Tennessee football: Top 10 Vols kick returners in school history

Honorable Mentions

Bert Rechichar: 1949-1951

In three years with Tennessee football, Bert Rechichar was your all-around special teams guy. He was a defensive back who played punt returner, which is common, but he also tripled up as the kicker. Yes, he was that elite. As a punt returner, he averaged 14.7 yards per return for his career with 55 returns for 808 yards, and he was a crucial part of the Vols’ back to back national championships in 1950 and 1951.

Bobby Gordon: 1955-1957

A member of that elite 1956 Tennessee football team, Bobby Gordon was a great player for the Vols as a defensive back. But his exploits in the return game were a huge part of why he is remembered. A future AFL player, Gordon had a memorable game-winning punt return touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 1957 and then got the best of Heisman Trophy winner John David Crowe in the Gator Bowl that year as the Vols beat Bear Bryant and the Texas A&M Aggies 3-0.

Eddie Brown: 1971-1973

Eddie Brown became a very successful NFL safety, making two Pro Bowls. When he played for Bill Battle and Tennessee football, that was only part of what he did. Brown, who was a team captain, doubled as a punt returner. Brown returned 74 punts for 788 yards, including a 85-yard punt return against the Georgia Bulldogs and a 78-yard punt return against the Vanderbilt Commodores in 1973.

Stanley Morgan: 1973-1976

Along with Larry Seivers, Stanley Morgan was part of the precursor to Tennessee football becoming Wide Receiver U. But the future NFL Pro Bowler’s efforts as a kickoff and punt returner in four years with the Vols were as revered as his catches in the passing game. Morgan returned three punts for a touchdown in his career, averaging over nine yards a punt return, and he also returned 37 kickoffs for 763 yards.

Leonard Scott: 1999-2002

Leonard Scott was a track star who could never really translate his pure speed onto the football field as a wide receiver. However, he was still a very good kick returner for the Vols. His freshman year, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Georgia, and his sophomore year, he had a key return against the Memphis Tigers to set up the Vols’ game-winning field goal. He was always a reliable returner in four years with the Vols, which is why he gets a mention on this list.