Bowling Green State University Athletics
Special Teams Will Be Crucial To Falcon Success
August 31, 2004 | Football
Aug. 31, 2004
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football team will return every key member of its special teams unit as it prepares to open the 2004 season. Senior kicker Shaun Suisham, junior punter Nate Fry, senior long snapper Gavin Powell, and kick returners Cole Magner, B.J. Lane, and Charles Sharon also are back. "We have a lot of proven players back on special teams and we need to continue to stress excellence on each unit," said BGSU coach Gregg Brandon. "We are starting to have more experience on special teams and that can only help us." Suisham needs 35 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer surpassing Josh Harris who finished with 284 points. He is sixth all-time at BGSU in field goals with 31 and his 157 PATs are a school-best. He needs 14 more field goals to break the school record of 44 shared by Brian lever (1991-94) and Gehard Youssef (1981-84). Last year, Suisham made 56 of 60 PATs and was 16 of 24 on field goals with a career-long 47-yarder against Purdue. Fry completed his first year as the full-time punter and will be the backup kicker. He averaged 40.2 yards per punt, including a 46-yard average at the Motor City Bowl. "I really feel good about Nate Fry," said Brandon. He came on last year and did some nice things for us. He did some directional punting. Shaun Suisham needs to be more consistent. He was better two years ago than he was last year. He needs to step it up. He is a very talented kicker. He just needs to concentrate on making every extra point, keeping his kickoffs in bounds and punching them through when he gets field goal opportunities." Powell was flawless in 134 long snaps and Magner returns for his second year as the holder. Lane averaged a team-high 23.8 yards per kick return and Magner averaged 19.8 yards per return. Sharon was the team's top punt returner at 8.8 yards. "We were sound in special teams," said Brandon. "We had no punts blocked, we had no returns against us for touchdowns, either kickoff or punt. We were basically middle of the pack in terms of special teams. We are always tweaking that, trying to get an edge. My philosophy is don't let them beat you. Be sound, cover and protect. "
