Competition Running High This Spring on Vols Special Teams
(utsports.com) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With the departure of veteran specialists Paxton Brooks and Chase McGrath and several new faces emerging this semester, the Tennessee football program has seen competition developing for the special teams unit over the course of spring practice. Special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler met with members of the media Thursday morning to provide updates on the room two days ahead of the Orange & White Game. “It was awesome to give (Jackson Ross) an opportunity to redshirt,” Ekeler said of his Australian punter. “He has a chance to be a really unique and special player, and we are excited about him. Kolby Morgan is doing a great job too. Those guys are out there competing, which is the way you want it. They are both doing an awesome job and having a lot of fun. “From a kicking standpoint, Charles Campbell came in and has been doing a nice job. (Max Gilbert) is doing well. (JT Carver) has been kicking it well. You have three guys doing a heck of a job from a kicking standpoint. You have (Bennett Brady) snapping who is pushing (Matthew Salansky) and (Alton Stephens). In year three, you should have great competition. It’s where you should be, or else I should not be standing here. That is what we have. We have great camaraderie in there. Those guys pull for each other, and we have great competition.” A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Campbell joined the Vols this spring as a graduate transfer after a four-year career at Indiana, where he converted 39-of-51 tries with a career-long make of 55 yards. With several family ties to UT, Campbell is thankful to spend his final year of collegiate eligibility on Rocky Top. “I grew up liking Tennessee,” Campbell said Thursday morning. “I’m from Jackson, Tennessee, my whole family has gone to college here, my little brother is coming here, my little sister is coming here, so for me it means so much. Representing my home state and representing my whole family too, and how they’ve been living in this home state.” Redshirt freshman Jackson Ross has emerged at the punter spot after sitting out the 2022 season. The Melbourne, Australia, product grew up playing Australian rules football and has adjusted well to the American gridiron since joining the Big Orange last fall. “It has been awesome,” Ross said. “I guess coming to a different country, adjusting to the time zone and being jet lagged for a bit was a little annoying. But once I started practicing, learning from Paxton (Brooks) and getting to know all the boys, it made the transition pretty seamless after a while to be honest. Coming into this season, it’s put me in good stead to take what I learned from last year and put that into scenarios that I am being put into training at the moment.” Spring practice culminates with the Orange & White Game on Saturday, April 15, kicking off at 2:30 p.m. inside Neyland Stadium. Premium and non-premium seating will be available for the contest. Admission is $5 for non-premium seats, and all proceeds will count as a contribution to the My All Campaign. All seats can be secured now at AllVols.com or by calling the UT Athletic Ticket Office at (865) 656-1200. All open sections of the bowl of Neyland Stadium will be general admission seating.
