University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Manny Flores
Position Group Breakdowns: Specialists
4/29/2020 1:27:00 PM | Football
DENTON – The Mean Green specialists have performed very well the past four seasons and have a new man in charge, in special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler. We conclude our series of position group breakdowns with the specialists.
"I can't wait to start on the field work with our specialists and our team. After watching winter workouts, I'm confident we have the makings of a great group of specialists. We've got an elite long snapper with Nate [Durham], capable kickers and punters. Special teams has had a great culture the past few years and we will build on that. I love the speed we have and the spirit of our team."
Outgoing:
A pair of Mean Green specialists have moved on, in all-conference honorable mention punter Alvin Kenworthy, who graduated, and kicker Mason Reid, who decided to leave the program following the season.
Kenworthy averaged 42.0 yards per punt on 124 career attempts with a career-long of 73 in 30 career appearances at North Texas during his time in Denton. As a senior, Kenworthy was one of five team captains and averaged 43.7 yards per attempt on 50 punts. His consistency at the position will certainly be missed in this group.
Reid did not appear in any games for the Mean Green after walking on ahead of the 2019 season.
New Faces:
There are no new faces with the program in the specialist group heading into 2020, aside from Ekeler, who spent the past two seasons at Kansas in the same role. This marks Ekeler's second stint in Denton under head coach Seth Littrell. Ekeler was the team's co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2016, Littrell's first season in Denton.
Returners:
#47 Ethan Mooney – kicker – junior – Fort Worth, Texas (Timber Creek HS)
Mooney won the kicking job and had a very strong sophomore season for the Mean Green, earning all-conference honorable mention plaudits from the 14 head coaches of Conference USA. Mooney went 16 for 20 on field goals during his first season as North Texas' placekicker, including a career long of 51 yards at Charlotte, while also converting 43-44 extra points to lead North Texas with 91 points scored. He was also the primary on kickoff, and averaged 52.0 yards per attempt on 41 kickoffs with 10 touchbacks. The Fort Worth native was named the Week 8 C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance in the win over Middle Tennessee, including a game-winning field goal.
"Coach Ekeler is an awesome coach. He really cares about having a strong relationship with his players. I think we have some really hard-working guys. We all want to be the best at whatever we do, it's just the culture in that room."
#29 Nate Durham – deep snapper – senior – Rockton, Illinois (Hononegah HS)
Durham is among the best long snappers in the nation, and is back for his fourth season in Denton. A member of the team's leadership council, Durham appeared in all 12 games in 2019, averaging 0.90 seconds per snap. On punts, Durham had a 100% snap accuracy on 51 snaps, and posted a 98.3% snap accuracy on 65 field goal or PATs, according to Pro Football Focus. Durham was an all-conference honorable mention in 2018 as a junior, appearing in all 13 games and averaging 0.89 seconds per snap, according to PFF.
"This group is very close – we are like a family and we are always there for one another on and off the field. I'm excited to learn a lot from Coach Ekeler and I have heard a lot of great things about him."
#32 Bernardo Rodriguez – punter – redshirt junior – Coppell, Texas (Kansas State)
Rodriguez joined the Mean Green program ahead of the 2019 season after transferring from Kansas State. In 2018 in Manhattan, Rodriguez appeared in four games for the Wildcats, averaging 36.5 yards per punt on eight attempts with a season-long of 45 yards, which he posted on two occasions. Prior to his time at K-State, Rodriguez played his high school football at Coppell High School, where he was a two-time all-district honoree, and was named the District 9-6A Special Teams Player of the Year. He will have the opportunity to step into the void left by Kenworthy and take over punting duties for the Mean Green in 2020.
"I would say that we're not the usual group of specialists, because we're very athletic and we all like lifting and running and most of us have played other positions before. I also think that Coach Ekeler is a great football coach who has a lot of great vision and ideas. I think it's going to be really fun to have him as our coach."
#49 Zach Williams – kicker – redshirt junior – Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS)
Williams has made three career appearances, and has averaged 50.3 yards per attempt on 15 kickoffs with three touchbacks over two seasons. Williams made two appearances in 2019, both of which he served as the team's kickoff specialist. A former 2016 Kicking World All-American while in high school, Williams provides depth at the kicking position for North Texas.
"I feel the reason our special teams groups have had so much success is because we are a tight-knit group who push each other daily. Each specialist has a certain characteristic that contributes to the success we've had. When Coach Ekeler came in, I think he noticed immediately how we connect and that each of us have something we do that contributes to the team. With his knowledge of the game and our work ethic, we will do great things."
#57 Brandon Oldham – deep snapper – redshirt freshman – Mansfield, Texas (Legacy HS)
Oldham redshirted during his first season on campus in 2019, and provides depth behind Durham. The Mansfield, Texas, native attended the Rubio Long Snapping Camps while in high school. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines as well as serving as the team's long snapper at Legacy High School. Oldham also competed in the discus for the school's track and field team as a sophomore and junior.
"Since [last year] was my freshman season, I didn't get any playing time because Nate is ahead of me [on the depth chart]. But I feel like I'm going to learn so much from him, more than what he has already taught me about football and the program itself. I love my guys – they made me feel comfortable from the day I got here. They are my family. Coach Ekeler is such an awesome guy and I feel like we have a lot in common when it comes to our personality type with joking around, but getting serious when we need to."
"I can't wait to start on the field work with our specialists and our team. After watching winter workouts, I'm confident we have the makings of a great group of specialists. We've got an elite long snapper with Nate [Durham], capable kickers and punters. Special teams has had a great culture the past few years and we will build on that. I love the speed we have and the spirit of our team."
Outgoing:
A pair of Mean Green specialists have moved on, in all-conference honorable mention punter Alvin Kenworthy, who graduated, and kicker Mason Reid, who decided to leave the program following the season.
Kenworthy averaged 42.0 yards per punt on 124 career attempts with a career-long of 73 in 30 career appearances at North Texas during his time in Denton. As a senior, Kenworthy was one of five team captains and averaged 43.7 yards per attempt on 50 punts. His consistency at the position will certainly be missed in this group.
Reid did not appear in any games for the Mean Green after walking on ahead of the 2019 season.
New Faces:
There are no new faces with the program in the specialist group heading into 2020, aside from Ekeler, who spent the past two seasons at Kansas in the same role. This marks Ekeler's second stint in Denton under head coach Seth Littrell. Ekeler was the team's co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2016, Littrell's first season in Denton.
Returners:
#47 Ethan Mooney – kicker – junior – Fort Worth, Texas (Timber Creek HS)
Mooney won the kicking job and had a very strong sophomore season for the Mean Green, earning all-conference honorable mention plaudits from the 14 head coaches of Conference USA. Mooney went 16 for 20 on field goals during his first season as North Texas' placekicker, including a career long of 51 yards at Charlotte, while also converting 43-44 extra points to lead North Texas with 91 points scored. He was also the primary on kickoff, and averaged 52.0 yards per attempt on 41 kickoffs with 10 touchbacks. The Fort Worth native was named the Week 8 C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance in the win over Middle Tennessee, including a game-winning field goal.
"Coach Ekeler is an awesome coach. He really cares about having a strong relationship with his players. I think we have some really hard-working guys. We all want to be the best at whatever we do, it's just the culture in that room."
#29 Nate Durham – deep snapper – senior – Rockton, Illinois (Hononegah HS)
Durham is among the best long snappers in the nation, and is back for his fourth season in Denton. A member of the team's leadership council, Durham appeared in all 12 games in 2019, averaging 0.90 seconds per snap. On punts, Durham had a 100% snap accuracy on 51 snaps, and posted a 98.3% snap accuracy on 65 field goal or PATs, according to Pro Football Focus. Durham was an all-conference honorable mention in 2018 as a junior, appearing in all 13 games and averaging 0.89 seconds per snap, according to PFF.
"This group is very close – we are like a family and we are always there for one another on and off the field. I'm excited to learn a lot from Coach Ekeler and I have heard a lot of great things about him."
#32 Bernardo Rodriguez – punter – redshirt junior – Coppell, Texas (Kansas State)
Rodriguez joined the Mean Green program ahead of the 2019 season after transferring from Kansas State. In 2018 in Manhattan, Rodriguez appeared in four games for the Wildcats, averaging 36.5 yards per punt on eight attempts with a season-long of 45 yards, which he posted on two occasions. Prior to his time at K-State, Rodriguez played his high school football at Coppell High School, where he was a two-time all-district honoree, and was named the District 9-6A Special Teams Player of the Year. He will have the opportunity to step into the void left by Kenworthy and take over punting duties for the Mean Green in 2020.
"I would say that we're not the usual group of specialists, because we're very athletic and we all like lifting and running and most of us have played other positions before. I also think that Coach Ekeler is a great football coach who has a lot of great vision and ideas. I think it's going to be really fun to have him as our coach."
#49 Zach Williams – kicker – redshirt junior – Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS)
Williams has made three career appearances, and has averaged 50.3 yards per attempt on 15 kickoffs with three touchbacks over two seasons. Williams made two appearances in 2019, both of which he served as the team's kickoff specialist. A former 2016 Kicking World All-American while in high school, Williams provides depth at the kicking position for North Texas.
"I feel the reason our special teams groups have had so much success is because we are a tight-knit group who push each other daily. Each specialist has a certain characteristic that contributes to the success we've had. When Coach Ekeler came in, I think he noticed immediately how we connect and that each of us have something we do that contributes to the team. With his knowledge of the game and our work ethic, we will do great things."
#57 Brandon Oldham – deep snapper – redshirt freshman – Mansfield, Texas (Legacy HS)
Oldham redshirted during his first season on campus in 2019, and provides depth behind Durham. The Mansfield, Texas, native attended the Rubio Long Snapping Camps while in high school. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines as well as serving as the team's long snapper at Legacy High School. Oldham also competed in the discus for the school's track and field team as a sophomore and junior.
"Since [last year] was my freshman season, I didn't get any playing time because Nate is ahead of me [on the depth chart]. But I feel like I'm going to learn so much from him, more than what he has already taught me about football and the program itself. I love my guys – they made me feel comfortable from the day I got here. They are my family. Coach Ekeler is such an awesome guy and I feel like we have a lot in common when it comes to our personality type with joking around, but getting serious when we need to."
Players Mentioned
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