10 Questions for 2018: Special Teams

[Snakebrown13]

#9 in the countdown - Special Teams

No one reads the special teams entry in a series like this: “We need a new punter, we get it.” But if you’re trying to spring an upset in year one? The third phase can make all the difference......

:shades:

 

[Boca Vol]

Trevor Daniel was a helluva punter. He will be missed.

 

[chuckb1448]

For sure! T.D. was great, sad part was that we didn't have a defense to stop em once he pinned the other team into a corner

 

[Manning Up]

Trevor Daniel was a helluva punter. He will be missed.

One of the few real weapons the team had.

 

[87&91ALUM]

#6 Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made. #4 Protect our kickers. We lost every SEC game last year with an amazing punter. I don’t have the stats in front of me but, the other aspects of our kicking game weren’t as good. Hopefully this is another area CJP is focused on.

 

[VolEngineer]

Cimaglia seemed to do pretty well last year for his first action and I think he can improve. He definitely has the leg and with that 50 something harder at florida he was pretty accurate for a true freshman.

I know nothing about the two punters we have, but hopefully the offense and defense can pull their weight so that it doesn't all fall on them like it has with Daniel.

On punt return, I think Calloway is a very good choice, but I wouldn't mind seeing Jennings get a couple to give him a chance to show his athleticism on some plays.

For kick returner, if Chandler is the primary back I doubt we'll see him on kick return too, but I may be wrong. Tim Jordan also could be an option and in my opinion has the ability to make some plays here.

 

[livefaith]

Cimaglia seemed to do pretty well last year for his first action and I think he can improve. He definitely has the leg and with that 50 something harder at florida he was pretty accurate for a true freshman.

I know nothing about the two punters we have, but hopefully the offense and defense can pull their weight so that it doesn't all fall on them like it has with Daniel.

On punt return, I think Calloway is a very good choice, but I wouldn't mind seeing Jennings get a couple to give him a chance to show his athleticism on some plays.

For kick returner, if Chandler is the primary back I doubt we'll see him on kick return too, but I may be wrong. Tim Jordan also could be an option and in my opinion has the ability to make some plays here.

Didn't we just land that SC athlete who is supposed to be a good returner? I like seeing those young guys get a shot. Although Chandler looks pretty good at KR and Calloway at PR.

 

[VolEngineer]

Didn't we just land that SC athlete who is supposed to be a good returner? I like seeing those young guys get a shot. Although Chandler looks pretty good at KR and Calloway at PR.

Oh yeah I forgot about him. If he's ready he could be explosive if Chandler doesn't return.

 

[Go Fight Win]

Yeah I want Bryce Thompson returning punts. That guy is electric

 

[dcm3w]

Yeah I want Bryce Thompson returning punts. That guy is electric

Good. Not saying he won't crack the starting line up but I would rather have our return man as a non-starter unless he is too good such as Patterson, Kamara, and Sutton.

 

[dcm3w]

Also, we should get Byrd involved since he seems to be behind in the rotation.

 

[Special Ed]

Oddly enough, I know nothing about special teams.

 

[Orange defense]

> Paxton Brooks (247Sports Composite: No. 8 kicker).
From a scholarship standpoint, Brooks is the only kicking/punting addition in Tennessee's 2018 class, and it's up to him to continue the Vols' well-earned Punter U. moniker.
The 6-foot-5, 170-pounder from South Carolina signed with the Vols in January and enrolled in January, so he's already on campus and will go through spring practice as he tries to win the punting job and replace Daniel.

Paxton Brooks (Photo: paxtonbrooks.com)
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And as the only scholarship punter on the roster, frankly Brooks will be expected to beat out in-state walk-ons Joe Doyle (Farragut HS in Knoxville) and Grayson Linde (Ravenwood HS in Brentwood) for the job.
Brooks also could factor into the placekicking battle, according to special teams coordinator Charles Kelly.
“I’ll tell you what: He is a big, tall young man, and, he was a punter and kicker in high school,” Kelly said last month. “Guys that can do both are very important. Like any other position, the more multiple you are, the better. We feel like he’s got a chance to be a very good punter.
“He averaged 41.8 yards a punt in high school, and I can tell you right now, that will change field position in a hurry. He was also 9-of-11 on field goals, and was very good on PAT. We’re excited about him.
"He’s in the weight room right now. He’s getting bigger, he’s getting stronger, but any time you get those big, tall guys like that, they can generate that torque. We look forward to watching him.”

WHO COULD STEP UP
There obviously are other places on Tennessee's roster worth monitoring and worrying about this offseason, but the kicking and punting competitions can't be forgotten this offseason.
Joe Doyle (Photo: Wes Rucker, 247Sports)
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The Vols already have added to the kicking battle by adding Michigan graduate transfer Ryan Tice, who handled some of the kicking duties for the Wolverines in 2016 before not playing last season, as a walk-on with two years of eligibility.
Joining Cimaglia and Tice (and perhaps Brooks) in the kicking battle is walk-on Laszlo Tozer, a walk-on from Chattanooga who is the only other placekicker currently listed on the spring roster on Tennessee's official website.
Doyle was the only punter selected for both the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-American Game in 2017, so he could be the biggest challenger to Brooks for the punting job.
Cimaglia and Brooks feel like the favorites to win both jobs. Unless he's the second coming of Alabama's JK Scott, Brooks will have some ups and downs as a freshman if he wins the job. For Cimaglia, he'll have to show more consistency and better accuracy from long range to shore up the most wobbly part of Tennessee's special teams the past couple of years.

(ENJOY VIP ACCESS TO GOVOLS247 WITH A FREE SEVEN-DAY TRIAL)
PRESSING QUESTION
Will Tennessee remain solidly reliable in special teams under its new staff?
Butch Jones did a lot of things wrong during his tenure as Tennessee's coach, but one thing he undeniably did right was improve the special teams for the Vols.
You used to go into games fearing Tennessee would give up a back-breaking return touchdown or make a game-swinging mistake in the kicking-game phase of the game, but under Jones it felt more likely the Vols would make a big play on special teams or at worst not lose that phase of the game.
Michael Palardy and Matt Darr enjoyed senior-season renaissances under Jones and Daniel developed into a real weapon, and Tennessee became solid with their coverage units and dangerous in the return game, particularly in 2015 when it had Evan Berry back deep on kicks and Cameron Sutton and Alvin Kamara fielding punts.

Charles Kelly (Photo: Danny Parker, 247Sports)
Jones's staff had special teams coordinators, but the different units were split up between the non-coordinator assistant coaches, and the approach worked because the Vols dedicated so much time in every practice to special teams drills and reps.
So while many understandably are focusing on how the schematic changes for Tennessee's new staff will effect the offense and defense, there's a standard they will have to maintain on special teams, though having to replace Daniel, Berry moving on and the depth on the roster would make a slight drop-off on special teams in 2018 not entirely surprising.
Kelly was in charge of Georgia Tech's special teams in 2006 and 2007 and had coordinator responsibilities at Florida State in 2013 before moving up into the defensive coordinator position to replace Pruitt when he left for Georgia, but it remains to be seen how the new staff will handle the third phase of the game.
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Contact Patrick Brown at patrick.brown@cbsinteractive.com or on Twitter, and follow GoVols247 on Facebook.

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[HuntlandVolinColo]

Trevor Daniel was a helluva punter. He will be missed.

We don't need a punter this season, we will be in road grader mode!

We went from first in the SEC to dead last on penalties and special teams. That needs to stop pronto!

I hope we find someone other than Chandler and Calloway for the return teams.

Too risky injury-wise for our starters to be out there.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

We don't need a punter this season, we will be in road grader mode!

We went from first in the SEC to dead last on penalties and special teams. That needs to stop pronto!

I hope we find someone other than Chandler and Calloway for the return teams.

Too risky injury-wise for our starters to be out there.

It'd be nice to see a Freshman with some jets out there. The kid that was supposed to go to USCjr comes to mind for kick returner. Maybe even Banks? (Maybe even Jordan?)

 

[87&91ALUM]

I believe Alontae Taylor returned kick offs and maybe punts for Manchester. Granted, he was running against high school teams but, he has moves, speed, and vision. Should get a look.

 

[Grudenator]

Trevor Daniel was a helluva punter. He will be missed.

Why there were 3 punters drafted and he wasn’t one of them blows my mind. He was literally better than all of them

 

[Grudenator]

I believe Alontae Taylor returned kick offs and maybe punts for Manchester. Granted, he was running against high school teams but, he has moves, speed, and vision. Should get a look.

It makes it even more impressive considering he played at coffee county. They were atrocious. I don’t know how the boy made it out of there alive, he was pretty much the only player on the team deserving of a starting job.