Family is important to Tennessee punter Dustin Colquitt.
And Colquitt’s family has been important to Tennessee football.
His father, Craig, and cousin, Jimmy, were both successful punters for UT. The former was a longtime punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the latter is still the Vols’ all-time leader in career punt average (43.9)
The newest Colquitt hasn’t done anything to take away from his family’s legacy. The Bearden graduate started the year seventh on Tennessee’s all-time punting list, and is inching closer to his cousin’s all-time mark.
Colquitt is averaging 47.9 yards per punt this season.
“The punts have obviously been a difference in most of our games and in turning field position over,” UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. “Dustin Colquitt’s just been phenomenal.”
Against Florida last weekend, Colquitt hit a 67-yarder and has booted four of his other 10 punts over 50 yards. Currently first in the SEC and third in the nation, Colquitt hasn’t always been as consistent, though.
As a freshman against Notre Dame, Colquitt was benched for the first half for his faltering kicks.
“I didn’t have any routine,” Colquitt said. “I was scared to death when I walked out there.”
Then he found that routine.
It starts with the same pair of mesh shorts every Friday and continues through pregame music consisting of Jack Johnson and Led Zeppelin.
Throw in a rubberband on his wrist and some dirty socks, and Colquitt has become a Ray Guy Award finalist – given to the nation’s best kicker – and one of the Vols’ best weapons.
“I’ve had the same pair of socks for like three years now,” Colquitt said. “One of them is like longer than the other. …one’s bright white and the other’s yellow from three years of use.”
Those socks may have stretched a little, too. He put on 12 pounds in the offseason – mostly in his lower body.
“A lot of heavy weight will slow down a leg,” Colquitt said. “I try to stay away from it as much as possible.”
Expected to graduate with a degree in political science after UT’s next mini-term, the junior doesn’t expect to give up his last year of eligibility.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” Colquitt said. “There’s too many good guys in the NFL, and I’m having too much fun here.”
Even with his father and cousin having their own success in the professional ranks, Colquitt said the league has enough talent to make his draft status uncertain two years from now.
“It’s a position that’s not very open,” Colquitt said. “There’s so much competition in front of us. There’s plenty of people up for the job, and it would be kind of ridiculous to leave early.”
The Vols will benefit from the remainder of his time on campus.
And then a new Colquitt will get his chance to punt for the Vols.
Britton, Dustin’s younger brother, will enroll full-time in the spring and begin practicing with the Vols.
“He’s just taking nine hours right now,” Colquitt said. “He’s just trying to get some of the harder classes out of the way.”
With Britton recovering from shoulder surgery, the brothers will have to wait until spring to begin working together.
Then the next generation of Colquitt will begin learning the punting routine.
