By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

Photos from Thursday morning's practice

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It may be a position group that doesn't get a whole lot of attention, but Thursday's work during Tennessee Tech's time on the turf at Tucker Stadium was all about the special teams.

From kicking and punting drills to return work to a focus on the guys up front, the majority of Thursday's efforts was focused on trying to make the Golden Eagles' special teamers one of the best aspects of the team.

"This one was predominantly a special teams practice," Tech head coach Marcus Satterfield said. "We were working on those details to work toward winning games. But tonight, when we're back out here, it's going to be more of a traditional practice with situational football."

There were some moments where players who normally wouldn't have been on special teams in the past had their moments to learn a new position and take themselves out of their comfort zones – for example, junior Livingston product Brock McCoin was punting the ball at one point.

"Right now, we're trying to find those guys who have the toughness and the desire to play on special teams," Satterfield said. "To win, you have to dominate on special teams, and to do that you have to have dominant players. They have to understand they play a huge role in that, so it's seeing who's going to be tough enough, who's going to peak in every drill that we do. There are about 20-25 kids right now that are really standing out. We feel like we can be a really dominant special teams unit because of the depth and the talent we have out there."

The special teams make-up included a lot of first-teamers.

"Unless you're a quarterback or an offensive lineman," Satterfield said, "if you're not starting on first-team special teams, you're not starting on offense. Special teams is the most important third phase of the game. That's how you're going to lose most games if you don't put the attention to detail into special teams.

"Nick Saban really laid the blueprint out there when he was winning national championships when his Heisman-winning tailbacks were on the kickoff team and their starters were on the punt team. Urban Meyer does the same thing at Ohio State. We're going to follow that same blueprint and hope it helps us plan to win and dominate on special teams."

The schedule has ramped up as more practices dot the itinerary, but the first-year Tech coach has faith in his players.

"They're at a point where they've hit a wall," Satterfield said. "Their legs are sore and we've got to figure out how to build them back up and get them back to peak performance before the first game."

He continued, "They're doing a great job of adjusting. We talk to them all the time  about practice meaning everything for us. What does that mean? It means they've got to drink water and hydrate, have their milkjugs with them full of water, they have to make sure they're getting into the ice and stretching, making sure they're getting three treatments a day.

"Their bodies are their instrument. Their body has got to be taken care of and they have to get enough rest to make sure they have enough energy and they're fit enough to have great practices. If they can't practice, we're not going to be very good."

Practice continues this afternoon with another session at Tucker Stadium.