KNOXVILLE — Senior Britton Colquitt will “likely” resume his duties as the University of Tennessee’s punter and kickoff specialist Saturday at Georgia, Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday night.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Fulmer said. “In practice, he’s kicked the ball off well. He’s our best punter. Right now I would anticipate him doing both.”

Colquitt is generally considered one of the nation’s best punters, but off-the-field incidents have soured his collegiate career. His latest setback, a February DUI charge, resulted in a suspension for this season’s first five games.

The fourth Colquitt to punt for UT was also suspended in 2004 after a series of alcohol-related offenses.

“I’m light as a feather right now,” Colquitt said. “I couldn’t be happier right now. This whole thing has been a blessing in my life, in football and every other part of it.

“I’m just glad to be back. It was hard not being able to be out there and helping my team.”

Sophomore Chad Cunningham was inconsistent while filling in for Colquitt this season. He showed flashes but also made many mistakes, having two punts blocked and one line drive boot returned for a touchdown.

The latest gaffe was a partially-blocked punt Saturday that traveled just 10 yards.

“We had one young man that didn’t do a good job protecting, but it wouldn’t have been blocked if (Cunningham) had been behind the shield,” Fulmer said.

That same combination caused the block UCLA returned for a touchdown in September.

UT is ranked 115th out of 119 major NCAA Division I teams with a 29.04-yard net punting average.

WILSON, TAYLOR PROBABLE

Fulmer said he expected senior middle linebacker Ellix Wilson and senior receiver Lucas Taylor to play at Georgia despite nagging shoulder injuries. Both were held out Saturday for precautionary reasons.

“Right before the game, Coach (Fulmer) told me he wasn’t going to put me out there ... but he told me to keep my helmet close, just in case,” Wilson said. “It is what it is. It gave me a chance to get my shoulder right, so I just took that approach.”

VINSON DISCIPLINED AGAIN

Fulmer said sophomore cornerback Brent Vinson barely played Saturday because he was late to a Friday meeting.

Vinson, one of the highest-rated recruits in the nation two years ago, started last season as a freshman but knocked himself down the depth chart with discipline issues. He missed the season-opener at UCLA after violating the athletic department’s class attendance policy.

“He needs to be where he’s supposed to be,” Fulmer said. “It’s a constant battle.”

SPEAKING OF DISCIPLINE

Saturday could be flag day in Georgia. The Bulldogs are last nationally with 10.6 penalties per game, while the Vols are tied for 87th with seven per game.

Florida State (90) is the only major Division I team with more than Georgia’s 87.4 penalty yards per game. UT’s 59 yards per game are 84th.

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