Florida Gators 2021 Roster Outlook: Special Teams
Much like we've seen across both Florida's offense and defense in looking forward to the 2021 season, there will be plenty of change throughout the Gators special teams.
Within weeks of last season concluding, Florida lost each of its three key special teams starters - kicker Evan McPherson, punter Jacob Finn, and long snapper Brett DioGuardi - to either the NFL Draft or the transfer portal. On top of that, although we won't go into detail beyond those three spots, UF is tasked with replacing contributors on each coverage unit.
After previously reviewing each contributor's performance across the special teams for Florida during the 2020 season, it's time to wrap up our roster outlooks by previewing the unit's outlook in 2021. Each positional outlook story features starting projections from AllGators.
Previous roster outlooks: Quarterbacks; running backs; wide receivers; tight ends; offensive line; defensive line/BUCK rush end; linebacker; secondary
Starters
Kicker: Chris Howard or Jace Christmann
A battle between two former walk-ons to replace one of the most accurate kickers in school history.
Howard filled in for McPherson twice during the regular season, earning a start against Missouri as McPherson wasn't available. The rising redshirt senior is a perfect 11-of-11 on career extra point attempts and connected on his first two field goal tries against the Tigers last year.
Entering his fifth year at Florida and fourth with head coach Dan Mullen, Howard has a fair shot in this competition. However, his competition provides familiarity with Mullen as well, and a very strong résumé.
Christmann joined Mississippi State in 2016 and earned the starting job at kicker the next season, spending two years with Mullen and his staff. He finished his career as the most accurate field goal kicker in Bulldogs history, going 32-of-40 with a long of 51 yards. He's only missed one of his 128 career extra-point attempts.
Despite his success, Christmann was replaced in 2020 by Brandon Ruiz, an Arizona State transfer who joined the team after Mike Leach was named head coach last year. That led Christmann to the transfer portal in January, where he quickly reunited with the staff that identified his talent.
Considering each player's résumé and the kicker that they are aiming to replace, this will be one of the more important position battles across the team this offseason. It won't start until fall, however, as Christmann has yet to enroll at UF.
Punter: Jeremy Crawshaw
Looking to play a sixth-year of college football, Finn entered the transfer portal shortly following the 2020 season. UF already had Finn's replacement in-house in Crawshaw, a scholarship punter who received a couple of opportunities at the end of his true freshman season.
The New South Wales, Australia-native notched two punts against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, averaging 49 yards and 4.66 seconds of hang time per kick with a long of 50 yards.
Crawshaw battled Finn for the starting position during his first fall camp with the team. Crawshaw is currently the only punter on Florida's roster as well, so it's pretty clear that the Gators are confident that he can get the job done.
Long snapper: Marco Ortiz
DioGuardi declared for the NFL Draft after his redshirt senior season, following 14 career appearances as Florida's long snapper.
The Gators will welcome a long snapper in Rocco Underwood - cousin of former UF punters Tommy and Johnny Townsend - this summer as a 2021 enrollee. Underwood won't participate in spring practice, which gives Ortiz a leg-up as a rising redshirt junior, but it's worth noting that the former will play at Florida on a scholarship, an indication of his value to the coaching staff.
Ortiz has played two snaps, one in each of the last two seasons, for the Gators as a long snapper. Underwood also offers high school tight end experience, after catching 16 touchdowns at Lake Mary (Fla.).
Depth
Florida's backup-to-the-backup kicker position has been shuffled since the end of last season as well. Zack Sessa, a preferred walk-on who transferred to UF from Georgia Southern a year ago, has departed from the program as well.
Joining Underwood as an incoming freshman, Florida added a preferred walk-on kicker to its 2021 recruiting class on Monday in Adam Mihalek. UF currently doesn't have a backup punter.
Final thoughts
A total revamp. Florida's special teams unit will look different from head to toe in 2021, with a new starter set to debut at each listed position.
UF has reason to feel confident at kicker with two capable, familiar prospects in place, ready to compete against each other for a starting role come fall. Crawshaw's opportunities have been minimal, but he looked promising when he was given a chance in a big game.
Will this new group reach the same highs that McPherson, a serious draft prospect following three years of school, and others did? That has yet to be seen, but there is no denying the potential that the group has to offer.
