Tennessee football is in good enough shape with Joe Doyle as a punter. But Brent Cimaglia had a breakout year as a place-kicker, and that’s always a big advantage for a team. As a result, the Vols have a major weapon here, one who has already surpassed what Aaron Medley was able to do simply because he can hit beyond 40.
For the year, Cimaglia finished 10-of-13 on field goal attempts and a perfect 31-of-31 on extra points. He was 6-of-7 on kicks within 40 yards, but that only means he was an impressive 4-of-6 on kicks beyond 40 yards.
In fact, Cimaglia was a huge reason the Vols beat the Auburn Tigers, as he hit two field goals beyond 40 yards, and he might have hit a third had it not been blocked. This all came as he was in his first full season starting.
He has already shown he has a leg, hitting a field goal beyond 50 yards as a freshman, and in two years, he’s already hit six field goals beyond 40 yards. As a result, if the offense picks up, Cimaglia could have a breakout year in 2019. With a few more close games expected, field goal kicking could become a huge deal. So don’t count out what Cimaglia might be able to deliver.