December 23rd, 2025 7:00am
From uwaathletics.com
LIVINGSTON, Ala. — The University of West Alabama football program concluded the 2025 regular season with the nation's top special teams unit, earning the No. 1 overall average position in NCAA Division II Football.
The composite ranking evaluates team performance across six NCAA special teams categories — net punting, punt return defense, punt returns, kickoff return defense, kickoff returns and field goal percentage — with each category ranking averaged to determine an overall score. West Alabama posted an average ranking of 11.17, the best mark among all Division II programs. The Tigers ranked third nationally in both net punting and punt return defense, while also finishing inside the top 20 nationally in punt returns and kickoff return defense. UWA's field goal percentage ranked second nationally, underscoring consistent execution throughout the season.
West Alabama's special teams unit consistently provided favorable field position through disciplined coverage units, effective return play and reliable kicking, contributing to the Tigers' overall success across all phases of the game.
In the programs first year under the direction of head coach Scott Cochran, special teams served as a foundational component of West Alabama's team identity during the 2025 campaign, complementing strong offensive and defensive performances.
Special teams coordinator Thomas Fletcher oversaw the unit's preparation and execution. Fletcher joined the UWA staff after a decorated playing career at Alabama, where he was a four-year starting long snapper, a two-time College Football Playoff National Champion (2017, 2020), and the recipient of the 2020 Patrick Mannelly Award, presented annually to the nation's top long snapper. He brought experience from coaching stops at Alabama, Florida and UCLA, emphasizing precision, accountability and consistency in all phases of the kicking game.
West Alabama's success on special teams was further reflected in individual postseason recognition. Elijah Guyton and Austin McCready earned All-American Honorable Mention honors for their contributions. Guyton converted 11-of-12 field goal attempts (91.7 percent) and was perfect on all 37 point-after attempts, while McCready ranked among the national leaders in punting average and helped anchor UWA's third-ranked net punting unit.
The Tigers also garnered Gulf South Conference postseason honors for special teams performance. Jaden Taylor was named First Team All-Conference as a Special Teams Utility player, while Houston Johnson earned Second Team All-Conference recognition as a Return Specialist.
West Alabama's national ranking in special teams reflects the continued progress of the football program under Cochran and Director of Athletics Brett Gilliland, reinforcing the Tigers' commitment to excellence and attention to detail in every phase of competition.