64-of-65 extra points in 2015
- Class 6A state championship (2015)
- BlueCross Bowl Offensive MVP (2015)
Sam French, Fr., 5-11, 195
Notable:
- Nolensville, Tennessee native (Ravenwood High School)
- Supplanted Crews Holt as kicker at Ravenwood after Holt graduated
- Lettered in football and rugby in high school
Punter
Matt Bonadies, Sr., 6-1, 211
Mike Polly: "We're always, at every position, looking for competition. Both Matts have done a pretty solid job this summer, and it's nice to know you have two guys doing well who you can count on."
Notable:
- Three-time Ray Guy Award Watch List recipient (2016, 2017, 2018)
- Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee (2018)
- 39.6-yard average in 2017
- 8 punts of 50 yards or more in 2017
- 13 punts downed inside the 20 in 2017
- Buford, Georgia native (Buford High School)
- 3 straight state titles (2012-2014)
- Two-time all-state (2013, 2014)
Matthew Stephenson, R-So., 5-10, 212
Notable:
- Backup punter in 2017
- Madison, Alabama native (Bob Jones High School)
- All-state (2015)
- Named NUC All-American game MVP (2015)
Russell Roberts, Fr., 6-0, 175
Notable:
- Jackson, Mississippi native (Jackson Preparatory School)
- Lettered in football, tennis, soccer and swimming in high school
- Ranked 6th nationally in touchbacks his senior year
- Won 2 football state titles and 6 tennis titles
- Team's best offensive player and Mississippi All-Star in soccer
Punt Returner
Reed Blankenship, So., 6-1, 195
Notable:
- Missed last half of 2018 spring drills with injury
- Conference USA All-Freshman Team (2017)
- Honorable Mention All-C-USA (2017)
- 6 punt returns, 69 yards, 11.5-yard average in 2017
- Athens, Alabama native (West Limestone High School)
- Two-time all-state in football (2015-16)
- State Player of the Year (2016)
- Won a state title in basketball as a senior
Ty Lee, Jr., 5-9, 178
Notable:
- Top-10 all-time at MT with 142 receptions (5th all-time), 1,654 receiving yards (7th all-time), 14 TDs (10th all-time)
- Preseason All-Conference USA (2018)
- All-C-USA Second Team member (2017)
- 79 receptions (4th most in a season at MT), 955 yards (7th most in a season), 6 total (5 rec.) TDs in 2017
- Ranked 19th nationally, first in C-USA in receptions per game (6.1)
- One of four players to start and play in all 13 games
- FWAA Freshman All-American (2016)
- C-USA All-Freshman team (2016)
- Honorable Mention All-C-USA (2016)
- Moultrie, Georgia native (Colquitt County High School)
Kick Returner
Brad Anderson, So., 5-8, 175
Notable:
• Played in nine games and had seven starts
• Second on the team with 491 rushing yards while also ranking second in receptions with 33
• Tallied two 100-yard rushing games
• Earned his first collegiate start against Bowling Green and responded with 16 carries for 104 yards while adding six receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown
Ruben Garnett, R-Jr., 5-9, 168
Notable:
- 5 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD, 1 blocked punt in 2017
- 4 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TD in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
- Moved from RB in spring 2017
- Hepzibah, Georgia native (Aquinas High School)
- Finished high school career with 5,465 all-purpose yards, 62 touchdowns, 171 tackles, 12 TFLs, 5 INTs, 6 FR
Long Snapper
Daniel Sargent, R-Jr., 6-0, 224
Notable:
- Started all 13 games as long snapper in 2017
- Portland, Tennessee native (Portland High School)
- National Honor Society member
Russ Hiett, R-So., 6-0, 210
Notable:
- Kennesaw, Georgia native (Kennesaw Mountain High School)
- Aerospace major
Jack Dunphy, Fr., 5-10, 210
Notable:
- Vestavia Hills, Alabama native (Vestavia Hills High School)
- Lettered in football and golf in high school
Holder
Matthew Stephenson, R-So., 5-10, 212
Kickoff specialist
Matt Bonadies, Sr., 6-1, 211
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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