Alabama 2022 Spring Football Preview: WANTED

Special teams had a less than stellar campaign in 2021. Almost every faction had inconsistent performances and need overhauls.

Jameson Williams and Slade Bolden are off to the NFL. Paul Tyson has transferred to Arizona State. Drew Svoboda was moved to a support staff job.

Alabama is looking for a kicker and a punter for the 2022 season. Will Reichard is a seventh year senior. James Burnip was signed in June and was anointed the starter. Chase Allen and Reid Schuback are walk-on kickers. They performed kickoff duties in several 2020 games but did not see the field in 2021. They did play last year as freshman. Alabama was 124th in the nation out of 130 FBS teams in punting yard average in 2011.

Will Reichard is back for his fourth season in Tuscaloosa. He is capable of kicking field goals and extra points, kicking off and punting. Last season he made only 22 of 28 field goal attempts. James Burnip was signed in June and was anointed the starter. Burnips averaged 38.3 yards per punt. Alabama was 124th in the nation out of 130 FBS teams in punter's yard average in 2021.

Reichard kicked off 106 times, but four of them landed out of bounds. Martin kicked five times with three touchbacks and one out-of-bounds.

JoJo Earle returned 16 punts for 88 yards at 5.5 yards per punt last season. Ja’Corey Brooks returned one punt for 19 yards last year. Christian Leary could get a look at returning kicks in 2022.

Coleman Hutzler is the new special teams coordinator. WR Aaron Anderson had 20 career return touchdowns in high school. APB Jahmyr Gibbs returned 23 kickoffs for 589 yards last season.

Coleman Hutzler is the new special teams coordinator. Aaron Anderson returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in the 2021 season opener. Jahmyr Gibbs returned 23 kickoff for 589 yards last season.

JK Scottspoiled is no longer the Alabama coach. Jeff Banks took over the special teams after Joe Pannunzio left for the NFL. Drew Svoboda had a disappointing sole season and was "reassigned" to another role within the program.

Hutzler brings with him a great deal of experience and success. He was nominated for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2017. He has been a punter at Florida, New Mexico, Boston College, South Carolina and Ole Miss. His resume includes successful seasons at both New Mexican and Boston college.

2010-11 Florida had one punt return, two kickoff run backs and one blocked punt returned for scores in both years. 2012-13 New Mexico was first team All-MWC, returner was MWC Special Teams Player of the Year and a second team all-America in 2013. 2014 Florida was second-team All SEC, 2015 Boston College was Top 10 nationally in kick return average and blocked three punts. 2016 South Carolina's kickoff return team ranked No. 8 nationally, averaging 25.8 yards per return. 2018 South Carolin were named first-teams All the SEC. 2019, Joseph Charlton earned second place AllSEC honors with a punting average of 47.7 yards. 2020 Texas didn't coach ST.

Alabama fields kick in the spring game but does not return them. The Tide has used a variety of players to return kicks over the years. Reichard will kick the majority kickoffs, field goals and extra points. Burnip will probably be the number one punter. Kneeland Hibbett is the long snapper.