For a team that prides itself on its special teams play, 2009 could be classified as a disappointing year for the Patriots.

New England lost a variety of key special teamers before the start of the season, including special teams captain Larry Izzo, kick returner Ellis Hobbs and long snapper Lonie Paxton, as well as special teams coach Brad Seely, who decamped for Cleveland. It showed on the field — there were several special teams’ breakdowns over the course of the season. (A series of miscues on special teams directly led to a September loss to the Jets.) In addition, there was inconsistency in several key areas, including kick return.

At the end of the year, the results were there in black and white: The acknowledged measuring stick for special teams’ success in the NFL is a formula crafted by Dallas Morning News writer Rick Gosselin, and Gosselin’s special teams rankings had the Patriots dropping out of the top 10 in 2009, falling all the way to 16th after finishing seventh overall in 2008 and ninth in 2007.

(Making those numbers tougher to digest for New England fans was the fact that Cleveland’s special teams unit — coached by Seely — finished first last year. To be fair, a lot of that can be traced back to otherworldly returner Josh Cribbs.)

With the idea that most rookies will make their mark initially on special teams, over the weekend at rookie minicamp, special teams was a real emphasis. And the two rookies who figure to stand out on special teams more than the rest will be first-round pick Devin McCourty and fifth-round selection Zoltan Mesko, both of whom will have the opportunity to bring some stability to a position where the Patriots have struggled in recent years.

McCourty’s college bio described him as one of the most “electrifying” return men in the game last season with Rutgers, and they weren’t too far off — he averaged 27.91 return yards per kick, including a 98-yard return for a touchdown last year.

In comparison, nine different Patriots averaged just over 22 yards per return in 2009, and New England did not have a kick returned for a touchdown all season as it struggled to find a replacement for Hobbs.

McCourty, who also had seven blocked kicks in college (including one he returned for a touchdown) clearly takes pride in his special teams work.

“Special teams is something that’s part of my game and I love doing it, so I’m excited to see how I can help not only on defense but in the special teams area,” McCourty said.

“He’s an excellent cover guy — covering kicks, gunners, special teams, kickoff coverage, hold up on the punt returns,” Belichick said of McCourty. “He’s had a very significant role in the kicking game and was very good at it. He blocked kicks. He’s versatile. He can do a number of things for us in the kicking game. “

While Chris Hanson has punted for the Patriots the last three seasons — and finished at or near the bottom in almost every major statistical category last year — New England has struggled to find consistency at the position since Belichick took over in 2000. Privately, Patriots’ officials have always lamented the revolving door they’ve had at punter.

Hanson is a free agent, and it’s a safe bet he will not return. In his place, New England signed former Australian rules footballer David King and drafted Mesko, who became a cult hero as a collegian at Michigan. Mesko averaged 42.5 yards per punt in college — of his 243 punts for the Wolverines, 76 were downed inside the 20-yard line and 58 traveled at least 50 yards.

Mesko, who was a bit uneven in his first weekend at rookie minicamp, got his first extended taste of life with the gonzo special teams coach Scotty O’Brien this past weekend and came away impressed.

“Great, great,” Mesko said of O’Brien, who has no qualms about jumping into an occasional drill and his never at a loss for words. “He’s definitely got a lot of knowledge. I think it’s his 28th season. It’s unbelievable how knowledgeable he is and how much breakdown of your technique he does. He’s great.”

“Very energetic. That’s what I really like about him. He’s very concerned about his guys, and, of course, the team. But he’s always there. If I have a question, he’ll always answer it and then some. And then he’ll have some drills to put me through.”

Asking any sort of to make an impact as a first-year is a lot, and asking a rookie to turn an area of weakness into strength is an even taller task. Both Mesko and McCourty know a lot of work lies ahead.

“It’s a learning curve,” Mesko said. “You get, kind of thrown in there. But it’s such a great system to learn, and I’m willing to absorb it all.”