FSU Football: A Whole New Special Teams Look For The 2016 Season

With the graduation of one and the early entry into the NFL of another, FSU football will have a whole new look to their special teams in 2016.

Last season, redshirt junior kicker Roberto Aguayo nailed 49 extra points and connected on 21 of his 26 field-goal attempts on his way to finishing second on the team in scoring, trailing only Dalvin Cook’s insanity. It was the third straight season that Aguayo had hit at least 21 field goals; he burst onto the scene as a first-year player in 2013 and made 21 of 22. Over his Florida State career, he had never missed a field goal inside of 40 yards.

Because of all that, something strange happened this offseason. Aguayo declared himself for the 2016 NFL Draft; not terribly strange. And was selected.. in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; whaaat?

Good for him and we wish him well. Unfortunately for the Seminoles, it means the special teams will have to replace one of the best legs in the country for the 2016 college football season. FSU will also be searching for a new punter after senior Cason Beatty graduated and moved on. Beatty had been a four-year starter at his position; something not even Aguayo accomplished. As a senior, he led the ACC in yards per punt and made All-ACC Honorable Mention. The Florida State kicking games will be essentially starting from scratch this year.

The onus of performance will fall on early enrollee freshmen and walk-ons for the Seminoles. That isn’t that unusual for the legs on a team, but it could be quite the eye-opener for Florida State and its fans if any falter. After all, there is quite the level of expectations at this school, and that doesn’t leave out the kickers and punters.

The job of kicker will likely fall to one of two freshmen: Logan Tyler or Ricky Aguayo. Tyler was ranked as the nation’s number one high school kicker. He is said to have kicked a 90-yard field goal at Kohl’s Kicking National Camp…whatever that means. Nevertheless, the kid has a strong leg. He is also a pretty darn good punter, ranking nationally at that position as well. If he isn’t given the full kicking job, he may end up splitting duties depending on the situation.

The other kicker who will factor into such a decision is another Aguayo, this one Ricky. Aguayo was also a unanimous top-five kicking prospect out of high school. He may not have the leg of Tyler but certainly has enough accuracy and pedigree to factor into the position battle. In fact, big brother Roberto said his brother is “a little bit better [when it comes to accuracy].” Not too bad of an endorsement from the former All-American.

It is safe to imagine a scenario where Tyler is the full-time punter and long-range field-goal kicker while Aguayo attempts every other type of kick. That is because the only competition for the job of punter falls to walk-ons. It is Tyler’s to lose.

The rest of the Florida State special teams should be good as well. Last year, the Seminoles led the conference and were fifth nationally in kick return defense and were 18th nationally in kickoff returns. The FSU kick return defense is actually historically good at this point. It has gone more than a decade, a national-best 156 straight games without allowing a kickoff return touchdown. Meanwhile, the quick and shifty Kermit Whitfield will be back returning kicks again for his senior season.

The punt return game, both defending them and their own returns, isn’t on that level and left something to be desired, but that could all change with a shift in return men. Jesus Wilson has had the job and is back again for 2016, so it remains to be seen if a change is imminent. Either way, it is the only obvious shortcoming on very good special teams for Florida State.