Special Teams
Field Goals
Brent Cimaglia: 19-of-21 FGs (90.5%), 26-of-26 PAT (100%), long FG of 53 yards
Tennessee’s kicking game has been one of the best in the country. Brent Cimaglia leads the SEC in field goal percentage, and his 21 makes are tied for the most in the conference. He has the 12th-best field goal percentage in the entire FBS, and he’s attempted more field goals than every other kicker ahead of him in percentage. His 53-yard make against UAB is the longest of his career.
Punting
Joe Doyle: 21 punts, 41.4 Avg., 5 punts of 50+ yards, 6 downed inside the 20
Paxton Brooks: 16 punts, 43.6 Avg., 5 punts of 50+ yards, 8 downed inside the 20, 1 blocked
The Vols haven’t been quite as consistent punting the ball this season as in year’s past, and both Joe Doyle and Paxton Brooks have had their turn with punting duties. Lately, Brooks has been punting more, and he has the better overall average than Doyle and has had more of his punts down inside the 20-yard line. But he fumbled a snap and had the punt blocked in Tennessee’s last game against Kentucky.
Kick Returns
Ty Chandler: 9 returns, 22.7 Avg.
Marquez Callaway: 2 returns, 18.5 Avg.
Tennessee hasn’t returned many kicks this season, and they’ve rarely been able to rip off long returns when they have. Ty Chandler has a long of 58 yards, but his other eight returns have averaged just 18.3 yards.
Punt Returns
Marquez Callaway: 7 returns, 141 yards, 20.1 Avg., 1 TD
Eric Gray: 2 returns, 12 yards, 6.0 Avg.
Tyler Byrd: 1 return, 16 yards, 16.0 Avg.
Daniel Bituli: recovered blocked punt for TD
Brandon Johnson: recovered blocked punt for TD
The Vols’ punt return unit has been elite this season. Marquez Callaway has returned a punt for a touchdown, doing so against South Carolina. The Vols have also blocked two punts and returned them for touchdowns this season, with Daniel Bituli doing so against South Carolina and Brandon Johnson doing so against UT-Chattanooga before deciding to redshirt this season.
