Gator Country

Florida senior place kicker John Crofoot has been a key member of the Gators' special teams units during the last two seasons. / Gator Country file photo by Tim Casey

EDITOR'S NOTE: GatorCountry.com is highlighting the careers of each of the Florida Gators' football team's seniors in this ongoing series heading into their final game in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Louisville on Jan. 2.

In the shadows of starting place kicker Caleb Sturgis’ successful career at Florida stands another senior — a 5-foot-11, 156-pound kicker named John Crofoot.

He is certainly not the biggest or most intimidating player on the Florida Gator roster, but his responsibility on the field has been a huge key to the Gators success in special teams.

Crofoot has been the team’s primary holder since 2011 after walking onto the team in the summer of 2009. Initially, the native of Windemere, Fla., came in as a long snapper but saw no playing time at the position.

So in 2010, he made the switch to kicker and was the holder for some of the most important moments that season, including Chas Henry’s game-winning 37-yard field goal against Georgia. He went on to be the primary holder for the remaining seven games.

Since 2011, Crofoot has been the holder for each of Sturgis’ kicks. In those two seasons, the Gators have gone 55 for 62 on field goals and 63 for 64 on PATs.

Although rarely given time in the spotlight, Crofoot might have been destined to be a holder during his time with Florida. He was the fourth in his family to be a member of a SEC football team, and the Crofoots have a history of special teams work in college football.

His brother Ike Crofoot was a long snapper and holder at South Carolina from 2003-06 and then two more of his brothers, Chas Crofoot and Clayton Crofoot, were both holders at Auburn in 2004-05 and 2008-09, respectively. John’s younger brother, Kyle Crofoot, is currently on the Gators roster as a long snapper.

As his career comes to a close at Florida, Crofoot will likely see his impact on the team go unnoticed by many, but it won’t diminish the enormous contributions Crofoot made to the special teams unit throughout his four years at Florida.

About the author

DrewLaing

Drew Laing is a junior at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Before college, Drew lived in Lakeland, Fla., his entire life. He began in journalism during his senior year of high school and has continued studying it throughout college. In addition to his internship at Gator Country, he is the Editor-In-Chief of The Samford Crimson and a collegiate correspondent for USA Today. Drew enjoys the finer things in life like Tampa Bay Rays baseball and PB&J sandwiches.

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