This time, Tennessee football did not get Joe Doyle back. After four years with the Vols, the punter, who entered the transfer portal back in early January, has found his new home on the other side of the state.
Doyle revealed that he would be joining the Memphis Tigers. The 6’0″ 204-pound local product of Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tenn. joined UT back in 2017 and took a redshirt that year while becoming the full-time starter at punter in 2018.
Midway through 2019, Doyle lost his starting job to Paxton Brooks, and he hasn’t gained it back since. However, he was still Tennessee football’s holder in 2020. He announced his decision to join Memphis on Twitter.
At the end of the 2019 season, Doyle had also entered the transfer portal. However, he decided to return to Rocky Top before the 2020 season began, even with Brooks and UConn Huskies transfer Brett Graham on the roster.
Before he lost his job, though, he was a rising star. In 2018, Doyle earned freshman All-American honors, averaging 41.1 yards per punt, pinning 23 of 65 punts inside the 20-yard line, and sending 12 of them 50 yards or more. Six went for touchbacks, but 23 were fair-caught.
The next year, while his average slightly went up to 41.4 yards per punt on 21 punts, Brooks took over and outperformed him, averaging 42 yards per punt. Given these facts, the real question is not why Doyle decided to transfer but why he decided to come back last year.
With Doyle gone, the Vols have lost both of their starting specialists from 2018. Place kicker Brent Cimaglia has also entered the transfer portal. However, they do have both long snappers back and may even get more help there.
Given the fact that Doyle was Cimaglia’s holder on field goal kicks, Tennessee football will have some work to do next year. The arrival of USC Trojans transfer Chase McGrath helps. At least Brooks is back for them as the punter too.