OL depth

#51
#51
Our OL depth is perhaps the strongest it’s been in nearly 15 years. The secondary is, yet AGAIN, the weakest and most worrisome group on the team. Of course that should come as no surprise given who the secondary coaches are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Teeman
#52
#52
VOLfrombama said:
The coaches as well as the guys at VQ have raved about:

Karic (probably starting)
Lampley (2nd into the game behind D. Davis)
Sham has pushed the other guards for PT
Johnson III solid RT option
J Perry repping behind Heard and impressing with his development
B Grant steady improving
Lang/Satterwhite (Hubbs said recently that he thought Satterwhite may have overtaken Lang there, but Dayne Davis will be the backup C, assuming he's not already somewhere else)

So we have a 2 deep of talented guys that have earned the praise of coaches and some media.

The rest are young and need more development, but have shown some talent and been mentioned a few times

Bussel
Ginther
J Heard
Duncan
Anderson
Click to expand...

^^^ this.

We have signed 4 or 5 bluechip OLinemen every year under CJH.
5* starting LT Heard is only a sophomore this year.

In addition to the dozen or so mostly 4* guys we have brought in the last 3 classes (many redshirted too) this 2025 class contains consensus 5* highest rated Olineman in the nation in Sanders, and 2 more HIGH 4 stars that were almost 5 stars in Utu and Moi. We are well stocked on the Oline...coaches have been raving about the young guys. With Cooper recovering and the open competition for starting LG and backup/future Center spots, these young Oline guys have gotten lots of reps in spring and fall against the deepest and best Dline in the nation. "Iron sharpens iron" and these guys on the Oline wont have to face a Dline this season as good as the one they face in practice every day. That bodes well for them and our team.

I think the future is very bright on our Oline. Coach Ellarbee is great, and has been with CJH forever. His recruiting success is at an all time high right now as well. Great time to be a VOL.
 
  • Like
Reactions: orangebloodgmc, chuckiepoo and VOLfrombama
#53
#53
Like the OP, I am a little concerned over our depth on the o-line. From my perspective CJH went after Heard hard, because we didn’t have anyone else he thought was ready to compete at this level. I feel better about our guard depth than the tackles. We seldom make it through a season without guys missing some time. Hope those guys are ready to compete when the time comes. JMO GBO
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and bpalmer28
#54
#54
Every position group on Tennessees team is better than your average position group in the SEC.

Our WR group is elite
Our D-line is elite
TE room is good
Online is good
Linebackers are good
RB rooms is good
Secondary is above average


Our secondary is our weakest link but still above average in the toughest conference in College Football.

I can’t wait to see what this team does
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols and orangebloodgmc
#55
#55
Teezy said:
For some reason I’m less concerned about our secondary than any of the previous years.
Click to expand...
I will always be concerned about our secondary as long as Willie Martinez is their coach. My understanding is that he is a prince of a guy and I make no assertion otherwise but just as to his work, I have never been impressed with the units he has put on the field, here or elsewhere.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Teeman
#56
#56
marcusluvsvols said:
^^^ this.

We have signed 4 or 5 bluechip OLinemen every year under CJH.
5* starting LT Heard is only a sophomore this year.

In addition to the dozen or so mostly 4* guys we have brought in the last 3 classes (many redshirted too) this 2025 class contains consensus 5* highest rated Olineman in the nation in Sanders, and 2 more HIGH 4 stars that were almost 5 stars in Utu and Moi. We are well stocked on the Oline...coaches have been raving about the young guys. With Cooper recovering and the open competition for starting LG and backup/future Center spots, these young Oline guys have gotten lots of reps in spring and fall against the deepest and best Dline in the nation. "Iron sharpens iron" and these guys on the Oline wont have to face a Dline this season as good as the one they face in practice every day. That bodes well for them and our team.

I think the future is very bright on our Oline. Coach Ellarbee is great, and has been with CJH forever. His recruiting success is at an all time high right now as well. Great time to be a VOL.
Click to expand...
Moi?
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#58
#58
LittleVol said:
Every position group on Tennessees team is better than your average position group in the SEC.

Our WR group is elite
Our D-line is elite
TE room is good
Online is good
Linebackers are good
RB rooms is good
Secondary is above average


Our secondary is our weakest link but still above average in the toughest conference in College Football.

I can’t wait to see what this team does
Click to expand...
I agree with all this. To rephrase what I said earlier, I think our backup OL is as important to the success of our season as the starting DBs. We can win with bad DBs because our offense and pass rush is so good (I think), but if our OL sucks we are screwed. The starters are world beaters, so I was just asking about the backups.

And the season is 17 games now, so depth at every position is more important than ever before.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and LeannaVol
#59
#59
K-town Vol Fan said:
We just replaced nearly our entire secondary and your only concern is maybe our strongest unit? Okayyyy....
Click to expand...
Wow did you watch any games last year? Our offensive line was average at best, and awful during the Florida game and at different times throughout the season. Who is the back up center, as well as who is in line to go in the game if any starter on the offensive line goes down? These seem like important questions.
 
#61
#61
bpalmer28 said:
I agree with all this. To rephrase what I said earlier, I think our backup OL is as important to the success of our season as the starting DBs. We can win with bad DBs because our offense and pass rush is so good (I think), but if our OL sucks we are screwed. The starters are world beaters, so I was just asking about the backups.

And the season is 17 games now, so depth at every position is more important than ever before.
Click to expand...
Our OL will not suck; surely you know that. We led the SEC in rushing last year and returned most of those guys, who are all now stronger and healthier, and mo' practiced up. Then we added multiple guys like L Heard, Warren, etc. Key injuries could happen to any team, but we have more OL depth than most. Mon dieu.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, VolsSince78 and walkenvol
#63
#63
jarnol32 said:
Wow did you watch any games last year? Our offensive line was average at best, and awful during the Florida game and at different times throughout the season. Who is the back up center, as well as who is in line to go in the game if any starter on the offensive line goes down? These seem like important questions.
Click to expand...
Hey, I watched the games, and our OL in particular. The Vols led the entire SEC in Rushing, were 4th in Fewest Sacks Allowed, and were 4th in Total Offense with a shortage of playmakers at WR, and a RB who occasionally missed the blitz. Our RBs weren’t teleporting themselves for over 200 yards per game.

IMO the OL on the year was way better than “average at best”. We didn’t have anyone as dominant as Darnell Wright, but we had a GOOD functioning unit including TE/H Back. Yes, UF was NOT a good performance for the OL, among other position groups.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#64
#64
I think on the interior we are very good. I only worry slightly about tackle depth. We have Dayne Davis, but that's the only guy I feel super comfortable with.
 
#65
#65
jarnol32 said:
Wow did you watch any games last year? Our offensive line was average at best, and awful during the Florida game and at different times throughout the season. Who is the back up center, as well as who is in line to go in the game if any starter on the offensive line goes down? These seem like important questions.
Click to expand...
Cooper Mays is really good, but beyond that I think it's that they are all more experienced FWIW.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#66
#66
VolsSince78 said:
Hey, I watched the games, and our OL in particular. The Vols led the entire SEC in Rushing, were 4th in Fewest Sacks Allowed, and were 4th in Total Offense with a shortage of playmakers at WR, and a RB who occasionally missed the blitz. Our RBs weren’t teleporting themselves for over 200 yards per game.

IMO the OL on the year was way better than “average at best”. We didn’t have anyone as dominant as Darnell Wright, but we had a GOOD functioning unit including TE/H Back. Yes, UF was NOT a good performance for the OL, among other position groups.
Click to expand...
The pass blocking was bad, I know most ppl will blame Milton for the offense taking a step back last year… However if you go back to the 23 season and even the bowl game vs Clemson you would see the quarterback had time to scan the field, last year that was not the case. I know injuries played a part, but the offensive line was not very good last season. Hopefully with the LSU transfer and better health we will be better on the oline this year, but to say that depth is not a concern is comical after watching last season play out.
 
#72
#72
Well. I think it’s safe to say we don’t have quality depth. I’m also a LITTLE disappointed in our regular starters. Need someone who knows more about football to calm me down.

Sampson averaged 3.8 ypc. He didn’t have any holes. Is it because our OL got beat a lot or did the conservative approach lead to OU stacking the box?
 
#73
#73
bpalmer28 said:
Well. I think it’s safe to say we don’t have quality depth. I’m also a LITTLE disappointed in our regular starters. Need someone who knows more about football to calm me down.

Sampson averaged 3.8 ypc. He didn’t have any holes. Is it because our OL got beat a lot or did the conservative approach lead to OU stacking the box?
Click to expand...
You’re answering your own questions.
Yea Heupel decided to run right at them to salt the clock away, and take home the W.

Also, 3.8 x 3 = 11.4 yards. First down VOLS!
That wasn’t Kent State we ran against.
That was one of the top run defenses in the entire country.

He was preparing them for Georgia…
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: orangebloodgmc, WeeohdeeWood and marcusluvsvols
#75
#75
BigOrangeTrain said:
Our OL depth is perhaps the strongest it’s been in nearly 15 years. The secondary is, yet AGAIN, the weakest and most worrisome group on the team. Of course that should come as no surprise given who the secondary coaches are.
Click to expand...

This post did not age as well as one would expect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols, cjbongoinstructor, StarRaider and 1 other person
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top