Gators Kicking Competition Continues As Season Approaches

Photo: Adam Mihalek and Jeremy Crawshaw; Credit: UAA Communications

The Florida Gators' special teams unit underwent a full-on facelift this offseason.

Following a lackluster season – to put it lightly – in 2021, the newly named GameChangers unit is starting to take form with players filling roles at punter, long snapper and both return man positions. However, a starting spot remains unfilled heading into the year at kicker.

Employing a two-kicker system a season ago with Jace Christmann and Chris Howard splitting duties, it was evident that neither guy was a long-term fix at the position to replace Evan McPherson. Christmann, who transferred in from Mississippi State in the offseason, saw his eligibility expire following 2021. That left Howard as the lone scholarship kicker remaining.

That didn't last for long as Howard was outperformed in the spring by walk-on Adam Mihalek, which was evident in the orange and blue spring game. Howard transferred out of the program soon thereafter, creating a two-man competition between Mihalek and freshman scholarship kicker Trey Smack, who enrolled in the summer.

The unofficial spokesperson for the specialists in veteran punter Jeremy Crawshaw spoke with the media on Monday, providing some insight into a tight race at place kicker as week one approaches.

"They're both doing really well," Crawshaw said. "They're both giving each other a competitive edge. They're both competitors. Neither of them want to lose. But they're doing really well.

"Trey came in as a freshman. He's learned a lot. He's adjusted really well. Adam has also come in with that mindset that he's ready to go. So it's just between those two."

Both have performed well throughout the fall, working through their respective challenges. As a result, there is a case to make for each to assume the full-time role starting against Utah.

Mihalek isn't going to excite with booming leg strength but shows a functional ability to put the ball through upright consistently from longer distances. Mihalek impressively connected on field goals from 52 and 49 yards out in the orange and blue spring game.

Those reps are valuable given the little gap between the two in contention at the point.

"Maybe just like the experience, to be honest," Crawshaw said when asked about what separates the two. "They're both really good kickers in their own sense. Probably just the fact that Trey got here a month or two ago. We've had fall camp where we were able to get adjusted with the rush. That's probably it, just the sense of experience between the two."

That experience – although minimal without an in-game rep on his resume – could pay dividends for Mihalek.

On the flip side, Smack enters the fold as the lone scholarship kicker on the roster.

Labeled as one of the better kicking prospects in the 2022 class, Smack handled both kicking and punting duties in high school. He ranked as the No. 5 kicker according to Kohl's Professional Kicking Camps, drawing praise for his leg strength.

There's a possibility they split duties, with one guy controlling the placekicking and the other handling kickoffs. Due to the limits Mihalek showed in the spring kicking off, that situation would likely entail Smack being the one to put toe to leather to begin the game and after each score.

He excelled in doing so during kicking camps at the prep level.

If that isn't a direction Florida wants to go, the idea of Crawshaw kicking off to is a thought that will creep in. He shut that idea down, for now, not because of his lack of desire to do so, but his self-proclaimed inability.

"I would love to kickoff. I just physically can't do it," he admitted. "I can't do it. I tried it. I got Trey and Adam to try and help me, and they're like, 'Mate, you're a bit of a lost cause.' But I'm trying. I would love to kickoff.

"To go to the next level in the NFL, a lot of punters are kickoff guys. We tend to have a bigger leg than the kickers on the kickoffs. ... Punting and kicking are two very different swings. I just can't get my head around it yet. I'm still cracking at it. I'm not putting it to bed just yet. I'd like to kickoff."

While a decision could be made when the Gators walk off the practice field on Wednesday – when Napier said the first official depth chart of the year would be released – we may have to wait to see who trots out there for the first field goal or extra point attempt of the season.

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