Rocky Top Talk - 2022 Tennessee Preview Stream: Everything you need to know ahead of the seasonHope Lives Herehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51389/rtt-fav.png2022-08-31T10:25:49-04:00http://www.rockytoptalk.com/rss/stream/230478452022-08-31T10:25:49-04:002022-08-31T10:25:49-04:00Roundtable: Predicting Tennessee’s 2022 record
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<figcaption>Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>How many can they win?</p> <p id="EbZaoa">Year two of the Josh Heupel era kicks off on Thursday night, with Ball State serving as the opponent. Tennessee is favored by five touchdowns in that one, and should cruise to win No. 1 on the year. But the bigger question remains — how many can they win on the year?</p>
<p id="SwRiQr">The Volunteers are expected to be neck and neck with Kentucky for the second spot in the SEC East, as both still try to play catch-up to Georgia. DraftKings Sportsbook has set the total at 7.5 wins for Tennessee, and most seem to think they go just north of that. Can they get anymore than that? </p>
<p id="ShUQMk">Here are our staff’s thoughts.</p>
<p id="Y8wRoN"><strong>Terry Lambert: 8-4</strong></p>
<p id="LB8nyl">I really tried every which way I could to get to nine, but I’ll settle in at eight for the regular season win total. </p>
<p id="xqKzw0">It comes down to this — I expect Tennessee to give Georgia and Alabama a scare, but they most likely just don’t have the roster to finish those two off. From there, attention shifts to Florida at home, at Pittsburgh and at <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com">LSU</a>. The Volunteers certainly have the talent to win all three of these, but that’s probably unrealistic to expect. Odds are they drop at least one of these, maybe even two. The meeting with Kentucky likely determines second place in the SEC East, and the rest of the schedule is just simply about taking care of business. </p>
<p id="f9mXZG">I expect Tennessee to be really good, taking another step forward under Josh Heupel. But this schedule is going to provide some speed bumps.</p>
<p id="qy2gWS"><strong>Nick Carner: 7-5</strong></p>
<p id="11FNWo">I’m consistently, notoriously cynical. That’s just how I am. I <em>know</em> I dolled out the lowest win total for the Vols when we did this exercise last year, and I <em>know</em> I was wrong. That’s a necessary preamble. </p>
<p id="7ABFzu">And I can certainly understand why folks are high on this team: With Hooker and Tillman back, the offense is gonna do what it does. There’s some young, dynamic athletes in Jaylen Wright, Squirrel White, Dylan Sampson, Jimmy Calloway. But neither Wright nor starting RB Jabari Small has been able to stay healthy. And one major injury to an offensive lineman has the potential to throw this whole train off the tracks. The offense scored tons of points on busted coverages last season, and maybe we get those point again this year, and maybe we don’t. </p>
<p id="JaKEEW">Defensively, Tennessee doesn’t have to be great, but it does have to be better. It lost two <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL draft</a> picks in the secondary, but that group should be improved with the additions of Wesley Walker, Dee Williams and Andre Turrentine, along with Tamarion McDonald taking serious strides in the offseason and nailing down a starting spot at the star. As a whole, if the defense could get 1.5 more third-down stops per game than it did last season, it would rank middle-ish of the pack nationally, based on last year’s numbers. That would be huge. </p>
<p id="8RLHPq">There’s just so many games that look like they could be swing games, until we see these teams on the field, like @Pitt, Florida, @LSU, @South Carolina and Kentucky. <em> </em>The game against UF is a beast in its own category, though, really. I won’t pick the Vols over the Gators until I see it happen again. I just can’t. </p>
<p id="7Dkt0A">I could be talked into any of the predictions that my contemporaries here at Rocky Top Talk have made, but my gut says we’re not quite <em><strong>there</strong></em>, yet.</p>
<p id="eGoumg"><strong>Matthew Seese: 9-3</strong></p>
<p id="WD2Q8D">I’ve got the Vols at 9-3 this season with a real shot at 10-2 if they can eek one out in Death Valley in early October. I have Alabama and Georgia as the two losses. Juggernauts are juggernauts and they’re not moving any time soon. LSU is the toss-up.</p>
<p id="QCDdkM">The biggest advantage Tennessee has over many teams on its schedule is that their offense is a sure thing. With many teams like Pitt, LSU, and Florida having to reload at key positions on that side of the ball, the Vols with Hooker/Small/Tillman are much more of a sure thing. </p>
<p id="0OsLoe">The offensive line is in firm “we’ll see how it plays out” territory for me.</p>
<p id="P4P1xA">Defensively, I am concerned, but not the hair-pulling-out concerned the way many of us were a year ago, and when you have No. 5 under center, you’re going to be in every game, so the DBs and pass rush will definitely need to step up.</p>
<p id="cNbkgH"><strong>Clint Eiland: 8-4</strong></p>
<p id="RGn8J6">Similar vibes to Terry. I think this team truly does have the ability to win 9, and maybe even 10 games. But a brutal schedule has turned 8-4 into an expectation rather than a floor. I’ve got Tennessee losing to Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and one other surprise SEC opponent (my money is on one of Missouri or South Carolina). The Volunteers should handle business against their non-conference matchups, and I actually have them starting the season 4-0 with a win over Florida.</p>
<p id="gbeWYK">Going 8-4 would be solid progress, even if it is just one more win than the previous regular season. I’m fully sold on Tennessee’s offense—but I need to see more from the defense before I’m willing to buy in to every member of this staff as a long term option.</p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/31/23317918/tennessee-vols-football-2022-record-predictionsTerry A. LambertMatt SeeseNick CarnerClint Eiland2022-08-31T07:31:49-04:002022-08-31T07:31:49-04:00Predicting Tennessee’s top players for the 2022 season
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<figcaption>Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>MVPs, breakout candidates, freshmen contributors, and other predictions.</p> <p id="kHJyHK">You can count the time until Tennessee football returns in mere hours. Clear your Thursday night schedule and get prepared to watch your Volunteers take on Ball State at 7 p.m. EST. It should be an exciting season for Tennessee, as they hope to build on a surprisingly solid first year of the Josh Heupel era. Expect a lot of points.</p>
<p id="eaZFzW">We’ve given our record predictions in a separate piece. For this article, we are going even further and making predictions about which players will stand out this season. From MVPs, to breakouts, and more. There’s some obvious selections...but there’s plenty that remains to be seen about where this team goes to replace some of its playmakers. There’s also a lot of hype surrounding certain players and what their next step will entail. We’ll look back at the end of the season and see just how many of these came to pass.</p>
<h3 id="U5NQ3v">Offensive MVP</h3>
<p id="0lLtcG">Clint: <strong>QB</strong> <strong>Hendon Hooker</strong></p>
<p id="qwA0wb">The most obvious choice on the list. Hooker returns to Tennessee after an eye-catching 3,565 yard and 36 touchdown season. He has some of his favorite weapons returning and another year in the system. It’s fair to say that if Tennessee wants to reach the ceiling of what they can do, it will all run through Hooker. </p>
<p id="Mwh397">Terry: <strong>QB</strong> <strong>Hendon Hooker</strong></p>
<p id="jLeVJt">Hooker is the only acceptable answer here. We saw what this offense looked like without him — not great! His arm is the most important part of Josh Heupel’s attack, making the whole thing tick. His quick pickup of the offense flipped on the light bulb one year ago for the Volunteers. Another full offseason of work with this staff should have him even better in 2022.</p>
<h3 id="K5yJJN">Defensive MVP</h3>
<p id="0QdDiU">Clint: <strong>DE</strong> <strong>Byron Young</strong></p>
<p id="Hdr6cx">Young made quite the impact in his first year on campus. Despite an eligibility issue that caused him to miss the first game of the season, Young still finished tied for the team high in sacks (5.5) and had the second most tackles of any lineman. </p>
<p id="xTIZoH">It became obvious that Young was the best pass rusher on the roster and was an immediate injection of talent on the line. The Volunteers need defensive improvement for 2022, and a star defensive end can provide that in spades. Young is poised to assume that role. If Young can consistently get to the quarterback and cause havoc in the back field, it will relieve tons of pressure from the rest of the defense. </p>
<p id="9YjBQY">Terry: <strong>LB</strong> <strong>Jeremy Banks</strong></p>
<p id="0zoeXq">This is one of the better stories in college football, as Jeremy Banks has completely turned his college football career around. From arriving as a running back, to being kicked off of the team, to working his way back — Banks is now a key leader for the defense. He led the team in tackles by a wide margin last season, and should do so once again.</p>
<h3 id="vvfZyg">Most Impactful Transfer</h3>
<p id="snNEyF">Clint: <strong>T Gerald Mincey</strong></p>
<p id="EbdAxG">This was the hardest selection to make. None of Tennessee’s transfers are going to positions where they have an unchallenged path to starting. I considered someone like Bru McCoy, since he has a ton of talent and plays a position where Tennessee loves to rotate. Ultimately however, I am going to go with Florida transfer Gerald Mincey. The depth chart release confirmed the chatter from preseason camp, which said that Mincey was locked in a tight battle for a starting spot with senior Jeremiah Crawford. Mincey has enough versatility that even if he doesn’t end up locking down the starting job, he’s going to be used a ton throughout the year. He raises the floor of the line and gives you (at the very least) a sixth man you can trust.</p>
<p id="xaPzBg">Terry: <strong>WR</strong> <strong>Bru McCoy</strong></p>
<p id="DFHhPk">A month ago I would have said Wesley Walker, but the staff really seems to be high on Tamarion McDonald at the STAR position. I’m sure Walker will play plenty, but now with McCoy cleared, there’s a better opportunity for him to make a big impact playing opposite of Cedric Tillman. I’m interested to see how quickly McCoy gets comfortable, but he can fill an immediate need for Tennessee in a pretty large role, potentially.</p>
<p id="9dfSgR">We really haven’t seen McCoy at full song just yet in his college career, but his 6-3, 220+ frame should offer physicality for Tennessee, giving the Volunteers another threat on the perimeter. </p>
<h3 id="1lFbE4">Most Impactful Freshman</h3>
<p id="QOT2Dy">Clint: <strong>RB</strong> <strong>Justin Williams-Thomas</strong></p>
<p id="JR0OKM">The recent news of a quick departure by Lyn-J Dixon solidifies my pick here. I already felt that Justin Williams-Thomas was a prime candidate to contribute early. He is a very well-rounded running back, which is a position where newcomers can shine as freshmen. The Volunteers will utilize plenty of talent in the backfield, and Williams-Thomas arguably has the most raw talent of anyone on roster. I expect him to notch a few hundred yards on the ground this year. </p>
<p id="tXcpPo">Terry: <strong>RB</strong> <strong>Dylan Sampson</strong></p>
<p id="AQrZYj">Not sure anyone really saw Sampson emerging like he did in camp, but here we are. It sure seems like Sampson has passed Justin Williams-Thomas on the depth chart following a strong month. And now with the depth issue at running back, both Sampson and Williams-Thomas are going to see plenty of work.</p>
<p id="Jp07Rh">From how the staff is talking, I’ll go Sampson from how he’s quickly picked up the offense. His speed and explosiveness should offer Tennessee a little something different in the backfield.</p>
<h3 id="MRAEmd">Breakout Year (Non-Freshman)</h3>
<p id="TBjRxP">Clint: <strong>WR</strong> <strong>Jalin Hyatt</strong></p>
<p id="7PQOmq">I was between Hyatt and one of the cornerbacks for this selection. Ultimately, I went with Hyatt because of the flashes he showed last season. Everyone has known that Hyatt has game-breaking speed and could turn into the deep threat that he was projected to be since high school. It’s simply a matter of putting it all together. Now that he is an upperclassman who has finally had a consistent offseason within a single system, Hyatt is primed to break out. </p>
<p id="pd8vX4">The Volunteers losing Velus Jones Jr. and JaVonta Payton means that there are spots open for receivers to step up. Helping the cause is the fact that the No. 1 receiver, Cedric Tillman, will be returning. So the focus won’t be on any inexperienced receiver to have the lion’s share. This should theoretically help Hyatt transition into becoming a starting wide receiver. </p>
<p id="iNmGW7">Terry: <strong>WR</strong> <strong>Jalin Hyatt</strong></p>
<p id="5W7Ugh">There’s certainly been quite a bit of hype surrounding Hyatt this offseason. The staff has sung his praises at every opportunity, saying he’s changed his practice/study habits and added some weight to his slender frame. The opportunities will certainly be there with Velus Jones Jr. and JaVonta Payton gone. It’s time for Hyatt to emerge, and it really sounds like that has already started to happen.</p>
<h3 id="RNKuUt">Tennessee Wins 10+ Games If...</h3>
<p id="R33SNE">Clint: <strong>The defense gets to “average”</strong></p>
<p id="IzV4X3">I’m not asking for the world here. Tennessee’s defense last year really started to crumble towards the end of the season, after the bulk of SEC play. They finished on a somewhat high note in the regular season, with great performances against South Alabama and Vanderbilt. But those are two teams that you can beat up on and make your numbers look better than they might actually be. Before the South Alabama game, Tennessee’s defense was closer to 70th in FEI, for instance.</p>
<p id="LqFYJ7">Some of that was injuries. They especially affected Tennessee’s secondary, which we all witnessed in the bowl game against Purdue. But overall, a general lack of depth (not related to injuries) and far too conservative of playcalling made the defense a real weakness. </p>
<p id="Q2ERF8">Heading into 2022, I think I speak for everyone when I say: I am confident that the offense will score a ton of points. To help them out, Tennessee’s defense needs to be acceptable. They don’t need the 1939 unit to trot back out there. They <em>do</em> need an improved defense that can get off the field on third down however. If Tennessee’s defense can make a jump from, let’s say, the 70th ranked defense to the 45th ranked defense— that could net you a couple extra victories alone. Easier said than done obviously.</p>
<p id="hVwTvz">Terry: <strong>September goes well...</strong></p>
<p id="bm91BF">Clint is spot on with his analysis of the defense. That unit can take Tennessee from decent to very good, no doubt. If Byron Young and Tyler Baron become what they could be, look out.</p>
<p id="6KliVW">However, I’ll take a simpler approach — perhaps not the way the question was intended to be answered. </p>
<p id="YdC5h1">Tennessee has to navigate two pivotal moments early in the season, travelling to top 20 Pittsburgh and then hosting Florida to wrap up the month. Those two games are going to tell us quite a bit about this team. Can the Volunteers handle Pitt’s strong trench game on the road? Can they get past the mental hurdle of beating Florida? If they can, they’ll be 4-0 entering a road matchup against <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com">LSU</a> with an open week ahead to prepare.</p>
<p id="aOTyPb">A 4-0 start gives you a pretty decent path to 9-3, leaving the door open to spring an upset to get to 10-2. All of that is possible with Hendon Hooker running the show.</p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/31/23319246/predicting-tennessee-vols-football-top-players-for-the-2022-seasonClint Eiland2022-08-26T10:18:23-04:002022-08-26T10:18:23-04:00Reasons for confidence, reasons for concern entering 2022 season
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<figcaption>Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>It’s about that time.</p> <p id="dX7NX3">We’re now under a week out. Tennessee will open their 2022 season at home against Ball State on Thursday night, getting a tune-up opportunity before the real fun begins. The Volunteers are expected to take another step forward this season, coming off of a 7-6 campaign in Josh Heupel’s first year.</p>
<p id="ItKvuo">Now with just a few days left, let’s check in on some reasons for confidence and some reasons for concern.</p>
<h3 id="SyU60q">Confidence: Hendon Hooker and Cedric Tillman</h3>
<p id="pJ2Pyi">Look, enough has been said of these two. Tennessee is very fortunate to be bringing both guys back this season, and each should help lead this Volunteer offense to new heights once again. Year two in Josh Heupel’s system for both — coming off of what they just did in 2021? That’s an exciting thought.</p>
<p id="wheS7C">Hooker has become the unquestioned leader of this team and his efficient play is the key to Tennessee’s success this fall. If he can simply replicated what he did last season, the Vols will be just fine.</p>
<h3 id="fSH3Em">Confidence: Rodney Garner’s defensive line</h3>
<p id="VAdXF4">Matthew Butler’s exit is a big deal for Tennessee, but the Vols have perhaps the best man in the country to figure out how to replace him. Garner transformed this room in year one to help create a big number of tackles for loss, which at one time led the country mid-season. It’s now on him to find and develop the next few great Tennessee defensive lineman.</p>
<p id="KDBKK6">According to buzz out of camp, Tyler Baron and Byron Young, two edge rushers, have take big steps forward. Tennessee needs them to perform — perhaps more than anyone not named Hendon Hooker.</p>
<p id="Hpv1cs">Omari Thomas, LaTrell Bumphus, Elijah Simmons, Da’Jon Terry and a few others will be in the rotation at tackle. I’m fascinated to see who emerges out of that group, but confident that a couple will with Garner pulling the strings.</p>
<h3 id="D8oqMn">Confidence: Josh Heupel’s offense</h3>
<p id="iMQFvt">Heupel proved last season that his offense can keep Tennessee in nearly any game with any team. The Volunteers took Alabama to the fourth quarter, and probably should have beaten top-ten-finisher <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss</a> and ACC Champ Pittsburgh. Once Hooker took over, Tennessee was one of the best offenses in the country — a completely unfathomable sentence to type just 12 months ago.</p>
<p id="OWr3Ht">The question becomes this: how does Heupel keep things fresh for year two? He’s got a season on tape now in SEC play. People know all about Hooker and Tillman. How does he change things up?</p>
<p id="enVjMq">Of course he and Alex Golesh will add wrinkles here and there, but the secret to the success is the tempo. It’s almost similar to that of a triple option look, it’s a bit of an equalizer. For that reason, even with some new faces at receiver, I’m confident Tennessee will repeat the success of 2021 on the offensive side of the ball.</p>
<h3 id="pekpi8">Concern: The secondary puzzle</h3>
<p id="ldZrRy">The top question entering 2022 is the secondary, without question. Veterans Trevon Flower and Jaylen McCollough will man the safety spots, and we expect up-and-down veteran Warren Burrell to man a corner spot. That’s about all we know for sure.</p>
<p id="ZxAB6F">Kamal Hadden, Christian Charles, Dee Williams and Brandon Turnage are options for the other corner position, while Tamarion McDonald and Wesley Walker are handling STAR duties. </p>
<p id="qPR60W">The opener against Ball State should see plenty of different combos as Willie Martinez tries to find each man’s best fit. That will be the top thing I’ll personally be watching on Thursday night.</p>
<h3 id="4i65Di">Concern: Lack of depth at running back</h3>
<p id="PEqGYh">On paper, Jabari Small — Jaylen Wright — Dylan Sampson — Justin Williams-Thomas is a fine depth chart. However, there’s literally nothing on scholarship behind those four, and the final two are true freshman just trying to get comfortable inside of the offense. </p>
<p id="gf9NNQ">Jaylen Wright has already been dealing with injuries throughout camp, and we saw Jabari miss time in a couple of a different spots last season. That’s some razor thin depth after losing Len’Neth Whitehead and then Lyn-J Dixon.</p>
<p id="4Tme5j">Hendon Hooker handled a ton of responsibility in the run game last season and that may be the case once again, though I’m sure the staff would prefer not to go that route. They may not have a choice.</p>
<p id="EpzCCQ">A couple of injuries in the backfield and things could get pretty dicey for the Volunteers. </p>
<h3 id="OEiN59">Concern: Schedule</h3>
<p id="XoFzXt">It’s not enough to play a full SEC schedule that includes Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee somehow managed to schedule Pittsburgh at their peak, facing them last season as an ACC Championship winning program. This season they return the favor, hitting the road to face the top 20 Panthers.</p>
<p id="PycfOw">That road test against a really good Pittsburgh team will tell us a lot, and then two weeks later against Florida at home will tell us even more. </p>
<p id="q9SP0h">Tennessee gets a bye week after Florida, and then draws a road trip to Death Valley to take on <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com">LSU</a>. Alabama in Knoxville follows.</p>
<p id="NUoVTq">So that’s a run of Florida-@LSU-Alabama to take us through mid October. A quick breather against UT-Martin gets us to Kentucky at home, and then a road trip to Athens to face the defending National Champion <a href="https://www.dawgsports.com">Georgia Bulldogs</a>.</p>
<p id="XK200N">Look, this is nothing new. Tennessee sees this every single year. But drawing at LSU out of the West pool all while taking a road trip to suddenly top 20 Pittsburgh isn’t exactly optimal. That all results in the fifth toughest schedule in the nation, <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/powerIndex/_/view/resume/sort/resume.sosremainingrank/dir/asc">per ESPN FPI</a>.</p>
<p id="090PSh">If Tennessee is going to do any damage this fall, they’re certainly going to have to earn it.</p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/26/23323175/tennessee-vols-football-confidence-concern-2022-season-previewTerry A. Lambert2022-08-24T20:02:51-04:002022-08-24T20:02:51-04:00Tim Banks previews the Tennessee defense
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<figcaption>Saul Young/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC</figcaption>
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<p>All the news and notes.</p> <p id="EGOPCQ">Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks took to the podium one more time before the Volunteers open their 2022 season against Ball State next week. He gave a complete preview of his unit after going through fall camp, including updates on player development and certain position battles. </p>
<p id="y6TBbt">Here are the notes.</p>
<h3 id="oSdGo5"><em>Continuity</em></h3>
<p id="HJYmwc">Going into year No. 2, it’s nice to not have to start from ground zero. Though Tennessee has some veterans to replace this season, they’ve got some experienced guys returning, too. Banks says (obviously) that has made things easier this month.</p>
<p id="BjQoot">“Obviously, going through another spring, a summer, a lot of the base principles that we had in place, I think those guys really truly understand it,” Banks said. “Now we’ve obviously got some new guys in the program that are kind of working their way through it, but if you wanted to say where we are now based on where we were a year ago, we’re definitely ahead and feel like we’re heading in the right direction.”</p>
<h3 id="Orbbn3"><em>Who stood out in camp?</em></h3>
<p id="lyrbAx">Training camp has wrapped up and Tennessee went through a mock game week over the last few days. So who stood out to Banks?</p>
<p id="inzjBs">“I think Tyler Baron has had a really good camp for us,” Banks told the media. “I feel like on the back end, T-Mac (Tamarion McDonald) has come along. He’s doing a tremendous job for us, along with Tank (Jaylen McCollough) and (Trevon) Flowers, and then obviously B.Y. (Byron Young), he jumps out.”</p>
<p id="A35Gm3">Baron and Young have received plenty of praise throughout the last few weeks as both appear to really be answering the call. McDonald is battling for a starting gig at the STAR spot, which is a key role within this defense. </p>
<h3 id="XmkkUd"><em>Kamal Hadden and Christian Charles</em></h3>
<p id="j3NTQi">Sticking with some secondary notes, Banks offered his thoughts on Kamal Hadden and Christian Charles — two guys that appear to be in the thick of the top cornerback rotation.</p>
<p id="JbaISI">“Hadden is very athletic,” Banks said. “He’s a tough kid. He has a tremendous amount of confidence and energy and juice. Obviously being able to get him back has been very important to us, able to get more reps and obviously clean up some things that he wanted to work on, some things that we identified coming out of last fall. He’s really worked very hard. We’re excited to see him play next weekend.”</p>
<p id="YJgqdJ">Charles has moved from safety to cornerback this offseason, and the early results continue to be promising.</p>
<p id="IEAXOr">“As far as Charles goes, he’s been a warrior. He’s a kid that’s extremely physical. He’s a guy that has the ability to obviously play on the hash. He obviously got some reps at corner, but I think his overall grasp of the package has improved greatly. I think he understands a lot more in detail in terms of what we’re trying to get accomplished based on every different coverage that we have in, and I think obviously that will bode well for him moving forward.”</p>
<h3 id="VFwFzw"><em>Joshua Josephs and James Pearce</em></h3>
<p id="k7UwDH">We know about Baron and Young, but a couple of highly-touted freshmen are in the mix behind them. Joshua Josephs and James Pearce are going to give Tennessee some much needed depth coming off of the edge, something they really haven’t had in a few years.</p>
<p id="uiqMFt">“We’re excited, man,” Banks admitted. “Those guys have been as good as advertised in terms of the athleticism that they bring to the table, their length. They’re polished in terms of they come from good football programs. We feel like they were prepared as much as you can be coming to the collegiate level, so we anticipate them playing. I think those guys will obviously contribute. How much, we’ll see, but we are counting on those guys.</p>
<p id="V1SswP">“We need those guys to play well for us to continue to grow this defense and bring some added speed and athleticism to it, to the defense.”</p>
<h3 id="kuagL0"><em>Linebacker depth</em></h3>
<p id="EXDwCC">Moving to the linebackers, Tennessee is in a pretty good spot here. It’s a veteran led group with four guys that have been there and done all that. Jeremy Banks leads the way, while Aaron Beasley, Juwan Mitchell and Solon Page will all be in the equation.</p>
<p id="ALoAet">“I feel a ton better about it, to be quite honest with you, and Ju (Mitchell) has really picked up where he left off before he got dinged up last fall,” Banks said. “He has a better grasp of the defense, I should say. He’s been better in terms of his leadership, trying to be more coval, taking command on the defense, so to speak. So he’s been good, I think he’s in a good place. I think he’s ready to go and he’s tuned up.</p>
<p id="jrDuxe">“But I think with Jeremy (Banks) and obviously (Aaron) Beasley, you put Pakk (Kwauze Garland) in there, we feel like we’ve got some guys that’ll be able to contribute. Page (Solon Page III) is another guy who comes to mind.”</p>
<h3 id="0MqfzF"><em>Transfer DBs</em></h3>
<p id="ABv9Jb">Tennessee made a couple of much-needed additions in the secondary, bolstering the depth of a group that is tasked with replacing Theo Jackson and Alontae Taylor. Wesley Walker, a guy that has played quite a bit of college ball, is a potential fit at STAR. Andre Turrentine is younger, and still getting his feet wet.</p>
<p id="FOqCrY">“We like Wes a ton,” Banks said of Walker. “‘Dre’s a little bit younger, so he’s still working his way through it, just like most freshmen. Obviously at the other spot (<a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a>), he was there a year, but in our minds he’s really just a freshman. Wes has obviously played some snaps, even though it was somewhere else (<a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com">Georgia Tech</a>), so he has a little bit more of a veteran mentality. Obviously he’s been in some battles, so we expect him to contribute and have an opportunity to really help this defense moving forward.”</p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/24/23320603/tim-banks-previews-tennessee-vols-football-2022-defenseTerry A. Lambert2022-08-20T16:40:27-04:002022-08-20T16:40:27-04:00Countdown to kickoff — Player showcase: Omari Thomas
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<figcaption>Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tennessee’s got a big man to fill the big shoes left by Matthew Butler</p> <p id="MWCjsH">One of the biggest narratives/ concerns/ storylines of Tennessee’s 2023 season is the defense. Let’s pare that down some, focus on the defensive line and look to who’s going to replace the double-take invoking production of Matthew Butler. </p>
<p id="ITy3UO">But first, a brief nod to the eventual 5th-round <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> pick: Butler led the DL position group in just about every statistical category out there, all while playing a <strong>staggering</strong> 726 total snaps, which ranked him seventh nationally among defensive linemen in the NCAA. And only one of those players who played more snaps graded out better than Butler, according to Pro Football Focus’s all-encompassing, defensive grading metric. </p>
<p id="lUmG46">So, I reckon it’s fitting that one of the most prominent main characters, to one of the biggest plots in the story of Tennessee’s success or failure this year, would be one of the team’s biggest humans: junior <em><strong>Omari Thomas</strong></em>. </p>
<p id="FJdphu">Listed at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, Thomas most definitely <em>looks </em>the part. Here’s a screenshot of Thomas’s media availability from August 8th. </p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pZC-phSEnPiR6Q16z8LkF6OQFjk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23934184/Screenshot__45_.png">
<cite>via VolQuest YouTube</cite>
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<p id="AMSORU">Most guys stand at the podium, but here, the podium is standing at Thomas. I <em>think</em> he has a neck there, somewhere, partially hidden behind the beard and barricaded in on both sides by trap muscles that might have their own zip codes. </p>
<p id="6Xvh9X">But his aesthetic isn’t gonna help the Tennessee’s defense take a much-needed step forward (literally and figuratively), nor will it help Thomas fill the production void Butler left in the middle of the Vols’ defensive front. </p>
<p id="rPcrf2">A former consensus 4-star prospect from Briarcrest in Memphis (same HS as Vols’ RB Jabari Small), Thomas was the No. 2 ranked player in Tennessee in the 2020 class and was naturally considered a pretty “big,” get for the Vols’ former coaching staff. </p>
<p id="38hQf5"><em>A brief aside and trip down memory lane: the Vols did well recruiting Tennessee in 2020, nabbing several top-ranked, instate players: No. 1 (Key Laurence), No. 2 (Thomas), No. 4 (Tyler Baron), No. 8 (Cooper Mays), No. 9 (Bryson Eason), No. 10 (Martavius French), No. 15 (Tamarion McDonald), No. 17 (Small) and No. 25 (Tee Hodge). </em></p>
<p id="wIv36D">The combination of Thomas’s size/speed/quickness garnered him playing time in his first year with the Tennessee defense, and the young bull made appearance in all ten games of the Vols’ of the 2020, COVID-shortened and all inner-conference schedule. Such is life as a lineman, his stats don’t jump off the page — 110 total snaps and 10 tackles with one tackle for loss.</p>
<p id="Fdi2jY">Last season, though, is when we really started to see flashes of Thomas and the problems he can create for opposing offenses at the point of attack. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Omari Thomas has become a force in the middle the last couple of weeks. <a href="https://t.co/xJQRxruqmW">pic.twitter.com/xJQRxruqmW</a></p>— Landon Raby (@lambo_raby10) <a href="https://twitter.com/lambo_raby10/status/1462563369014243337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="xmeBUh">That poor running back from South Alabama never had a chance. A perfectly-timed blitz from former Alabama transfer Brandon Turnage occupies the blocker that I think was supposed to slide over and get a body on Thomas. But Omari <em><strong>bursts </strong></em>off the line, and the end result is a reenactment of a scene from <em>“The Raiders of the Lost Ark</em>,” with Thomas playing the role of “giant boulder.”</p>
<p id="wirkc1">The above clip was from Tennessee’s 11th game of the season, and Thomas was well in his groove by that point. The next clip, though, is from the Vols’ seventh contest in 2021 — <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss</a>, in Knoxville. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">corral intentional grounding in the end zone. omari thomas with the pressure. <br><br>safety for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vols?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vols</a> <a href="https://t.co/Txz2klUToe">pic.twitter.com/Txz2klUToe</a></p>— RockyTopTalk (@RockyTopTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/RockyTopTalk/status/1449530258026291202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2021</a>
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<p id="kPwxiA">I don’t pretend to know enough about football to describe for you what happened here schematically. But I have eyes, and my goodness Thomas just blows through the interior of the Ole Miss offensive line. I figure a blocker missed an assignment, via negligence, inability or by the grace of unforeseen Devine intervention. It took Thomas all of one second to rudely impose on Matt Corrall’s personal space and cause a safety. </p>
<p id="1tiImE">That one play represents a sort of microcosm of Thomas’s game against Mississippi. Via Pro Football Focus’s various grading metrics, this was the sophomore’s best game of the year against SEC competition. I know I’m outside of most of our target-audience demographic here, but Thomas against Ole Miss was his version of DMX’s intro to <em>“It’s Dark and Hell is Hot</em>,” (widely regarded as one of the best intros to an album, ever). </p>
<p id="KNJumP">In a more literal sense: Thomas’s game versus The Landsharks/ The Black Bears/ The Rebels was seemingly the point in the year when things clicked. He started playing more and playing better.</p>
<p id="4gkzHD">Before we get into the nitty gritty, and I start throwing numbers at you like Hela throws swords in “<em>Thor: Ragnarock,” </em>a universal truth in football: a player has to be on the field to make plays. Novel stuff, I know. So there’s a counterpoint here that, of course he made more plays, you rube, he was playing more. True. But we’ve gotten enough precipitation in town lately. Go rain on somebody else’s parade. </p>
<p id="H9eHWn">Instead, I’m going with the notion that Thomas’s late-year uptick in playing time and production represent the snapped twigs and footprints of a trail that leads to an even more productive season for him this season. </p>
<p id="LF2zEm">Thomas’s snap counts went from averaging fewer than 20 per game the Vols’ first five games to nearly hitting a 30-snap average in the season’s final eight contests. In UT’s last five games, Thomas started four of them and notched 40, 34, 36, 32 and 30 snaps, respectively. Now, it’s important to again give context here, regardless of how obvious it was to the eye-test last season: </p>
<p id="ePYA7V">Tennessee’s defensive line, on the interior especially, was, well, let’s go with, um, undermanned last season. In total, the Vols had three players log at least 200 snaps on the defensive front, with the aforementioned Butler logging the 700-plus plays that could’ve easily been split into a reasonable workload for three separate players. Thomas finished second with 331 snaps and former Kansas transfer Da’Jon Terry had 275. </p>
<p id="sVYjPJ">More, comprehensive context — via the Vols’ contemporaries — Kentucky and Bama both had five DLs play at least 200 snaps, while both Florida and Georgia had four. The 200-snap mark is really just an arbitrary benchmark that I decided on. I didn’t peruse the numbers of each of the 14 teams in the conference (so minus 10 Big-J journalism points to me), but at least, the provided numbers are something quantitative to reinforce what we witnessed in the D-line being overwhelmed at times last year.</p>
<p id="Ll9Gnp">By season’s end and relative to the rest of UT’s DLs, as a true sophomore with the least experience of any regular contributor, Thomas <em><strong>ranked at or near </strong></em>the top in the both the traditional statistical categories that most websites keep up with and in the more granular stuff that Pro Football Focus has made Cris Collinsworth millions of dollars by tracking. </p>
<p id="4HFta2">Thomas finished last season second to Butler in tackles with 17 and finished tied for second with Terry in QB pressures, hurries and hits with eight, seven and one, respectively. He led Tennessee with four balls batted down at the line of scrimmage (only two other DL managed even one batted ball) and graded out as the <strong>best tackler</strong> of the Vols’ 10 defensive linemen who played at least one snap. A step further: Thomas’s 81.5 tackle rating ranked him <em>second </em>in the SEC (behind UGA’s Jordan Davis) and placed him in a tie for 20th among all the 1,000-ish defensive linemen in the NCAA. </p>
<p id="xQr0k3">Now, full disclosure — even with Thomas’s natural gifts and a statistical career arc that’s trending up, he’s got room for improvement. Pro Football Focus gave him the worst run defense grade in the Vols’ position group, excluding Amari McNeill and Maurese Smith since they played a combined 11 snaps. </p>
<p id="6eBlXj">Conversely, though, within the run-defense sphere of PFF’s grading metrics, they track something referred to as “stops,” and then also math out that player’s “stop percentage.” The difference between a tackle and a stop, per PFF’s key: “tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense.” I interpret that as scenarios when the defensive player wins his matchup against the opposing team’s blocking assignment. </p>
<p id="0wqFnc">While Thomas graded out atrociously in run defense, he still finished second on the team with 12 stops and had the best stop percentage of any Vol DL who played more than 70 run-defense snaps. That seems counterintuitive, but a theory: the poor grade could be chalked up to a then-still relatively inexperienced player missing assignments or screwing up his run fits but still managing to make plays when he found himself, accidentally, incidentally or on purpose, in position to do so. </p>
<p id="JwHUzl">His pass-rushing stats, some of which I addressed above, popped as interesting, too. He didn’t convert any of his eight pressures or seven hurries into sacks and managed just one QB hit in 178 pass-rush situations. While getting to the QB isn’t necessarily the interior defensive linemen’s primary objective, without somebody on the interior DL causing some pass-rush havoc, there’s subsequently more pressure on the rest of the defense to get at the QB. It’s a chain reaction. </p>
<p id="MqotjQ">Not being able to generate any push or pass rush from the interior of the defensive line means defensive ends, like Tyler Baron and maybe Dominic Bailey or Bryson Eason, may be more apt to lose their contain discipline and give up a big run on an option play or something because they’re so focused on pressuring the QB. Or maybe the lack of pressure from the front four means Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks has to rely on blitzing extra linebackers or defensive backs. Blitzes will always be cards defensive coordinators can play, but it’s sure helpful if it’s a tactic the coach doesn’t <em>always</em> have to rely on. You probably get it and don’t need me explaining it to you. </p>
<p id="NBHkaP">Juniors Da’Jon Terry and Elijah Simmons are both back, as are seniors LaTrell Bumphus and Kurott Garland. Thomas is the most naturally gifted of the bunch, by a wide margin I’d say, other than maybe Simmons. </p>
<p id="C4CqM0">Simmons, who is a former state-title winning shot putter and discus thrower in high school, is supremely athletic at his size (6-4, 340 pounds). </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Put him in coach!!<a href="https://twitter.com/901_hollywood_e?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@901_hollywood_e</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBO</a> <a href="https://t.co/tpbdthFrCE">pic.twitter.com/tpbdthFrCE</a></p>— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vol_Football/status/1558595648768937984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2022</a>
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<p id="BaKgXS">But he played in just seven games last year due to injury and has been in-and-out of full-go participation this fall camp for the same reason. I think I heard Brent Hubbs of VolQuest say it best, regarding Simmons becoming somebody the defense can count on: “I’ll believe it when I see it.”</p>
<p id="Cvap53">I’m also really excited about the potential of incoming freshman, former 4-star prospect Tyre West, but this is Omari Thomas’s year. If he can build on his first two seasons and make a significant impact, it would go a long way to helping Tennessee be even just a reasonably-decent defensive team. And then if that comes to fruition, and opposing defenses haven’t figured out Heupel and the Vols’ offense — this could be a fun football season. </p>
<p id="2WWc6B"> </p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/20/23295704/tennessee-football-preview-player-profile-omari-thomas-go-vols-ut-sports-pro-football-focusNick Carner2022-08-18T08:00:26-04:002022-08-18T08:00:26-04:00Mike Ekeler details Tennessee’s kick and punt return options
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Tennessee at Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NXAvXAZKBr2zUvQj2qkuE2gUB1Y=/0x139:4053x2841/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71256397/usa_today_16826980.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="Afjfgp">Velus Jones Jr. leaves a big void in the Tennessee offense, but his presence will also be missed on special teams. That’s a bit of a forgotten part of the equation here as the season nears, and special teams coach Mike Ekeler has been trying to solve it in the last few weeks. </p>
<p id="LMkxFJ">Tennessee has been working several guys throughout camp, getting a handful of players ready and comfortable to handle those return situations. </p>
<p id="WRwuVM">On Wednesday, Ekeler ran through the potential options.</p>
<p id="u77sC8">“We’ve got a ton of guys on punt return,” Ekeler said. “We’ve got Tre Flowers. We’ve had Dee Williams. Kickoff return, Jimmy Holiday. We’ve got (Dylan) Sampson back there. We’ve got Doneiko (Slaughter). We’ve got a bunch of guys. A lot of guys that are capable. Really excited about it. Velus (Jones Jr.) is a hard guy to replace, but we’re going to do it by committee.”</p>
<p id="9TWeRI">Jones Jr. averaged north of 27 yards per kick return last season, and also averaged over 15 yards per punt return. With those talents now in Chicago with the Bears, Ekeler is hoping to find another guy capable of providing a “<a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2021/8/6/22613061/tennessee-vols-football-mike-ekeler-punt-returner-a-fart-in-a-skillet">fart in a skillet</a>.”</p>
<p id="GLS31i">Trevon Flowers handled three punt returns and a kick return last season. Dee Williams handled a ton of return responsibility at the JUCO level, scoring two touchdowns each on punt and kickoff returns. Both Dylan Sampson and Jimmy Holiday have the speed and explosiveness to make something happen on kick returns.</p>
<p id="MHyOfY">So does this staff value safety and security? Or playmaking ability? Both, according to Coach Ekeler.</p>
<p id="n4zFTI">“We’re kind of greedy,” Ekeler said of his returners. “We want both. We want a guy who can strike up Rocky Top. That’s the objective. We’ve got a pitch to hit and we want to hear our fight song. We feel like we work so much with these guys in the offseason and during the season with ball security and catching the ball. We feel like we can get the best of both worlds. And we’re going to.”</p>
<p id="GsIhai">Velus provided Tennessee with and handful of big plays on special teams last season — it’s going to be interesting to see who emerges in these spots once the season begins.</p>
<p id="dkvRir">Tennessee opens the 2022 campaign on September 1st against Ball State.</p>
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https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/18/23311194/mike-ekeler-details-tennessee-vols-football-kick-punt-return-optionsTerry A. Lambert2022-08-18T07:29:54-04:002022-08-18T07:29:54-04:00Dylan Sampson continues to impress in camp
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<img alt="Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ObIhfpkFb-iqSlMjLZAMOcizQRk=/0x0:3029x2019/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71256281/usa_today_18805559.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p id="NTawE3">There’s an opportunity at running back behind starter Jabari Small, and an unexpected candidate has entered the picture for some snaps this fall. Three-star prospect Dylan Sampson has arrived, and despite missing the the spring, he’s been able to roar onto the scene and impress the coaching staff early on. </p>
<p id="EAPTKT">The 5-11, 190 pound back got to Knoxville in June, at least able to get some summer workouts in with the team. His first few practices on grass have impressed, and now the Tennessee staff might just be forced to find a way to get the speedy weapon some early touches. </p>
<p id="agC1sq">“He’s done a great job,” running backs coach Jerry Mack said. “He’s kind of a fan favorite right now in the building with his attitude, his personality, which we knew when we recruited him. Every day he comes out there and it seems like he does something really good with the ball in his hand, an explosive play.”</p>
<p id="CJDiI5">Sampson ran for 4,927 yards on 521 carries at Dutchtown High School in Louisiana. He set the single game school record with 287 rushing yards last fall, and now is hoping his explosive speed can get him on the field early for the Volunteers.</p>
<p id="CwyJoO">“We talked about him being a guy that was going to have those sexy runs, those long, explosive runs, and that’s what he’s held true to form,” Mack said. “He’s that guy that every day in practice, he’s been coming out there, he finds a way to get through the small creases.”</p>
<p id="e9c7vP">Tennessee is set to lean on Jabari Small this season, who has bulked up to 215 pounds as he prepares for the majority of carries. Beyond that, after the season ending injury to Len’Neth Whitehead, it’s a bit of a question mark. Jaylen Wright is back, but he’s been dinged up throughout fall camp. Lyn-J Dixon entered the picture late and provides a little veteran insurance, while Sampson and Justin Williams-Thomas learn the offense as true freshmen.</p>
<p id="auxKRL">Williams-Thomas was the higher rated of the two, but threw a few weeks of camp, it’s been Sampson stealing the buzz to this point.</p>
<p id="p6JgU9">“He’s a smaller back and he gets to top-end speed really fast,” Mack continued. “We’ve been really impressed with his natural vision and his natural patience as a runner. Obviously the thing that he has to continue to grow in more than anything else is that physicality part of it, and that’s going to come as he gets in games more, as he gets in practice and those live reps more. I like the way Dylan’s operating within our offense as well. He’s playing with that sense of urgency that we need to do in our offense, because we play so fast.”</p>
<p id="vj0CzZ">With Tennessee’s spread offense and lightning-fast pace, having a homerun hitter with Sampson’s speed in the backfield is a pretty exciting thought. Small is a little more of a grinder, but a guy like Sampson can give you a few snaps here and there and potentially create some big plays. </p>
<p id="R1nHMZ">Sampson and freshman receiver Squirrel White have been two camp surprises. Neither are ready to be full time starters, but both have likely carved out some early snaps in their Tennessee careers. </p>
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https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/18/23310250/dylan-sampson-running-back-tennessee-vols-football-camp-buzzTerry A. Lambert2022-08-17T10:11:33-04:002022-08-17T10:11:33-04:00Bulked up Jabari Small ready to shoulder the load for Tennessee
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<img alt="Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ImQwGOIKzi9P8jyQplcMVgCKqLg=/0x0:1761x1174/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71252847/usa_today_18071251.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>He’s added about 15 pounds.</p> <p id="8F5P0R">Following the exit of Tiyon Evans and a strong close to the 2021 season, the lead role in the Tennessee backfield is clear. Junior Jabari Small is the unquestioned leader of the group heading into Josh Heupel’s second year, and he’s set for an even bigger chunk of carries.</p>
<p id="UBs123">So what’s he been doing to prepare? Adding bulk. Small played at just under 200 pounds last season as a sophomore, shouldering a pretty good sized load of carries. Perhaps as a result, he was dinged up for much of the season. </p>
<p id="W7W1vc">According to running backs coach Jerry Mack, Small has put on some bulk ahead of the fall.</p>
<p id="pOiNW6">“One thing about Jabari that he’s done a great job, he’s added armor to his body,” Mack said on Tuesday. “You look at the last game of the season, I think he weighed out at about 199. This year he’s been weighing in consistently between 212 and 215. That’s just going to help him down the road. As we get into games, down the stretch, being able to finish games is what we’ve been talking about, so the increase in carries should really help him a ton.”</p>
<p id="KUv1BH">Small handled 141 carries, running for 796 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. Hendon Hooker received plenty of working in the run game, while Jaylen Wright and Tiyon Evans followed. </p>
<p id="TDjS5L">Without much experience either on the roster behind him, the staff is hoping Small can stay available and be the workhorse this season.</p>
<p id="Z4amz4">“The added weight should help him a ton to try to increase his carries,” Mack said. “It’s one of the things that we’ve been really focusing on with him in the offseason and obviously in fall camp, is just trying to make sure that you understand how to finish the practice.”</p>
<p id="f51iVN">Tennessee lost Len’Neth Whitehead over the offseason to injury — a big blow to the depth at the position. It was also the loss of a bigger back, one that perhaps could have made an impact on the goal line or in short yardage situations. Those spots will now likely be handed to Small, and the added bulk should help.</p>
<p id="npKvee">“One thing about weight and strength is it changes your mindset as well, so when you talk about down there in the red zone, short-yardage – he just has a different mentality about how he’s going to go ahead and get that first down and go – we talk about ‘pad plus-2’ – all those different things,” Mack said. “The mindset has really changed for him with that added weight.”</p>
<p id="vvbcc7">Jaylen Wright should be the second running back this fall, while a couple of freshmen — Justin Williams-Thomas and Dylan Sampson — have been impressive during camp. And there’s also the wildcard now in the mix, Lyn-J Dixon, who came full circle and lands at Tennessee with two years of eligibility remaining.</p>
<p id="QlVqFm">Tennessee had the 11th ranked rushing offense in the country last season, which was an impressive and perhaps surprising output in Josh Heupel’s first season. With Hooker, Small and four starters up front back for more, the Volunteers should find similar success in 2022 — and Jabari Small will be leading the way once again.</p>
https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/8/17/23309575/tennessee-vols-football-running-back-jabari-small-added-weightTerry A. Lambert