Will it be better in 2024? Breaking down Florida football special teams entering season

Florida football has room to grow on special teams entering the 2024 season.

Glaring substitution problems began in UF's season opener at Utah, when the Florida Gators had two players with the same number on the field in punt return coverage. The illegal participation penalty sustained an eventual Utah TD drive in its 24-11 win over UF.

There also were numerous instances when Florida had only 10 players on the field on field goal block teams. In another embarrassing episode, UF had 20 players rush onto the field for a game-winning field goal attempt in the closing seconds against Arkansas. The illegal substitution penalty moved the field goal attempt back five yards and starting kicker Trey Smack missed a 41-yard attempt that would have beaten the Razorbacks. Instead, Florida lost 39-36 in overtime to the Hogs

In the offseason, Florida brought in Joe Houston, a special teams analyst from the New England Patriots, to assist current special teams analyst Chris Couch. Per an NCAA rule change this summer, both will now be allowed to coach on the field in practice and during games, which could result in a smoother operation on special teams this season.

Here's a look at UF's specialists going into the 2024 season:

Florida football kickers

Jeremy Crawshaw is back for his fourth season as UF's starting punter. A New South Wales, Australia, native, Crashaw once again displayed a booming leg in 2023, averaging 48.9 yards per punt, including six punts of 60 yards or more. He also showed better placement on his punts last season, with 15 of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

Trey Smack took over as starting place-kicker for Adam Mihalek last season and was solid, making 17 of 21 field goals. Smack was perfect (11-for-11) on field goals inside 40 yards and 6 for 10 on field goals of 40 yards or longer. He went 5-for-5 on field goal attempts to earn SEC special teams' player of the week honors in UF's 22-7 win over Charlotte, and made 4 of 5 field goals, including a 54-yarder, against South Carolina to earn co-SEC special teams player of the week honors.

Smack also was a perfect 29-for-29 on extra points and demonstrated a big leg on kickoffs, recording 56 touchbacks on 70 kicks.

Florida football long snapper

Rocco Underwood is one of the steadiest long snappers in the SEC, as the 6-foot-3, 228-pound redshirt junior from Lake Mary has started 24 of the last 25 games for UF at the position. Underwood was selected as a preseason All-American and preseason All-SEC selection by Phil Steele in his college football preview magazine.

Florida football return men

The Gators will need to replace punt returner Ricky Pearsall, a first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in last April's NFL Draft and kick returner Trevor Etienne, who transferred to Georgia. Sophomore receiver Aidan Mizell and freshman receiver Tank Hawkins returned kickoffs in UF's spring games, while sophomore defensive back Sharif Denson handled punt return duties. Speedy, shifty wide receiver Eugene Wilson III could be an option to return punts and kickoffs as well. Florida has yet to return a punt or kickoff for a TD in two seasons under Napier, so the timing would be right for the Gators to come through with one in 2024.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Will it be better in 2024? Breaking down Florida football special teams entering season