Them Vols offseason thread

32/32 2014 signers in by the way. Pretty awesome.
 
As much as I want it to happen, I can't see a win against UF.

Their DL is going to own our OL.
 
LotteryPick said:
As much as I want it to happen, I can't see a win against UF.

Their DL is going to own our OL.
Click to expand...

I think we have enough playmakers that it'll stay interesting, but you're right... i've seen too many UF games lately where we can't even move the ball to predict a win.
 
However, with CBJ saying QB was a strength, I do feel better about 7 wins maybe.

I'm expecting Worley to play well.
 
Quality receivers open up the field for one another and for the ground game. Unfortunately for*Tennessee, its receivers were so limited last fall that the Vol offense might as well have been playing in an elevator.

Several wideouts couldn’t get open. Several couldn’t catch the ball when they got open. Several more couldn’t gain anything on their own after making the occasional grab. There was one playmaker in the bunch,*Marquez North, and he was a true freshman battling the usual problems with inconsistency. Ultimately, the 2013 receiver corps may have been the weakest group assembled on The Hill in three decades.

Fortunately for the Big Orange, the most dramatic improvement from 2013 to 2014 has been made in the wideout ranks. The signing of JUCO All-American*Von Pearsonwas a huge step. So was the signing of five-star high school standout*Josh Malone. Both gained valuable experience by enrolling at mid-term and participating in spring practice. They combine with North to give Tennessee a pass-catching trio that may be equal to any in college football.

Pearson made a diving catch early in spring practice so spectacular that it was featured on ESPN SportsCenter’s “Plays of the Day” that evening. Moreover, teammates literally gushed when talking about his explosive athleticism.

Malone also got rave reviews from his fellow Vols during spring practice, then showed why in the Orange & White game, parlaying six catches into 181 yards and three touchdowns. In case you’re wondering, 30 yards per catch is pretty good.

As for North, he appears ready to prove the old axiom that players generally make the most progress from Year 1 to Year 2. By all accounts, he had a terrific spring and could double the good numbers (38 catches, 496 yards) he posted last fall.

Tennessee’s Big Three literally is a “big” three. Pearson measures 6-feet-3 and 181 pounds. Malone goes 6-feet-3 and 202 pounds. North packs 221 pounds on a 6-foot-4 frame. Can you imagine 5-foot-9, 175-pound cornerbacks trying to cover these guys?

Pearson, Malone and North alone ensure that Tennessee’s receiver corps will be much improved in 2014. Still, they’re only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Combining the size of a tight end (6-feet-5, 234 pounds) with the receiving skills of a wideout, sophomore*Jason Croom*is a matchup nightmare now that he has learned to exploit his imposing height and heft. He averaged 14.9 yards on 18 catches as a redshirt freshman last fall but should be even more productive in 2014.

Fellow sophomore*Josh Smith, who routinely got open last fall only to drop several passes that hit him in the hands, caught everything thrown his way in the spring. If he has overcome the mental block that marred his 2013 season the 6-foot-1, 197-pounder should significantly improve last fall’s totals for catches (12) and yards (182).

Junior*Johnathan Johnson*came on at the end of 2013, catching eight passes for 111 yards in the last five games of the season to finish with 13 grabs for 189 yards. He continued his progress in the spring and appears likely to be a solid contributor in the 2014 passing game.

Then there’s an apparent bonus … the return of*Alton Howard*following a four-month absence. The 5-foot-8, 186-pound junior led the 2013 Vols in receptions (44) and receiving touchdowns (3). He also averaged 5.2 yards per carry on 18 fly sweeps. “Pig” is participating in offseason workouts and is listed in the 2014 media guide, suggesting he will be back with the Vols when preseason camp opens in August.

Cody Blanc*is back for his junior year after making one memorable catch as a sophomore last fall. It went for 43 yards against top-ranked*Alabama. Also returning is sophomore*Drae Bowles, who contributed mostly on special teams a year ago.

Joining the cast in August will be 2014 signee*Vic Wharton, nephew of former basketball star Brandon Wharton. Vic is a 5-foot-11, 192-pounder who also excels as a return specialist.

And don’t forget*Devrin Young. Although listed as a running back, the 5-foot-8, 178-pound senior will be utilized as a receiver at times this fall.

Bottom line: Tennessee’s receiving corps could go from being one of the worst in program history last fall to being one of the best in program history this fall.
 
3 video interviews here too, free read

Scout.com - College and High School Football, Basketball, Recruiting, NFL, and MLB Front Page

Wen asked about the challenge of making his own name at*Tennessee, where older brother Eric was a three-year starter and two-time first-team All-America safety, Vol freshmanElliott Berry*responded with the poise of a fifth-year senior:

“I feel like I already have my own name because my name’s not Eric,” he deadpanned, drawing guffaws from a circle of reporters.

After a brief pause, Berry added: “I feel like I’ll make my own path: Is it going to be positive or negative?”

Elliott and twin brother Evan, who also have a father (James) who played running back for Tennessee, are among six 2014 Vol football signees following famous relatives to The Hill. All gave essentially the same response when asked how much pressure they feel to live up to their famous kin: None.

“I really don’t feel pressure from my father’s standpoint, and I don’t think the other guys do, either,” said*Neiko Creamer, son of former Vol defensive back Andre Creamer. “We’re just out here playing ball. It’s a new generation and a new playing style. The game is different, so we’re just out here balling.”

Dillon Bates, son of former Vol safety Bill Bates, echoed that sentiment.

“Really, there’s not a lot of pressure,” he said. “It’s more about everybody knowing what they have to do. Everybody knows they have to go as hard as we can, stick late in meetings, stick late in the weight room.”

Rather than a pressure point, Bates believes the lofty expectations for a signing class ranked No. 4 nationally by Scout provide a rallying point.

“Us guys in the freshman class all kind of stick together and kind of push each other,” he said. “We take it upon ourselves to be accountable to each other, and that will help the team goal.”

If anyone in the 2014 class should feel added pressure it is Todd Kelly, Jr. He’s the only legacy recruit saddled with the first*and*last names of a famous predecessor.

“Having the same name as my dad deals with itself,” he said matter of factly. “I’ve had it all my life, so I’m kind of used to it. I don’t know anything else, so I just live every day like I always have.”

Todd Kelly Sr. was a standout defensive end for the Vols and a first-round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. He set the bar pretty high but his son isn’t intimidated in the least.

“It’s a blessing,” TK Jr. said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better. I had the option to follow in his footsteps or not. Ultimately, I did, just because I feel it’s a blessing and I think I can do it.”

As if carrying the same name as his famous father isn’t enough, Junior has the double whammy of being a native Knoxvillian. He sees this as a positive, too.

“I’m the only local guy in the freshman class,” he said. “I went to school about 30 minutes away. I got to come to all of the home games last year, and it was a pretty cool deal. My dad’s right up the street, so whenever I need to talk to him or need support he’s always going to be there for me.”

Given their family ties to Tennessee football, the legacy recruits probably feel added incentive to upgrade a Vol program coming off four consecutive losing seasons.

“We want to bring the winning tradition back to Tennessee,” Kelly said. “It’s a special place. From freshmen to seniors we all have the same goal, which is to win ball games and make sure we keep the fans happy. It’s going to be a slow process, a learning process. We just got here. We’ve only been here about a month and a half. Ultimately, we just want to make this a better place.”

One signee believes head coach Butch Jones already has Tennessee on the upswing, even before most of the so-called “Legacy Class” shows up for preseason camp in August.

“Coach Jones already paved that path for us,” Creamer said. “We’re already traveling down a path to become the old Tennessee, (to bring back) as the people of Knoxville say ‘the good old days.’ I think we’re already headed toward that.

“I think we’re just a catalyst of that. We add extra insight by adding the tradition and the legacy to the class. That’s what fueled Tennessee in the past … legacy.”
 
With the graduation of five senior linebackers, Curt Maggitt spending a majority of his time at defensive end and the transfer of Christian Harris, the Tennessee linebackers room looked decidedly green, even with All-SEC performer A.J. Johnson returning for his senior season. Thus, former Scout four-star prospect Chris Weatherd (told IT he prefers Chris over Christopher) earning full admission on The Hill is gigantic for Team 118’s defense. The former Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College standout turns 20 the day training camp opens (Aug. 1).


From Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “Every battle is won before is won before it is ever fought.” Strength and conditioning coaches make this point to their players with consistency. However, it’s sometimes tough to maintain concentration and excitement. The Tennessee staff continues to shake things up and earlier this week had a night-time lift, hoping to avoid the monotony of clanking plates and grunting weight up. Look for VFL Films to have much more in motion picture on what took place at the Anderson Training Center on Tuesday night. The evening including ringing of the PR Bell, which Vols ding when they set a new personal record and doubles as a means of accomplishing goals and driving teammates. The workout also incorporated a donut-eating contest and a dance off (rhythm not required).


On Monday, both VFL Films and university photographer Donald Page got with the team for pre-camp images and video. Plenty of the work was done in front of the “green screen,” which allows post-event editing with backgrounds and graphics added later. Expect imagery used on the Jumbotron this fall to come from this shoot.


In yet another Butch Jones shakeup, position coaches hosted players from position groups not of their own for dinner. For example, defensive coordinator John Jancek fed the offensive line, running backs coach Robert Gillespie welcomed defensive backs into his home, linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen spent time with running backs and tight ends coach Mark Elder got to know the wide receiver corps.


Tennessee opens 2015 versus Alabama-Birmingham at LP Field in Nashville. The 2016 schedule includes the “Battle At Bristol” versus Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 2018 non-conference contest versus West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte was formally announced this week. The question begs: What’s next for 2017? With the excitement the Butch Jones Era on Rocky Top has generated and the seasons sandwiched around ’17 secure from a non-conference and league schedule perspective, director of athletics Dave Hart can direct his attention to ’17.


With games to the east and west in the fold, perhaps Hart will look north and south. Given the Peach Bowl tie and SEC championship game tie to Atlanta, the AD may seek a more creative spot than Atlanta. Playing in Atlanta certainly follows suit with the desire to play at neutral sites that reside within the recruiting footprint. It’s quite possible the Vols simply schedule another home foe as they’re expected to play at Memphis in September 2017 and could host teams like Indiana State and Southern Miss for other non-league games.


The InsideTennessee staff will have complete camp coverage, starting with the camp-opening workout Aug. 1. As posted in VolChat, the educated guess for the open practice for fans at Neyland Stadium is Aug. 16. When that open workout is finalized, we’ll be sure to pass that news along.


Intrigue will be as high as it’s been in some time as Team 118 takes to Haslam Field for Jones’ second season. Typically, as second season within a system means more wins but both lines will have complete overhauls after graduation hit those units hard. In IT’s pre-camp two-deep projection, eight first-year Volunteers were listed as potential starters.
 
Competing in college football’s heavyweight division – the Southeastern Conference – is challenging, especially when your defensive line features a stable of cruiserweights. But that’s the task facing*Tennessee’s front four this fall.

The four projected starters in the 2014 defensive front –*Curt Maggitt*(6-feet-3, 244 pounds),*Jordan Williams*(6-feet-5, 272),Owen Williams*(6-feet-2, 289) and*Corey Vereen*(6-feet-2, 248) weigh a combined 1,053 pounds.

That’s 127 pounds more than the 2012 starting D-line, which sounds impressive until you consider this: The base defense for the 2012 Vols was a three-man front of*Corey Miller*(6-feet-3, 257),*Daniel McCullers*(6-feet-6, 377) and*Daniel Hood*(6-feet-4, 292). So, on a man-per-man basis, the 2014 line weighs 263.2 pounds per player, down 45 pounds per man from the 308.7-pound average of 2012.

Moreover, Tennessee’s 2014 second-team line projects to be just as small as the first-team front. Danny O’Brien (6-feet-2, 281),Dimarya Mixon*(6-feet-3, 266),*LaTroy Lewis*(6-feet-4, 255) and*Jaylen Miller*(6-feet-2, 250) weigh a combined 1,052 pounds – one pound less than the projected starters. The No. 2 line gets even lighter if mid-term freshman*Jakob Johnson*(6-feet-4, 230) works his way into the mix.

The Vol front four could be a little heavier if injury-plagued junior tackle*Trevarris Saulsberry*(6-feet-4, 297) can stay healthy long enough to crack the rotation. Freshman linemen generally need a year of college weight training to compete in the SEC but perhaps one of the newcomers can buck that trend.*Michael Sawyers*(6-feet-3, 300) andJashon Robertson*(6-feet-3, 306) could add some beef at tackle, as could*Derek Barnett(6-feet-3, 284) at end. Heralded*Dewayne Hendrix*has the talent to contribute at end but he’s virtually the same size (6-feet-3, 252) as the veterans he’ll be battling. The other end signee, Joe Henderson (6-feet-3, 222) may need to add 25 pounds before he can contribute.

So, can Tennessee’s cruiserweight D-line go toe-to-toe with the heavyweight offensive lines it will be facing in SEC warfare this fall? Maybe. Sometimes an abundance of quickness can overcome a shortage of heft. Longtime UT defensive coordinator*John Chavis*fashioned quality Vol defenses in the 1990s and 2000s by growing safeties into linebackers, linebackers into ends and ends into tackles. Tennessee is doing exactly the same thing in 2014. Ends Maggitt and Johnson are converted linebackers. Tackles Jordan Williams and Mixon are transplanted ends.

D-line coach Steve Stripling believes his troops can offset the lack of heft with hustle and heart.

“If we’re undersized, then we’re going to play with a lot of quickness and a lot of movement,” he told IT. “Last year we were kind of sitting in there and kind of holding point. That’s really not our style. If you look back at Coach (Butch) Jones’ philosophy over the years it’s always been an aggressive, attacking defense. We really weren’t that last year but we’re moving on to that style this year.”

Last fall’s front four was anchored by McCullers. Like his “Shade Tree” nickname, he basically was rooted in one place. The 2014 tackles are much more mobile … one of them in particular.

"Owen Williams catches your eye because he's a little bit more mature and he's really physical, extremely strong and very quick,” Stripling said. “He fits our style of play."

Williams, a JUCO transfer who turns 23 in September, has the physical and emotional maturity of a fifth-year senior. He’s new to major-college football in general and Tennessee’s scheme in particular, however, so he has an awful lot left to learn.

"He's a tremendous young man, great attitude,” Stripling said. “He’s also shown that he doesn't know what it takes at this level. That's part of developing the identity of the defense, but I'm really pleased and excited about Owen Williams.”

The X Factor in Tennessee’s front four could be Mixon. He signed with*Nebraska*in 2013 but never enrolled, sitting out last season. He signed with Tennessee last winter, then showed in spring practice that he could make immediate impact in 2014.

“I really like him,” Stripling said. “You can tell he was out of football for a year but he is like a wild horse. He is very willing. He is very mentally tough. So he's got a lot of great qualities. He doesn't know very much as far as technique goes but I really like Mixon."

One area in which Tennessee’s 2014 front four must significantly improve is rushing the passer. The Vols were awful last fall, managing just 18 sacks. That was a major reason Big Orange opponents completed 56.5 percent of their passes in 2013, averaged 211.1 passing yards per game and registered 18 passing touchdowns. The switch of Maggitt and Jakob Johnson from linebacker to end should give the pass rush a lift.

"I think I see a lot of ability to make more plays,” defensive coordinator John Jancek said. “We've got to move those guys around, keeping people on their toes as far as them being a little bit lighter but able to move better."

Lacking heft and strength, Tennessee’s front four may need to rely heavily in 2014 on smoke and mirrors.
 
Middle linebacker*A.J. Johnson*registered 106 tackles for*Tennessee*last fall. In case you’re wondering, that’s 101 more than all of the Vols’ other returning linebackers combined.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin*recorded 14 stops as a freshman last fall but 11 came on special teams, only three from scrimmage. Kenny Bynum had two scrimmage stops as a redshirt freshman in 2013. If you discount Johnson’s 106 tackles, the rest of the holdover linebackers accounted for five scrimmage stops last fall. That’s no misprint. It’s F-I-V-E … as in one less than six and one more than four.

Given this alarming lack of experience, three things probably need to happen for the Big Orange to be competent at linebacker this fall:

-Johnson (6-feet-2, 242 pounds) must have another healthy and productive season.

-Reeves-Maybin (6-feet-1, 219 pounds) needs to thrive at the weakside linebacker spot.

-Newcomers Chris Weatherd (6-feet-4, 225) and*Dillon Bates*(6-feet-3, 232) had better be playing like seasoned veterans by October.

Remarkably durable, Johnson has played in all 36 games since arriving at Tennessee, starting 34. He must answer the bell for all 12 games this season and crack the century mark in tackles for the third year in a row for the Vols to field a decent defense.

Reeves-Maybin, who led the 2013 Vols in special-teams stops, must exhibit the same knack for tracking and tackling on scrimmage plays. He’s a huge key for the 2014 stop unit.

Weatherd was a four-star JUCO prospect last fall, Bates a four-star high school prospect. Both need to play major roles from Day 1 due to Tennessee’s desperate lack of depth.

Weatherd should benefit from two years of junior college ball and Bates should benefit from his bloodline. Bill Bates spent four years playing safety for Tennessee and 15 for the NFL’s*Dallas Cowboys, so he has taught his son a lot about defending the pass.

“Growing up and being around football all the time, I don’t remember a time that I didn’t know football,” Dillon said recently. “Talking to my dad every day really helped me understanding the game and the different coverages I’ll have to know.”

That’s fortunate because what’s left after Johnson, Reeves-Maybin, Weatherd and Bates is a bit shaky:

Justin King*is a 6-foot-2, 246-pound redshirt sophomore who played fullback as a freshman in 2012 and redshirted in 2013.

Kenny Bynum is a 6-foot-1, 234-pound redshirt sophomore who recorded two tackles last fall, both in the Game 2 blowout of*Western Kentucky.

Neiko Creamer*is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound mid-term freshman who made the transition from wide receiver to linebacker during spring practice. He should be a good one in time but that time may not arrive till 2015.

Colton Jumper*is a 6-foot-2, 218-pound two-star freshman from Lookout Mountain who joined the Vols as an invited walk-on during the spring.

Gavin Bryant*is a 6-foot, 233-pound freshman from Jackson, Ala., who brings a four-star rating but is best suited to middle linebacker, the one position that appears solid.

Although Tennessee’s lack of linebacker depth is a concern, it is not necessarily a harbinger of doom. As he showed last season with Johnson,*Dontavis Sapp*and*Brent Brewer, Vol linebacker coach Tommy Thigpen is OK with playing his starters just about every down. In fact, the lack of snaps for backups in 2013 is a major reason there is no meaningful experience beyond A.J. Johnson in the 2014 linebacker corps.

On a positive note: If the Vols can’t get what they need on the outside from Reeves-Maybin, Weatherd and Bates, they can always return newly transplanted*Curt Maggitt*from end to linebacker. He started at linebacker in 2011 and 2012, proving himself quite capable of filling that role.
 
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