GAINESVILLE, Fla. – If there was any angst among Gators head coach
Dan Mullen and his staff regarding the kicking game heading into their first season, it was misplaced.
It made sense to think the Gators would suffer a drop-off considering the loss of kicker Eddie Pineiro and punter
Johnny Townsend after the 2017 season. Nope. The Gators had nothing to worry about.
Meanwhile, following poor performance overall on special teams in recent years, the Gators turned that area into a strength in Mullen's first season under the director of special teams coach
Greg Knox. The Gators blocked three kicks – their most since 2012 – and returned a pair of punts for scores for the first time since 2015.
With Florida's spring camp opening today, let's take a closer look at Florida's special teams:
PLACEKICKER
Evan McPherson wasn't perfect as a freshman, but he came close. A former Mississippi State commit who Mullen flipped to the Gators, McPherson proved to be one of the team's top newcomers in 2018. McPherson made all 50 of his point-after attempts and connected on 17 of 19 field goals. McPherson's field-goal percentage of 89.5 ranked fifth nationally among players with at least 15 attempts. McPherson enters his sophomore season with a solid grip on the job and has plenty of leg to surpass his career-long kick of 48 yards from a season ago.
Jorge Powell, the backup kicker a season ago, has departed. Redshirt sophomore
Chris Howard is the only other kicker on the roster this spring, so there is potential of adding a walk-on over the summer.
PUNTER
The Townsend family of Orlando has been very, very good to the Gators in recent years. First,
Johnny Townsend became the all-time leading punter in Southeastern Conference history during his UF career. When Johnny headed to the NFL after the 2017 season, brother
Tommy Townsend took over and averaged 45.4 yards per punt last season, the fourth-highest average in school history. With Tommy being a redshirt senior, the big question is do the Townsends have another punter-son hidden away in the closet? Townsend booted 14 punts 50 or more yards in his first season as the starter and showed his running ability on a fake punt at Vanderbilt that proved crucial in Florida's comeback win. Redshirt junior
Jacob Finn is the other punter on the roster. He averaged 45.5 yards on two attempts a season ago, including a 53-yarder.
KICKOFF/PUNT RETURNS
Florida's return game improved drastically in 2018, led by punt returner
Freddie Swain, one of only five players in FBS who caught at least five touchdown passes and averaged more than 10 yards per punt return. Swain ranked 19th nationally with an average of 10.2 yards per return, including an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown against Colorado State. Barring a surprise, Swain is projected to continue in that role. The kickoff return has become less part of the game under the NCAA's new rule from a year ago that allows a player to signal for a fair catch and the offense start at the 25-yard line. Florida had just 11 kickoff returns in 2018 – or three fewer than it had interception returns. The leader for that role in
Kadarius Toney, who averaged 22.2 yards on six returns. Redshirt freshman receiver
Jacob Copeland, a skilled return man in high school, could get work there as well.
LONG SNAPPERS
In a rarity, many Gators fans probably could name the team's long snapper the past four seasons.
Ryan Farr held down the job capably to go along with a colorful personality that made him a popular figure on social media. Farr has departed, leaving redshirt senior
Jacob Tilghman, redshirt junior
Brett DioGuardi and redshirt freshman
Marco Ortiz to battle for the job this spring.
