Looking Back On, and Forward To, Florida's Specialists

Reviewing, and previewing, the Florida Gators' specialists following the 2022 season.

The Gators are entering a crucial offseason, the second of head coach Billy Napier's tenure, looking to turn things around after Florida posted its second consecutive 6-7 record to conclude the 2022 campaign.

After nearly two dozen scholarship players entered the transfer portal and another ten declared for the NFL Draft, the roster will undoubtedly look a lot different in Napier's second year at the helm.

Therefore, All Gators is breaking down every position on Florida's roster as the offseason gets underway, looking back on every contributor's 2022 season and looking forward to each unit's 2023.

The offense and defense are taken care of as quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, JACK edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback, STAR and safety have received breakdowns.

To wrap up the positional review-and-preview, series, we look at the similar past and future of the Gators specialists in the third phase of the game, referred to by the Florida staff as the 'GameChangers.'

Looking back

The breakdown you've all been waiting for.

In the spring, Chris Howard and walk-on Adam Mihalek battled for the starting kicking duties, with the race seemingly being a tight one for special teams coach Chris Couch.

However, in the orange and blue spring game, Mihalek shined to take over the role permanently, sending Howard to the transfer portal following the spring practice sessions. Mihalek then looked to fend off incoming scholarship kicker Trey Smack, which he did to begin the season as the top kicker on the depth chart.

Mihalek remainder in the role for the entirety of the season, knocking through 14 of his 21 field goal attempts (66.7%) with a long of 52 yards and 97.7% of his extra point attempts. His inconsistency encompassed an ongoing theme for the GameChangers throughout 2022. 

Sydney, Australia, native Jeremy Crawshaw controlled punting responsibilities. 

Presenting a big leg with the propensity to flip the field for the Gators, Crawshaw continued to progress from a consistency standpoint as the season rolled on. He averaged 47.9 yards per punt and dropped two of his 35 balls inside the 20 to pin opponents deep.

His year was highlighted by a 67-yard boot in Florida's blowout victory over South Carolina in week ten.

Marco Ortiz began the season as the guy getting them the ball before a week-one injury derailed his fifth year with the program. Highly regarded long-snapper Rocco Underwood stepped into the role for the remainder of the year.

He accounted for one tackle and one fumble recovery in punt coverage.

It wasn't a year to remember, primarily where kicking was concerned, but the specialists weren't wholly to blame for the overarching struggles realized by the unit.

Below All Gators have compiled the specialists' stats from 2022.

Mihalek: 14-for-21 (66.7%) FGA, long of 52, 42-for-43 (97.7%) XPA

Crawshaw: 35 punts, 1,678 yards, 47.9 yards per punt, long of 67, two punts inside the 20-yard line

Underwood: One tackle, one fumble recovery

Looking forward

Unlike most other positions on the roster, special teams undergo minimal turnover at the three specialist spots.

Crawshaw will continue to man punting duties in his fourth year with the program, entering his third as a starter. He'll look to improve off a season in which he produced a career-high 47.9 yards per punt. 

He also remains a familiar face on Florida's team leadership committee, a role he's taken pride in since being appointed there upon Napier's arrival.

Meanwhile, Mihalek, who was recently placed on scholarship, will man the Gators' placekicking duties. RSmack is expected to control the primary spot on kickoffs for the Gators this season, continuing a trend that began in the middle of last season.

Underwood will step back into the starting long-snapper role following Ortiz's exit (Nebraska) this offseason.

The quartet of faces presents continuity to a unit that has struggled mightily as of late. The phase deemed the "GameChangers" has changed the game for the worse over the past two seasons.

Instead of giving the Gators opportunities to capitalize on, it's dug holes for the Florida offense or defense to climb out of at inopportune times in close contests. Simply put, the third phase of the game has resulted in tallies in the loss column in recent memory.

Napier and Co. recognized that fact this offseason, going out and getting special teams aces, like LB Mannie Nunnery, in an attempt to reconcile those lapses.

With experienced talent occupying the most crucial spots of the attack, the Gators should see heightened production there in 2023. 

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