Tennessee Vols have a secret weapon in 2023 that could cause opponents some headaches
The Tennessee Vols have a secret weapon in 2023 that could create some headaches for opponents. And it involves Vols redshirt freshman punter Jackson Ross. Ross, a native of Australia, is a former tennis player who was described by outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler on Saturday as a "phenomenal athlete" Ekeler also noted […]
The Tennessee Vols have a secret weapon in 2023 that could create some headaches for opponents.
And it involves Vols redshirt freshman punter Jackson Ross.
Ross, a native of Australia, is a former tennis player who was described by outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler on Saturday as a "phenomenal athlete"
Ekeler also noted that Ross claims to have the third-strongest arm on the team, behind redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton and true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
"Rossy is a special dude, and I think he is extremely comfortable," said Ekeler on Saturday. "And he works his tail off. The guy is a pro….The guy is a phenomenal athlete. This summer, he goes and runs (the 40 yard dash). We time him, he's in the 4.5's. I kid you not. I think he could be a starting wide receiver for us — he is that athletic. He might look like an accountant or something, but the guy is uber-athletic. He claims he has the third-strongest arm on this team behind Joe and Nico. For me, the guy who signs my paychecks, I am going to say the fourth (best arm) behind Heup, also. The guy can sling it."
"So, he is pretty special," added Ekeler. "He has a great disposition, but he has a pro mentality. And he was, you have to remember, he was a pro (in) Australian rules football for three years, so he's got that type of mentality. I absolutely love the guy."
(Ross claimed on Saturday, by the way, that he has a stronger arm than Josh Heupel currently does.)
Having a punter as athletic as Ross gives the Vols some interesting punt fake options. Because let's be honest — most punters look like they're moving in slow motion. And I haven't seen many punters that can launch the ball 40 or 50 yards down the field.
Tennessee would be foolish to not utilize Ross' athletic abilities. Obviously, the Vols can't break out fake punts every game. But they can pick and choose their spots to use Ross' arm and or/speed to steal a first down after a drive stalls.
At the very least, the fact that Ross' athletic abilities are public knowledge will force teams to prepare for a fake on every punt, which will make Tennessee's job of covering returns a bit easier.
Tennessee loves having multiple options in every situation that they can use to exploit the opposition's weakness. Ross' ability to run faster than some NFL skill position players, combined with his strong arm, certainly gives Heupel and his staff some unique options in fourth down situations.
Tennessee has a future defensive superstar on its roster and he’ll soon be a household name
The Tennessee Vols have a future defensive superstar on their roster and he’ll soon be a household name
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
