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How is Chris McKinney impacting the Florida Firecats? Let's count the ways.

He catches passes. He returns kicks. He makes tackles and recovers fumbles.

Little wonder, then, he needed but three games to garner U.S. Army Ironman of the Week honors. McKinney, who collected the hardware following his performance in Friday's 61-34 devenomization of the Tennessee Valley Vipers, became the first Firecat to receive the honor since Chris Morant and Steve Gorrie shared it late in the 2004 season.

"We knew how versatile McKinney was bringing him in," Florida coach Kevin Bouis said. "We knew he brought all those different facets to the game."

In fact, everyone who follows the game knew it. McKinney has been a star in af2 since 2004, when he broke into the league with the Cape Fear Wildcats. He followed the franchise to South Georgia the following year, and he spent the last two seasons there, earning second team all-conference honors last year.

But McKinney hasn't been used in so many capacities, he said, since his rookie year in the league. Last year, for instance, he saw no time on defense.

"I kind of enjoy having more roles," McKinney said. "I feel like I'm a bigger part of the team."

McKinney is the No. 3 receiver for Florida -- joining established stars Magic Benton and Ethenic Sands in the starting lineup -- and he has seen significant action at linebacker. He also returns kicks, stepping in for the injured Brittany Tellis as a home-run threat on kickoffs.

Against Tennessee Valley, McKinney returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 57-yard score. He said he and Levi Brown, the other deep man, had a conversation right before the half, and Brown told McKinney to follow him to the end zone.

It worked.

"I just didn't want to get caught by the kicker," McKinney said, recalling the play that set the tone for a big second half, with Florida scoring 34 points after intermission.

In addition to the kickoff return, McKinney also scored against the Vipers on a 23-yard fumble return, as well as two touchdown receptions from buddy Chris Wallace. He has now scored six touchdowns this year, more than any Firecat other than Sands, who has nine.