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David Silverman Photography
David Silverman Photography
Posted: Aug 31, 2021

Football Season Preview: Special Teams

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team has always excelled in the special teams and has the personnel to do it again this fall.   

Today's special teams preview is the last of eight positional previews as the Black and Gold get set to kickoff the 2021 season on Sept. 4 at Rhode Island.

Quick Outlook

Bryant's special teams unit will be led by All-Northeast Conference performers Andre Brackett and Luke Samperi. Brackett was an All-NEC First Team returner in the spring and was named to the Preseason All-NEC team this fall. He hasn't returned a ton of kicks in his career, but when he gets the ball in his hands he's proven to be extremely dangerous. 

Samperi was an All-NEC Second Team selection in 2019 after tying the Bryant single-season record with 11 field goals. He returns as a grad student this fall looking to cement himself as one of the best kickers in program history. He's 15-of-24 in field goals and 58-of-65 on PATs in his career. 

Returners
Luke Samperi, Gr. | Ben Myers, Sr. | Ethan Gettman, So. | William Enright, Jr. | Kyle Forsley, So. | David McCain, So. | Andre Brackett, Sr. | Anthony Frederick, Jr. | Benjamin Ross, Sr.

Newcomers
Andrew Daragjati, Fr. | Jimmy O'Brien, Fr. 

Notes and Notables

  • Brackett is averaging 33.2 yards per return in his career. He's returned one kick for a touchdown, a 95-yarder against LIU in 2019. 
  • Samperi was an All-NEC Second Team selection in 2019 after hitting 11-of-14 field goals. Those 11 field goals tied him for the single-season school record. 
  • Samperi also averaged 62.9 yards per kickoff. He had 10 touchbacks on 15 kickoffs. He led the league in touchbacks and was the only player in the NEC to average 60+ yards per kickoff.
  • Ben Myers and David Zorrilla return as punters from this past spring. Myers averaged 33.4 yards on seven punts, while Zorrilla averaged 38.1 yards on 13 punts.
  • Outside of Brackett, Anthony Frederick is Bryant's leading returner, averaging 24.7 yards per return in the spring. 
  • Bryant also welcomes in a pair of standout special teams players in Marcel Myers and Macklin Kortebein. Myers was a Hero Sports Preseason All-American on special teams in 2019, while Kortebein earned All-Patriot League First Team honors on special teams in the spring. 

Up Next

The Bryant University football team opens the 2021 season on Friday night at Rhode Island. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.