Conway, Ark.- When fans walk into the stadium this fall, they'll notice more than new numbers on the field. Head Coach Nathan Brown says UCA's special teams' unit is undergoing a complete makeover — one built on creativity, aggression, and game-changing plays.
"First of all, excited, we've got new leadership running our special teams this coming season," Brown said. "Coach Kre Trammel is our special team's coordinator. He's been with me for the past few years coaching corners and has done a great job. You could just tell that Kre's going to be a superstar in this profession."
From Reaction to Attack
The biggest shift? Moving away from a conservative approach.
"One thing that the common fan may not notice in special teams is — are you an attacking special teams or are you a reacting special teams?" Brown explained. "We've been a very reacting special teams unit the last few years. One of the challenges I gave Coach Kre over the offseason was to really study attacking-style special teams. Teams that create and manufacture one, field position, but two, points."
That means fans can expect blocked punts, pressure on field goals, creative return schemes, and plenty of "eye candy" to keep opponents guessing. "It creates excitement for your players," Brown said. "That's the third phase of the game, and it's just as important as offense and defense."
Key Specialists
The Bears have reliable veterans in the kicking game, starting with punter Trace Beard. "He's an all-conference caliber punter, a kid that's going to average 42 to 46 yards a punt," Brown said. "Really, he's the quarterback of that unit. People don't realize it until you don't have one. Trace is such a luxury because he's so consistent."
At kicker, the competition is tight between Devin Jackson and Caleb Jones. "Both are young kickers with a lot of talent," Brown said. "I would think right now Devin Jackson is probably the guy, but I feel great about both of them."
Kickoffs will be handled by Jayce Quirin, Jayce has a big leg; he can kick it out of the end zone but he is also great at placing the ball in a certain spot with good hang time so that our kickoff unit can get down there and cover the kick"' says Coach Brown.
The Bears also have a steady new long snapper in Gavin Smith, who Brown said has "been as advertised" since joining the team. "Deep snappers are kind of like punters — you don't notice them until you don't have one. Gavin's been great."
Dynamic Returners
Perhaps the most exciting area is the return game. "Let's create some points in special teams," Brown said. "I think we've got the guys that have a chance to do that."

• Malachi Henry, the All-American caliber wideout, will handle punt returns. "The more times he can touch the ball, the better we're going to be," Brown said.
• Ty Durham, a speedy receiver transfer, will get the first look on kickoff returns. "When you're a kickoff guy, you kind of can't really care about your body. Ty's one of those kids that's going to hit it a million miles per hour."
• Manny Smith, one of the most dynamic players on the roster, will also get touches in both return roles. "He's electric with the football in his hands," Brown said.

Brown believes that production in the return game could be the hidden difference between a good season and a championship run. "When you break down a season, if you have three, four, five special teams touchdowns, usually you're in the running for a conference championship or the playoffs," he said. "We need to figure out a way to do that, and I think those guys give us a chance."
Full Buy-In
Most importantly, the entire roster has bought into the vision. "Special teams are 40-plus snaps a game," Brown emphasized. "It's not an afterthought. We've got good buy-in right now by our team to commit to the craft of special teams. We want to gain an advantage with special teams — not let it just be an afterthought."
With Trammel's attacking philosophy, a deep group of specialists, and explosive return men, Brown sees an opportunity for special teams to swing games in UCA's favor.
"That's been some of the most exciting offseason stuff we've implemented," he said. "I'm excited about what Coach Kre's brought to the table, how he's got our kids buying in, and how he's created units to attack."
Tomorrow: Part 3- Defense