Tennessee Vols player explains Josh Heupel's intense way of preparing him for the season

Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman Max Gilbert is settling into his first season as the team's first-string place kicker.  With Tennessee's offense already rolling up 120 points through the team's first two games, he's had a lot of time on the field getting acclimated to game situations.

However, according to Gilbert, he - along with the rest of the kickers on the roster - has been put into pressure situations by his coaching staff to prepare for the pressure and stresses of the season.

Gilbert told the media on Tuesday about the intense method that Josh Heupel implemented in spring practice and fall camp for his positional group.

"Normally fall camp and every single time in spring practice we go up there and he will do pressure kicks, all three kickers," Gilbert said.  "We'll get to kick in front of the whole team. They make a tunnel around us in front of the snapper. They're messing with the snapper, they're messing with Jackson (Ross) the holder, and Heupel is standing right behind me, screaming in my ear. Telling me I'm going to miss it, and it really prepares you. Practice, honestly, is pretty similar to the game in terms of pressure. If I can make a kick with Heupel screaming so close to my ear, I think I'll be good anywhere else."

It certainly makes sense.  Having your head coach, the man you're trying to impress for your job, yelling in your ear while your teammates - who you're also trying to impress - surrounding you and messing with you is a world of pressure for a college player to have to go through.

However, that's the life of a kicker.  Crushing pressure when called upon to deliver in a singular moment.  Being able to shake off the pressure in that moment and come through.

It sounds like Gilbert handled that well during camp.  We'll see how he does when the screaming voices aren't Heupel's, but rather are those of 80,000 opposing fans in a hostile environment.

Related: ESPN's Paul Finebaum explains why the Tennessee Vols' highly anticipated matchup with Alabama could end up getting overshadowed