Max Dean's migraines are a reminder that special teams are the most fragile part of a football team, and the Cougs are about to test that theory against Arizona. Saturday's punt situation is a game-time call, and that's a bigger deal than most fans want to admit. Dean is averaging 45 yards per punt, good for 18th nationally, and he's dropped five of his 14 punts inside the 20-yard line. That's not just leg strength, that's field position discipline, and it's been one of the few reliable things about this team so far. Another Late Night Letdown as Cougs Can't Finish the Job at Gesa showed what happens when the little things slip late. Cougs jump Arizona early, then watch a 14-point lead dissolve proved that momentum can vanish in a hurry. Now the punting game is in question.
If Dean can't go, Jack Stevens takes over. Stevens is 1-for-5 on field goals this year and just missed his first career extra point. He has never punted in college. The last time he did it was high school. That is not a knock on the kid, it's just the truth. You don't want a kicker who is already fighting his own mechanics to also be your punter in a Pac-12-ish game on CBS. And Dean also holds kicks, so if he's out, that job is up in the air too. The whole operation could be held together by a guy who hasn't practiced it at this level. Kirby Moore said Dean's performance is "getting overshadowed," and he's right. Two punts inside the 10 against Duquesne doesn't make headlines, but it wins games in November.
Here's the take you can text your buddy: if Dean plays, the Cougs have a weapon most teams don't. If he doesn't, they're asking a struggling kicker to do two jobs, and that's a gamble against an Arizona team that Fifita shakes off the rust, hits Smith twice to flip the script on Arizona showed can score in bursts. The margin for error is already thin. Watch the first punt. If Stevens is out there, hold your breath.