IMPACT ANALYSIS: Tennessee adds depth, option for future in Aussie punter

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel went down under Friday evening – or Saturday morning, Australian time – to gain the commit of punter Jackson Ross.

The special teamer will be an added depth option to the specialist room for the 2022 season and will be in line to contend for the starting job next fall following the graduation of Paxton Brooks. Ross, who is 22-years-old, will have four years of eligibility and plans to arrive on campus sometime this summer.

“I basically joined a program called ProKick [Australia] about 8-9 months ago and was just trying to work on my craft in punting,” Jackson told Volquest after the commitment. “Pretty much the first school I got put towards was Tennessee. I didn’t really have a hard decision to make because it’s one of the best schools you can possibility get, straight-away.

“I’ve been talking to coach [Mike] Ekeler for a little bit now. It’s good to finally get it all sorted.”

Here’s a detailed look at what Ross’s commitment means for Tennessee.

“Tennessee has recruited a great player in Jackson Ross. It’s been an absolute pleasure dealing with Tennessee. Josh [Heupel] is a great man. They are great coaches and special men. They are building something special there and it’s great to see.

Some guys come in with high expectations with how they will perform within our program and develop. We always had high expectations of Ross. We put great demands on the players. That’s what you get from him - he’s a professional. He’s a great guy and great teammate who has a great sense of humor. He displays a great work ethic and has great expectations for himself. Going to Tennessee, he will step into those expectations and rise.

It will be great environment with Paxton [Brooks] there, as well. It will be great competition and they will respect and assist each other in the process. They will get better. Jackson will use all of his time and never stop learning. That’s his expectation. He has great character and was a pleasure to work with.

Jackson won’t be surprised by anything - Mike Ekeler will be his coach, and it was a joy to deal with him as well. I know Jackson will hit the ground running from day one. That’s the expectations for him. The fans will love him. The punting position at Tennessee is an incredible legacy. It produces consistently great specialists and I’m excited to see him there.”

-- Johnny Smith, Prokick Australia Co-Founder & Kicking Coach

Jackson Ross will hit American soil after coming through the prestigious ProKick Australia organization. The program’s objective is to educate Australian athletes on kicking an American football and to position them towards a future at American colleges and ultimately, the NFL and other professional leagues.

Some notable alumni to come through the program include Vikings punter Jordan Berry, Eagles punter Arryn Siposs, Ohio State punter Jesse Micro, Utah punter Cameron Peasley and many more.

Ross has power behind his punts and is skilled in both the native rugby style of kicking, as well as the traditional drop-kick. Having the ability to perform well in both techniques was something Power 5 coaches liked when evaluating the newcomer.

“I really do like mixing it up. Spiraling can be kind of repetitive, so I like mixing it up by rolling out,” Ross said of his punting style. “That’s sort of what we did growing up, so that comes natural to me. But I’m happy doing all sorts of different kicks and mixing it up.”

An avid rugby player, Tennessee’s new specialist is tough and has experience taking on hits and tackling. This is important for kickers as they act as safeties on both punt and kickoff teams. Ross should get some looks at performing kickoff duties in the future, as well as holding duties on field goal team.

It gives Tennessee added depth at the punter position right away. Paxton Brooks is your starter and that’s not going to change, but this is his final year in the program. Tennessee brought in walk-on Colby Morgan of Oneida last offseason, so the Vols sport three punters on the roster heading into the fall.

Looking at the room as a whole, Brooks and Chase McGrath are gone after the 2022 season, Toby Wilson has a COVID-year in 2023 if needed and long-snapper Matthew Salansky is entering his redshirt junior season. Kicker JT Carver is also on the roster.

As Tennessee’s new addition becomes more equipped to the sport, he’ll have every opportunity to earn the starting punting job in 2023 and to lead a new-look specialist group. Especially with his ability to kick in different techniques, the Vols have a weapon in the making that could flip the field of battle on any given Saturday.

“I started watching college football last season once I joined Pro Kick because I needed to get my eyes wrapped around the sport,” Ross said. “My Twitter is full of Tennessee stuff now because of searching the school so much and trying to learn more about the players and what Neyland [Stadium] has to offer.

“Just kind of seeing it, it is up-and-coming big-time with coach Heupel and putting the school in a good spot. There’s so much heritage to that’s school and to be a part of such an awesome school in Knoxville will be great. It has so much to offer and looks like a great bunch of people to be a part of.”