Gators call special teams game changers for a reason
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Special teams are often overlooked. When the punter comes on the field it means the offense failed to score or get a first down.
Kickers are noticed more for their misses than makes and it’s generally the third and least heralded phase of the game. Not for the Florida Gators.
“I think we call our special teams game changers and we really believe that’s a big part of the culture that you are trying to create,” UF coach Billy Napier said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference.
Napier added that the Gators work more on special teams than most other programs, and for good reason.
“The intangibles that show up in the kicking game I think is an opportunity for offensive and defensive players to work together it’s an opportunity for young players, some of your rookies, and potentially some of your walk-on players to earn a spot and it may be the first time to run between the lines and represent your team so it’s important,” Napier said.
“I think we spend a little more time than most on it, in terms of planning, meetings, walk-through practice times, but we believe in trying to win that play each week, obviously field position is very valuable. I think if you are going to have a good football team you gotta cover kicks, you’ve got to perhaps make a game-changing play in the return game. We’ve got a good group of specialists, I think you start there.”
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Gators have a couple of special teams jobs up for grabs
Florida hired Chris Couch as its special teams’ coordinator. His role is defined as an analyst, so he isn’t part of the Gators’ 10 assistants.
Couch spent the 2021 season with Billy Napier at Louisiana as UL’s special teams’ coordinator and the director of quality control & analytics. Prior to that, Couch spent three years at Tulane.
During his last three seasons at Tulane, the Green Wave ranked in the top half of the American Athletic Conference and top-50 nationally in both kick and punt returns.
Who will be the starting kicker may be the biggest question left before Saturday’s game. Who will be returning kicks is also a question.
“I think our returners a little bit of that is probably to be determined as we go here but our staff is working hard, I think taking pride in their role,” Napier said. “It takes a lot of people to contribute to being really good on special teams, so it requires a lot of hard work inside the building and certainly by the players as well.”
The Gators will release an official depth chart Wednesday night.
