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Tennessee

Tennessee football 2025 -- Special Teams

On3 imageby: Brent Hubbs07/27/25Brent_Hubbs
KNOXVILLE, TN - 2023.04.06 - Spring Scrimmage
KNOXVILLE, TN - April 06, 2023 - Long snapper Matthew Salansky #47, Punter Jackson Ross #98 and Place kicker Charles Campbell #97 of the Tennessee Volunteers during spring scrimmage at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

A season ago, Tennessee’s kicking game was solid on all fronts. The Vols had too many penalties, but they also had too many in the other two phases of the game as well.

The Vols have been good on special teams since Josh Heupel’s arrival as they were led by Mike Ekeler. Ekeler left for Nebraska. Heupel promoted Evan Crabtree into the special teams coordinator role. Crabtree worked closely with Ekeler for the last three seasons. 

Heupel also brought in special teams veteran John Bonamego in as the assistant special teams coach. 

As we continue with our positional preview, we look at the Vols kicking game.

Last season

Punter Jackson Ross was outstanding averaging right at 44 yards a punt. Ross had 10 punts over 50 yards. He had 21 punts inside the 20 and 15 were fair caught.

Tennessee’s opponents averaged just over 6 yards a return and had just 115 yards all season and 30 of that came on one return.

For the Vols, Boo Carter was electric as a punt returner averaging 16.5 yards a return while Squirrel White averaged 16. 

Max Gilbert had a quick little mid-season mini-slum, but Gibert was really good all year. Gilbert finished 20 for 26. He was 13 of 14 inside 40 yards and between 40 and 50 yards Gilbert went 4 for 6. In his first year as the Vols kicker, Gilbert performed well. 

Josh Turbyville had 68 touchbacks on 82 kicks. The kickoff team gave up one bad return as Vanderbilt took the opening kickoff to the end zone. 

The room

Jackson Ross
Josh Turbyville 
Max Gilbert
Grady Dangerfield

The outlook

Tennessee is set with the specialist as Ross, Turbyville and Gilbert return. There is no depth behind them which means Turbyville is of big time importance as he can handle all three jobs. 

Ross returns as Gilbert’s holder. Tennessee is replacing long snapper Matthew Salansky who was terrific. Bennett Brady has snapped some and has been waiting his turn to be the guy and that turn is now. 

In the return game, Boo Carter, if he’s a part of the team, is one of the my dynamic returners in the country. If Carter is to a factor then where Tennessee would go on the roster is unknown right now. 

The kickoff return game seems to be pretty pointless as Heupel is content to fair catch kickoffs to start at his own 25. 

Inside the numbers

16.5Boo Carter’s punt return average. Carter had 12 returns for 198 yards 
21Number of Jackson Ross’ punts that need inside the 20 yard line
85%Max Gilbert’s average inside 50 yards as Gilbert went 17-20 from less than 50 yards.

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