Vols add special teams help

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley announced Wednesday that Bakersfield, Calif., punter Matt Darr has signed scholarship papers to play for the Vols this season.

Darr plans to enroll this summer in time for second semester classes and will be eligible to compete for the Vols this fall.

The 6-2, 215-pounder played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was selected to the MaxPreps All-America first team. Darr averaged 42.9 yards per punt with a career long of 71 for Frontier High School, which finished 11-2 during his senior campaign. Darr turned in 96 tackles, a team-high 79 solo, from his linebacker position. As a junior, he averaged 46.3 yards per punt with 93 tackles.

Darr also excelled in track and field, leading Frontier to the team 2009 state championship with individual titles in the shot put (62-1.25) and discus (192-0). For his combined efforts, Darr was named a finalist for the MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year.

Darr originally committed last summer to Southern California, but changed his college choice to Fresno State when Trojans head coach Pete Carroll took the same position with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Darr then reconsidered his Fresno decision when the Bulldogs' special teams coach, John Baxter, was hired by new USC coach Lane Kiffin. Darr was released from his National Letter of Intent by Fresno State and will be a freshman at UT this summer.

Tennessee begins fall camp Aug. 4.