for 95 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown in Tennessee's 51-18 win over Utah. He had a team-leading four catches for 22 yards in the Vols' 27-22 loss to Purdue in the 1979 Bluebonnet Bowl. Gault's breakout year came during the 1980 season. Though he caught a relatively modest 14 passes for 240 yards while splitting time with Miller at receiver, he returned 24 kickoffs for 662 yards, and tied a national single-season record by returning three kickoffs for touchdowns. He returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to provide Tennessee's lone score in the team's 30-6 loss to Pittsburgh. He then returned kickoffs for touchdowns in back-to-back games at the end of the season: a 92-yarder against Kentucky and a 98-yarder against Vanderbilt. Calling the latter play for the Vol Network, long-time broadcaster John Ward shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen, Willie Gault has run all the way to the State Capitol." Gault added a 48-yard touchdown catch in the Kentucky win. During his junior year in 1981, Gault caught 22 passes for 479 yards and four touchdowns while continuing to split time with Miller. He also added to his reputation as a dangerous return man, with 28 kickoff returns for 606 yards, and 31 punt returns for 381 yards and a touchdown. In Tennessee's 28-20 win over Ole Miss, Gault had a 54-yard kickoff return, a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown, and a 49-yard punt return. He returned a punt 66 yards for an apparent touchdown against Auburn, but it was called back on a penalty. He caught a 75-yard touchdown pass in the Vols' loss to Alabama, and registered a 49-yard touchdown catch against Memphis State. He had 217 receiving yards against Vanderbilt, including an 80-yard touchdown catch and a 72-yard reception. In Tennessee's 28-21 win over Wisconsin in the 1981 Garden State Bowl, Gault returned a kickoff 87 yards for the Vols' first touchdown of the game. Gault entered his senior year a Preseason All-American. As part of an explosive receiving corps that included Mike Miller, Lenny Taylor and Darryal Wilson, Gault registered a team-leading 50 catches for 668 yards and four touchdowns. He also registered 23 kickoff returns for 549 yards and a touchdown, and 20 punt returns for 145 yards. He caught touchdown passes of 78 yards and 38 yards in Tennessee's 24-14 loss to Auburn, and returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown