Spring Outlook: The Specialists

AMES, Iowa - Spring football practice has begun and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is getting his first chance to prep for the 2016 season. Campbell sat down with Cyclones.com to preview each position. Today we look at the specialists.

Synopsis
Iowa State is in safe hands, or rather feet, with the return of its kicker and punter in 2016.

Placekicker Cole Netten (6-1, 224, Sr.#, Ankeny, Iowa) will go down as one of the greatest kickers in Iowa State history.

After a slow start in 2015, Netten connected on his final eight kicks of the season. He finished the year making 14-of-19 field goal attempts, including a career-long 51-yarder.

Netten owns a school-record 74.5 percent accuracy rate, drilling 38-of-51 field goal attempts in his career. His 38 career field goals ranks sixth in school history.

The Cyclones also return punter Colin Downing (5-11, 187, Jr., Whitefish Bay, Wis.), who will enter his third season as the starter.

Downing averaged 40.9 yards per punt in 2015. He had 20 kicks downed inside the 20 and tallied seven kicks of 50 or more yards. Downing owns a career 40.0 yards per punt average.

Iowa State will search for a new holder and long snapper this spring. Quinn Sonntag (6-0, 230, Fr.#, Des Moines, Iowa) will be a likely prospect for long snapping duties.

Campbell On The Special Teams
“I think Cole Netten certainly has ability. In the kicking world, consistency and confidence is key. We have to get Cole to that spot where he is both of those things at a high rate. Colin Downing is a guy that we have great familiarity with because we recruited him out of high school. He has great potential. I think the biggest thing is solidifying and getting consistency from both of those guys. As for the long snapper, we have a young man coming in along with a couple others who will compete for that. Quinn Sonntag right now is kind of the lone hombre, but what a great opportunity for him. He has talent. He came from a great high school program and a kid that will have an opportunity to show what he can do this spring. I think that is one position that is a huge question mark for us.”

Players Mentioned

Colin Downing

Cole Netten

Quinn Sonntag

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