How Greg McMahon Can Help Florida End its Special Teams Woes

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators special teams coordinator Johnathan Galante does not need to be reminded to make sure there is 11 players on the field.

PTSD-ridden Gator fans remind him every day.

“Yes. Often,” he said.

The quip seems like a joke, but after four seasons of baffling special teams blunders during the previous regime, which ironically called special teams “game-changers,” those questions towards Galante are serious.

Just as serious is the renewed attention given to the unit.

Heading into camp, Florida hired veteran special teams guru Greg McMahon as an analyst under Galante. McMahon, who boasts over 40 years of coaching experience, including stops with the New Orleans Saints and at both LSU and Tulane, will scout opponents a week ahead and give Galante notes and ideas going into game week, while also helping Galante with in-practice coaching and in-game adjustments.

“I'm a former special teams coordinator. I have a great deal of respect for that job,” Sumrall said. “It is a demanding, hard job, and so Johnathan's really good at it. But to have another person like Greg McMahon on your staff that can be another set of eyes to help you maybe do some things is good.”

It is no secret why Sumrall is confident that McMahon can help Galante turn Florida back into a special teams powerhouse.

Across his career, McMahon-led units lead the SEC in kicking points (LSU - 2018, 2019), set numerous program records at LSU and had an impact performance in a Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints, McMahon was responsible for one of the most notable plays in NFL history, with New Orleans becoming the first team in league history to successfully execute an onside kick before the fourth quarter. That play eventually turned a 10-6 defitcit into a 13-10 lead, and the Saints went on to win its first Super Bowl.

Additionally, kicker Garrett Hartley became the first player in Super Bowl history to kick three field goals of at least 40 yards in the same game.

"We got it, see ya!"

The @Saints Super Bowl onside kick will forever be legendary 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4Uy2c4lVCZ
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) March 28, 2024

Sumrall remembered first meeting McMahon when Sumrall was an assistant at Tulane and McMahon was with the Saints.

"I used to sit in the back of some of those meetings at the Saints' facility and watch Coach McMahon run special teams meetings, and just being in awe of, like, how he commanded the room and the level of detail and the energy he brought," he said.

McMahon's illustrious special teams career nearly came to an end after the 2023 season. McMahon, then at Tulane, met with Sumrall, who had just taken over the program, to inform him of his intention to retire immediately. Sumrall convinced him to stay for one season.

Holding true to his word, McMahon retired after the 2024 season and was replaced by Galante. Retirement, however, did not prove fully fruitful, and McMahon eventually approached Sumrall about returning in a limited capacity under Galante.

Sumrall equated his role last year to that of an “independent contractor,” with McMahon focusing on scouting duties and game-plan ideas for Galante.

“He was a hard act to follow at Tulane, as (Sumrall) reminded me of all the time, ‘cause I replaced Coach Mac at Tulane,” Galante said. “He’s such a great coach in the meeting room and such, but he’s a great source. I lean on him. I’m young and undertand that. I’ve always tried to create a relationship with an older coach on the staff who I can check that, if that makes sense.”

As far as how McMahon ended up at Florida, consider it the next step in a failed retirement. Sumrall said McMahon visited the program during spring and reached out again to visit in the fall, albeit for a longer stay.

“We were hanging out one day, and he's like, ‘Hey, would you be open to maybe me coming to hang around some in the fall?'” Sumrall recalled. “I'm like, ‘Yeah, I'm always open to that, Mac. You know how much I respect you. You're always welcome to come to practice. Like, what do you think?' He's like, ‘I don't know. I was thinking maybe show up at the start of training camp.' I'm like, ‘Sounds great. How long do we stay?' He's like, 'I don't maybe the last game.' I was like, 'That sounds freaking awesome.' And so as we kind of hashed it out, it worked out for him to be with us for the season.”

Johnathan Galante enters his first season as Florida's special teams coordinator. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Now at Florida, McMahon will continue those same scouting duties that he held at Tulane. He will also be key on game day, helping Galante keep track of injuries, substitutions, in-game situations and other situations that may come up.

Essentially, Florida has no excuse for not getting 11 players on the field for a sudden special-teams play. Nor do they need a mat to make sure they have all 11 players ready.

“He’s such a voice of reason,” Galante said. “Special teams headset on game day can be kind of quiet until four down. Whoever your main assistant is – and Coach Mac has seen a lot of ball – you’re on that and having the proper dialogue the whole drive. A situation can come up, we’re watching the game for injuries, for substitutions, we’re watching the opponent.”

For now, Galante and McMahon have a month to finish shaping its special teams unit in time for the 2026 season, hoping to continue taking steps to bring back impactful special teams to the Gators.

"He is a great person. A great coach, but an even better person," Galante said. "It’s going to be a lot of fun to have him around for sure.”

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