Florida's special teams continue to gain recognition, from inside the program and out.
Sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award on Monday, this coming less than two weeks after junior punter Chas Henry was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list.
Sturgis is four for four on field goals longer than 40 yards this season, and Henry allowed his first punt return yards of the season against Vanderbilt.
UF coach Urban Meyer drew attention to his team's overall special teams play at his weekly Monday press conference, praising the well-rounded job done by his coverage and return units.
Plenty of young players like Jon Bostic, Mike Gillislee, and Dee Finley have made a name for themselves on special teams, but the Gators trot out veteran defensive starters like Joe Haden, Ahmad Black and Major Wright as well.
"You have to be an accountable guy. If you have issues, you won't be on (special teams)," Meyer said. "If I don't trust you, there's no chance you're getting near that team. You're not getting in this (special teams) room if I don't trust you. Our guys understand that, our coaches do too."
Meyer added that he ranks punt coverage, kickoff coverage, punt return and kickoff return in that order of importance.
Munroe reinjures knee: Redshirt senior safety Dorian Munroe missed Saturday's game against the Commodores after reinjuring his knee, and Meyer thinks this latest ACL injury will end Munroe's career.
The safety missed 2008 with a tear in his right knee and missed all but the Georgia game this season after reinjuring the knee in preseason workouts.
"Dorian Munroe falls into the same category as Ryan Stamper and Justin Trattou that are players on our team that are all Gator, man," Meyer said.
Future coaches: Meyer also commented on the future of Trattou, a junior, and Stamper, a senior, on Monday.
Even if an NFL career doesn't work out for them, their coach thinks they have a bright future in football.
"(Trattou) already has a job at Florida, or somewhere as a coach. That's how much respect we have for him," Meyer said. "He understands the game. He's going to go play for a while because he's just a competitor, but his knowledge of special teams and his work ethic - this profession, I know I'm pushing this, this profession needs Justin Trattou and Ryan Stamper to go coach some day."
Stamper, who can play all three linebacker positions, has previously said that coaching is something he could see himself doing down the road when his playing career is over.
Tebow healthier than ever: Quarterback Tim Tebow is done with the pain-killing shots he has had to take in the past.
Tebow said he feels healthier than he ever has at this point in the season and no longer takes any pain-killing injections.
"When I came off that shoulder surgery, just training with coach (Mickey Marotti), he did a really good job of training me to go out there and take hits," Tebow said. "The type of workouts that we've done and exercise, I feel like coming into this season I was in the best shape of my life."
