Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 8 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / S P E C I A L T E A M S / / / / / / / PERSONNEL POSITION COACH Justin Lustig: An Erie native and Buck- nell graduate who made coaching stops at Villanova and Edinboro while he was working his way up the career ladder, Lustig has strong ties to Pennsylvania. That made him a perfect fit as special teams coach after Oregon native Stacy Collins headed west to Boise State shortly after the 2023 season. Under Lustig's tutelage last fall, placekicker Ryan Barker and kick returner Nicholas Singleton earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, while long snapper Tyler Duzan- sky received third-team recognition from the media and an honorable mention nod from the coaches. Lustig reached the Power Five level in 2017 when Syracuse hired him to oversee its special teams units and running backs. He spent four seasons with the Orange, helping them lead the ACC in punting in 2017, '18 and '19. During his tenure, Syra- cuse averaged 43.7 yards per punt. Lustig moved on to Vanderbilt in 2021 and had the same effect on the Com- modores' punting units. In his second season in Nashville, Matthew Hayball averaged 45.4 yards per punt, ranking second in the SEC and 13th nationally. In 2023, Hayball averaged 47.6 yards and won first-team All-SEC honors. In addi- tion, long snapper Wesley Schelling was a second-team all-conference choice. It was the first time in program history that two Vanderbilt specialists received All-SEC recognition in the same season. KEY RETURNEES RYAN BARKER PK | R-So. | 6-2 | 202 • Became Penn State's starting place- kicker five games into the 2024 season and hit 15 of 18 attempts, including a walk-off winner against USC in over- time. • Received honorable mention All-Big Ten notice. • Joined the Lions as a walk-on in 2023 out of Kennett (Pa.) High. • Kicked 6 field goals as a senior, includ- ing a school-record 45-yarder, to finish with 51 points. • Averaged 41.4 yards per punt and earned touchbacks on 45 of 51 kickoffs during the 2022 season. TYLER DUZANSKY LS | R-Sr. | 6-4 | 222 • Appeared in all 16 games as Penn State's long snapper last fall and won All-Big Ten honors, with media members grant- ing him third-team recognition and the coaches giving him an honorable men- tion nod. • Served as Penn State's long snapper in all 13 games in 2023 and finished the season with 6 tackles, including 5 solo stops. • Appeared in seven games in 2022 as the backup to Chris Stoll. GABRIEL NWOSU KO/P | R-Sr. | 6-6 | 292 • Had 60 touchbacks on 97 kickoff at- tempts with a 63.5-yard average during the 2024 season. • Kicked off 76 times in 13 games in 2023, averaging 63.7 yards per attempt and earning 50 touchbacks. • Appeared in eight games in 2022, av- eraging 63.2 yards on 18 kickoffs with 7 touchbacks, and compiling a 34-yard average on 2 punts. NICHOLAS SINGLETON KR | Sr. | 6-0 | 224 • Averaged 23.6 yards on 14 kickoff- return attempts during the 2024 season, including a 66-yarder against Maryland. • Received an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod for his work on special teams. • Averaged 24.1 yards on 13 kickoff re- turns as a sophomore. • Compiled a 24.9-yard kickoff-return average as a freshman and scored on a 100-yard runback against Rutgers. RILEY THOMPSON P | Sr. | 6-1 | 230 • Averaged 42.8 yards on 51 attempts in 2024, with 6 punts of 50 or more yards. • Put together a 45.8-yard average on 50 attempts in 2023, his first season with the Nittany Lions, winning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. • Playing for Florida Atlantic in 2022, ranked second in Conference USA and 12th nationally with a 45.4-yard punting average. ZION TRACY PR | Jr. | 5-11 | 180 • Took over as punt returner last season when receiver Kaden Saunders was forced to vacate the role due to an in- jury. • Averaged 5.8 yards on 15 attempts, with a long return of 14 yards. NEWCOMERS MATTHEW PARKER PK | Fr. | 6-0 | 218 • Hit 12 of 15 field goal attempts as a senior at York (Pa.) Central, including a school-record 57-yarder. • Had touchbacks on 82 percent of his kickoffs. • Hit 11 of 14 field goals as a junior. • Earned first-team Class 6A all-state hon- ors from the PA Football Writers and PA Football News in 2023 and '24. DEVONTE ROSS PR | Sr. | 5-10 | 170 • Averaged 17.0 yards on 9 punt-return attempts and 16.5 yards on 13 kickoff runbacks at Troy last season, winning second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors as a specialist. • Compiled a 21.0-yard average on 11 kickoff returns during the 2023 season. Riley Thompson averaged 42.8 yards per punt last year, sixth-best in the Big Ten. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS Quick Facts: Special Teams Position coach: Justin Lustig (second season) Returning starters: KR Nicholas Single- ton, KO Gabriel Nwosu, LS Tyler Duzan- sky, P Riley Thompson, PK Ryan Barker, PR Zion Tracy, PR Kaden Saunders Departing starters: None Projected new starter: PR Devonte Ross Top reserve: PK Matthew Parker Newcomers: PK Matthew Parker, PR Devonte Ross