Gator Country

Florida junior punter Chas Henry booms a punt during the first half of the Gators' 41-17 win against Georgia on Oct. 31 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. / Gator Country photo by Tim Casey

Mike Gillislee, who is one of those tough guys Urban Meyer likes to talk about whenever the subject of special teams comes up, is good for about eight plays a game, each one lasting about 10 to 12 seconds. His job is to sprint down under kickoffs, find a hole in the wedge and either make the tackle or alter the course of the returner. Gillislee’s kamikaze existence might go unappreciated by the typical Florida fan but the one person who counts the most takes notice. Meyer knows the Gators don’t win the field position battle if he doesn’t have a tough guy like Gillislee turning into the human equivalent of a missile those seven or eight times a game.

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