Florida’s special teams’ unit was rather unproductive through Billy Napier’s first two seasons as head coach, grading as the 95th and 102nd best special teams’ unit in the country. 2024 was a different story under new special teams’ coordinator Joe Houston. The Gators found consistent play from their specialists, fielded a punt return team that ranked 18th in the country, and in general looked more competent on the gridiron. Florida missed nine tackles on special teams last season after posting 14 a piece in 2022 and 2024. The unit also posted a three-year low eight penalties.
“I think we did some good things, we were efficient, starting with good specialist play, and then really a collective buy-in from the players and the coaches,” Houston said on Florida’s ST play last season.
The unit will look a little different next season after losing punter Jeremy Crawshaw and punt returner Chimere Dike to the NFL. Replacing Crawshaw will be a tall ask as the Australian native held the 5th highest punt average in 2024 with 25 punts falling within the 20-yard line, establishing himself as one of the best punters in the country.
In search of his replacement, the Gators added Michigan punter Tommy Doman through the portal, who averaged 42.61 yards per punt with a long of 68 on 49 attempts. Doman is also a holder, which is a role Crawshaw has held the past two seasons.
“We were lucky to get Tommy (Doman). Tommy’s gonna be an instrumental part of our future this fall,” Houston said on Doman. First is the experience, being a two-year starter at Michigan, playing in tough conditions, also having a guy from a program that’s won a national championship, so he’s been on that journey before but the warm weather in Florida was an easy sell. So we’re very, very fortunate to have him.”
Florida also added punter Hayden Craig out of the high school ranks, who graded as a five-star punter according to Kohls kicking. Craig was tabbed the No.1 player in the state of Maine and the 7th best punter in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports. Craig is expected to redshirt in his freshman campaign as Doman finishes out his collegiate career in Gainesville.
“Hayden will be in a developmental stage along with Evan and Mack, so having a shadow program where they could basically just mimic what the seniors can do will be awesome for their development as well, they can watch someone do it as a high level and kind of shadow them this year,” Houston said on Craig.
Florida’s punt return team has improved every year on Napier, but they were borderline elite in 2024, posting the 18th best punt return average in college football. Senior WR Chimere Dike provided the Gators with a spark, averaging 11.6 yards per punt return. While Dike didn’t have enough returns to rank nationally, that average would have ranked 10th in all of college football.
Houston provides us insight on the Gators working at punt return during spring camp.
“Chim (Dike) was so great for us, a lot of our success in that unit was predicated on him, his decision making, his ability, so, we’re working a ton of guys in that area, not just some of the younger guys but Tre Wilson, Tank Hawkins, Jadan Baugh, Ja’Kobi Jackson, J. Michael Sturdivant, Aidan Mizell, Vernell Brown III, Duke Clark, Dallas Wilson, Naeshaun Montgomery, DeBraun Hampton will all get reps at that position, they are gonna compete for it and the best guy is going to be the starter,” Houston said.
The Gators return senior kicker Trey Smack, who made 18 of 21 (85.7%) in 2024 after making 17 of 21 (80.1%) in 2023. Smack holds a career long of 55 yards.
“I would say Trey missed three kicks last year, and you wish you would have all three of them back, Texas, Tennessee, UCF, his field goals are very, I would say they’re NFL caliber. He’s got that kind of a leg, the pop, the mentality too that supplements his technique, he’s taken leaps and bounds from 23 to 24, and we’re looking forward to his development and continued growth next season. I would say if there’s one thing that he would improve on is his field goal accuracy, especially on the right hash,” Houston said on Smack.
One of the specialists Houston is leaning on to be a vocal leader in the room is long snapper Rocco Underwood, who was crowned the Mannelly Award Winner in 2024, awarded to the best long snapper in the country.
“Not only does he do a really good job snapping, which is a complete art, but he does a good job in protection too. We ask him to protect, he’s gonna have to protect in the NFL, so I try and develop him from that aspect as well. And then he’s a ballhawk in coverage. We’ve worked really hard on that too, just drilling him in practice, understanding his leverage, understand the tackling progression, playing with good balance and body control, and good angles. He did a great job last year, we look forward to having him as a third gunner,” Houston said on Underwood.
Special teams has been a hot topic under Billy Napier, but it seems that there’s positive momentum for the first time as Joe Houston enters his second season with UF.