Competition in full swing with special teams

Back in the beginning of fall camp Joe DeForest said the competition at different special team’s positions could go into game week. And it looks like the battle at punter could go longer than that.

Cole Moos and Ryan Thompson are fighting it out to win the job. Both players arrived this summer taking different routes. Moos was a second team, all conference punter at NEO while Thompson was a high school senior last year.

Moos accepted a preferred walk-on spot at Texas Tech last December before changing his mind. Thompson was committed to Nevada before arriving at Kansas.

“We have charted about 80 balls and one is averaging 42 yards and the other is averaging 43 so it has been great,” DeForest said.

DeForest has been pleased with both and may let the competition carry into the Rhode Island game.

“I may kick both of them in the first game,” he said. “I worry a little bit about freshmen in their first time doing it. Moose has done it in junior college for two years so he has a little bit of experience. It’s not over and we still have a week to go.”

There are still positions with competition. DeForest said Matthew Wyman and Gabriel Rui are fighting it out at kicker along with snapping between John Wirtel and Logan Klusman.

Fish Smithson has entered the conversation in the return game along with Keegan Brewer and LaQuvionte Gonzalez. Expect Gonzalez to be on the field against Rhode Island.

“If he gets the ball and his hands he is dynamic,” DeForest said of Gonzalez. “If we can get the crease for Quiv I feel really good about it. Fish is doing a good job back there in the punt and kick return. It is just a matter of the guys in front of them blocking and executing.”

On kickoff returns it is a group with Gonzalez, Smithson, Steven Sims, and Brewer.

“We are still evaluating them all as we go but I feel good about guys we have there,’ DeForest said.

From the start of fall camp until the game week preparations DeForest has seen improvements with all of the special team’s units.

“I’m pleasantly surprised with the progress that we have made,” he said. “We still have some things we have to cover in certain situations. But I think they understand the concepts that we have put in. I think they are buying in and now we just have to get them to play fast.”