ITHACA, N.Y. -- With the first day of classes starting, it's time to take an in-depth look at the 2010 Big Red football team position group by position group. A week into practice, things are starting to shake out. First up is one of the top special team units in the Ivy League.
Practice Photo Gallery Day 1 I Day 2 I Day 3 I Day 4 I Day 5 I Day 7
Special teams should be a strength of the Big Red, and third-year special teams coordinator
Travis Burkett will have plenty of holdovers with which to work. Besides ranking among the top teams in the country in both kicking and punting, the Big Red's athletic coverage squads were ranked first (punting) and 10th (kickoffs) in fewest yards allowed in 2009.
Senior punter
Drew Alston (6-0, 194) boasts a powerful leg and kicks with good hangtime. He had a fantastic junior season, earning honorable mention All-Ivy honors after helping the Big Red allow the fewest punt return yards in the country (45 yards on 1.88 yards per return). He punted 64 times for a 36.8 yard average with a league-best 25 punts inside the 20 - six more than anyone else in the league. Alston was named Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week after pinning Brown inside the 20 on four of his seven kicks, averaging 38.4 yards and allowing just nine yards on four returns to first-team All-Ivy return specialist Buddy Farnham.
A two-year starter, Alston had a string of impressive showings in 2009. He placed 6-of-8 punts inside the 20 in his first varsity game vs. Bucknell and punted 15 times while allowing zero return yards in a 14-12 win at Yale. Alston allowed zero return yards in five games last season and helped team finish 26th nationally (third in the Ivy League) in net punting at 34.91 yards.
The placements are also in good hands.
Brad Greenway (6-0, 198) possesses one of the most powerful legs in the Ivy League and will graduate as one of the top kickers in Cornell history. He enters his senior year fifth on the school's career field goals list (17) and needs just 12 total points to reach 100 for his career.
Greenway finished second in the Ancient Eight in field goals (8) and third in both scoring among kickers (43 points) and in kickoff coverage (41.9 net yards) despite spending most of his off-time in a protective walking boot during the week. Greenway's injury didn't keep him from being part of a coverage team that ranked in the top 20 nationally in fewest total kick return yards allowed.
A tremendous weapon on offense, he booted three field goals of better than 40 yards, including a career-long 47-yarder against Harvard. Greenway has now led the team in scoring in each of the last two seasons.
Senior
Robert Zimmerman (6-0, 211) did a fantastic job while specializing as the team's long snapper. He is both accurate and consistent and is a physical player who can also make plays on special teams.
The loss of record-breaking returner
Bryan Walters '10, who set Ancient Eight career marks for both kickoff and punt return yardage, will be a big hole to fill. Luckily, Cornell has a plethora of options. Several players will get an opportunity, including sophomore wide receiver
Luke Tasker as a punt returner. Kickoff return candidates includ senior corner
Rashad Campbell, sophomore wide receiver
Ben Moody and freshman tailback
Grant Gellatly.
Sophomore linebacker
Cody Roberts (6-2, 209) was the backup punter a season ago and could be pressed into action if needed.
A pair of freshman kickers will also be ready if needed.
John Wells, a 6-1, 185-pounder, was named first-team all-league and conference Kicker of the Year as a senior at Cathedral Catholic HS in California, helping the school to a league title. He kicked for state championship teams in consecutive years in two different states (as a junior at Brophy Prep HS in Arizona). Wells can also punt. Freshman walk-on
John Rodriguez (5-9, 151) was a Rodriguez was a first-team all-league and second-team all-district kicker as a senior at North Olmsted HS in Ohio.
