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Ambidextrous Tennesse punter Jackson Ross might just be the most physically gifted player on his team. That’s saying something given a roster that includes rocket-armed Joe Milton, five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava, and All-SEC receiver Bru McCoy.
The special teamer can not only boot the football (with both feet), but he runs a 4.5 40-yard dash according to his position coach. He was also a Top 5 rated tennis player in Australia before opting to move to Knoxville, and by his own accounts, he has the third-strongest arm on the team.
On a recruiting visit down under, head coach Josh Heupel said that Ross was doing things with his feet that most American footballers try to do with their arms. For example, hitting a receiver on a post route at midfield or placing a ball perfectly at the endzone pylon. He’d then go back and do it with the opposite foot.
Ross is making an impact for the Vols in Year 2 after redshirting in 2022. Through four games, he’s averaging 40.9 yards per punt on 18 attempts, including a trio of 50+ yarders against UTSA and Virginia.
He’s been an absolute weapon in the field position game, pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line on seven of his last 13 punts while doubling as the holder on field goals.
His Aussie kicking style makes punts harder to field for returners, with balls wobbling rather than coming down with a nice spiral. Making things even more difficult, being ambidextrous gives him the ability to roll out and punt to either side of the field.
Bit of Sunday foolery with @_JacksonRoss before he heads over to @Vol_Football. @ProkickAus @CoachEkelerUT @coachjoshheupel pic.twitter.com/nYNZGxNwWJ
— Tim Gleeson (@tglees) July 24, 2022
We saw the difficulty on full display in a Week 2 matchup with Austin Peay as the Vols were able to recover a muffed kick in the redzone to set up a score.
The rare ability is something opponents have to prepare for on a weekly basis, and his team’s next foe is no different. Special teams guru Shane Beamer is prepping for his South Carolina squad’s trip to Neyland Stadium this week, and he singled out the punter in his pregame presser.
“Tennessee’s punter can punt with both legs,” he said. “First time I’ll get to see that live.”
Pete Lembo calls Tennessee’s punter the “Eighth Wonder of the World” since he’s able to kick with both legs. As Shane Beamer mentioned yesterday, he also has the ability to punt rugby style.
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) September 27, 2023
But his athleticism isn’t restricted to special teams, or even football at that.
The punter might just be the most gifted player on the roster.
Ambidextrous punter is also a former tennis star that runs a 4.5.
Before the season started, Ross claimed that he could outthrow his head coach Josh Heupel, a former Oklahoma quarterback who was named AP College Football Player of the Year in his 2000 national championship winning campaign.
“I think I’m better than Coach Heupel with his age now because I’m still in my prime,” the punter said in a preseason media appearance. “I probably don’t have the distance of (quarterback) Joe (Milton), though.”
While he concedes that both Milton and backup Iamaleava can best him in distance, he believes he ranks third on the roster in arm strength.
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What’s more impressive than his arm, though, might be his speed. Often an afterthought when it comes to athleticism, punters are typically placed in a box of players that can’t do much other than kick a football.
Not in Ross’s case.
His special teams coach says he runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, likely making him one of the speedier players on the roster.
“He goes and runs, we time him, and he’s in the 4.5s,” coach Mike Ekeler said earlier this year. “I kid you not, I think he could be a starting wide receiver for us, he’s that athletic.”
Ross used that speed and athleticism on the tennis court as a youngster, developing into a top ranked player in Australia.
“What people don’t understand about Jackson Ross is that when he was 15 years old, he was the No. 2 junior tennis player in the whole country of Australia,” Ekeler said. His Tennesse bio mentions that passion for the racquet sport, as well as his time as a professional Australian Rules Football player before college.
It seems there’s nothing the ambidextrous punter can’t do. The college football world will get its next chance to watch him on Saturday against South Carolina.