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Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Special Teams Preview: New and Old Faces Return to Bolster Special Teams in 2025
8/16/2025 10:54:00 AM | Football
Long snapper Ben Pratt is the lone returner leading a group of talented performers in the kickoff, field goal, and punt game.
MOUNT PLEASANT—Central Michigan must replace its placekicker and punter, along with its top kickoff and punt returners from 2025. Special Teams Coordinator Keith Murphy has a deep and talented group of performers as his disposal.
Placekicker Tristan Mattson had an All-MAC 2025 season as he converted 16 of 18 field goal attempts and 24-26 point after attempts in 2025, while punter David Chapeau averaged a respectable 41.5 yards per punt (56-2326). Kickoff returner Marion Lukes concluded his career ranked No. 3 in school history in kickoff return yards (1441 yards) with a school-record two kickoff return touchdowns and Donte Kent emerged as a dangerous punt return threat as he earned Second Team All-MAC honors after averaging 13.6 yards per return with a touchdown.
Murphy is excited about his unit which consists of a relatively new group of players.
"Our unit leader is Ben Pratt," Murphy said. "He's been here for a few years, He's a tremendous leader not only for our group, but for the team. It's great to have a specialist as one of our team leaders. The room respects him, respects his work ethic, and his leadership bodes well for the room."
"At placekicker, Cade Graham is the most experienced as the senior coming back. He's well-accomplished as last year he kicked PATs and kickoffs for us in the last four games. Replacing Tristan is a huge hole. He has a great back story, is gritty, comes from a family who all played football and other sports at the college level, he's very competitive as a wrestler in high school. I'm excited to see his talent and grit come across and he's had good camp so far. Caden VanHuis is very talented reminds me of a few of the guys that I've had in the past from a talent standpoint. He's had a great camp. The competition between those two is something you like to see. That''s exactly what you want in that room."
"At punter, Declan Duley is coming from a few years at Illinois and Zac Chapeau played last year here. Zac does kick, but his future is more as a punter and kickoff specialist as well. We've got big shoes to fill with Zac's brother David Chapeau leaving. Both need game reps, until you get in front of the fans, you don't know, but both guys have had a great camp. That position is probably one of the more talented on our team. We've got a lot of depth and very solid competition with the two guys working together. We'll see in games how that goes."
"At long snapper, Ben returns for a third year. Lincoln Epstein was here one year and has stepped up his game. He has the ability to snap and protect, worked with Coach Riedel. He's a quiet leader, but loves the game and works hard on his own. He isn't going to let anything hold him back and he's got a very competitive spirit."
"At the return spots, we've got huge losses in Donte Kent and Marion Lukes," Murphy said. "Caleb Spann will be a punt returner for us, he wants it bad and really catches the ball aggressively and fields all balls. He's also strong and hard to take down. Freshman Justin Ruffin, Jr. is very athletic and has breakaway ability. He's smooth catching the ball, experience at the prep school level. He's a guy that's very aggressive and catches all the balls with the ability to break it open. Langston Lewis has gone through a lot and has stepped up, always someone who's been back there. His demeanor is so much different now. Nahree Biggins is more of a kickoff returner, he's got experience and had some explosive returns for us last year. I feel confident with his decision making, ability to grow in the kick return game. Field position is what we're looking for. Ruffin will be back there with Biggins on kickoff returns. Trey Cornist has also done a good job and we feel like Jaion Jackson can be like Donte one day in the punt return game."
2025 SPECIAL TEAMS PERSONNEL ROSTER
47 | Cade Graham | Placekicker | 5-8 | 165 | R-Sr. | Caledonia, Mich.
30 | Ben Pratt | Long Snapper | 6-0 | 225 | R-Sr. | Normal, Ill.
18 | Declan Duley | Punter | 6-1 | 215 | R-So. | El Paso, Ill.
31 | Zac Chapeau | Punter/Placekicker | 6-2 | 215 | R-Fr. | Athens, Ga.
50 | Lincoln Epstein | 5-10 | 230 | Long Snapper | R-Fr. | St. Charles, Ill.
38 | Caden VanHuis | Placekicker | 6-0 | 190 | Fr. | Holland, Mich.
RETURN SPECIALISTS
5 | Nahree Biggins | Kickoff Returner | 6-1 | 210 | R-Sr. | Hillside, N.J.
15 | Caleb Spann | Punt Returner | 6-0 | 195 | R-Sr. | New Orleans, La.
20 | Langston Lewis | Punt Returner | 6-0 | 195 | R-Jr. | Savannah, Ga.
6 | Trey Cornist | Kickoff Returner | 6-0 | 215 | R-So. | Cincinnati, Ohio
4 | Jaion Jackson | Punt Returner | 5-10 | 160 | So. | East St. Louis, Ill.
9 | Justin Ruffin, Jr. | Kickoff/Punt Returner | 5-9 | 160 | Fr. | Buckner, Ky.
Pratt has been Central Michigan's long snapper for the last two seasons. He has made 117 snaps on kicks over those two seasons. Graham saw action last year as the backup placekicker. He registered 11 kickoffs and three touchbacks in four games on the season.
Duley is an Illinois transfer who saw action in the 2024 Citrus Bowl. An All-American, he was ranked the No. 12 punter in the nation as a high school senior. Freshman VanHuis was ranked the No. 3 placekicker in the nation and was selected to kick in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl last year as a high school senior. Chapeau was a First Team All-State selection in Georgia as a senior.
OTHER KEY SPECIAL TEAMS PERSONNEL
0 | Marcus Badgett | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 195 | R-Sr. | Red Oak, Texas
17 | Maddix Blackwell | Coverage Specialist | 5-10 | 190 | Sr. | Bloomington, Ind.
40 | Lawai'a Brown | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 230 | R-Sr. | Honolulu, Hawaii
10 | Elijah Gordon | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 205 | Sr. | Midland, Mich.
7 | Ed Conoran | Coverage Specialist | 5-10 | 185 | R-Jr. | Dover, N.J.
81 | Tayte Vanderleest | Coverage Specialist | 6-3 | 210 | R-So. | Muskegon, Mich.
45 | Xavier White | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 235 | So. | Los Angeles, Calif.
24 | Bryce Rowe | Coverage Specialist | 5-11 | 165 | R-Fr. | Southfield, Mich.
22 | Brock Townsend | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 220 | R-Fr. | Caledonia Mich.
"In the coverage game, we have a bunch of players who will help us," Murphy said. "Ed Conoran really studies the game from a special teams aspect of it and is a really good football player. Xavier White is a big, physical linebacker who played the entire year on special teams in all four phases. Bryce Rowe and Brock Townsend are both tremendous special teams players, they really understand things and can process in space. It's really good to have them back, they played well for us while redshirting. Marcus Badgett has really come in and taken on a new role for us, being a leader for this team. He's willing to do anything and we're excited for him to help out on special teams. Newcomers Maddix Blackwell and Eligah Gordon were aces at their previous teams, wide receiver Tayte Vanderleest is a big sized, strong and hopefully get to see him in the return game as a blocker. Linebacker Lawai'a Brown will help us on all four special teams."
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Placekicker Tristan Mattson had an All-MAC 2025 season as he converted 16 of 18 field goal attempts and 24-26 point after attempts in 2025, while punter David Chapeau averaged a respectable 41.5 yards per punt (56-2326). Kickoff returner Marion Lukes concluded his career ranked No. 3 in school history in kickoff return yards (1441 yards) with a school-record two kickoff return touchdowns and Donte Kent emerged as a dangerous punt return threat as he earned Second Team All-MAC honors after averaging 13.6 yards per return with a touchdown.
Murphy is excited about his unit which consists of a relatively new group of players.
"Our unit leader is Ben Pratt," Murphy said. "He's been here for a few years, He's a tremendous leader not only for our group, but for the team. It's great to have a specialist as one of our team leaders. The room respects him, respects his work ethic, and his leadership bodes well for the room."
"At placekicker, Cade Graham is the most experienced as the senior coming back. He's well-accomplished as last year he kicked PATs and kickoffs for us in the last four games. Replacing Tristan is a huge hole. He has a great back story, is gritty, comes from a family who all played football and other sports at the college level, he's very competitive as a wrestler in high school. I'm excited to see his talent and grit come across and he's had good camp so far. Caden VanHuis is very talented reminds me of a few of the guys that I've had in the past from a talent standpoint. He's had a great camp. The competition between those two is something you like to see. That''s exactly what you want in that room."
"At punter, Declan Duley is coming from a few years at Illinois and Zac Chapeau played last year here. Zac does kick, but his future is more as a punter and kickoff specialist as well. We've got big shoes to fill with Zac's brother David Chapeau leaving. Both need game reps, until you get in front of the fans, you don't know, but both guys have had a great camp. That position is probably one of the more talented on our team. We've got a lot of depth and very solid competition with the two guys working together. We'll see in games how that goes."
"At long snapper, Ben returns for a third year. Lincoln Epstein was here one year and has stepped up his game. He has the ability to snap and protect, worked with Coach Riedel. He's a quiet leader, but loves the game and works hard on his own. He isn't going to let anything hold him back and he's got a very competitive spirit."
"At the return spots, we've got huge losses in Donte Kent and Marion Lukes," Murphy said. "Caleb Spann will be a punt returner for us, he wants it bad and really catches the ball aggressively and fields all balls. He's also strong and hard to take down. Freshman Justin Ruffin, Jr. is very athletic and has breakaway ability. He's smooth catching the ball, experience at the prep school level. He's a guy that's very aggressive and catches all the balls with the ability to break it open. Langston Lewis has gone through a lot and has stepped up, always someone who's been back there. His demeanor is so much different now. Nahree Biggins is more of a kickoff returner, he's got experience and had some explosive returns for us last year. I feel confident with his decision making, ability to grow in the kick return game. Field position is what we're looking for. Ruffin will be back there with Biggins on kickoff returns. Trey Cornist has also done a good job and we feel like Jaion Jackson can be like Donte one day in the punt return game."
2025 SPECIAL TEAMS PERSONNEL ROSTER
47 | Cade Graham | Placekicker | 5-8 | 165 | R-Sr. | Caledonia, Mich.
30 | Ben Pratt | Long Snapper | 6-0 | 225 | R-Sr. | Normal, Ill.
18 | Declan Duley | Punter | 6-1 | 215 | R-So. | El Paso, Ill.
31 | Zac Chapeau | Punter/Placekicker | 6-2 | 215 | R-Fr. | Athens, Ga.
50 | Lincoln Epstein | 5-10 | 230 | Long Snapper | R-Fr. | St. Charles, Ill.
38 | Caden VanHuis | Placekicker | 6-0 | 190 | Fr. | Holland, Mich.
RETURN SPECIALISTS
5 | Nahree Biggins | Kickoff Returner | 6-1 | 210 | R-Sr. | Hillside, N.J.
15 | Caleb Spann | Punt Returner | 6-0 | 195 | R-Sr. | New Orleans, La.
20 | Langston Lewis | Punt Returner | 6-0 | 195 | R-Jr. | Savannah, Ga.
6 | Trey Cornist | Kickoff Returner | 6-0 | 215 | R-So. | Cincinnati, Ohio
4 | Jaion Jackson | Punt Returner | 5-10 | 160 | So. | East St. Louis, Ill.
9 | Justin Ruffin, Jr. | Kickoff/Punt Returner | 5-9 | 160 | Fr. | Buckner, Ky.
Pratt has been Central Michigan's long snapper for the last two seasons. He has made 117 snaps on kicks over those two seasons. Graham saw action last year as the backup placekicker. He registered 11 kickoffs and three touchbacks in four games on the season.
Duley is an Illinois transfer who saw action in the 2024 Citrus Bowl. An All-American, he was ranked the No. 12 punter in the nation as a high school senior. Freshman VanHuis was ranked the No. 3 placekicker in the nation and was selected to kick in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl last year as a high school senior. Chapeau was a First Team All-State selection in Georgia as a senior.
OTHER KEY SPECIAL TEAMS PERSONNEL
0 | Marcus Badgett | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 195 | R-Sr. | Red Oak, Texas
17 | Maddix Blackwell | Coverage Specialist | 5-10 | 190 | Sr. | Bloomington, Ind.
40 | Lawai'a Brown | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 230 | R-Sr. | Honolulu, Hawaii
10 | Elijah Gordon | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 205 | Sr. | Midland, Mich.
7 | Ed Conoran | Coverage Specialist | 5-10 | 185 | R-Jr. | Dover, N.J.
81 | Tayte Vanderleest | Coverage Specialist | 6-3 | 210 | R-So. | Muskegon, Mich.
45 | Xavier White | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 235 | So. | Los Angeles, Calif.
24 | Bryce Rowe | Coverage Specialist | 5-11 | 165 | R-Fr. | Southfield, Mich.
22 | Brock Townsend | Coverage Specialist | 6-0 | 220 | R-Fr. | Caledonia Mich.
"In the coverage game, we have a bunch of players who will help us," Murphy said. "Ed Conoran really studies the game from a special teams aspect of it and is a really good football player. Xavier White is a big, physical linebacker who played the entire year on special teams in all four phases. Bryce Rowe and Brock Townsend are both tremendous special teams players, they really understand things and can process in space. It's really good to have them back, they played well for us while redshirting. Marcus Badgett has really come in and taken on a new role for us, being a leader for this team. He's willing to do anything and we're excited for him to help out on special teams. Newcomers Maddix Blackwell and Eligah Gordon were aces at their previous teams, wide receiver Tayte Vanderleest is a big sized, strong and hopefully get to see him in the return game as a blocker. Linebacker Lawai'a Brown will help us on all four special teams."
Follow Central Michigan Football: TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
—CMU—
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