Football can be a complex game. Schemes, coverages, blitzes — the jargon is enough to make your head spin sometimes. But who wins and who loses often comes down to something simple: winning at the point of attack.
The Vols struggles have been well documented over the past several seasons, and a big (no pun intended) part of that is the overall ineffectiveness of the defensive line.
Statistically speaking, I think there are two specific components to look at when evaluating defenses — rushing the passer and stopping the run. While sacks aren’t the end-all-be-all of stats when determining the viability of a defense, I do think they provide a decent barometer of a defense’s disruptiveness. As we saw in the Super Bowl, a good pass rush is the great equalizer.
Tennessee finished dead last in the SEC in sacks last season with 18, while Missouri led the conference with 41. In fact, the Vols have finished last or next to last in sacks in the SEC for three straight seasons. The Vols have also finished next to last in run defense in consecutive years, allowing more than 200 yards on the ground per game in 2013 and nearly that many (188) in 2012.
So what did Butch Jones do to address those issues? Oh, well, you know. Nothing major. Other than signing eight potential defensive line prospects.
4* Derek Barnett 6-3, 270
4* Joe Henderson 6-4, 222
4* Dewayne Hendrix 6-4, 264
4* Michael Sawyers 6-2, 307
4* Charles Mosley 6-5, 362
3* Owen Williams 6-2, 285
3* Dimarya Mixon 6-3, 263
3* Jashon Robertson 6-3, 286
Sometimes I can be wordy, but I’ll be brief here:
Average weight of Tennessee’s starting defensive line in 2013: 284
Average weight of the new crop of DL signees: 282
It is worth noting that one of Robertson and Mosley, or both, could end up playing of the offensive side of the ball. So the numbers may change, but the general point remains.
Butch Jones found the beef.
Now let’s hope it translates to some improved play along the defensive front.