3. The Vols do have a kicking game.
Don’t take this lightly. Special teams can be a deadly weapon, and Tennessee football has an advantage on that front in every aspect. It’s the one bright spot the Vols had last Saturday against the Georgia State Panthers and the biggest reason they were even in the game to begin with in the second half.
Brent Cimaglia, the most important part of this, is clearly a clutch kicker. He was 10-of-13 last year in his first full season starting, including four-of-six beyond 40, and he also proved in 2017 that he could kick 50-plus yarders. On Saturday, he was three-for-three, didn’t miss an extra point, and nailed a 48-yarder in addition to a 31-yarder to give the Vols a second-half lead.
So he’s clutch, accurate and has the leg. Meanwhile, Joe Doyle expected to take a major step forward this year in his second full season as a starting punter. He only punted once last Saturday, but it was a 47-yard punt that pinned Georgia State inside the 20. So he is already showing what he can do.
Finally, there’s the kickoff game. Ty Chandler averaged 24 yards a kickoff return, and Marquez Callaway had a 30-yard punt return. Meanwhile, Paxton Brooks sends every kickoff deep and never lets anybody take the field past the 25. So the Vols have no weaknesses on this front, and in a close game, that should turn into a huge advantage. It’s one positive to look at.