DAN KELLY
position · kicker
key stat · kicked off a total 112 times for a 61.7-yard average.

96 Tim Grasso	40 Briton Forester	5 Mike Washington

COMPARISONS

Kicker Jason Elam was one of UH’s most decorated football players, landing spots on several All-America teams in 1991 and 1992. He still holds the Hawaii career scoring record with 395 points and has kicked four of the program’s six longest field goals.

Punter Mat McBriar is another special teams ace who later made it to the Pro Bowl. Chad Owens is UH’s career leader in yardage on punt (1,014) and kickoff (1,354) returns. He returned six punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns in his career that culminated with second-team All-America honors in 2004. Larry Khan-Smith was second-team AP as a return specialist in 1988.

POSITIVES

Dan Kelly possesses a very strong leg. He kicked a career-long 52-yard field goal against Purdue last season. He made 47 of 50 extra-point tries. Briton Forester is another option for shorter kicks; he made 28 of 31 extra points in relief of Kelly last year. Kelly’s long kickoffs are more important now that the tee will be put 5 yards back, at the 30, this fall.

New punter Tim Grasso has averaged 42 and 40 yards the past two seasons. Coach June Jones was considering using starting receivers Davone Bess and Jason Rivers to return punts and kicks.

Hawaii appears to be deep in fast and athletic reserves to fill out the coverage and return teams.

NEGATIVES

Special teams mistakes figured hugely in two of Hawaii’s three losses last year, and the Warriors also gave up two points on a safety from punt formation in the season-opening defeat at Alabama.

Kelly was not automatic on PATs last year and kickoff coverage was inconsistent. Return man Ross Dickerson will be missed. He was a two-time WAC special teams player of the week honoree and the Warriors team MVP last year.

DENNIS McKNIGHT / SPECIAL TEAMS COACH

“Jeff and Rich and I will be working together. We need to improve special teams. In my opinion it cost us two games last year. Our job is for it to not cost us games. Special teams need to win games for us or at least hold our own.”