This is the tenth in a series of 11 previews leading up to the University of Minnesota football team's start of practice.
July 22: Quarterbacks
July 23: Running backs
July 24: Wide receivers
July 25: Tight ends
July 26: Offensive linemen
July 27: Defensive linemen
July 28: Linebackers
July 29: Cornerbacks
July 30: Safeties
July 31: Specialists
Aug. 1: Coaches
TODAY'S POSITION: SPECIALISTS
Rating (1-to-10 scale): 7
Projected starters: K Jordan Wettstein (senior), P Dan Orseske (redshirt junior), KR Troy Stoudermire (redshirt senior), PR Brandon Green (redshirt senior)
Key backups: K Chris Hawthorne (junior), P Peter Mortell (redshirt freshman), KR Marcus Jones (sophomore)
The breakdown: The return of Troy Stoudermire, a cornerback, for a redshirt senior season helped solidify not only the Gophers defense's secondary but it also is a boost to Minnesota's special teams. Stoudermire last season broke the Big Ten record for career kick return yards and should be a weapon again in the return game. During his junior season in 2010, he returned 29 kicks for 789 yards. He returned just eight kicks last year before missing the rest of the season with an arm injury.
Minnesota returns Dan Orseske, who averaged just 37.0 yards per punt last season. He finished with six punts of 50-plus yards and 12 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line. With Orseske inconsistent at times, the Gophers also used punter/kicker David Schwerman for a few punts in games against Purdue and Northwestern.
The Gophers saw a changing of the guard at kicker last season when Chris Hawthorne was hampered by a leg injury. That's when Jordan Wettstein, a walk-on, took over and converted all six of his field goals he attempted. He also booted three touchbacks in 24 kickoffs -- and rushed for a touchdown on a trick play.
"He performed more than pretty well," Gophers head coach Jerry Kill said this spring of Wettstein. "The kid did an outstanding job. I think that's a good situation. We have got two kickers that have kicked. Shoot, we'll see how it works out, from kickoffs to PAT field goals to long field goals to short field goals."
Brandon Green had six punt returns for the Gophers, which led all players. After Stoudermire went down with an injury, Marcus Jones and Malcolm Moulton split time returning kicks, as each had 13 kick returns. Jones averaged 28.5 yards per kick and had a 92-yard touchdown, while Moulton averaged 20.0 yards per kick. Running back Duane Bennett also filled in as kick returner but graduated after the 2011 season.
Best position battle: While Orseske was Minnesota's primary punter in 2011, he was shaky at times and had several shanked punts throughout the season. Peter Mortell, a walk-on punter, redshirted in 2011, but Kill raved about him before the Gophers' spring practices.
"Peter Mortell is a kid from Wisconsin that walked on. And that name needs to stick with you a little bit," Kill said. "... I think he's got some potential."
Minnesota ranked second-to-last in the Big Ten in punting last season with 34.2 net yards per punt. The Gophers will certain address that this fall, and it could mean using Mortell over Orseske.
Best of the Big Ten: 1. Nebraska. 2. Purdue. 3. Penn State. The Cornhuskers bring back last season's top punter in senior Brett Maher, who also happens to be Nebraska's placekicker. Maher led the conference by averaging 44.5 yards per punt as a junior in 2011. He also tied for the most made field goals with 19 and hit his field goals at an 82.6 rate. His 100 points last season were third-most in the Big Ten among all players, behind only Wisconsin running back Montee Ball (236) and Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (102). Nebraska also returns kick return whiz Ameer Abdullah, who averaged 29.3 yards per return last year as a freshman, second-best in the Big Ten. Purdue punter Cody Webster is back for his junior season; his 42.9 yards per kick were second best in the conference. The Boilermakers also bring back the leading kick returner from 2011 in Raheem Mostert, who averaged 33.5 yards per return as a freshman. Anthony Fera is a punting/kicking threat for Penn State and was one of the best in the Big Ten in each category as a sophomore last season.
Follow Tyler Mason on Twitter.
