It's hoped that Chadron State's special teams will be really special this year. A lot of time and energy has been expended to help make it happen. Some pundits say at least 20 percent of the team's success or failure depends on special teams—the ones that cover and return punts and kickoffs and boot the extra points and field goals, or maybe block the opponents PATs and field goal tries. But the coordinator of special teams at Chadron State, Jas Bains, thinks the percentage is much higher than that. At least the damage that can happen when a special team flubs up can be really disastrous, and it can happen in the twinkling of an eye."A blocked kick by our team or against us can change the momentum of the game really quick," said Bains. "The same is true of a bad snap or a mistake in punt or kick coverage. That's why we're working so hard on special teams this year."Bains spent most of his playing days at Fresno State as a member of special teams. Therefore, he takes a special interest in them. Now in his second year as a CSC graduate assistant, he's trying to pass along some of the tricks of the trade that he learned as a player to the Eagles. He says he learned it all from Assistant Coach John Baxter, who has won rave reviews through the years for being a special teams guru. Head Coach Bill O'Boyle also is encouraging the added emphasis on special teams. "Quite a few of the games we lost when I was an assistant were because of mistakes by special teams," O'Boyle remembers. "They can really hurt you."The first 15 minutes of every CSC practice are spent on special teams. Although Bains is in charge, all the coaches are involved, watching to make sure everyone does what he's supposed to do. Bains said he's seen newfound pride in special teams play. While older players sometimes try to avoid being on special teams, Bains believes it's being looked upon as an honor now."Our players want to be on special teams," he said. "For most of the young guys, it's the fastest way to get on the field. You can also catch the coach's eye for being a hard-nosed player who hates to lose when you work hard and make big plays on special teams."In keeping with the pride that O'Boyle and Bains have attempted to instill in special teams play, the various units have distinctive names. For instance the kickoff coverage team is the Strike Force. The punt return unit is the Sharks. The kickoff return team is Prime Time. The punt coverage group is the Bomb Squad. The list goes on. The field goal and PAT team is Money. The players who try to block the rivals kicks are the Regulators. Bains added that "the best 11 players" have been selected for the special teams. Naturally, he likes players who run well on the coverage units. Defensive backs, outside linebackers and receivers fill many of those slots."Most of all, I want guys who 'want to' be on the special teams," Bains said. The kicking game has received major attention during preseason drills. That's because the kickers are coming off the assembly line. Travis Atter, a freshman from Buffalo, Wyo., is the primary placekicker and Scott Wewel of Ainsworth will be the leading punter as the Eagles open the season on Saturday. Atter began prepping to become a college kicker while he was a junior in high school by kicking off the ground, as college placekickers must, instead of using a tee, as is allowed in high school play. Last fall, he made 64 of 67 conversions and 10 of 14 field goals while playing on the Buffalo Bison's second straight 11-0 state championship team. O'Boyle said Atter's accuracy in practice has been excellent. The coaches have tried to put pressure on him by having players harass him while he swings his right leg soccer-style at the ball. Wewel got off to a slow start in preseason drills. That's because he had an encounter with a nail gun and accidentally embedded a 16-penny spike into his right leg just below the knee in late July. Dr. Jerry McLain of Chadron had to use needle-nosed pliers and do lots of tugging to remove it. Since he wants to be a doctor, Wewel watched the whole ordeal. The leg was too sore for Wewel to punt the first 10 days or so of practice, but "he's been kicking the stuffing out of the ball lately," in Bains' words. There are numerous candidates to return kickoffs and punts. O'Boyle said tailback Danny Woodhead wants to return kickoffs and will probably get the opportunity. Other candidates include Eric Barker, Micah Smith, Eric Roth and Landon Ehlers. Barker, Smith and Ehlers may share the duties on punts. Bains said the special teams have some goals. The Bomb Squad hopes to net 40 yards each time Wewel launches a punt. The Strike Force, or kickoff coverage gang, will strive to make the opponents begin their drives inside the 20. The Prime Time players, or kickoff return unit, want to get the ball beyond the 25. An even bigger goal is no mistakes that can turn the game in the wrong direction quicker than a wink.