Since the very beginnings of the game, special teams has been a way to separate the men from the boys.

NIU defensive backs/special teams coach Jay Sawvel has been coaching the third phase for years and knows exactly what to look for.

“Mostly on kickoff, but really on all the units, you have a lot of high speed collisions,” Sawvel said. “So, when looking for your guys, you have to keep that in mind. There are a select set of guys that can embrace that aspect of the game.”

Even though the special teams players are on the field for only a handful of plays each game, head coach Jerry Kill knows how vital those plays can be.

“In week one of the college football season, there will be more games won or lost on special teams than any other one thing,” Kill said. “A punt will be blocked or someone will take a kick back for a touchdown.”

Nearly every starter on the offensive or defensive side of the ball has been on special teams in one form or another. Sawvel has been working with Kill since their days at Southern Illinois and has always valued the units as a barometer for future success.

“I think special teams can be a real proving ground,” Sawvel said. “I haven’t really seen a lot of guys that weren’t good at special teams, but were good on defense or offense.”

Even after a player has worked his way onto Brigham Field through special teams, Sawvel makes sure to point out the possibility of a return to the units if they have hopes of making a career out of football.

“Towards the end of their careers here, I start talking to the older guys that have a dream of playing at the next level,” Sawvel said. “I tell them, that if they want to make an NFL team, they’re going to have to work their way on through special teams. There are only 53 roster spots on a team, so they’ll have to find some way to make it.”

NIU wide receiver Landon Cox came to DeKalb in 2007. Realizing that playing time at wideout would be tough to come by, Cox turned his attention to the third phase of the game.

“I was pretty much on every special teams unit we had,” Cox said. “Those units are the foundation of the game. You got athletes from the offense and defense on the field working together.”

Senior defensive end Darnell Bolding is one of the Huskies on this year’s squad trying to make a name for himself through the units. You won’t find Bolding complaining though.

“For me personally, those plays are my favorite part of the game,” Bolding said. “It’s like a free play, because there’s really no technique involved besides keeping your pads low.”

Last year, when the Huskies took on South Florida in the International Bowl, linebacker Tyrone Clark garnered the first start of his career, courtesy in large part to his work throughout the year on the punt and punt block teams.

“I took special teams real seriously,” Clark said. “That was my one opportunity to go hard and have fun for one play. I mean it was just like when you were a little kid. When you were just running and having fun playing football.”

While special teams may not be the flashiest facet of football, Cox realizes how unique those situations are.

“When you get all of those athletes on the field at the same time, you get something special,” Cox said. “That’s why they call it special teams.”