KNOXVILLE — Tennessee’s mentality on special teams is changing, but it’s not there yet.
The Volunteers will get a close-up look at a more finished product Saturday against 16th-ranked Florida in Gainesville.
Florida won two national championships in three years with talent on offense and defense, but the Gators also had the best special-teams units in the Southeastern Conference during that span. UT’s special teams, meanwhile, had become an adventure, from poor coverage on kickoffs and punts to the inability even to field punts.
The Vols have invested much time on improving their special teams under coach Derek Dooley and coordinator Eric Russell, and while it’s paid off already in some areas, there still are some spots that require a different mindset.
“I think there’s still some areas where we haven’t quite got that mentality yet of that we can be playmakers versus just get out there and survive the down,” Russell said Wednesday. “I don’t think in certain units we’re good enough to go play with Florida and do things. In certain units, we’re going to have to be at our best to compete with Florida.