Positional preview: The Kicking Game

Josh Heupel gets some peace with the kicking game as Tennessee returns veteran punter and kickoff specialist Paxton Brooks. The senior averaged 43.6 yards a punt in 2020 and 67.6% of his kickoffs were touchbacks a season ago.

Velus Jones returns in the kickoff return game where he averaged 22 yards a return last season with a long of 40 yards.

At placekicker, walk-on Toby Wilson is back. Wilson was 7-8 last year in the final two games on PAT attempts.

Tennessee is not returning anyone from last years squad who has attempted a field goal and no one who has returned a punt.

WHO'S NEW

Let’s start at placekicker where the biggest question is which is why the previous staff took transfer Chase McGrath from Southern Cal. The transfer is 32-42 on field goals in his career including 2-4 from 50+ yards.

Joining McGrath in the newcomer department is JT Carver from Martin, Tennessee. Carver had a highly decorated high school career, has a strong leg and was here in spring practice to compete with McGrath.

In terms of the punt return game, it’s an open audition for that position when fall camp starts.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Column 1	Column 2

56%	Tennessee’s field goal percentage made a year ago as Brent Cimaglia went 5 for 9 before transferring
5	Total number of kickoff returns by opponents last season as Paxton Brooks had 25 touchbacks
398	Return yards by speedster Velus Jones on 18 returns (22 yard average)

GREATEST STRENGTH

Experience. Paxton Brooks has more than proven he can handle life in the SEC. Brooks recently was tabbed 2nd team pre-season all-SEC at media days in Hoover. Brooks returning is a nice luxury.

Velus Jones and transfer Javonta Payton both have experience in returning kicks in the SEC

McGrath may not have kicked in the SEC, but he’s kicked on the big stages in the Pac-12 and has done so successfully.

Tennessee experience kicking the ball and in the kickoff return game is very good for 2021.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

Heupel doesn’t have an answer in the punt return game and will try anyone and everyone in fall camp. The other question is coverage units in a new system. Tennessee’s coverage teams the last few years have been solid and featured a lot of starters. How Heupel handles his coverage teams this fall is a bit unknown, but you can expect some starters. At Central Florida, Heupel’s coverage teams gave up a 54 yard punt return and a 75 yard kickoff return last season.