Virginia addressed a key thin roster spot on Monday, landing Florida punter Jacob Finn, who was the starter for the Gators in 2020.
Finn, a grad transfer, was only used for 26 punts in Florida’s 12 games in ’20, but his numbers were impressive. The 6’4”, 197-pound Jacksonville native averaged 46.3 yards per punt and a 44.3-yard net, pinning 14 of his 26 punts inside the opponent’s 20, and only allowing three returns all season.
Florida ranked fourth nationally in punt coverage efficiency in 2020, according to FootballOutsiders.com, which had the UVA punt-coverage unit ranked 63rd nationally.
Virginia’s 2020 punter, Nash Griffin, who graduates this spring and chose not to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to athletes due to COVID-19, averaged 42.4 yards per punt last season, with a 39.0-yard net.
Thirteen of Griffin’s 42 punts were downed inside the 20, and UVA opponents returned 12 of his boots.
Virginia only had only one punter on the roster in the spring, 5’11”, 200-pound sophomore Brendan Farrell, a Dunwoody, Ga., native who has yet to punt in a college game.
Story by Chris Graham
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