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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Preseason Video Series Wraps With Special Teams Talk, Overall Outlook
September 14, 2015 | Football
PRESEASON VIDEO PREVIEW SERIES: Defensive Line l Linebackers l Defensive Backs
Offensive Line l Quarterbacks l Offensive Skill l Special Teams/Wrap-Up
Throughout the preseason, GoPrincetonTigers.com will be doing its annual video preview series, going position-by-position through the team as it gets closer to its Sept. 19 season opener at Lafayette.
Good news, everybody. Princeton actually gets to join the football party this week!
This begins a full week of coverage of the 2015 season opener, which will take place against Lafayette at 6 pm Saturday evening at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa. More information on watching the game will be available in Tuesday's game preview.
But we're going to complete our annual preseason preview video series now with a look at the special teams and an overall outlook on both Princeton and the upcoming Ivy League season, which opens for Princeton Oct. 2 against Columbia.
Top Returners
Nolan Bieck • First-Team All-Ivy in 2014, made 13 of 14 FGs, long of 46
Dré Nelson • Second-Team All-Ivy returner in 2014, returned two kicks for TDs
Tyler Roth • Honorable Mention All-Ivy punter, averaged 38.7 yds/punt
Max Lescano • averaged 7.1 yards per punt return on 26 attempts
Names To Remember
Everybody
Freshmen Who Could Impact
All Of Them
Besides the specialists, and we'll get to them in a bit, special teams is an all-hands-on-deck component of football, and it's nearly impossible to win consistently with poor special teams. While many of the key individuals returns, seniors like Will Powers '15 played invaluable roles on several units, and Princeton will need to get consistently strong play in both the return and kicking game.
As for the specialists, Princeton can feel pretty good about what is returning. Senior kicker Nolan Bieck was 13 for 14 last season, including 4 for 4 from beyond 40, and earned first-team All-Ivy honors. If he remains consistent up to the 40-yard mark, it will greatly benefit an offense that lost huge red zone weapons last season (Princeton graduated its top four touchdown scorers from last season).
Junior Tyler Roth took a big step forward last season, earning All-Ivy honors with a 38.7 punting average. Head coach Bob Surace has been pleased with Roth's development in the offseason, both in terms of distance and accuracy, and he is hopeful for better net punting numbers this year.
Seniors Dré Nelson and Max Lescano both bring important strengths to the return game. Nelson is as dynamic as anybody in the locker room with the ball, which was shown in two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season. Lescano has been completely reliable in the punt return game, and has even scratched out a few extra yards when none appeared likely.
So how will it all play out in 2015? Princeton was picked to finish fourth in the media preseason poll, which is exactly where it finished last year. Of course, so much changes from year to year — and then from week to week in the season — that nobody knows for sure what will happen.
In 2012, Princeton was picked to finish last, and the Tigers were still in the championship mix on the last day of the season. Last year, Princeton was picked to finish first, but it couldn't break through against the top teams.
We can predict all we want, and that's fun, but fortunately we'll start to get some real answers Saturday night.