Garrett Owens feels at home on Iowa State football team

Editor's note: Fifth in a eight-part series of features on the Iowa State football team heading into the 2017 season. 

AMES — Change was needed, but there still was some apprehension.

Garrett Owens knew he wanted to spend his last collegiate football season somewhere other than Oregon State. Things were getting stagnant in Corvallis, Ore., and he wanted to give something else a shot.

As he got ready to make the move to Iowa State and walk onto the football team as a fifth-year senior, the veteran kicker could feel a few nerves settle in.

'It was pretty nerve wracking leaving a scholarship and all my friends, picking up and coming somewhere new, not knowing a single person,' Owens said. 'But it was also a feeling of relief. I get a fresh start and I get to do something new.'

Owens' move was a fresh start, and one that would provide him with opportunity. The 5-foot-8 kicker spent four years at Oregon State, plus a grayshirt year. He saw limited action in 2014 and was the primary place-kicker in 2015 and '16.

In his first two seasons, Owens had a 78 percent field goal percentage and made all 40 PATs. His junior season was a different story. The Arroyo Grande, Calif., native made 10-of-17 field goals (58 percent) and missed the first PAT of his career, going 37-of-38.

The move to Iowa State, Owen hopes, will give him a clean slate.

'In the mental game I've definitely gotten a lot better, but there's still a lot that I can work on,' Owens said. 'Technically, being able to trust the snapper and trust the holder with the protection, I think I've grown with that in being more comfortable in pressure situations.'

Owens doesn't have to look far for an example on how kicking woes at Iowa State can be fixed. After hitting a low point his junior season, former kicker Cole Netten rebounded as a fifth-year senior, making 16-of-17 field goals (94.1 percent) with the only miss coming on a 50-yard attempt at Texas.

Netten was a unanimous first team all-Big 12 pick by the Coaches and the Associated Press, and broke the ISU school record for consecutive field goals made (15). Under the direction of special teams coordinator Bryan Gasser and quality control assistant Joe Houston, coaches believe Owens has the potential for a similar bump in 2017.

'Garrett is one of those guys that, really similar to Cole in a lot of ways, the ball explodes off his foot,' said Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell. 'I would say there are very similar qualities and characteristics that Cole Netten has to certainly what Garrett brings to the table. I think we feel really confident. Garrett had a great spring for us. He's had a good summer.'

While Owens presumably handles placekicking duties, junior Chris Francis will handle kickoffs — similar to the Cyclones' arrangement last season. Senior Colin Downing is back as punter while sophomore Steve Wirtel and junior Kyle Starcevich return as long snapper and holder, respectively.

'He kind of knew and understood what we were losing with Cole Netten graduating,' Gasser said. '(He) knew we didn't sign a kicker in last year's class and felt like, 'Hey here's an opportunity where I can go and contribute to something that's bigger than myself.'

'Garrett's been a great addition. A great, positive energy. He's a guy that's worked really hard and fit in with the rest of the crew.'

Iowa State was the eighth-most efficient special teams unit nationally in 2016 and first in the Big 12, according to ESPN. Trever Ryen and Allen Lazard are slotted as punt returners while kick returner is still questionable.

Kene Nwangwu, who suffered an Achilles injury this offseason and missed spring practices and fall camp, is listed at kick returner, but Campbell said a number of players could fit in his place if he's not ready to go — Ryen, D'Andre Payne, Mike Warren and true freshman Johnnie Lang are all candidates.

'A lot of those guys from that kickoff return unit that are back, sometimes we don't think about that but I think it's pivotal,' Campbell said. 'And you saw that group really get better as the season went last year. It was really huge for us.

'You need a guy back there that can take care of the ball and do what he does with the ball. To have some of those other pieces back for us is big as well.'

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