Doug Mathews discusses the Vols rotations and depth.
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DEPTH AND PLAYING ROTATIONS FOR THE START OF THE 2014 SEASON
After taking two days off this week the Vols began game week practice for Utah State on Thursday. The time off was important in two areas: with school starting the players could concentrate on getting off on the right foot solving any scheduling problems that might come up and the coaches needed the time to complete their rotation and substitution depth charts for the upcoming season. Today we look at what those rotations will probably look like when the Aggies of Utah State come to town.
Chalk Talk is assuming the following as we look toward the 2014 season…..we will be an extremely young team at most positions especially in backup personnel and health will always play a part in depth and playing rotations.
While depth is always preferred at every position there are two areas where some of the best Volunteer teams have played with little substitutions, the offensive line and quarterback. The starting quarterback will rarely come out of a game barring a blowout on one side or the other and the offensive line can easily play with a starting five and one or two substitutes. Worley will be one of as few as six seniors to start the Utah State game and Dobbs or Peterman will be #2 and #3 in the quarterback depth chart. They are the only scholarship players at the QB position. All three have started at least one SEC game in their career.
Fourth year juniors Crowder, Jackson and Kerbyson will start somewhere in the offensive line preferably at guard and center. Fifth year former walk-on Gilliam, junior college transfer Blair or true freshman Thomas are tackle candidates and first year player Robertson is in the mix at guard. Weisman and Kendrick should factor in as the season starts. An early assessment by Chalk Talk…..potentially an average to above center/guard mix and a hope and pray situation at tackle. This team has a lot of guard/center types and few tackle body types. One interesting observation by a former thirteen year offensive line and sixteen year head coach for the Big Orange. When asked how many true freshmen had started or played key roles during his tenure on the offensive line….his answer “three or four and none should have been playing that early”. Coach Don Mahoney will earn his salary this season.
The other three position groups on offense, wide receiver, running back and tight end have good depth and excellent young talent.
Wide receiver is deep, talented and has a good mix of experience and youth. North is a budding super star in my opinion, Croom a big matchup problem for defensive backs and Howard and Pearson in the slot can take short passes and turn them into big plays. Smith has rebounded from a late last season case of the dropsies with an excellent fall camp and along with freshman Malone gives the Volunteers as potent a receiving group as we have had during my thirty five years of Big Orange football. Wharton and Jenkins could contribute if needed. This group is all under classmen. If we are to have a winning season this group will have to make the plays they are capable of making.
Lane will likely start at running back as a senior but Hurd for certain and Scott later in the season will also play. I have watched Hurd as a high school player and also at several practices at UT. Healthy he should join a short list of big time runners for the Vols: Jones, Cobb and Webb all of whom I had the pleasure of coaching as well as Lewis and Henry. Also, look for Young to be used in special situations to provide some excitement out of the backfield early in the season.
The tight end position(s) is big in a Butch Jones offense. One way to help our tackle problems is to put a tight end beside them. Wolfe and Helm, true freshmen along with Ellis will provide the depth here and there is talent in the three. Oft injured Downs could figure in to help with depth, but the two freshmen will be the main factors at this position.
As few as twenty five players may provide the offensive rotation to start the season including only three seniors and from seven to eight freshmen. Most however were here for spring practice and are ahead of normal freshmen.
The playing rotations on the defensive side of the ball make the offense look like veterans. No fewer that thirteen true freshmen will be called on to play major minutes for this 2014 defense. I would not be surprised by midseason to see every backup and a couple of starting positions manned by this freshman group.
At end Maggitt and Vareen will start and freshmen Hendrix and Barnett will provide the early depth. Who follows them is up in the air. Tackle has J. Williams and O. Williams with O’brien and freshmen Mixon and Sawyers providing depth. At both tackle and end a defensive coordinator needs a minimum of five and preferably six players in the rotation…..we will be fortunate to find five to rotate in and out.
Only two linebacker positions factor in the starting group as five defensive backs are now the norm when facing most offensives in the SEC, Alabama and Georgia being the exception for the Vols. At Mike or middle backer it’s all SEC Johnson and probably Bynum or Bryant a freshman. Jumper could also factor in but expect A.J. to be on the field as much as possible. Behind Johnson are a lot of questions.
Reeves-Mabin will start at the outside backer position with two freshmen providing depth, Bates and Elliott Berry. Depending on the front scheme Weatherd will be in the mix when Coach Jancek decides to bring pressure from the outside. This is a fairly deep position as long as the Vols play nickel. When two outside linebackers are called depth becomes a problem.
The five defensive back nickel package will start with Sutton and Moseley at corners backed up by Williams and Gaulden. Payne could factor in later but probably not at the start. This position will be a thin one all year. While we are more talented than last year we still are not where the good SEC corners are in terms of depth and talent. Safety is different with Randolph, Swafford and three freshmen Evan Berry, Kelly, Jr and McDowell a talented group which should be a major upgrade from last year. With Coleman moving into nickel corner and backed up by Foreman the secondary as a whole are much more athletic and faster than at any time last season.
What is interesting on the defensive side of the ball is the number of returning players who played major minutes last season and who do not factor in the two deep this year. This freshman class has moved to the forefront very quickly and will play key roles to the success of this year’s defensive team.
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