As we wind down the “Behind the Numbers” series for the 2015 football season, there is one last category that we talked about throughout the year, but deserve a closer look – the return game of the Florida Gators.
The Gators entered the season looking to replace Andre Debose, who handled kickoff and punt returns for the Gators for four of the previous five seasons. Debose was a home run threat every time he touched the ball and holds the SEC record for career kick-off touchdowns (four), as well as, an additional punt return touchdown. Debose’s career averages were a sky-high 12.6 yards per punt return and 26.72 yards per kick return.
With the loss of Andre Debose, the Gators needed to replace both at kick returner and punt returner, so they relied on sophomore Brandon Powell who returned five kicks last year to return kicks and electric newcomer Antonio Callaway to punt returner.
After a somewhat pedestrian 19.6 yards per kick return last year, the Gators hoped that Powell could improve once he assumed the full-time role – and he did…at least a little bit. His 21.25 yards per return on 24 total kicks was a small improvement, but only ranked 86th in the country. But do numbers speak the full truth? Not always. While 21.25 yards seems OK, could be better, when you realize where Powell was returning the kicks from, Florida had the WORST kickoff return unit in the country. Of Brandon Powell’s kicks, only 15.2% (Wake Forest ranked 127th at 16.7%) made it past the 25-yard line, which is where the ball is placed on a kneel-down in the end zone. With only 3 of 20 kicks (on average) making it past the 25-yard line, the Gators will need to figure out how they went from one of the best kick return programs in the country to the worst.
On the other hand, the Gators figured out a solution to replacing Debose in the punt return game, with one of the most prolific freshmen wide receivers in Florida Gators history. Freshman Antonio Callaway won the job before the season started and got better throughout the season. Callaway finished the season with a 15.54 yard per punt return average and ended with two touchdowns, including an 85-yard punt return touchdown in the SEC Championship, which is the longest in game history. Callaway finished the season tied for second in the country with his two touchdowns and ranks 18th all-time in the SEC after just one season.