The assumption when San Diego State added transfer Hunter Green to the roster is that Green would the lengthening line of standout Aztecs punters.
Green, a junior from Redmond, Wash., averaged 45.1 yards per punt the past two seasons at Northern Colorado.
That would have ranked 12th among FBS punters last season. SDSU’s Tyler Pastula (46.1 ypp) ranked fourth last season. Pastula was SDSU’s third straight Ray Guy Award candidate as the nation’s top punter, following in the footsteps of Jack Browning (46.1) and Matt Araiza (45.8), the 2021 Ray Guy Award winner.
Asked if Green was expected to be the heir apparent, SDSU special teams coach Zac Barton said: “That’s the plan.”
Green has shown glimpses of why he was recruited. He had a 62-yard punt during a practice last week. When Green is on, “his ‘A’ ball is an NFL ball,” Barton said.
But there has been inconsistency.
In Saturday’s scrimmage at Corona’s Centennial High School, Green had only one of six punts go more than 40 yards.
“Punting is very mental,” Green said after Tuesday morning’s practice. “You have to stay positive. You have some good days and bad days. Off days. Fighting through those and focusing on the small details that make you great helps out in the long run. If you have a bad day, brush it off and move on.”
Junior Tashi Dorje, a transfer from College of San Mateo, had five punts of at least 45 yards. Three of them were more than 50 yards, with a long off 55.
SDSU’s third punter, junior Eemil Herranen (Del Norte High School), had four punts of at least 40 yards, with a long of 48.
“I think we’ve got three really good punters,” Barton said. “I’m extremely confident it’s going to work itself out because the room is so talented.”
Barton said it is still Green’s job to lose and the coach is confident that consistency will come as things play out through the spring and into the summer.
“I think back to last spring with Tyler,” Barton said. “Through the first six or seven practices, I was like, ‘Uh, oh.’ It wasn’t great. … I think there’s going to be ups and downs. New school. New scheme. (Green) just has to get comfortable.”
Green itted that the high bar set at the position is part of the challenge.
“There’s certainly some pressure because you can see it as an expectation,” he said, “not only from within the program but the fans are used to having a dominant punter. At the end of the day, I can’t waste time trying to be like those guys. I’ve got to be my own version of myself and bring my own creativity and style to San Diego State.”
Green said he remains confident.
“I’m excited, in fact, because I believe in myself and trust the process,” he said. “Some days are rough, but you keep pushing through. There’s plenty of time.”
The situation with other specialists:
• Senior Gabriel Plascencia, who was 13-for-14 on field goal attempts last season, is entrenched as SDSU’s kicker.
• SDSU graduated its long snapper and holder, so auditions have been oncoming for replacements at those positions. Junior Tyson Chavez (Mission Hills High School) will take over as long snapper and Herranen will be the holder.
• The Aztecs also need new kickoff and punt returners. Senior cornerback Chris Johnson and sophomore wide receiver Jordan Napier figure at kick returner, where running back Lucky Sutton also has gotten some work.
Napier is a potential punter returner as well, although senior safety Eric Butler is starting to emerge there.
Good news for RB Rhaney
Redshirt freshman running back Cincere Rhaney was limping along the sidelines during Tuesday morning’s practice — and that was a good thing.
Rhaney was carted off the field and taken to a hospital by ambulance late in Saturday’s scrimmage after being injured when he was tackled on a run play.
It was feared that Rhaney, recently cleared to return after tearing his left ACL last summer, had suffered a broken right leg that could have sidelined him for up to six months. It turns out to be a sprained ankle, an injury expected to sideline the Gardena native for weeks instead of months.
“It was just a severe high ankle sprain,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said. “It’s great news, especially the way that looked when he was injured. To get that news was awesome.”
The team is off for spring break next week. Lewis is hopeful Rhaney could return for non- drills before spring practice concludes April 19.
“Obviously, with him coming off the ACL, we don’t want to press that too quickly,” Lewis said, “but he’s trending the right way.”
