Watch: Mike Ekeler talks special teams after Saturday's Tennessee football practice

What special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler said during his press conference after Tennessee football’s practice Saturday morning at the Anderson Training Center:

On Tennessee punter Jackson Ross

“He’s got a pro mentality and he was, I mean, you have to remember he was a pro Australian rules football (player) for three years. So he’s got that type of mentality and absolutely love the guy. 

What he’s seen from Tennessee punt returner Dee Williams so far this year, compared to last year

“He is confident, he understands his role. He’s gonna (have) an opportunity to be the best return guy in the country and he’s earned that. And he’s got the instinct, he’s got the ability, and it’s like an offense when you’ve got a great running back, your offensive line blocks a little bit harder. They know all they gotta do is just give you a crease. And that’s what those guys understand on our return units. All they gotta do is let them get it started and you’ll do the rest. I mean the guys, he’s a real one, but we got a bunch of them too now. Squirrel (White), he’s real, you know, Cam Seldon, he’s real, (Dylan) Sampson, he’s real.”

How close they are to settling on kickoff returners

“We’ve got about four or five guys we’re working, returner and off returner in that role. So we feel good about that. We got Cam (Camden Seldon), we got Sam (Dylan Sampson), we got Will Wright back there working. We got some guys that we feel confident with. But from the freshmen standpoint, one of the really cool things, if you look back since the time we’ve gotten here, we’ve taken freshmen and we’ve put them out there and we’ve played them on special teams from the jump and developed them and got them game reps right there. Got them acclimated. So when they go in on offense, they go in on defense, they’re like, hey, no big deal. They’re already, they’re already ready to rock and roll. And that’s, that’s kind of how we look at as a staff from a special team standpoint.”

“We developed those gaps. And so to answer your question, we got a bunch of true freshmen, a bunch of those DB receivers, I mean like shoot Ethan Davis tight end, you got John Slaughter, you got (Rickey) Gibson, you got (Jordan) Matthews. I mean we got some guys who are doing some great things. Caleb Herring out there, rock and rolling on a couple units. I mean, so it’s really cool. We love our freshmen, love their mentality. They love the game and they’re only gonna get better.”

If it’s easy to sell Tennessee freshmen on trying to make early impacts on special teams

“I’ll go back three years here. Getting our best players sitting in front of meetings in special teams. They may not all play on special teams because they don’t come off the field on offense or defense, but those guys are knee deep in it. So when these freshmen come in, who do they look up to? They look up to those guys, right? Our team leaders are the ones, freaking dudes in there, busting tail. All these guys are out there. And so I don’t have to say a word. Those guys it’s the way it should be. So we walk in that meeting room and it’s like a damn cult man. I’ll say one word and 85 guys in unison will finish it for me. And that’s how we train. And so it’s, they get in there, they feel it. So it is pretty cool. I enjoy it.”

Tennessee punt returner Dee Williams

The key to being an effective punt returner

“Really just lock in on your keys every day and just going out there and focusing on the small things first. That’s all that matters. It can get scary back there sometimes, but it is just all like having confidence in yourself and depending on your teammates to protect you whenever you get the ball.”

How to improve as a punt returner in practice

“Really it’s just all about awareness and locating the ball. Sometimes you’ll get in certain positions to where, when you’re in between, taking a chance of running with the ball or fair catching it. So I just go back there and just take a deep breath and just do my job and try not to panic in certain (situations).”

Tennessee punter Jackson Ross

Playing in front of big crowds in Australia and how that prepares him for the SEC

“Yeah, Australia gets some big crowds. I mean our grand final, which is like your Super Bowl, gets about 100,00. But I played in some like smaller sort of 20,000 stuff. So I mean ‘Ek’ (Mike Ekeler) probably sound a bit short, but this will be crazy playing in Neyland for the first time actually being out there on the field and doing my thing will be awesome and I can’t wait. I’m gonna soak up the atmosphere when I get out there.”

The confidence Mike Ekeler has in him, being more comfortable going into this season

“I’m really confident now going into this season. I think being here last season, just sort of take your back seat was huge for me to learn about the game, understand (punting). And it’s been great transitioning into this season being the number one punter and focusing the game, on myself and being able to adapt to all that and feel rushes at practice and stuff like that. So I think it’s probably a great step piece this year.”

Tennessee kicker Charles Campbell 

Kicking at Neyland Stadium

“It’s a great place to kick. It’s super fun. You know, you go in there and you get to look around at the big old stadium. So it’s super fun. I like it. The uprights are the same distance they are at Neyland as they are on the practice field, so it’s about the same. I mean, I really enjoy it. It’s been nice to get in there a few times, understand a little bit and flows and I guess how to play the ball in there. So it’s been fun.”

His prep one game day and how he determines his range going into games

“Basically when you go out on the field, you gotta read the wind. That’s one of the main things you have to do to determine your range. I mean, the wind is in your face, you’re obviously not gonna hit the balls far as the ones at your back, you’ll hit it further. And so going in both directions on the field, there might be different, I guess yard lines you have to get to in order to feel confident in the kick. You also have to take in to consideration the temperature outside. If it’s warm, the ball’s gonna fly a little better than if it’s cold. So you really get a good feel for it when you go out on the field, especially when you’ve been kicking for a while. You just go out there and it’s kind of a feeling, kind of an instinct. But you can go back in games and, or I guess in pregame, and kind of test yourself out, see what your range is.”

Representing his home state and attending the University of Tennessee

“I have a ton of pride in being here. I grew up wanting to go here. My sister just enrolled here a few days ago. I have a little brother who’s gonna be a sophomore here and my mom went to college here. So it’s like I get to represent my family. And just for me, all my (family). I had a ton of friends in high school go here. I just couldn’t be more honored to represent my home state and really finish out my career. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity.”