Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Sunday Sidebar: Estime Puts the 'Special' in Special Teams
11/1/2015 11:36:00 AM | Football
Junior return man is second nationally in punt return average
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Junior Brisly Estime gave Orange fans a glimpse of his potential as a return man in two years ago. Now his electrifying ability to run back kicks is on full display.
Estime returned his second punt of the season for a touchdown late in yesterday's 45-21 loss to No. 17 Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Delray Beach, Fla. product took a Cason Beatty punt back 59 yards to the end zone, weaving his way his way through traffic for the first punt return TD allowed by the Seminoles since 2001.
"I thought it was a good job by Brisly and a good effort by some guys on that team covering down the field and staying on their blocks," Orange head coach Scott Shafer said.
Estime finished the game with 102 all-purpose yards, including 83 on four punt returns. He ranks second in the FBS this season in punt return average (20.7 yards per return) and sixth among FBS players in combined kick return yards with 660 (391 kickoff, 269 punt).
Orange coaches and fans saw flashes of Estime's big-play ability in 2013 when he was a freshman. Estime went for 43 yards on the first punt return of his career at Georgia Tech. Then he made the biggest play of the Texas Bowl, running back a punt 70 yards to the Minnesota 14-yard line late in the game to set up the eventual winning touchdown.
Injuries slowed Estime last season, but in this year's opener against Rhode Island he showed he was back to full health by returning a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the Orange's 47-0 demolition of the Rams.
Estime is one of three FBS players with two punt return touchdowns in 2015. Maryland's William Likely and Texas A&M's Christian Kirk are the others. In addition, he is the first SU player to record multiple punt return TDs in the same season since Quinton Spotwood set the school record with four in 1997.
"When that ball gets caught, there's 10 yards between you and the next guy. You gotta make that guy miss and go," SU special teams coordinator Tim Daoust said previously. "Brisly can do that. He's explosive, man."
For complete coverage of Syracuse and Syracuse football, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Football), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and watch exclusive video content on Cuse TV.
Â
Estime returned his second punt of the season for a touchdown late in yesterday's 45-21 loss to No. 17 Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Delray Beach, Fla. product took a Cason Beatty punt back 59 yards to the end zone, weaving his way his way through traffic for the first punt return TD allowed by the Seminoles since 2001.
"I thought it was a good job by Brisly and a good effort by some guys on that team covering down the field and staying on their blocks," Orange head coach Scott Shafer said.
Estime finished the game with 102 all-purpose yards, including 83 on four punt returns. He ranks second in the FBS this season in punt return average (20.7 yards per return) and sixth among FBS players in combined kick return yards with 660 (391 kickoff, 269 punt).
Orange coaches and fans saw flashes of Estime's big-play ability in 2013 when he was a freshman. Estime went for 43 yards on the first punt return of his career at Georgia Tech. Then he made the biggest play of the Texas Bowl, running back a punt 70 yards to the Minnesota 14-yard line late in the game to set up the eventual winning touchdown.
Injuries slowed Estime last season, but in this year's opener against Rhode Island he showed he was back to full health by returning a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the Orange's 47-0 demolition of the Rams.
Estime is one of three FBS players with two punt return touchdowns in 2015. Maryland's William Likely and Texas A&M's Christian Kirk are the others. In addition, he is the first SU player to record multiple punt return TDs in the same season since Quinton Spotwood set the school record with four in 1997.
"When that ball gets caught, there's 10 yards between you and the next guy. You gotta make that guy miss and go," SU special teams coordinator Tim Daoust said previously. "Brisly can do that. He's explosive, man."
For complete coverage of Syracuse and Syracuse football, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Football), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and watch exclusive video content on Cuse TV.
Â
Players Mentioned
WR
/ FootballHead Coach Fran Brown Press Conference | Spring Ball Day 8
Wednesday, April 01
Dwight Freeney at FRANCHISE Coaches Clinic
Monday, March 30
Donovin Darius at FRANCHISE Coaches Clinic
Monday, March 30
John Scott Jr. Press Conference | Spring Ball Day 5
Saturday, March 28
