Tinsley helping special teams improve

Derrick Tinsley said there's a reason Tennessee's special teams have improved the past two weeks.

"Me and Jason Allen and Cedric Houston put ourselves on the kick team before the Ole Miss game,'' Tinsley said. "We needed some guys that are going to step up.''

Tinsley has been a special teams' ace throughout his career. Recently, he has become the Vols' punt return man and averaged 12 yards per return. Jonathan Hefney, who Tinsley replaced after Hefney's costly punt return muff against Ole Miss, was averaging 6 yards per return.

"Coach (Steve) Caldwell and coach (Phillip) Fulmer have laid it on the line for us the past couple weeks,'' Tinsley said. "A lot of people don't understand you can score points on special teams.''

Tinsley said Allen also put himself the gunner on the punt return team.

"We want to show the young guys an example,'' Tinsley said. "We haven't had any big returns since the Ole Miss game.''

Indeed, the Rebels had four kick returns for 60 yards (15 per return), and Alabama, after entering the game leading the nation with a 34-yard kick return average, had two returns for 43 yards (21.5 average).