Tag: paxton brooks

Paxton Brooks named Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week

Paxton Brooks named Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week.

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee junior punter Paxton Brooks had six punts for 283 yards in the Vols’, 44-21, loss at Georgia last week.

Brooks had three punts that went inside Georgia’s 20-yard line and two that were at least 50-yards. His longest punt went 55-yards.

Following his performance against Georgia, Brooks has been named as the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week. His award is for Week 6 of the 2020 college football season.

The 6-foot-6, 195-pound junior is from Airport High School in Lexington, South Carolina.

KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 03, 2020 – Punter Paxton Brooks #37 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee’s specialists unit will be ‘very competitive in each position’

Tennessee’s specialists unit will be very competitive in each position.

KNOXVILLE — Brent Cimaglia returns for his senior season at Tennessee.

Cimaglia has appeared in 29 games for the Vols, totaling 129 points in his career and connecting on 41 field goals and 69 extra points.

Tennessee’s special teams unit provides quality depth with redshirt junior punter Joe Doyle electing to return after entering the transfer portal in January. The unit adds redshirt senior punter and holder Brett Graham. Graham is a graduate transfer from UConn.

KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 03, 2020 – Punter Paxton Brooks #37 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Junior punter and kicker Paxton Brooks also returns after appearing in 25 contests over the last two seasons for Tennessee.

“I think overall the specialist unit, it’s going to be a good year for us,” Cimaglia told reporters on a Zoom call Friday. “We have Paxton Brooks returning – he’s a great punter and kick off specialist. We have Joe who brings a good morale to the group. We also have Brett Graham that transferred in and he’s a good character to have.

“It’s going to be very competitive in each position, even with long snappers. We’re all kind of an older bunch, but with the long snappers, there are a bunch of young guys stepping in and I’m very confident that they’re going to get their job done. I’m excited to what this unit holds for us.”

Freshman long snapper Will Albright joins the Vols’ program after signing with Tennessee in the 2020 recruiting class. Sophomore Matthew Salansky rounds out the long snapper group as a walk-on.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

2020 UT football player card: Paxton Brooks

2020 UT football player card: Paxton Brooks

Paxton Brooks, punter (No. 37)

Class: Junior

Height: 6-6

Weight: 194

Hometown: Lexington, South Carolina

High School: Airport

Brooks took command of Tennessee’s punting duties in 2019. He punted 30 times with an average of 42 yards, and 11 landed inside the 20. Also, handling kickoff duties, Brooks’ perfectly executed onside kick helped the Vols to a dramatic comeback victory over Indiana in the Gator Bowl.

2020 should see another season with Brooks in full command of Tennessee’s punting and kickoffs.

2020 Tennessee football schedule

  • Sept. 5 vs. Charlotte (Knoxville)
  • Sept. 12 at Oklahoma (Norman)
  • Sept. 19 vs. Furman (Knoxville)
  • Sept. 26 vs. Florida (Knoxville)
  • Oct. 3 vs. Missouri (Knoxville)
  • Oct. 10 at South Carolina (Columbia)
  • Oct. 17 OPEN DATE
  • Oct. 24 vs. Alabama (Knoxville)
  • Oct. 31 at Arkansas (Fayetteville)
  • Nov. 7 vs. Kentucky (Knoxville)
  • Nov. 14 at Georgia (Athens)
  • Nov. 21 vs. Troy (Knoxville)
  • Nov. 28 at Vanderbilt (Nashville)

A way-too-early preview of Tennessee’s 2020 special teams unit

2020 Tennessee football.

Throughout the offseason, Vols Wire has looked into every position group’s future in 2020 on Tennessee’s offense and defense.

Last but not least, is the special teams unit. Currently the only position group without a coach, it is still expected to serve as a strength for Tennessee in 2020.

Brent Cimaglia will take over placekicking duties for Tennessee for his senior season, and returns as one of the best kickers in the SEC.

A member of the All-SEC second team, Cimaglia converted on 23 of his 27 field goal attempts with a long of 53, and was perfect on all 35 extra point attempts. A possible candidate for the Lou Groza Award, Tennessee will be confident any time it trots out its kicker for a potential game-winning field goal.

At punter, expect rising junior Paxton Brooks to start with no reason to look over his shoulder after the transfer of Joe Doyle in the offseason. Brooks could help on kickoff duties as well, and was a huge part of Tennessee’s comeback win over Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with a perfectly executed onside kick.

In 2019, Brooks punted 30 times for an average of 42 yards and a long of 59, while pinning teams inside the 20 11 times. For a school such as Tennessee with great tradition at the punter position, this unit is in good hands.

Who Tennessee deploys to return kicks and punts will be the most interesting facet of this position group in 2020. Outgoing wide receiver Marquez Callaway was a staple for Tennessee as a punt returner, and often gave the Vols a spark in that spot with his sure hands. Rising sophomore running back Eric Gray got some looks as a punt returner in 2019, and could very well take over what might be a wide open competition throughout spring and fall camp. Jeremy Pruitt has made it no secret that he prefers to have his best players put in a position to make an impact on special teams.

At kick returner, senior running back Ty Chandler returns with the most experience, although Tennessee did not bring the ball out much in 2019. Chandler has just one career kick returned for a touchdown (2017).

USC transfer Velus Jones Jr. could be a possibility here with his straight-line speed, but it will likely be another position with an open competition before the 2020 opener against Charlotte.

UT News: November 27, 2019

UT News: November 27, 2019

We have reached the middle of the week — and also the day before Thanksgiving — which means football is in the air, as the Volunteers gear up for their final regular-season game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Vols have been on a roll in the athletics realm, but they have also excelled in the classroom as well. Speaking of doing well, the Lady Vols basketball team continues to roll along after defeating the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions last night, and their coach had a few things to say about the hot start. The hottest of them all might be quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, but let us discuss the academic accolades first.

Record four Vols make academic all-district team

The Tennessee Volunteers have scored big in the classroom, with four football players earning CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honors — the most among Power 5 programs.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy, redshirt junior offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, junior defensive lineman Matthew Butler and sophomore punter/kicker Paxton Brooks were selected by CoSIDA in District 3 this month for their combined excellence both in athletics and academics. The four are also eligible for Academic All-American honors as well.

Johnson received his second consecutive selection — only the third Vol ever to earn the feat, with Parker Henry and Peyton Manning being the only other two. Overall, Tennessee now has 32 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

NEXT: Coach Harper breaks the Lady Vols down

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

UT football sets school record with four Vols named to CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team

UT football sets school record with four Vols named to CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team.

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee football team set a school record with four Vols being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team.

UT press release:

The Tennessee football team set a school record with four Vols collecting CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honors this fall, the most of any Power 5 program.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy, redshirt junior offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, junior defensive lineman Matthew Butler and sophomore punter/kicker Paxton Brooks were selected for the honor in District 3 by CoSIDA this month. The award recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Tennessee’s quartet is eligible to be named Academic All-Americans this season, as well.

Johnson was selected to the All-District First Team for the second straight season, making him only the third Vol ever to receive the honor in back-to-back years, joining holder Parker Henry (2016-17) and quarterback Peyton Manning (1996-97). Kicker Daniel Lincoln also won the award twice, but not in consecutive seasons (2007, 2009).

Overall, Tennessee now has 32 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

Tennessee’s previous school-record for most All-District winners was three in 2016. The Academic All-District Team has been recognized since at least 1956.

Brooks, who holds a 3.98 GPA and is majoring in Kinesiology, was selected for the First Team as a specialist.

Kennedy holds a 3.84 GPA while working on his master’s degree in sports psychology and motor behavior. He is set to graduate in December and will have a sixth year of eligibility remaining. Kennedy earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation and sports management from Alabama in three years before transferring to Tennessee.

Kennedy is the Vols’ starting center and is the only Vol to start every game on the offensive line. He captured SEC Offensive Line of the Week honors following a dominant performance against South Carolina in October and has paved the way for UT’s offensive success with four different players lining up at quarterback this fall.

Johnson is an All-District First Team honoree for a second consecutive season. He has a 3.88 GPA while working on his master’s in structural engineering after graduating in three years with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Johnson has appeared in every game this season while making three starts at guard. He was also chosen to be in this year’s VOLeaders Academy class.

Butler holds a 3.64 GPA and is majoring in political science. He is a member of the VOLeaders Academy and traveled to Rwanda this summer as part of community service and educational trip with the program.

Student-athletes eligible for Academic All-District status are those holding a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale). Nominees must also have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and have completed at least one calendar year at the institution.