ASU’s special teams coach discusses his group’s performance last season, the change at punter, and which players does he expect to step up in their respective role in spring practice and beyond.
DevilsDigest: Looking back at 2018, how would you evaluate the job kicker Brandon Ruiz did?
Shawn Slocum: “He did have a little of an up and down year in terms of field goals. He had a good stretch to start the season, had the game-winner against Michigan State. Then he missed a field goal in four consecutive games. To his credit, I thought he really zeroed in and really fixed that and finished strong. He was at 82 percent (conversion rate) and that’s solid. But I’d like him over 90 (percent).
“I’m looking forward to his development. Now we are at the point where I came into the picture with Zane Gonzalez and I’ve told Brandon this…I think Brandon has a lot of talent as Zane did. But he has to get into the weight room and get stronger. So that is one of our off-season goals. He’s a good kicker and very talented, but he has to take that step to becoming an elite kicker.”
DevilsDigest: Did punter Mike Sleep-Dalton transferring out catch you by surprise?
Shawn Slocum: “Not at all. We had clear communication on that all along. He’s a sharp young man, he has his degree. He had some struggles physically while he was here that hurt him a little bit in his development. So, it might be good for him to get into a different environment and I wish him well and appreciate everything he did or us.”
DevilsDigest: Michael Turk who was a walk-on last year is poised to be the starting punter. What can you tell us about him?
Shawn Slocum: “He comes from a strong family background, starting with his uncle Matt (former NFL punter Matt Turk and 16-year NFL veteran, played under Herm Edwards with the New York Jets) who he actually grew up with. I actually coached against him in the NFL. His brother Ben played at Notre Dame and is now bouncing around the league trying to find a team.
“When Michael left high school, he really was a dual-position payer. Didn’t really start punting until his senior year in high school, and was mainly defensive back. So, he went to Lafayette College, and his uncle and said that he thinks Michael is better than where he's playing right now and that he can play at a high level. So, we got him here. He was ineligible to play (due to his transfer) but he had an excellent fall.
“He has leg strength, very similar to what I had with (former NFL punter) Shane Legler when I coached him. Has the same athletic body type. Not quite as tall because Shane was 6-3. Michael is 6-foot tall but very powerful. His challenge will start this spring in learning how to manage the field position and the type of different punts he has to hit in different areas.”
DevilsDigest: With Sleep-Dalton there was an element of rugby-style punting, although it wasn't significant. With Turk do you anticipate doing the same?
Shawn Slocum: “We’ll use all styles as we did before. Michael’s strong suit is the spiral (punting). Where his growth will come in is with the end over end (directional) punting made famous by the Australian punters.”
DevilsDigest: Riley John returning as the snapper?
Shawn Slocum: “He is and we have also Erik Dickerson who came from Scottsdale Community College. So that will start the competition this spring. Riley has the advantage of being here last year, but performance is what will dictate who will play. And we’re likely to a couple of guys in the specialist spots.”
DevilsDigest: How would you assess the kick and punt cover teams’ performance?
Shawn Slocum: “The issues on the coverage teams was personnel and player turnover. I thought we fell off and were not as productive as we were in the past. We had that one guy, and Koron Crump is an example, who could go down there and eliminate the returner from getting started. We didn’t have that last year and I also don’t think we kicked the ball as well as we needed to. So that is one of our challenges moving forward and that is improving in those areas.”
DevilsDigest: I get asked this all the time when a kickoff doesn’t go for a touchback – is that ever by design or just a matter of not kicking it far enough?
Shawn Slocum: “Well, we do hit more touchbacks than not. We also hit it on the ground, like we did against USC to try and create bad field position. But we primarily hit touchbacks. One game, for example, at Arizona we didn’t kick the ball that far. It was a little cooler and windier and that’s part of the weight room factor we talked about earlier. In fact, I told Brandon right after the game ‘we need to get in the weight room.’ And if he has aspirations of doing this professionally, when you get into late November and December…and the playoffs usually go through the Northern climate teams, you have to be able to kick the ball well in those conditions. We also didn't cover in that game very well and we couldn’t lean on him kicking the ball out of the endzone, and it did expose us a little bit.
DevilsDigest: N’Keal Harry obviously at times had a few great punt returns last season, but how do you feel this special teams aspect as a whole performed?
Shawn Slocum: “N'Keal is a good football player, but he isn’t a punt returner. But he’s such a strong player that he was able to do some good things back there. I feel very good about this year because I think Brandon Aiyuk has an excellent opportunity to be a great punt returner, and not only at this level – I think he can do in the National Football League. His growth went on a steep incline in the last couple of weeks of the season. We saw that in his confidence level and his performance in the bowl game was outstanding.
“When you have a good returner who you know can take it the distance that motivates the guys in front of him to block at another level. So, I’m really looking forward to our return game being good this year.”
DevilsDigest: When spring practice begins, who do you see lining up at the returner spots?
Shawn Slocum: “Brandon is one of them and we have Isaiah Floyd. Chase Lucas is a good returner. Part of this is a staff management decision, and how much do we want to put on guys. So, we have three, four guys right now and we may have a guy that hasn't gotten that much reps…Geordon Porter is a guy that looks natural back there.
“Brandon and Isaiah Floyd will start at kick returner, but we have some guys coming in (the summer) who can play there too.”
DevilsDigest: I know when I talked to you prior to the 2018 season, you felt that both Aiyuk and Floyd would be a prominent part of the return game. Do you believe their struggles was just part of the normal transition process from junior college?
Shawn Slocum: “Yes. Sometimes it takes guys a little bit of time. I didn’t realize this until halfway through last season, that the first time Brandon played at night was here. So, he’s out of his comfort zone catching punts. Now, he’s so much further along in that regard.”
DevilsDigest: You had a prior relationship with Herm Edwards before he was hired as ASU’s head coach. Now that you have worked with him for one year, how has that experience been?
Shawn Slocum: “Awesome. I’ve had one of the most enjoyable years I’ve had in coaching, and just in terms of coming into work every day. He’s an absolute gentleman and an absolute competitor. Having an opportunity to work with a coach like that has been awesome.”
