Perhaps no position in all of college football is more pressure-packed than place kicker. A single kick can make or break both a game and a season, and a successful kicker has to have ice water in his veins and a very short memory. Fortunately for the Tennessee Vols, it appears they have that in 2026 with Louisville transfer Cooper Ranvier.

Ranvier came to Knoxville this offseason to replace Max Gilbert, who transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks in January. On Friday, the Tennessee kicker met with the media, and he offered a fascinating explanation of his process for handling missed kicks.

According to Ranvier, after a missed kick, he looks for a piece of garbage on the field as he jogs off. He picks it up and discards it, a symbolic gesture of taking that missed kick and throwing it away so he can move on.

“I try to find debris on the field, throw it in the trash, and that’s kind of like my mental reset,” Ranvier said. “Just take a deep breath. Not the end of the world. Just go make the next one.”

That’s a great approach, and despite the cool approach to the position, the former high school receiver has a competitive edge to him on the field, per his position coach.

“Cooper, maybe on the surface level might come across as pretty quiet,” Tennessee special teams coordinator Evan Crabtree said. “He’s a respectful dude, good guy. He has a competitive edge to him, and he has a confidence to him that probably shows up more on the field. He played receiver in high school. He’s kind of that football players that kicks, rather than just a kicker. I think he enjoys that, that personality that he has with it and with that position. He has fun with it. Super serious, and takes it super seriously with his technique, but when it comes to the game, he enjoys those football moments. That’s why he’s here.”

The Vols know the cost of a missed kick

Last season, Tennessee’s fortunes turned for the worse in their biggest home game of the year against Georgia. Gilbert’s 43-yard attempt with seven seconds left sailed wide right, a kick that would have given Tennessee its first win over the Bulldogs in almost a decade. Georgia went on to win 44-41 in overtime, and by the end of the season, it certainly felt like Gilbert needed a fresh start.

Ranvier, to his credit, didn’t miss many in 2025 for Louisville. He made 21 of 25 field goals and was 19-20 from inside 50 yards.

We’ll find out soon enough if Ranvier can deliver in those clutch situations, with Tennessee’s opening game against Furman just two weeks away.