The Hidden Third: How Vanderbilt is Winning with Special Teams
NASHVILLE — Special teams take up one-third of every game, yet they rarely make up even close to a third of the conversations. Offense and defense dominate the spotlight — and often rightfully so — but the hidden third phase of football has quietly fueled Vanderbilt’s success in 2025.
No one notices the long snapper until the ball sails over the placeholder's head. No one talks about the punter until a kick is shanked. And no one thinks about kick coverage until a holding penalty is called, or a ball is fumbled.
It’s easy to take special teams for granted, but a successful third phase can often be the difference-maker between a win and a loss.
“[Special teams] is always a priority for us,” head coach Clark Lea said before Vanderbilt’s victory over South Carolina. “That’s always been kind of a part of our identity. [It’s] three phases, not two.”
In 2024, Vanderbilt’s special teams unit was a big part of the team’s success, ranking fifth in the country in special teams efficiency according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI). The Commodores also had three players earn All-SEC special teams honors in 2024: punter Jesse Mirco (second team), return specialist Martel Hight (second team) and kicker Brock Taylor (third team)
This unit’s production came on the heels of Jeff LePak’s appointment as special teams coordinator at the start of 2024. LePak served as a special teams analyst prior to his promotion, where he learned how to lead a unit. Joining LePak in 2024 was assistant special teams coach Shane Gallant, who previously worked at Mississippi State for four seasons.
“There’s not enough time to [talk about] what I feel about Jeff [LePak] and what’s he’s done,” Lea said Thursday. “I think [Lepak and Gallant] form a really powerful team and they create an advantage for us.”
The emphasis Lea has placed on special teams through his trust of Lepak and Gallant has fostered a unit that’s looked nearly flawless thus far in 2025. Kicker Brock Taylor has emerged as one of the better legs in the country with a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals this season and most recently against Georgia State, 9-for-9 on extra points. Punter Nick Haberer hasn’t seen the field much due to Vanderbilt’s offensive success, but he’s had his kicks downed inside the 20-yard line 40% of the time on five punts.
“It’s an important part of our success,” Lea said. “We feel like we have to win in the margins, and the margins that come up on special teams become critically important to team performance.”
Last week against Georgia State, the explosiveness of LePak’s special teams unit was on display. Redshirt sophomore Jameson Curtis blocked a punt and scored the Commodores’ eighth touchdown of the evening. Tre Richardson popped a 46-yard return to set up Vanderbilt’s offense in good field position. And, perhaps most importantly, there were no mistakes from the third phase Lea values so much.
A play from Week 2 also stands out. Virginia Tech punter Peter Moore left a kick short, forcing Martel Hight to rush forward. With little time to signal his teammates to clear away, the ball took an awkward bounce toward cornerback and gunner Jaylin Lackey. He ducked at the last second, narrowly avoiding what could have been a game-changing turnover. Perhaps you can chalk it up to lucky instincts, but it also speaks to the preparation and coaching on special teams. Instead of a costly mistake, it became just another forgettable punt — the kind of hidden moment that doesn’t show up in a box score but doesn’t happen by accident either.
“We invest time in [special teams] — it’s not something we push to the side,” Lea said. “We keep it front and center in our process and we feel really confident about how we play in that phase.”
Despite Vanderbilt’s recent success, its roster on paper still doesn’t stack up to the country’s top programs. If Vanderbilt is going to climb toward the SEC’s top teams, it won’t be because it out-recruits Alabama or Georgia — it’ll be because it wins in the hidden moments, on the hidden plays, in the hidden third of the game.
Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.