Jalen Coit grows comfortable as NC State’s punt returner

NC State redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jalen Coit had to wait his turn to see significant playing time with the Wolfpack. As a young wideout, it was tough for him to break onto the field, and he played in just nine games through his first three seasons in Raleigh. 

The Cheraw, S.C., native didn’t see any action in the 2020 season before he played sparingly in 2021. Last fall, he saw the most action in his brief time with the Wolfpack: seven games played with one reception – a 10-yard touchdown grab against Charleston Southern — and he returned one punt for 12 yards. 

In today’s age of college football, a lot of players would have looked elsewhere for playing time. But not Coit. 

The 5-foot-11, 173-pound wideout was patient, and after longtime NC State punt returner Thayer Thomas’ eligibility expired after last season, Coit had a chance to find consistent playing time as his replacement. 

Coit won the punt returner job, and he’s looked like a natural back there — even if didn’t have much experience at the position entering the fall. He said he used NC State’s opener at UConn as an opportunity to feel out the punt return unit, but after that, it was full steam ahead.

“I think that was a good lesson to learn,” Coit said. “Going into game two, I was just feeling more confident. Now it’s just motivation now, that’s really it.”

Though Coit is in his first season as the Wolfpack’s full-time punt returner, his numbers would appear otherwise. He leads the ACC in punt return average and is 10th in the NCAA with 15.6 yards per attempt. 

For NC State special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel, who has coached the unit at both Marshall and NC State during his 24-year coaching career, Coit’s ability to improve on the fly is something he has not seen before. 

“I don’t know if I’ve had a punt returner, from game one to game three, grow up as fast as he has,” Goebbel said of Coit on this week’s Dave Doeren Radio Show. 

Coit played well in the rainy conditions against Notre Dame, and when the Virginia Military Institute entered Carter-Finley Stadium, Coit’s confidence seemed to be at a higher level. The return man recorded his longest return of the year with a 33-yard gain against the Keydets. 

NC State coach Dave Doeren said he’s seen Coit’s confidence level rise after each game as the Wolfpack’s punt returner, which has led to success for the red and white’s special teams unit. 

“He’s a difference maker back there,” Doeren said. “I’m really proud of him. He showed us in the spring and in fall camp that he was a very trusted ball catcher as a punt returner. Until it’s live, you don’t know how they’re going to handle the exposure to the bullets or missiles running down at you.”

With a return man like Coit back deep for NC State, Doeren said it makes the rest of the punt return unit want to block harder since they know he’s capable of a long return. The same could be said for the kickoff return unit, too, which redshirt sophomore wide receiver Julian Gray has already taken one back to the end zone. 

“When you’re on a return unit as a blocker, and you know you have a dangerous guy behind you that’s willing, you’re going to play a little different,” Doeren said. “I think you’re starting to see the guys play for each other in those units, and I think you’ll see even more of that.”

Gray’s kick return touchdown against VMI wasn’t surprising since he’d taken the previous one back for a score in the contest, but it was called back from a holding penalty. 

Make no mistake, there’s a little competition between Coit and Gray in the return game. And when Coit saw his counterpart bust a kick back for a touchdown before he did, he kicked himself since he wasn’t first, but he was happy for his teammate.

But does it motivate Coit to score even more now?

“Yeah, it does,” Coit said with a grin. “I was a little frustrated, I was like ‘ah.’ But I’m happy for the guy, he really worked his butt off for that. It’s only a matter of time, man. God is going to do his thing. I ain’t really worried about it too much.”

He isn’t worried about it, but Coit has seemed to enjoy his new role as NC State’s punt returner, even if it took three years to happen. Doeren, who’s in his 11th year at the helm of the Wolfpack, isn’t oblivious to the fact Coit waited his turn for an opportunity.

The NC State coach credited his team’s culture with why players decide to be patient to see the field — even with the transfer portal a few conversations away for players that aren’t happy with their usage. 

“I think it’s proof in the pudding,” Doeren said. “When guys are willing [to wait], it means a lot that they enjoy being here. It’s my job to create an environment for our coaches to work in, our players to play in and for us to be a family. If guys are sticking around, even when it’s not what they want it to be, I think that says a lot about how people are treated. … It’s meaningful that guys are willing to do that in an age that doesn’t happen very often.”

Coit, who was behind Thomas in punt return duty over his first three years at NC State, said the veteran mentorship was one reason why he stuck it out with the Wolfpack. That, paired with a focus on what he wanted, has led Coit to being one of the most dangerous punt returners in the country. 

“It got tough at times, of course, but having older guys like that actually lead the way and guide you really helped,” Coit said. “And just staying focused. I came here for a reason. God put me here for a reason. I felt like if I just stayed focused and kept the passion I have for football, everything would workout for itself.”

So far, everything has worked out for Coit — just as he imagined when he was a reserve for the Wolfpack.