Special teams report card for Florida Football four games into the 2024 season

If one is looking for a bright spot on Florida Football four games in, it's the special teams unit. The Gators added Joe Houston to the coaching staff in the offseason, and the changes have been evident. Florida is getting 11 players on the field consistently, and the unit as a whole feels far more competent.

So much like we did with the offense and defense, the following are our report card grades for the special teams unit four games into the 2024 season.

Jeremy Crawshaw: B

There are a couple of different ways to evaluate the season Jeremy Crawshaw is having in 2024. His average yard per punt is down compared to 2023, but his average net gain per punt is up.

Last year Crawshaw had 26% of his punts returned and this year that number is at 30%, though Florida has only given up two yards in those four returns.

A couple of his punts haven't been the most pretty, but to this point he has still been effective.

Trey Smack: B+

To this point, Trey Smack hasn't had a ton to do. He has made all of his extra points and he has made all three field goal attempts, including a crucial attempt against Mississippi State.

The only reason not to award an A is that Smack is 49th in the country in having kickoffs returned, with 20.8% of his kickoffs resulting in a return.

Chimere Dike: B

We have stated that we are still not in love with Chimere Dike as a wide receiver. He has yet to have a contested catch on the season and has a role it feels like several others on the team could do.

As a punt returner, though, he has been much better and explosive. His 16.7 yards per return are 13th best in the country among punt returners who have at least five returns.

So why not an A?

Well, he does have nine fair catches in the season, which is the third most in the country.

Jadan Baugh: B+

Florida have only brought the ball out of the endzone six times through four games this season. Jadan Baugh has four of Florida's six returns, but has looked solid in those four returns.

With an average of 31.3 yards per kick off return, Baugh his 8th in the country among players with at least four attempts. His longest return is 36 yards. 30 players nationally have a return longer than that.

Rocco Underwood: A

Somewhere, there are probably some statistics of Rocco Underwood's time from snap to holder that will decide his NFL fate. All we know is that he has been clean with his snaps this season, and against Mississippi State, he delivered one of the harder hits of the season when he made it downfield to make the tackle on a Bulldog returner.

Long snappers are people too and Underwood has done his job in 2024.