POSITION PREVIEW: SPECIALISTS

Hornets return all key players from 2023 season

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Hornets specialists are fully stocked from a year ago with the return of long snapper AJ Campos, kicker Zach Schreiner and punter Cal McGough. The unit also returns its top kick and punt returners as well as its leading special teams tackler.

Schreiner had a fantastic debut season for the team as he made 14 field goals and was a perfect 49-of-49 on extra points. His field goal total was the third highest in school history and he became just the second Hornet kicker to not have a missed PAT with at least 40 attempts. Schreiner was named the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week after making field goals of 24, 22 and 44 yards in the win at Stanford.
McGough followed being named to the all-Big Sky third team in 2022 with honorable mention in 2023. Last season, he averaged 42.86 yards per punt which was the fifth-highest mark in school single-season history. He had seven punts of at least 50 yards and landed 50 percent of his kicks inside the opponent 20-yard line.
Campos has started every game at long snapper over the past two seasons. He has remained perfect on punt and kick attempts during his career.
Evan Kiely returns for his second season with the team and will be joined by true freshman Isaac Espinoza at kicker. Fellow freshman Dawit Crain will battle for the punting job and could also serve as a kickoff specialist. Junior college transfer Adam Johnston (Modesto JC) will compete for an opportunity at long snapper.
Through two seasons, Elijah Tau-Tolliver has cemented himself as one of the best kick returners in school history. Tau-Tolliver enters the season ranked third in the Hornet record book in kick return average (25.07 ypr), is sixth in total kick return yards (1,053) and seventh in kick return attempts (42). Last season, he averaged 23.0 yards per return with a long of 44 yards. Redshirt freshman Danny Scudero could join Tau-Tolliver for kick returners in 2024. Scudero had three attempts last season with a long of 29 yards.
Anderson Grover was the team's primary punt returner during his first season. Grover had 17 returns with an average of 7.1 yards per attempt and a long of 36 yards.

News & Notes

Sacramento State was ranked 10^th in the AFCA FCS preseason poll presented by HUDL. The 2024 Hornet schedule will see the team take on No. 4 Montana State, No. 17 UC Davis and No. 24 Nicholls.
The team will practice six days this week for the first time in camp. Sacramento State was slated to practice last Wednesday before being given the day off from the field.
The Hornets will hold their second scrimmage on Thursday night.

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Players Mentioned

#47 AJ Campos: LS; 6' 2"; Junior

#26 Anderson Grover: WR; 6' 3"; Senior

#92 Evan Kiely: K; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#91 Cal McGough: P; 6' 2"; Junior

#97 Zach Schreiner: K; 6' 0"; Senior

#10 Danny Scudero: WR; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#4 Elijah Tau-Tolliver: RB; 6' 1"; Junior

#40 Dawit Crain: P; 6' 6"; Freshman

#61 Isaac Espinosa: K; 5' 11"; Freshman

#60 Adam Johnston: LS; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#47 AJ Campos
: 6' 2"; Junior
: LS

#26 Anderson Grover
: 6' 3"; Senior
: WR

#92 Evan Kiely
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: K

#91 Cal McGough
: 6' 2"; Junior
: P

#97 Zach Schreiner
: 6' 0"; Senior
: K

#10 Danny Scudero
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#4 Elijah Tau-Tolliver
: 6' 1"; Junior
: RB

#40 Dawit Crain
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: P

#61 Isaac Espinosa
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: K

#60 Adam Johnston
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LS

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

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