Special teams players are often overlooked, but the significant changes to this year’s units could have a far-reaching impact on the Sooner team.

OU lost place kicker Garrett Hartley to graduation this offseason, and a trio of new kickers —Jimmy Stevens, Tress Way and Matthew Moreland — will be competing for his spot.

Coaches said at this week’s press conference that redshirt freshman Stevens has looked very good and will likely take over the field goal duties.

“Jimmy Stevens has been kicking the ball well,” said head coach Bob Stoops. “He has been really good and consistent and solid through camp and I have really been pleased with his play. He is really good from 50 yards and in.”

Way and Moreland have stronger legs than Stevens, and will likely take over kickoff duty and longer field goal attempts.

“There are other guys in Matt Moreland and Tress Way, [they] have a little bit bigger legs,” Stoops said. “These other guys just have those really big legs that can get you some really long ones.”

Moreland, a redshirt freshman from Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, has been selected to perform kickoffs for the Sooners when they open things on Saturday, Stoops said in this week’s press conference.

Who snaps the ball for punts and kicks is also in question. Derek Shaw has battled an Achilles injury, but junior Ben Hampton and freshman James Winchester have showed that they can come in and snap the ball well, Stoops said.

Another question mark has been the holds for field goals, which Hays McEachern has vacated after his graduation.

Junior Carter Whitson has moved into this role.

“Carter Whitson is going to be replacing Hays McEachern holding for kicks, and he has been very solid through camp as well,” Stoops said.

One part of the special teams that will remain the same is the punting. Senior Mike Knall will once again perform those duties.

Knall averaged 43.7 yards per punt last season on 24 attempts with a long of 66. He forced opponents inside the 20 on six of those attempts.

With the loss of an electric punt returner in Reggie Smith, the Sooners must also replace that void.

But there is a great deal of experience in the kick and punt returning area of the special teams. Senior wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias had 826 kickoff return yards, averaging 28.5 yards per return last year.

Sophomore defensive back Dominique Franks had 12 punt returns for 124 yards, just over 10 yards per return last season.

Stoops said those two will be half of the four the Sooners plan to utilize in the return game this year.

“You know for sure Dominique Franks [will return for us],” Stoops said. “Always depending on how tired somebody is, Juaquin Iglesias, Manuel Johnson and Ryan Broyles. Those four, we’ll work in there and just see who we feel making sure they’re secure with the ball, making some big plays.”