Football | 09/15/20 | 7:14 PM

HELENA, Mont. -- After announcements of a postponement in the football season, the Carroll College Fighting Saints football team flipped the script. 

The traditional fall camp leading up to a regular season gave way to more of a spring football feel, which has become known as "fling ball" around the football offices. 

While the final schedule for spring football season remains to be set, the Fighting Saints are getting their reps in the meantime. 

Now, the games will come in spring (if late February can truly be considered spring). And while the fans eagerly await, the football team looks forward with a little more clarity and motivation to once again be their best to impress on upcoming Saturdays. 

While the football team finishes out its fling ball, so too will Carroll College Athletics. Carroll Athletics will take a look at each position group in weeks leading up to the fall football scrimmage scheduled for September 26.

To kick off fall camp coverage, Carroll Athletics will take a look at special teams. 

Coach Randy Bandelow grabs hold of the reins for the special teams unit in 2020-21, while the group of course will always be a focal point for any Troy Purcell-coached team. Purcell ran the Idaho Vandals' special teams prior to his becoming the head coach at Carroll. And with a successful handoff to Bandelow, he sees big things ahead for the position in 2021.

"He's very detailed and very organized," Purcell said of Bandelow. "He understands Xs and Os. That's his strength. On the defensive side, he understands the fits and he's a good coach, doing a good job."

This fall is as much about putting his special teamers in as many high-pressure situations as possible. 

"We have to see some live bullets, live reps with that," Purcell said. "Last year we developed the scheme, put it in and now we should continue to improve on that. A whole practice goes to special teams every Friday. We spend a lot of time on individuals and drills." 

Those Fridays include circuit drills that allow every member of the roster to build fundamental special teams skills. Defensive players, for instance, are learning how to beat a press instead of always applying it. 

"It's like a borderline NFL Combine out there to see who can do it," Bandelow said.  

The Saints return kickers Josh Kraft and Stephen Powell. Both saw action in 2019. Kraft went 4-for-6 in his field-goal tries, while Powell went 3-for-5. The two will continue to compete for the chance to kick on Saturdays, though Bandelow noted that redshirt freshman Liam Lechner could factor in as well. 

"Liam Lechner is a wild card there," Bandelow said. 

Special team studs returning include WR TJ Abraham, who caused kick coverage chaos a season ago, DB Zach Spiroff, and DB Dawson Zebarth. 

Other players could make names for themselves on special teams, too. Often time, starters on the offensive and defensive side of the ball develop a role on special teams before earning more snaps at other positions. 

In the return game, Jaden Harrison, Kaleb Adams and Liang Liedle are getting a lot of reps, while youngsters Luke Jensen and Duncan Kraft could factor in as well. 

"Those are the under the radar offensive weapons," Bandelow said. "Those will be your returners."  

In the past, senior linebacker Nate McGree handed some of the long-snapping duties, but Montana State-transfer Logan Gilliard could play a big part in the snapping game in the future. 

Dustin McLean punted for the Saints two seasons ago, but an injury kept him out of action last year. McLean and Kraft will vie for punting duties this season. 

MORE ON THE 2021 SAINTS

KEY ADDITIONS: Logan Gilliard, long snapper. 

KEY RETURNERS: WR TJ Abraham, DB Zach Spiroff, DB Dawson Zebarth, K Josh Kraft, K Stephen Powell, P/D-line Dustin McLean.