STAR RETURN MAN AND SOLID KICKER HELP ROUND-OUT THE TIGERS’ GAME.
By DAVE MATTER
Columbia, Mo., Daily Tribune
Special teams have long been an adventure for Missouri, but Jeremy Maclin has given an explosive element to the return game on both punts and kickoffs. The redshirt freshman returned a punt for a touchdown in his first college game against Illinois and later added scoring returns on a punt against Illinois State and a kickoff against Colorado, which marked Missouri’s first of that variety since 1982.
The Tigers feature perhaps the most reliable leg in the Big 12 Conference in Jeff Wolfert, a former Missouri diver who dropped his scholarship with the swimming team to walk on the football squad two years ago. He eventually won the job last year -- and has since earned a foot-
ball scholarship -- and in two seasons he’s never missed an extra point or field goal in conference games. For the season, he’s made 20 of 24 field goals and connected on all 62 of his extra-point attempts.
The punting game has been less consistent. At one point in the season, senior punter Adam Crossett led the Big 12 in conference punting average, but he’s since had two blocked and chased down a poor snap that he swatted out of the end zone for a safety. For the season, Missouri averages just 35. 8 yards per punt, third-worst in the country. The results were somewhat better in the Big 12 championship game when Crossett averaged 44. 5 yards on six punts, including a 57- yarder.
EXPLOSIVE KICK RETURN SPECIALIST AND RELIABLE KICKER HIGHLIGHT HOGS’ SPECIALISTS.
By TOM MURPHY
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The best place to start here is with Felix Jones, the All-America return specialist. The hard-running junior had kickoff return touchdowns in two of the first three games, then didn't get much action as teams kicked away. Jones had a 90-yard return for a touchdown in the opener against Troy, then brought back a free kick 82 yards to give Arkansas a fourth-quarter lead against Kentucky. Jones' average of 31. 3 yards per return is tops in the SEC and third in the nation.
The Razorbacks' punt return was in disarray during the early portion of the season until sophomore Jerell Norton stepped in and turned it into a play-making
spot. He averages 8. 4 yards per return.
Freshman kicker Alex Tejada appears destined for a star-studded career with the Hogs after booting 17 of 21 field goal attempts this season to top the SEC in accuracy ( 81.0 percent). Tejada also ranked fourth in the SEC with 9.0 points per game and was fourth with 1. 42 field goals per game. Tejada made a 47-yard try this season and missed his only 50-yard attempt.
The Razorbacks' net punting average ( 32. 6) was 99th in the country, though Jeremy Davis averaged 40. 2 yards per punt to rank 6th in the SEC.
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