Positional Preview: Specialists
Sep 2, 2021 | Football
BIRMINGHAM, AL – The Tulane specialist unit is filled with returners this season. The Green Wave return three starters, including senior kicker Merek Glover, senior punter Ryan Wright and redshirt freshman long snapper Ethan Hudak.
THE UNIT
- Glover enters the 2021 season ranked third in career scoring, needing 39 points to become Tulane’s all-time leading scorer.
- Glover was 51-52 in PAT and 9-15 in field goal attempts during the 2020 season.
- The Jericho, New York, native ranks in the top 10 in program history in multiple categories, including, second in field goal percentage (.741), eighth in field goals attempted (54), tied for sixth in career field foals made (40) and is the all-time leader in point after tries (175).
- Wright kicked 57 punts for a total of 2576 yards for the Green Wave in 2020, averaging 45.2 yards per punt.
- Wright concluded the 2020 season by being named to the All-AAC First Team and the Phil Steele All-AAC First Team.
- Wright has been named to the 2021 Preseason Watch Lst for the Ray Guy Award and the Phil Steele Preseason All-AAC First Team.
- Hudak returns as the Green Wave’s long snapper after earning a place on the Phil Steele All-AAC Third Team in the 2020 postseason.
- Sophomore wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson will return as the primary punt and kick returner for Tulane.
- Jackson returned 16 punts for a total of 222 yards and 5 kicks for 110 yards in 2020.
- Redshirt junior Matt Smith, redshirt Sophomore Casey Glover, sophomore Graham Dable round out the returners for the specialists.
- The unit adds freshmen Kriston Esnard, Bobby Noel, Jackson Schmelter.
Tulane opens the 2021 season against Oklahoma, with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 4. The game will be aired nationally on ABC. The Green Wave return to 16 starters and 53 letterwinners.
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