Alabama is known for its dominant running game and defense, but the Crimson Tide’s special teams has been the most consistent unit on the field this season.

Senior punter Cody Mandell, senior kicker Cade Foster and sophomore safety Landon Collins have made significant impacts thus far for Alabama, and fellow players and head coach Nick Saban have had nothing but praise for the their contributions.

Mandell is averaging 47 yards per punt this year, more than 5 yards better than the Crimson Tide’s opponents.

Saban said Mandell worked hard in the offseason to improve on placing the ball almost exactly where the coach asks him to on the field.

“I think every year that Cody’s punted … he has gotten more and more consistent, more and more confident in his preparation and approach to how he goes about what he does,” Saban said. “I think that his hard work and that approach has benefited to his improvement. Every year, he’s improved and become better. So far this year, he’s done a fantastic job in terms of average, ball placement and hang time.”

Mandell has placed eight of his punts inside the 20-yard line, giving opponents poor field position. Eight of his punts have been 50 yards or longer, with his longest being 61 yards.

He said knowing his team trusts him to get his punts off clean and place them where he wants is a boost to his confidence.

“It’s really huge to have coach have the confidence in me to go out there, and he knows I’m going to do what I have to do,” Mandell said. “I know my freshman year he was scared to put me out there, and I mean, in all honesty, I would have been too. But now that I’ve been working at my craft and I’ve matured in it, it’s huge for me.”

As the ball hangs in the air off Mandell’s foot, Collins flies down the field and wreaks havoc on opposing returners.

Collins is third on the team in tackles with 19, trailing only C.J. Mosley and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

Saban said the sophomore safety’s relentless attitude on special teams gives Alabama an advantage in its coverage.

“I don’t know how many times he’s been special teams Player of the Week. Several times,” Saban said. “He’s a demon on special teams, there’s no doubt about that, regardless of what his role is. And he plays on about all of them.”

Collins is also on the kickoff team, where Foster is averaging 62 yards per kickoff with three touchbacks.

But Foster’s ability to kick long field goals has proven beneficial for the Crimson Tide. He is perfect on extra points this season and is 4-for-5 on field goal attempts.

Against Ole Miss, Foster scored the first 9 points of the game and booted a career-long 53-yard field goal in the second quarter. But he said seeing how happy his teammates were after the ball went through the uprights was better than actually making the kick.

“Seeing their reactions and celebrating with my teammates is the best feeling,” Foster said. “Helping us win games is all I care about.”

Collins still has a while to go at The University of Alabama, but Mandell and Foster are in their last years as student athletes.

Mandell and Foster said they are just enjoying their senior years and helping the team any way they can.

“Cody and I have gotten along really well for four years,” Foster said. “We’re just excited that we’re able to contribute our senior years.”