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First year Florida football coach Jon Sumrall is placing a premium on special teams this season.
Under Sumrall, the Florida Gators began each practice last spring with special team drills, a trend that will likely continue into fall camp.
Sumrall brought his special teams coordinator from Tulane, Johnathan Galante, with him, along with Green Wave starting kicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark.
Galante appreciates Sumrall's commitment to special teams and his decision to open practices with special teams drills.
“The timing is critical because you’re getting the guys right after flex," Galante said. "They’re warmed up. They’re going to give you their all in that first period. So, it’s really nice. I’ve had it other ways, where you had the middle of practice and the end of practice, and getting guys to practice hard on special teams at the end of practice is a lot more difficult. It’s awesome to have them that first period for sure.”
Here are three questions facing UF's specialists entering the 2026 season:
Smack connected on 18 of 22 field goal attempts and set a UF record with 10 field goals of 50 yards or more in before being taken in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Durkin was as accurate at Tulane last season, making 25 of 28 field goal attempts, including two 52-yarders. As a result, Durkin was named American Conference special teams player of the year in 2025.
In UF's spring game, Durkin showed a few jitters, missing a 49-yard attempt wide left as time expired. But Galante is confident Durkin will adapt to the SEC level.
"There's been some great ones here," Galante said. "He's got that level of talent and ability. His leg speed's elite. He's a very confident kid. He'll remind you all the time. Some of that is great, though. You want your kickers and punters and those guys to believe that they can do it."
Galante worked with Clark both at Marshall and Tulane, and expects the Perth, Australia native to follow in he successful line of Australian punters who made an impact in college and the NFL. Clark is coming off his best career season at Tulane, averaging 46.5 yards per punt to earn first team, All-American Conference first-team honors.
During UF's spring game, Clark displayed a booming leg and good hang time on his punts.
"Last year, he had a great season," Galante said. "So, it's just fun to be around the old school progression of working with a player and watching them develop and grow, because they don't figure it out as quickly as we would like sometimes. It takes days, months, years."
Florida hasn't returned a punt or kickoff for a touchdown since Kadarius Toney returned a punt 50 yards for a TD against Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2020.
The Gators bring back one of the top return threats in the SEC in receiver Vernell Brown III, who recorded 261 return yards across 18 kick and punt returns, Brown was one of just two freshmen and 18 players in the FBS to post five punt returns of 20 or more yards.
Behind Brown, Florida is also using receivers Eric Singleton Jr., Bailey Stockton, Justin Williams and Jaylen Lloyd in punt and kickoff return drills in practice.
"“Speed, speed, speed, speed," Galante sid. "We’ve got some good ones. Eric’s looked good. He got rep of the day the other day for his effort in the net drill, that was awesome. Bailey’s looked good doing it. Gotta have speed, guys that can win at the line and stack.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football position breakdown, specialists
Continue reading...
Under Sumrall, the Florida Gators began each practice last spring with special team drills, a trend that will likely continue into fall camp.
Sumrall brought his special teams coordinator from Tulane, Johnathan Galante, with him, along with Green Wave starting kicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark.
Galante appreciates Sumrall's commitment to special teams and his decision to open practices with special teams drills.
“The timing is critical because you’re getting the guys right after flex," Galante said. "They’re warmed up. They’re going to give you their all in that first period. So, it’s really nice. I’ve had it other ways, where you had the middle of practice and the end of practice, and getting guys to practice hard on special teams at the end of practice is a lot more difficult. It’s awesome to have them that first period for sure.”
Here are three questions facing UF's specialists entering the 2026 season:
Can new Florida football K Patrick Durkin replace Trey Smack as a weapon in the kicking game?
Smack connected on 18 of 22 field goal attempts and set a UF record with 10 field goals of 50 yards or more in before being taken in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Durkin was as accurate at Tulane last season, making 25 of 28 field goal attempts, including two 52-yarders. As a result, Durkin was named American Conference special teams player of the year in 2025.
In UF's spring game, Durkin showed a few jitters, missing a 49-yard attempt wide left as time expired. But Galante is confident Durkin will adapt to the SEC level.
"There's been some great ones here," Galante said. "He's got that level of talent and ability. His leg speed's elite. He's a very confident kid. He'll remind you all the time. Some of that is great, though. You want your kickers and punters and those guys to believe that they can do it."
Can new Florida football P Alec Clark impact field position?
Galante worked with Clark both at Marshall and Tulane, and expects the Perth, Australia native to follow in he successful line of Australian punters who made an impact in college and the NFL. Clark is coming off his best career season at Tulane, averaging 46.5 yards per punt to earn first team, All-American Conference first-team honors.
During UF's spring game, Clark displayed a booming leg and good hang time on his punts.
"Last year, he had a great season," Galante said. "So, it's just fun to be around the old school progression of working with a player and watching them develop and grow, because they don't figure it out as quickly as we would like sometimes. It takes days, months, years."
Will Florida football return a punt or kickoff for a TD this season?
Florida hasn't returned a punt or kickoff for a touchdown since Kadarius Toney returned a punt 50 yards for a TD against Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2020.
The Gators bring back one of the top return threats in the SEC in receiver Vernell Brown III, who recorded 261 return yards across 18 kick and punt returns, Brown was one of just two freshmen and 18 players in the FBS to post five punt returns of 20 or more yards.
Behind Brown, Florida is also using receivers Eric Singleton Jr., Bailey Stockton, Justin Williams and Jaylen Lloyd in punt and kickoff return drills in practice.
"“Speed, speed, speed, speed," Galante sid. "We’ve got some good ones. Eric’s looked good. He got rep of the day the other day for his effort in the net drill, that was awesome. Bailey’s looked good doing it. Gotta have speed, guys that can win at the line and stack.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football position breakdown, specialists
Continue reading...
