Joseph Reyna Director of Player Personnel | Wayne State University Athletics Website
Joseph Reyna Director of Player Personnel | Wayne State University Athletics Website
DETROIT -- This is the final position preview for the 2024 Wayne State University football team. This segment features special teams coordinator Antwon Robinson.
There will be competition for each spot on special teams, especially as returners.
The biggest addition over the summer was the return of graduate student Griffin Milovanski for his final year of eligibility. Milovanski, who set Wayne State records for most made field goals (16) and most field goals over 40 yards (8) in a season last year, returns needing just nine made field goals to eclipse the all-time WSU mark of 39 set by Stefan Terleckyj (2010-13). He was First Team All-GLIAC in 2023 after earning Second Team accolades in 2022. Milovanski is the lone three-year Warrior letterwinner on the 2024 squad.
Graduate student punter Jeremy Taras is currently ranked fifth in program history in punting average (38.02 / min. 26 punts) after a solid 2023 campaign in which he averaged 38.1 yards per punt on 47 attempts. He had five punts over 50 yards and eight inside the 20 with 11 being fair caught.
Redshirt freshman Griffin Nowak will be looking to make his collegiate debut as will true freshman Anthony Markovski.
Transfer Avery Burch made one appearance for Virginia University at Lynchburg Dragons last fall, connecting on both field goal attempts (49 and 31 yards).
The holder and return positions will see a fall camp battle, while sophomore Nico Davis served as the snapper for both punts and PAT/FG in all 11 games. He led the squad with three tackles (2-1) on punt coverage in 2023.
Wide receiver Manny Harris is the top returner on kickoffs (7-for-158), while no one returns who had more than one punt return a season ago.