DEKALB, Ill. – Sometimes overlooked, but the third phase of football, special teams, can be every bit as important as offense and defense. In today's NIU football position preview, we take a look at the third phase of the game. 

"We spend a lot of time on special teams, we know it is an important third of the game," said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. "Coach (Adam) Breske has done a phenomenal job, he and Coach (Wesley) Beschorner, they head up the special teams and I have been very pleased. We have a lot of talent on special teams and our specialists have done a great job. I feel like we have a punter that can compete for all-conference, a kicker that can compete as well for all-conference. Isaac Hatfield is a fantastic snapper. When you have specialists that are good, it elevates all your units, and I am excited to watch this group compete."

Breske, NIU's Special Team Coordinator, echoed those sentiments from Hammock about the Huskie specialists.

"They are doing great," Breske said. "Since we have had them in the summer, they have really been pushing each other, they have been coming together as a unit and I'm really excited about every one of them in the group and how they have competed in camp. That crew of Tom (Foley), Isaac (Hatfield), the youngster Danny (Vuckovic), Kanon (Woodill) and Jake (Seibert), they really have done of good job pushing each other and I think they have a bright future." 

Tom Foley (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) took over as the punter for the Huskies last season and averaged 40.9 yards per punt, with nine kicks of 50-plus yards and 15 punts inside the 20-yard line. The Peoria, Ill., native was named the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week following the Kentucky game last season when he averaged 47.2 yards per punt and had three kicks inside the 20-yard line. 

Two players are vying for the kicking job held a year ago by John Richardson as redshirt sophomore Kanon Woodill (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and Ohio State transfer Jake Seibert (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle) compete for the spot. 

"As of right now, Jake (Seibert) has put himself in position to be the field goal kicker, but Kanon (Woodill) may be the kickoff guy," said Hammock of the kickers. "(Kanon) has really improved his leg and his accuracy. Over the course of the season, last year we used two kickers, so you never know. We need to have both guys equally ready to play and they have done a nice job competing this summer."

In the return game, Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) returns after missing the 2022 season due to injury. Rudolph led the Mid-American Conference with a 25.1-yard kick return average in 2021 and had a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Bowling Green. He earned All-MAC Second Team honors as a returner from both the MAC Coaches and Phil Steele. 

"We are going to use Trayvon (Rudolph), we are going to use Kacper (Rutkiewicz), we are going to use all the good players we can use to make sure we can win that phase," said Hammock. "Normally, if you have a chance to win special teams, it puts you in a positive position to win the game."

As for the remainder of the special teams, Breske had a very simple answer for who he is looking for to fill those roles. 

"You are looking for guys that do the job the best, guys that are finding a role on the team," said Breske. "They might not be starters, but they might excel with covering kicks or blocking people. It's great to work a blend of those things."

On a cloudless Wednesday morning at Huskie Stadium, the NIU football team spent an extended period of practice doing 11-v-11 work and Hammock was pleased with what his team accomplished.

"It was a good day," said Hammock. "We did a lot of 'move the ball.' I wanted to get a lot of great work in. (This coming) Saturday we will play a lot more young guys and give them the opportunity to show what they can do. Today was a major workday for us as far as situational football, moving the ball, getting guys juiced up for a game. We can't replicate what it feels like September 2 (at Boston College), but we will try to do it as best as possible to get them in that frame of mind."

Check out the daily preseason camp schedule, catch up on the position previews and hear from different Huskie players as NIU continues to prepare for that September 2 season opener at Boston College by clicking on 2023 Preseason Camp Central on NIUHuskies.com.  
 
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