Dan Fleser: Pruitt Singing The Blues About Vol Defense

  • Thursday, August 15, 2019
  • Dan Fleser

KNOXVILLE – The more Jeremy Pruitt spoke last Tuesday, the worse Tennessee’s defensive line became.

After the first preseason football scrimmage on Sunday, the Vols head coach pumped the brakes regarding any optimism that had been building during the first eight practices. Perhaps he was chastened by what he saw at Neyland Stadium, or he simply was pushing for more progress in preparation for the Aug. 31 season opener against Georgia State.

Whatever the case, he stamped down especially hard on arguably the most inexperienced position group with a pair of sobering analogies.

To begin with, he compared UT’s defensive linemen to callow school children. 

“We’re still in elementary school,” he said. “Hopefully this next week we can get to junior high and the next week we can get like we’re in high school and eventually be on the college level before the season is over with.”

He then suggested to the assembled media that driving home in Mr. Magoo-like fashion would simulate where the linemen were in terms of their alignments and any corresponding adjustments.

“When you get out there, just shut your eyes while you’re driving down the road and see how well you do,” Pruitt said. “Because if you don’t know the things that I’m talking about and you’re trying to play defensive line, you’re basically playing with your eyes shut.”

Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker spoke on Thursday and had a different sort of ride in mind with his status report.

“It’s like a roller coaster,” he said. “It will start and you’re like ‘oh we’re going to have a great one’ and then it all comes down and goes back up.”

Rocker recalled coaching at Arkansas and former Vol great Reggie White then advising him to always tell youthful linemen “act like you’re older.”

Rocker’s most consistent message revolves around their self-assurance.

“I’m always going to say you have to put confidence in them,” Rocker said. “To play this game, you have to have a lot of confidence.”

Across the line of scrimmage, identifying the most consistent five-man unit is the offensive line’s most pressing matter. For now, the ongoing competition is considered to be healthy.

“Feels good because that’s how football is supposed to be,” tackle Marcus Tatum said. “Nothing should be given. You should always earn it.”

Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano said that he isn’t bothered by the position battles and his physical well-being may depend on how they turn out.

“I think going into this camp, there has been a lot of competition and I see it every day,” he said. “They are rotating ones and twos every day and threes. We have a lot of guys who can do it. We are going to try to find the best five. I don’t know if it is going to be the day before or if it is going to be this week.”

Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney appreciates the range of possibilities in formulating his timetable.   

“My history says defensive coordinators, defensive head coaches think you can move those pieces around a lot. The day before the game ‘Hey he can go to guard. He can go to tackle.’ ” Chaney said.

“Those people who have worked with the offensive line try to get it in place way too soon.

“I always try to figure out the harmony there. I think as soon as you can find your five best players and try to put them in the positions you need them at, the sooner, the better.”   

* * *

Dan Fleser is a 1980 graduate of the University of Missouri who covered University of Tennessee athletics for the Knoxville News Sentinel from 1988-2019. He can be reached at danfleser3@gmail.com


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