GATORS’ PUNTER POWER
Boone graduate Townsend gives UF special weapon
UF’s game versus UMass did not end in time for this edition. For results, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/sports.
GAINESVILLE — Most days, Florida Gators punter Johnny Townsend quietly goes about his business.
While the collisions, completions and hard-core coaching occur nearby, Townsend works on his craft — a thud of his foot on pigskin his primary companion.
But on Saturdays, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Townsend fits right in on the sideline. On the field, he stands out.
“He arguably was one of themost valuable players on our team a year ago because of what he did by flipping the field with big kicks,” UF coach Jim McElwain said. “Really, not being selfish to think about his average, but pinning guys inside the 10. To force teams to go a long field. “He’s a realweapon.” The former Orlando Boone standout was the bomb in 2015.
The Gators’ struggles on offense and in the kicking game forced them to lean heavily on a top-10 defense and Townsend’s right leg.
While the defense ultimately wilted, Townsend got stronger. During the Gators’ one-sided loss to Alabamain theSECtitlegame, he set a record for highest punt average in SEC championship game history (51.8).
Entering Saturday night’s opener against UMass, McElwain hoped to field a more complete team, but Townsend once again will playakey role.
Sometimes, it might be a starring role.
Punters rarely have to delve into the guts of the game. But Townsend does not need a grass-stained, mud-caked uniform or bloody nose to justify his efforts.
The stat sheet does it for him.
In 2015, Townsend led theSECin net punting average (42.2) and punts inside the 20-yard line (30), and he was first in lowest punt return average (1.5 yards).
Townsend’s teammates have noticed.
“They show me some love sometimes,” Townsend said with a smile.“Whenwe can put a punt inside the 5-yard line and the defense can force a safety, they definitely give me the recognition for it.”
Townsend enters the season regarded among the nation’s elite.
He was among 10 semifinalists for the 2015 Ray Guy Award. This season, Townsend wants to win the honor bestowed on the nation’s top punter.
The first step, he said, is to better his hang time.
Improvement has not come without a degree of pain.
During preseason camp, Townsend injured his thumb fielding simulated snaps from a JUGS machine. Receivers use the JUGS — originally designed for batting practice in baseball — to improve reaction time.
Townsend said the machine’s operator set the speed too high.
“I’m good now,” Townsend said. “I think there was a little misunderstanding.”
McElwain got a kick out of the mishap, at Townsend’s expense.
“I’m gladhewasn’t catching with his feet because he’s got to punt with that foot,” McElwain said. “To see him show up, a punter, on an injury report, with a sprained thumb due to JUGS altercation, all right?
“I don’t know why I find humor in stupid things.”
At the same time, McElwain knowsTownsend is no joke.
Townsend is the school’s all-time leading in punting yards (3,765) and second alltime in punting average (45.36).
Townsend also is the holder of kicks, where he proved a threat for the fake whenhe completed a shovel pass to defensive end CeCe Jefferson against Georgia. Jefferson fumbled after a seven-yard gain.
“I had the highestQBrating in Florida history for that one game,” Townsend joked.
But Townsend is at home a little more than a dozen yards away from the long snapper, intent on putting the Gators’ opponent in a jam.
“I’dsaymy biggest roles is being one of the defense’s best friends,” he said. “We shifted the momentum of games a lot last year.”