UVA Football was 100+ nationally in the Pro Football Focus renderings of special-teams units in Keith Gaither’s first two years, before improving into the Top 50 in 2024.
With his two kickers – Will Bettridge and Daniel Sparks – back for another year on field goals, punts and kickoffs, and depth in talent in the return games,
“We’re gonna be number one in all aspects on special teams. That’s the expectation. And I think we got a collection of guys that can do it,” Gaither told reporters this week.
Number one is coach-speak, but hey, you can’t get to be #1 at anything if you don’t think you can do it.
It starts with the guys who kick the ball – Bettridge graded out in the middle of the pack among FBS placekickers last year, per PFF, ranking 61st nationally among kickers with at least 10 field-goal attempts.
Bettridge was 24-for-24 on extra points and 18-of-21 on field goals, but head coach Tony Elliott only used him four times on tries of 40 yards or more – Bettridge was 2-for-4 on those kicks.
You’d like to be able to get the ball inside the opponent’s 35 and feel certain you can get at least three if the drive stalls.
Gaither said Bettridge hit a 51-yarder in practice earlier this week, and cited his work in the offseason to improve his leg strength and form.
“Will has got the capability being one of the top kickers in ACC,” Gaither said.
Sparks ranked 18th nationally in net punting (41.8 yards/att) in FBS among those with at least 25 punts, and 27th nationally in average starting field position on kickoffs (24.9 yard line) among those with at least 25 kickoffs.
“He’s as talented as any kicker in the country,” said Gaither, also noting Sparks’s freaky athleticism for a 6’6” punter/kickoff specialist.
“He’s probably one of the best athletes on the team,” Gaither said. “He can run. I bet he’s probably up sub-4.5 (in the 40). He’s athletic.”
That athleticism is something for opponents to account for in terms of punt fakes, in addition to his ability to flip the field in both kicking games.
“He’s very versatile,” Gaither said.
In the return game, JMU grad transfer Cam Ross, who averaged 28.2 yards on kick returns and had a 94-yard kick-return TD in 2024, is the favorite to be the lead returner on both the kickoff- and punt-return units.
Gaither also likes North Carolina Central transfer J’Mari Taylor, “who’s one of the best running backs in ACC, in my opinion,” Gaither said, specifically for the kickoff-return unit
There is depth here – Suderian Harrison, Kam Courtney, Jayden Thomas, Xavier Brown.
“We feel really good about having at least three or four guys that have done it in games, that that can catch the ball and possess the ball, and then have the ability to have some big plays,” Gaither said.
Support AFP
Share
Chris Graham
