SB Nation - Steven Fowlkes

The Tennessee Volunteers Football Depth Chart is Out

Hooper — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:38:34 -0000

He's been patiently waiting to find out who the other 21 would be. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

The first real, comprehensive depth chart (pdf) of the Tennessee Volunteers was released yesterday, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press (h/t to Home Sweet Home of Gate21). As expected, freshmen players litter the field, including a listing or two that are surprising even to those following the practices.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

#1 - Jonathan Crompton This we knew, as it was announced on Monday.
#2 - Nick Stephens

Fullback

#1 - Kevin Cooper Cooper is a little shorter and stouter than Johnson, which should help in blocking situations. I don't know how the receiving comparison works out, but protection for the quarterback is probably a high priority until we know how well Crompton performs with the new offense against actual opponents.
#2 - Austin Johnson I'm a little surprised not to see Sam Edgmon given a nod, considering how well he seemed to be catching passes.

Tailback

#1 - Bryce Brown and Montario Hardesty The first surprise to me is the cop-out of listing co-#1s. Even if the very first play against Western Kentucky has both of these players in (and one fullback out), one of the two is still the #2 option for the staff. I still think that, at the moment, Hardesty is the "first-option tailback", but this might be a way to add some publicity for Bryce Brown.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Nu'Keese Richardson Nuke is the only true freshman to have unquestioned ownership of a #1 slot on the offense. Getting the nod over Warren is a testament to his work ethic and his ability to stay healthy through the preseason. I wonder, though, how much of this was influenced by the injury to Gerald Jones and the need to add a little more speed and maneuverability on the field.
#2 - Brandon Warren Stay healthy and practice hard, young man. Coaches don't evaluate training table etiquette when choosing starters.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Quintin Hancock In his senior year, Hancock has a golden opportunity to show Vol Nation that he's as good as he can look in practice. That he is the tall receiver on the field (and not Brandon Warren) is a statement about the premium that the coaching staff placed on practice time.
#2 - Marsalis Teague I wouldn't expect Teague to be far behind right now, with Hancock having the advantage of spring practice to learn more of the playbook. By the time Jones gets back, Teague may very well have moved up (back) to send on the depth chart here.

Tight End

#1 - Luke Stocker Stocker's the better receiver, and Cottam's the better blocker. This may be more informative of the staff's offensive tendencies than the actual comparison between the two.
#2 - Jeff Cottam I have to wonder: if he hadn't been injured all last year, where would Cottam be as a player right now?

Left Tackle

#1 - Chris Scott No surprise here.
#2 - Dallas Thomas The redshirt freshman is the heir apparent and should get some live fire time here and there throughout the season.

Left Guard

#1 - Vladimir Richard I like Vlad, he's a fun guy.
#2 - Cody Pope Another heir apparent, it's notable that Vlad is listed at 300 lb and Pope at 288. This offensive line is going to be much lighter and quicker than last year's, courtesy of a different zone blocking concept.

Center

#1 - Cody Sullins Who might have been #1 even if McNeil hadn't been injured.
#2 - Cory Sullins Learn quickly, young man. Please learn quickly.

Right Guard

#1 - Jacques McClendon where experience again made the difference. The right guard will be critical in the new running game, as he both assists the center in blocking and is the primary blocker to open up most cutback lanes on zone sweep plays. If you're inclined to watch line play, watch him.
#2 - William Brimfield Note, though, that the beef is apparent on the right side of the line. McClendon is 324 and Brimfield is 346. Run blockers, yes.

Right Tackle

#1 - Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw Even more transparent than the co-number 1 running backs - we're not going to see two right tackles on the first play against Western Kentucky. I'm guessing that Douglas has more potential, but Shaw is more polished.

DEFENSE

(Note: I think that the defensive line terms of 'left' and 'right' refer to the left and right as the offense sees them, so the left end lines up against the offense's left tackle, and so on.)

Left End

#1 - Gerald Williams Raise your hand if you saw this coming at the beginning of spring camp, when GW was begging Kiffin to let him play linebacker. It's good to be unblockable.
#2 - Willie Bohannon and Ben Martin Sigh. Another co-listing. I'll stop that now, as you know my feelings.

Left Tackle

#1 - Wes Brown - at 257 pounds, he's one of the lighter starting tackles you'll ever see. This feels much like a pass-rushing tackle, similar to the way the New York Giants line up.
#2 - Andre Mathis - I think Mathis will be in for short-yardage situations.

Right Tackle

#1 - Montori Hughes and Dan Williams Talk of Dan Williams not being the exclusive starter did not begin for a while, and even when Hughes came on strong earlier in the fall camp, it was thought he'd be at left tackle. The staff really like what they see in this new kid, and so do I.

Right Guard

#1 - Chris Walker who has also had a really nice fall, though you don't tend to hear about it as much because of Williams and Hughes.
#2 - Steven Fowlkes The consensus on Fowlkes appear to be that he has a really, really high ceiling but is still developing. If he stays on course, then next year's presumed lineup of Gerald Williams, Hughes, and Fowlkes may be special.

Strongside Linebacker

#1 - LaMarcus Thompson This is not a surprise.
#2 - Greg King That Thompson was the obvious #1 is not a slight on King, though. You don't hear much of him, but it's always been very complimentary. I think he should be at full speed next year.

Middle Linebacker

#1 - Nick Reveiz Even less surprising. The staff loves this guy, and his attitude should be a real emotional boost for the whole defense.
#2 - Herman Lathers It's hard to find information on Lathers, both because the news coverage on linebackers has been almost nonexistent and because Shorty Reveiz has made a better story whenever they did bother mentioning these guys.

Weakside Linebacker

#1 - Rico McCoy Injury didn't keep him from losing his slot. Healthy, he's one of our best and I look forward to seeing him play.
#2 - Savion Frazier I'm curious how close Frazier came to taking the slot when McCoy was hurt. Unfortunately, the lack of news drama here suggests it wasn't as close as I'd hoped.

Left Cornerback

#1 - Anthony Anderson and Mike Edwards I think this really means that Anderson is the #1 for the first couple of games, but Edwards could take it so long as he keeps learning the system.

Right Cornerback

#1 - Art Evans No real surprise here. His name has come up quite a bit during practices, particularly for his interceptions.
#2 - Marsalous Johnson The depth is really nice in the secondary.

Strong Safety

#1 - Eric Berry
#2,436 - Darren Myles, Jr. and Prentiss Waggner Welcome to the competition for the guy that gets to replace Eric Berry next year. Don't worry; we won't be judging you according to Berry. Sure.

Free Safety

#1 - Janzen Jackson and Dennis Rogan I'm still a little surprised that Rogan gets moved around between corner and safety as much as he does. Jack of all trades, master of none? However it works out, I'd like him to have a more permanent home on the roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

#1 - Daniel Lincoln
#2 - Chad Cunningham

Punter

#1 - Chad Cunningham His kicking strength is supposedly much better this year.
#2 - David Harrington
#3 - The Ghost of Colquitts Past

Kickoffs

#1 - Chad Cunningham
#2 - Daniel Lincoln

Punt Returner

#1 Nu'Keese Richardson I guess those worries about ball-catching weren't enough to sway the staff. Hopefully that means he's been catching better.
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Kick Returner

#1 - David Oku
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Deep Snapper

#1 - Morgan Cox
#2 - Nick Guess

Holder

Bram Cannon

Spring Position Battles: Defensive Line

Hooper — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:00:08 -0000

So far, we have looked at the spring position battles for these positions:

Now, let's take a look at one of the primary concerns coming into the 2009 season - the defensive line.

Before getting into the players, I should note that there is a small chance that a player or two may get moved around - both between the offensive and defensive lines and among the various positions within the lines. I wouldn't expect much, but it's possible. However, I'm only going off the roster positions as listed by UT's football site and I'm not going to speculate much within this writeup about player movement (for lack of information).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

According to UT's roster, the Vols have seven defensive tackles coming into the 2009 campaign. That's probably enough depth to be alright for the season, but you don't really want that number going any lower. A couple of injuries would create a real squeeze and limit the options available for the defensive coaches.

Final Campaign

Andre Mathis

Mathis is light for a D-tackle - listed at 255 lbs - and has not seen a lot of heavy action in his career. Originally projected as a linebacker, Mathis was likely moved to the tackle position to help with depth during an injury phase. At his lighter weight, he would likely be a more mobile and quicker tackle than most, but less likely to overpower a lineman and hold his ground in a straight-up shoving match. If he stays at tackle, his best use is probably on obvious passing downs, so his action will probably remain limited.

Chase Nelson

Chase is a name we've heard a little more frequently in action last year. At 270 lbs, he's a little more filled into the typical 4-3 tackle shape than Mathis. Yet Chase is also a move-over and was originally projected to be a pass-rushing defensive end than a tackle. He's another great fit for obvious passing downs, but his added experience and weight may make him suitable as an every-down tackle.

Dan Williams

Big Dan has been tearing up the interior for two straight years, and has the most solid shot at starting of any tackle on the roster. At 310 lbs, he's big enough to hold the interior against power runs. But he's also agile:

That was 2007. Williams played all of 2008 as well; although the stats seemed a little quieter for him, much of that was the terrific effort by the all-around defense, as well as a tendency for teams to throw those stupid 5-yard TE passes that killed us all year long. /digress

Starting time is in his hands. Williams is our best tackle, and will remain our best tackle if he chooses to do so.

The Junior

Victor Thomas

We have one tackle on the roster who will be a junior next year. At 6'4", 270, Thomas is - you guessed it - another D-end projection that was shifted over to the tackle position. I remember his name having been mentioned a time or two last season, but not much else. With Thomas, the real question will be his run-stopping skills. Can be be an anchor on the line and keep the guard/center occupied so the linebackers are free to move? Much will depend on how he develops in the strength and conditioning program.

The Sophomore

Donald Langley

Langley is listed at 6'2" and 290 lbs, which puts him more into the range of beef you generally like to see in run defenses. Recruited as a d-tackle, his physique suggests he has a real shot a significant minutes on the field. If you follow the spring practices and the O&W game, the real question will be his weight. You know that the Orgeron/Monte setup is not looking for fat blobs of humanity to occupy volume; they're looking for tenacious and aggressive players. Keep an eye on how his weight adjusts. If he stays (relatively) lean and quick, he's in prime position to start next to Williams.

Incoming

Arthur Jeffery

Jeffery was a tremendous grab for Tennessee. The Florida native is listed at about 285 pounds - a great weight for an incoming tackle - and is noted more for his quickness than his strength. As will all freshmen, his biggest concern will be his technique. Since he tended to be a better athlete than his counterparts, did he develop some bad habits that need to be broken? How is his stance? His leverage? We don't rightly know, but the coaches sure do. He really looks like a terrific prospect for tackle, but it'll all depend on how fast he rides the learning curve.

Montori Hughes

Hughes is not listed as high up in the rankings as you'd expect. He's 255, but hasn't filled to match his frame yet. Because he's still growing, the speed and strength metrics are very difficult to gauge. He's our tallest tackle, though, at 6'5" - something I really like to see on passing downs. I expect he'll need some time to grow and develop his skills, but he should have a fine career at UT in the long run.

DEFENSIVE END

The roster lists six defensive ends for UT in 2009. Like the tackle position, this is a little low for comfort. Fortunately, ends are at a slightly lower injury risk because they're not involved in as many pilups of humanity in the middle of the line. (That, and they don't line up directly against Auburn guards...) The biggest hurt is the loss of Ayers to graduation, but props to Ayers for tearing up the NFL combine and perhaps becoming a top-15 pick.

The Senior

Wes Brown

Brown saw a fair amount of action at end last year. While Ayers had one end spot locked up, Brown and Martin took up mot of the duty on the other end of the line. Brown is most likely one of the starters coming into the 2009 season, thanks to his experience and maturity. He's agile and quick, and ideally suited to be a pass-rusher, so he just might pull the coveted right end assignment if he grows into the new system.

Juniors

Ben Martin

Martin had his name called for a fair amount of the 2008 season and should be maturing into his full form at this time. A 5-star prospect, Martin is fast. He's also strong and smart, and is probably the most physically gifted D-end currently at school. Martin is the heavy favorite for starting time of the underclassmen and, despite my words for Brown, will most likely be the right end. You'll hear his name a lot throughout the offseason.

Chris Walker

Walker was originally a LB projection, but was moved to end for - you guessed it - depth concerns. His frame lies somewhere between linebacker and d-line ideals, but he can develop the strength and stamina for the line if he commits himself to it. He will always be a lighter player (listed at 230 on the roster), so he may find himself in relief duty in the new system. But one of the things we know about the new coaches is that they place a high value on heart and tenacity. During the spring, watch how hard he fights. If he's tenacious enough, he could overcome his size disadvantage.

The Freshman

Willie Bohannon

Willie Bohannon is the definition of a project. He's a tough player, but he's light (about 240) and a little slow (4.8 compared to 4.6 times) relative to the other end players on the team. The new staff doesn't start people based on their 40 times, but having the physical tolls does affect your ability to produce on the field, and these disadvantages will be very difficult to overcome. He's going to have a lot to prove to pass others on the depth chart.

Incoming

Marlon Walls

Walls was originally a LB prospect - 215 lbs out of high school - who added a lot of weight to his current 266-lb form. Is this weight due to filling into form, or did he gain a lot of the undesirable weight? Remember the 266-lb mark. If Walls drops down to 230 or so, then a lot of his size was probably the bad kind. If he stays 250-ish, then he likely gained a lot of muscle mass and may be turning into a true d-end - especially a left end. It's too hard to tell right now, so we'll have to watch and see. But the answer to Walls all begins with his weight and how it increased so much.

Rae Sykes

Sykes will be one of the new Vols this year, but he was originally recruited in 2007 and spent 2 years in the JuCo ranks. He's listed at 255 and is beginning to push for 4.6 speed, which would be terrific for defensive end. Because of his JuCo time, he may be ready to step in and play on the very first day. It's hard to tell if he can win starting time, however, because it's not easy to compare JC performance to the other names on the roster. If you're into dark horses, he's your guy.

SUMMARY

If I were to guess, I would have the starting lineup look much like the picture above - Wes Brown and Ben Martin at ends (though flipped from the picture), and Dan Williams and Chase Nelson starting in the interior. I'm least certain about Nelson because Langley has a real chance to grab the slot. I'm most confident about Dan because of his past history and because there's nobody else who's nearly as well suited to handle the left tackle position as him.

On defensive line, incoming players usually have to sit for a while as they fill out into their still-growing bodies. There are a few bright spots, but all of the incoming true freshmen have some physical development to do before they come into true form.

One last note: we have 7 tackles and 6 ends on the roster. Of the 7 tackles, 3 will be seniors. Of the 6 ends, 1 will be a senior, but one of the incoming players is from the JC ranks. Also, of the 7 tackles, 3 were moved to tackle to account for depth problems. Of the 6 ends, 3 were not originally d-line prospects. In short, we're thin on depth, experience, and on players who are ideally suited for the positions on the line. It should be workable this year, but the coaches absolutely have to find a way to get in more d-linemen in the next class. While one top-flight QB will go a long way toward easing our concerns, we're going to need a boatload of linemen next year.