One of the most important transfer portal additions that Josh Heupel needs to make this fall is a reliable place kicker who can drill kicks in big moments. Had the Vols had this last fall, they arguably would have won 10 or maybe even 11 games last fall. Sure, this Tennessee team had a lot of holes, but when you are in a position to win games and are missing big kicks, that really stings.
5 early Transfer Portal targets emerging for Tennessee football
Overall, during Max Gilbert's tenure, he was pretty reliable. But at the end of the day, the constant missing of big kicks will forever haunt him and his time in Knoxville. Had Gilbert especially made the kick against the eventual SEC champions, Georgia, maybe the Vols' 2025 season could have played out much differently.
It looks as if Gilbert wont be going far, as he just committed to Arkansas and will have an opportunity for revenge on the Vols next October.
BREAKING: Tennessee transfer kicker Max Gilbert has signed with Arkansas, @PeteNakos reports🐗https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR https://t.co/CvUNfq0nAZ pic.twitter.com/yyq6sQ6XpV
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 4, 2026
Max Gilbert is off to Arkansas
Gilbert ends his time in Knoxville making 34/45 kicks. He was 5/9 from 50+ yards and had a career-long of 53. Gilbert ending up at a school on Tennessee's schedule may have been on purpose, as he knows he can prove Vols fans wrong about him and possibly hit a game-winner versus Tennessee.
Tennessee fans should be happy for Gilbert, as he was never a bad teammate, and he truly loved being a Vol. He dropped a heartfelt message about Tennessee on social media when he entered the portal.
Thank you Vol Nation! 🧡 Will forever cherish and love the people and the place! pic.twitter.com/1FkKSfmDoO
— Max Gilbert (@maxgilbs7) January 2, 2026
It remains unclear who Josh Heupel will target to replace Gilbert. The Vols didn't sign a kicker in the 2026 recruiting class, so they will likely go in the portal and find someone. There are plenty of veteran options, so the Vols shouldn't have much trouble finding a solid and reliable option.
So far, Tennessee has just one transfer portal commitment, but it is still very early in the process. The Vols have plenty of talent visiting this week, so we should see some more movement soon.
When it’s all said and done, this roster is going to look completely different next fall, and it starts with finding a kicker the staff can truly trust.