Without Question, a Special Group

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – As a group, they have leaned on each other. They've mocked each other, too.

Most importantly from the Colorado State perspective, they have excelled. Specialists aren't always seen, or even talked about, but if they don't perform, they are noticeable. Yet this awards season, Ryan Stonehouse, Ross Reiter and Cayden Camper were all semifinalists for the awards tied to their skillsets, recognized among the best in the nation at their craft.

"It's pretty nuts," Camper said. "When Stoney was named for the Ray Guy, we were like, holy crap, all three of us were named. Ross was saying there was another school which had done that. It was cool to see, because we were like, we can be those guys."

Stonehouse was a Ray Guy semifinalists as one of the top punters in the nation. He will graduate as the NCAA career leader in punting average, sitting at 47.8 per attempt heading into his final game. He will own the top two single-season marks at Colorado State, three of the top four and four of the top seven. It would be five if the 2020 season counted, but only four games were played. He's averaging 51.1 yards per punt this season, the only CSU punter to ever range above 50 at a school which has produced some great punters.

Camper had to earn his job this year, and after a slow start, responded with 13 consecutive field goals made, leading to him tying the single-season mark with 24 field goals to become a Lou Groza semifinalist. His 24-of-32 performance – including a school-record 6-of-6 day against San Jose State -- exactly matches what Jeff Babcock did in 2002, with one more game to take a crack at it. In his career, he's never missed a point-after attempt, making all 28 this season and all 18 in 2019.

Reiter, the longsnapper, was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, which is just in its third year. Reiter has no statistics, but he has one very important number.

Zero. As in bad snaps which have altered any punt or any placement kick the Rams have attempted since he took over for Trent Sieg – currently of the Las Vegas Raiders – four seasons ago.

"He gained my respect fall camp my freshman year. There was no snap that was messed up," Camper said. "He never rolled a snap and never sent it over a head. I've seen him do it once or twice in his career. He's never done it in a game. Not a short snap, not a long snap. People have to understand, if Ross does mess up, that can turn the game around. We give him crap all the time – he's Ross Reiter – but people have started to realize Ross is one of the top guys in the nation, if not the top guy."

Reiter is also the lightning rod of the group when it comes to their daily chats. Part of the rep specialists have is they don't practice as much as the rest of the team, and this group isn't going to debate it, either. They get their work in, most definitely, and they do it intermittently. They all have their periods for team drills, too.

But in the down time, they stand around and watch practice and they talk. A lot. They are guys, so they talk about girls. They are football players, so they talk about their positions, their techniques and the mental aspect of it all. Any subject under the sun has been discussed at one time or another.

"We all have our own personalities," Reiter said. "Stoney's the one who is going to talk about weird documentaries. Cayden is going to talk about art. Joe DeLine will talk about beer and his company. I'll try to talk about finance or crypto currencies. Jonathan Terry loves music and he'll talk about the concerts he goes to. Cody Pettitt, he just doesn't talk at all. He's a quiet kid."

Or is it that he can't get in a word with that group yapping constantly?

"Probably not," Camper said. "He's probably just listening."

As does DeLine, and when things get heated or go off the rails, "Dad," as Reiter calls him, keeps them all in line. He is not only a steady holder, but Stonehouse considers him a calming influence and voice of reason.

"Joe is definitely the glue for this unit, in my opinion," Stonehouse said. "He's had crucial roles for us in doing onside kicks and holding. He's found his niche, and I think Joe has been the older figure, holding everything together."

Camper DeLine Reiter

But what they like to do most is tease Reiter, primarily about two things: His penchant to undertake every diet fad under the sun and his constant snapping.

Reiter will snap a ball into a wall at practice, or just into an open void, if nobody will catch it. He will take a ball to City Park in the summer when he's out with friends, just to get in a few. He says the pursuit of perfection drives him crazy, but he loves what he does.

When he arrived, he'll be the first to tell you he was overweight and not the most athletic person on the team. As a senior, you'd never know, because he took to the weight room, but when it came to his eating habits, he chased every fad diet until the current strength and conditioning staff finally steered him into a more attainable lifestyle.

"My favorite conversations are Ross and when he talks about his body and how much he's been working on it," Stonehouse said. "Credit to him, when he came here, he wasn't the most fit guy on the team. You know what? We all get a good laugh about it, because he does take it more serious than other people. Those are my favorites, because it's always a light conversation."

But what they all say is they care, and they appreciate that among the group. None of them are casual about what they're doing or their pursuit to be better.

In some respects, it was a carryover. Sieg was like that, and Stonehouse arrived that way. DeLine has it in his blood, and Reiter is maniacal about it at times. For Camper, it's becoming a learned behavior he has to pass along.

When they have their momentary struggles, they are there for each other. They may each d0 a completely different task, the mentality to be really, really good at it isn't a leap for any of them. When Camper struggled early, it was a chat with Stonehouse which helped him find his groove. Part of what they do best is they serve as their own personal hype group.

"I think that's the culture of the special teams. We all talk about it," Reiter said. "When you go out there, you say screw it. We rely on our muscle memory. Hit the ball, snap the ball, kick the ball as hard as you can and let the muscle memory take over and let it fly. That's the culture we've tried to build with this special teams unit. With us gone next year, Cayden is going to take in the new guys and show them the ropes. I think that's one of the best things we've left."

Stonehouse, Reiter and DeLine are all leaving, and that will create a void, one Camper isn't anxious to get to when spring camp starts. It's also what the trio will miss about leaving the program.

"I think the group of guys we have here now is super special at creating a bond and creating a trust between specialists," Stonehouse said. "Some of my best memories here are just being around the guys. We go out every day and there's no animosity, no jealousy with those backing you up. It's how can I contribute to the team.

"I want them all to do great. That's the biggest thing, I'll always be their No. 1 fan, and I think it's mutual."

As has been their success.

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Cayden Camper

Joe DeLine

Cody Pettitt

Ross Reiter

Ryan Stonehouse

Jonathan Terry

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