‘Dominant On Special Teams’: Hunter Luepke Earns Dallas Cowboys Game Ball As Brian Schottenheimer Calls Coverage Unit Elite
FRISCO, Texas — Fullback Hunter Luepke got a game ball Friday for his special teams play, and Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer called the team’s coverage unit elite two days before the Arizona Cardinals visit AT&T Stadium.
Dallas leads the NFL in holding opponents to 19.3 yards per kickoff return. Brevyn Spann-Ford leads the Cowboys with 11 special teams tackles, and Luepke is second with 9.
Hunter Luepke Gets A Game Ball For His Special Teams Work
Schottenheimer brought up Luepke while running through the tight ends Dallas could use if a groin injury keeps Luke Schoonmaker out Sunday, starting with undrafted rookie Michael Trigg.
“Again, I think he’s, in fact, he’s back healthy and working. Again, you got him, you got James Mitchell. Hunter Luepke’s a guy that we talk a lot about,” Schottenheimer said. “[He] does just everything good, special teams. He got a game ball today ’cause he was dominant on special teams. I can’t say that enough.”
“Our coverage unit right now is elite. Nick Sorensen has done an incredible job with that. Aubrey’s kicking it great, but there’s an identity and a swag behind that group right now,” Schottenheimer continued.
Luepke is listed as a fullback, but Schottenheimer described him earlier this month as a third-down back, a fullback, a part-time tight end, a core special teams player, and the backup long snapper. He played at North Dakota State. In Monday’s 38-21 win at the Philadelphia Eagles, he carried once for 3 yards, and Schottenheimer said Tuesday that the blocking from the tight ends and Luepke produced some incredible efforts and finishes.
James Mitchell has been on the practice squad since Sept. 3, after the Carolina Panthers released him in final cuts. Trigg signed with Dallas in April out of Baylor and is back healthy after an injury in training camp.
Brian Schottenheimer Credits Nick Sorensen, Brandon Aubrey
Special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen is in his second season in Dallas. He was the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2024, ran special teams for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, and spent four seasons as an assistant special teams coach with the Seattle Seahawks.
Sorensen said Thursday that the coverage unit’s weekly goal is a better drive start than its opponent, and he made a Pro Bowl case for Spann-Ford after the Eagles put two blockers on him on kickoffs.
Brandon Aubrey made field goals of 55, 27, and 24 yards in Philadelphia. KaVontae Turpin, the three-time Pro Bowl returner, is probably another week away from returning from a rib injury, Schottenheimer said Friday.
Dallas (3-4) hosts Arizona (2-5) on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon CT on FOX.
