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BOULDER – This weekend’s Pac-12 Championship Game rematch between the visiting Washington Huskies and Colorado Buffaloes could come down to winning the battle on special teams as much as anything else. With an explosive returner in Dante Pettis, who has returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his three games so far this season, the Huskies have a dangerous weapon that will prove a big challenge for the Buffs.
For CU gunner and kick returner Lee Walker, who has a hand in every phase of special teams, Saturday will be an opportunity to show exactly how vital that part of the game can be.
“Special teams is definitely a big role,” Walker said. “Like coach Mac always says, if you can’t do it on special teams how can they trust you for ten plays? If they can’t trust you for one how can they trust you for ten? So every time I go out there my mindset is just no one can block me, be Folsom fast and get to the returner, make sure he has no gains and make sure I beat my man every time. ”
When Walker first came to CU, his focus wasn’t on special teams. But now he sees it as a crucial part of the game, and a way for him to turn the tide of a matchup.
“Everybody wants to be on the offense or defense, everybody wants to play their main position,” Walker said. “But being a factor in special teams is just as important. You’re basically a starter – you start the game for everybody, you set the tone. If I’m first on kickoff, I set the tone for the defense and if I’m first on kickoff return then I’m going to set the tone for the offense. I’m trying to make sure that [the opponents]don’t get any motivational plays off their special teams, so it’s a big factor. I never saw it as that big of a role until they started putting me in every phase and I started taking it real seriously.”
Head coach Mike MacIntyre knows exactly how versatile and dangerous Walker can be for the Buffs.
“He’s a big key for us – he has so much speed, he’s very tough,” MacIntyre said. “He’s a big key in our receiving corps too, we expect to see a lot of Lee on special teams as the season goes on and in the receiving game as well.”
For his part, Walker is ready to contribute in whatever capacity he can, whether that be on special teams, as a receiver or as a blocker. He just wants to do his job as well as possible.
“I just want to make sure that I’m gonna do my 1/11 and make sure that if I don’t have the ball in my hands, I’m putting somebody on the floor for my guys,” Walker said. “If I’m getting the ball, I’m making sure that I make the first guy miss and I’m getting my yards. I’m gonna do everything that I can do in my position, not go overboard but just make sure I do everything right to put my team in a better position.”
CU has loaded their special teams unit with playmakers, from Walker to Isaiah Oliver, Ronnie Blackmon, K.D. Nixon and Laviska Shenault. But Walker considers the Buffs’ punter one of the most important special teams’ weapons.
“Alex Kinney [has impressed me], to be honest,” Walker said. “I feel like punting is a hard job – people might say being a gunner and getting down there and making sure you use good speed – but being a punter you have to be amazing. Like sometimes he puts it on the five and then I’ll get down there, it’s good teamwork. So I make sure, I’m always telling him ‘man we’re gonna get you that award, that [Ray] Guy Award’ to keep motivating him.”
The versatility and talent the Buffs have on special teams could prove essential to coming away with a win this weekend. Pettis will be a huge threat and has already returned a punt for a touchdown at Folsom the last time the Huskies came to town in 2014. Pinning him in the end zone and keeping the ball out of his hands would be a big victory for CU.
“We’re going against a pretty good team, and their special teams is a big factor for them too,” Walker said. “Just making sure that I can contain [Pettis] and making sure that he can’t get any explosive plays, making sure I’m forcing the fair catch or letting it bounce, I think that’s how I can win my battles.”
Walker missed last week’s matchup with Northern Colorado because he was banged up, but returns this week to strengthen a Buffs special teams unit that could prove invaluable on Saturday. If Walker and the others can win the matchups in that phase of the game, it would go a long way in helping CU to a huge Pac-12 win.
Sam Weaver
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For CU gunner and kick returner Lee Walker, who has a hand in every phase of special teams, Saturday will be an opportunity to show exactly how vital that part of the game can be.
“Special teams is definitely a big role,” Walker said. “Like coach Mac always says, if you can’t do it on special teams how can they trust you for ten plays? If they can’t trust you for one how can they trust you for ten? So every time I go out there my mindset is just no one can block me, be Folsom fast and get to the returner, make sure he has no gains and make sure I beat my man every time. ”
When Walker first came to CU, his focus wasn’t on special teams. But now he sees it as a crucial part of the game, and a way for him to turn the tide of a matchup.
“Everybody wants to be on the offense or defense, everybody wants to play their main position,” Walker said. “But being a factor in special teams is just as important. You’re basically a starter – you start the game for everybody, you set the tone. If I’m first on kickoff, I set the tone for the defense and if I’m first on kickoff return then I’m going to set the tone for the offense. I’m trying to make sure that [the opponents]don’t get any motivational plays off their special teams, so it’s a big factor. I never saw it as that big of a role until they started putting me in every phase and I started taking it real seriously.”
Head coach Mike MacIntyre knows exactly how versatile and dangerous Walker can be for the Buffs.
“He’s a big key for us – he has so much speed, he’s very tough,” MacIntyre said. “He’s a big key in our receiving corps too, we expect to see a lot of Lee on special teams as the season goes on and in the receiving game as well.”
For his part, Walker is ready to contribute in whatever capacity he can, whether that be on special teams, as a receiver or as a blocker. He just wants to do his job as well as possible.
“I just want to make sure that I’m gonna do my 1/11 and make sure that if I don’t have the ball in my hands, I’m putting somebody on the floor for my guys,” Walker said. “If I’m getting the ball, I’m making sure that I make the first guy miss and I’m getting my yards. I’m gonna do everything that I can do in my position, not go overboard but just make sure I do everything right to put my team in a better position.”
CU has loaded their special teams unit with playmakers, from Walker to Isaiah Oliver, Ronnie Blackmon, K.D. Nixon and Laviska Shenault. But Walker considers the Buffs’ punter one of the most important special teams’ weapons.
“Alex Kinney [has impressed me], to be honest,” Walker said. “I feel like punting is a hard job – people might say being a gunner and getting down there and making sure you use good speed – but being a punter you have to be amazing. Like sometimes he puts it on the five and then I’ll get down there, it’s good teamwork. So I make sure, I’m always telling him ‘man we’re gonna get you that award, that [Ray] Guy Award’ to keep motivating him.”
The versatility and talent the Buffs have on special teams could prove essential to coming away with a win this weekend. Pettis will be a huge threat and has already returned a punt for a touchdown at Folsom the last time the Huskies came to town in 2014. Pinning him in the end zone and keeping the ball out of his hands would be a big victory for CU.
“We’re going against a pretty good team, and their special teams is a big factor for them too,” Walker said. “Just making sure that I can contain [Pettis] and making sure that he can’t get any explosive plays, making sure I’m forcing the fair catch or letting it bounce, I think that’s how I can win my battles.”
Walker missed last week’s matchup with Northern Colorado because he was banged up, but returns this week to strengthen a Buffs special teams unit that could prove invaluable on Saturday. If Walker and the others can win the matchups in that phase of the game, it would go a long way in helping CU to a huge Pac-12 win.
Sam Weaver
Continue reading...