Special Teams
Place-Kicking: A
Brent Cimaglia just added to his elite play on the year with a 34-yard field goal to make himself eight-for-eight. Meanwhile, he made every extra point. Paxton Brooks was also superb on kickoffs. So there were no fireworks at this position on the day, but they all did what they had to do, so you can’t ask for anything more.
Punting: A-
Tennessee football remains Punter U with two guys. Joe Doyle had a 55-yard punt on his only boot of the day, and then Brooks came in to nail a 59-yard punt. Doyle’s punt was 55 yards in the air, but the only reason this unit gets an A- is because he committed a personal foul on that play with an unnecessary late hit. Yes, a personal foul by a punter keeps punting from being perfect on the day. How often does that happen?
Return Game: A+
Is there any question as to how elite this unit was? Ty Chandler set the tone early with a 58-yard kickoff return to set up the Vols’ first touchdown. Following that up, though, the Vols blocked a punt, which Brandon Johnson ran into the end zone for a touchdown. Tyler Byrd also had a 16-yard punt return. Let’s say no more. The return game was perfect for the day.
Overall Special Teams Grade: A
It wasn’t crucial to the day, but UT’s special teams was once again elite, and it deserves a shoutout. All three phases were solid, so the Vols still look like a program that could use special teams as a major advantage this year if they just get other things corrected.