Auburn Dominates the Offensive Glass in 94-84 Win

The Vols led 28-14 ten minutes into the game, but it only took Auburn five minutes to erase that lead. The Vols led 61-56 with 8:30 to play, but Auburn was up 80-68 a little more than four minutes later.

When things got away from Tennessee today, they got away in a hurry. This scene played out at the end of the Arkansas game due to foul trouble, but today the Vols’ struggles were more troubling: dominated on the offensive glass at home.

And dominated is an understatement. Auburn finished with 22 offensive rebounds, only getting more defensive rebounds (24) because they grabbed two in the final seconds with the game out of reach. The Tigers rebounded half of their misses. The result:  74 shot attempts to Tennessee’s 58. The Vols actually shot the ball better (41.4% to 40.5%) and both teams were below average from three (roughly 29% each) and stellar at the line (Vols 81%, Auburn 86%). But when one team gets 16 more shot attempts, that team is going to win.

Auburn is a good offensive rebounding team, but Tennessee came into this game as a good rebounding team period…and the Vols got outworked and outplayed. Maybe the early lead took away a sense of urgency, maybe Saturday’s loss at Arkansas still loomed. Either way, Auburn looked like they wanted this one more, and they took it in Knoxville.

The loss sends Tennessee to 9-4 (0-2), and it gets no easier with Kentucky calling on Saturday. Anyone using the phrase “must-win” should step away from the keyboard, but it’s an important one to reclaim momentum and get another big win. If the Vols want to stay among the nation’s best in the Top 25, they’ll have to prove it against Kentucky. And they’ll have to bring more fire than they showed tonight to do so.

 

Tennessee vs Auburn Preview

The turnovers in the last few minutes are frustrating, but Tennessee’s biggest cause for concern is defending great guards. Villanova’s Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson combined for 46 points on 15-of-26 from the field. And Arkansas got 61 from Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon on 20-of-36.

Tennessee countered with outstanding play from its own guards on the offensive end in Fayetteville: 21 from Jordan Bone and 17 from James Daniel. The Vols will need more of the same in the future if they fail to improve on the other end. Foul trouble was a significant factor at Arkansas, and it stands out in amazing ways in the play-by-play. With multiple players on the foul hampered with four fouls, the Vols had to defend differently.

Admiral Schofield hit a three to put the Vols up 68-60 with 4:04 to play, then picked up his fourth foul ten seconds later at the under four timeout. Arkansas scored 60 points in the game’s first 36 minutes (1.67 per minute). They scored 35 points in the game’s final nine minutes (3.88 per minute, a 156-point pace for a full game). In the last four minutes of regulation and all of overtime, the only Arkansas possessions that did not end with points were the final sequence in regulation, and two missed free throws by Daniel Gafford with 40 seconds to play in overtime.

Grant Ramey points out the Vols are 16th nationally in fouls per game. Obviously, that has to come down. We saw how quickly Tennessee’s defense – still ninth in KenPom’s ratings – can fall apart against a good offense when multiple components are slowed or sidelined with foul trouble. But even when fouls are less of an issue, Tennessee’s backcourt defense looks like its biggest weakness entering the new year.

The good news:  the Vols still had a chance to win. And they’ll get another shot at a good backcourt right away.

Auburn’s moment arrives

The Tigers haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and the NIT since 2009. Last year Bruce Pearl got them above .500 for the first time since that 08-09 season. This year they’re off to a 12-1 start, and are a 10 seed in the January 1 Bracket Matrix.

In classic Pearl scheduling, the Tigers faced a bunch of RPI-friendly mid-majors. They lost to Temple on a neutral floor, but have wins over Winthrop, Dayton, UAB, Middle Tennessee, and Murray State. In their marquee test, they hosted UConn in a down year for the Huskies (126th in KenPom), and won by 25.

That means their two most difficult games so far will come this week:  at #23 Tennessee on Tuesday, then hosting #22 Arkansas on Saturday.

Auburn is a lot like us. With 6’11” Austin Wiley and 6’7″ Danjel Purifoy – two of their top four scorers last year – out indefinitely due to potential ineligibility surrounding the ongoing federal investigation, the Tigers play no one bigger than 6’8″. Nine players get 13+ minutes; the Vols have nine getting 11+.

Auburn hopes to be good, but is yet to play a great team. Tennessee hopes to be great, and has played several already.

What Auburn does well:

  • Defending inside the arc. Opponents shoot just 41.7% against the Tigers from two, the 11th best defensive percentage in the nation. This is in part because, like Tennessee, Auburn is an excellent shot-blocking team despite their lack of size. The main threat here is 6’8″ sophomore Anfernee McLemore, who tosses 3.4 shots per game in just over 20 minutes of action. Auburn blocks 19.2% of opponent shots, fourth nationally, and McLemore leads the nation in this stat in sending back 18.7% of the shots taken while he’s on the floor.
  • Offensive rebounding. Auburn is 14th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (37.2%). 6’3″ Desean Murray, a Presbyterian transfer, has been particularly good here with 36 offensive rebounds on the year.
  • Free throw shooting. Hold your 2007 Ohio State jokes. The Tigers’ 77.1% is 20th nationally; Auburn’s top four scorers all shoot between 79-82%. You do not want to be behind this bunch in the final minute.

What Tennessee can do to win:

  • Defend the three. Auburn launches 26 threes per game, 8.5 of them from Bryce Brown (hitting 35.5%). This won’t be anything new for Tennessee:  Vol opponents have taken 237 threes, the 13th most any team has seen this season. The Vols give up just 34.2% on the year from three, and volume shooting teams like Furman (25.9%) and even Villanova (35.3%) have struggled to find victory that way against Tennessee. If Auburn wins from the arc, they will be the first to do so against Tennessee this year.
  • Continue to share the ball. The Vols have dropped from first to eighth nationally in assist percentage, but still share the ball on 65.5% of their made baskets. Auburn doesn’t create a ton of turnovers, and won’t be the first fast-paced team the Vols have seen this year. Good offense via good shots is still Tennessee’s best plan of attack.
  • Make free throws.  While the Tigers shoot their own free throws well, they’ve certainly been helped by the opposition shooting just 73.8% against them. After a solid start to the season, Tennessee is just 44-of-66 (66.7%) in the last three games. Eight missed free throws at Arkansas made a difference. Tennessee needs this to trend back in the other direction.

The Vols are 4-1 against Bruce Pearl at Auburn, but this is the first one where the ex-Tennessee coach isn’t the lead story. That’s a credit to both Pearl and Rick Barnes for getting these two teams where they are now from where they were when both took over. The Vols need a rebound after a tough loss to open SEC play. Auburn needs a win to validate their place on the bubble. It should be another good one.

7:00 PM ET Tuesday, ESPNU. Go Vols.

Arkansas 95, Tennessee 93 (OT): The Art of Closing

 

A huge part of being a great basketball team is overcoming adversity, and that’s the simple reason why this Tennessee team has to settle for “very good” right now.

It’s going to take a major breakthrough for the Vols to take that next, logical leap.

One of the best, deepest UT teams in the past few years — and easily the best so far under Rick Barnes — again built and held a big, late lead against a quality opponent on Saturday. But just like in previous losses to No. 1 Villanova and top program North Carolina, the Vols squandered it down the stretch against a very good Arkansas team in Fayetteville.

What transpired was the Vols blowing a nine-point advantage with 3:30 to go, and after the game went into overtime, the Razorbacks broke things open for an 11-point advantage before UT stormed back to fall just short, 95-93.

Yes, Tennessee was a six-point underdog against a 10-2 Hogs team on the road, so the Vols weren’t necessarily “supposed” to win this game, despite being ranked 19th. But, as the game transpired and played out, the Vols were supposed to win. They were the better team, more disciplined, deeper, and they were in control for essentially the entire time.

But Barnes’ bunch couldn’t bring it home. Again.

The Hogs’ 40 minutes and 94 feet of hell finally got to Tennessee, which couldn’t keep its composure against the press down the stretch. Things built upon themselves, Arkansas began to believe it could come back, and everything snowballed on the Vols.

It didn’t help matters that UT leading scorer Grant Williams was saddled with foul trouble for important stretches and was called for a ticky-tack foul that replays showed was a clean block. Therefore, the Vols didn’t have him down the final stretch of the game or in overtime. It showed. Then, early in the extra session, Admiral Schofield fouled out, leaving the Vols too small to play their game.

That’s not only two key cogs in the size of the frontcourt, it’s also two of the three biggest offensive pieces of the puzzle for Barnes. This was some serious adversity, but getting the calls on the road is rarely going to happen. UT needed to overcome that, and it couldn’t.

An ill-advised, missed Tennessee 3-pointer late started the Arkansas flurry, and UT failed to hit some crucial free throws down the stretch. Jordan Bowden missing two of three free throws when he was fouled taking a 3-pointer, and Jordan Bone missing the first of two free throws in regulation with the Vols down one that could have kept the game from going into overtime were pivotal, crucial blunders.

We can crow about the one-sided officiating — which seems to be the norm when Doug Shows is on the whistle — but there was other business the Vols should have taken care of that it could control. Instead, Tennessee falls to 9-3 and 0-1 in a rugged SEC that is going to be hard to navigate all season. Games like this, the Vols desperately need to win, and this is one that is going to sting for a while.

Right now, Tennessee certainly looks like an NCAA Tournament team; we all know that. But there is a lot of basketball season left to play, so when you have opportunities like this one on the road in the palm of your hand and you let it slip away? It has major implications and ramifications in the long run. Now, the Vols must head home to take on another very good conference foe in Auburn.

Just how tough is Tennessee’s early-season conference slate? After the home game against the Tigers, the Vols host Kentucky. Then, they have to travel to the biggest joke of a basketball court in all of college sports to take on Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium, and that’s always a difficult game. The Vols then host fifth-ranked Texas A&M, travel to Missouri and then go to South Carolina, a Final Four team from a season ago.

That’s a brutal stretch.

So, when you look at the upcoming stretch of games, a sure-fire tournament team can go to an afterthought in a hurry. That’s why Saturday hurts so much; the Vols should have won this game in Fayetteville. Say what you want about the foul calls or the one-sidedness or how much a team is hamstrung when it doesn’t have its leading scorer. All of that is accurate.

But that’s why Barnes gets paid the big bucks, and that’s why the Vols have to overcome.

Remember when I said this was the best and deepest Tennessee team the Vols have had in a while? It’s also one of the youngest, and that’s been evidenced by the way UT played at times down the stretch against other, quality opponents.

This is a team that can play its way and impose its will on teams for large swaths of the game, but if it doesn’t close out those wins, it doesn’t matter.

Williams picking up his fourth foul with 3:33 to go and getting another one that sent him to the pine with 2:10 left is ridiculous. But it’s basketball; and Tennessee still held its own destiny in its hands.

As stifling as Tennessee’s defense has been at times this season, it crumbled down the stretch against the Hogs. UT’s point guard play was much-improved than what it’s been with Bone and James Daniel, but the defense was lax. Arkansas’ guards Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford played like the senior combo they are, combining for 60 points in the win.

That’s too much for Tennessee to allow.

So, this was an awfully difficult loss to stomach, and it’s one that could sting more later. There’s no reason to hit the panic button, and there’s no reason to be worried about the long-term ramifications, but this is now three games against excellent competition that could have been three Tennessee wins. At the very worst, the Vols should be 1-2 against ‘Nova, UNC and the Hogs. Instead, they’re 0-3.

This needs to be a teaching moment and a hard lesson, but UT can regroup and return. This team needs Williams on the court and it needs to find a formula that works down the stretch. If those two things don’t happen, the rest of this season may not play out the way we’d hoped.

Tennessee Junior Running Back John Kelly Declares for NFL Draft

Under new head coach Jeremy Pruitt, getting Tennessee back to relevance is going to be an arduous rebuilding project, and 2018 will be a fresh start.

There’s going to be a little more newness after Friday’s news.

Junior running back John Kelly announced on his Instagram that he is foregoing his final season in orange and white and turning pro. It’s unclear where — or if — Kelly will get drafted, but this is a big blow to UT’s offense, especially considering a more pro-style approach seems to suit Kelly’s running style a lot better than the unfolding lawn chair offense under Butch Jones.

Against top competition early in the season, Kelly was at his best in his first season out of the shadow of Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara. As the season wore on and injuries piled up on the offensive line, the Vols went away from featuring Kelly. He wound up with 778 yards on the ground and a 4.1 rushing average to go along with nine touchdowns. He also had 37 catches for 299 yards.

Kelly can do it all. Though that rushing average isn’t pretty, it’s not indicative of the type of player he is. He is a beast with the football who can wear down defenses. Though this isn’t the smartest decision — in my opinion — somebody in the NFL is going to get a late-round war horse. Kelly hasn’t ever suffered a major injury, he’s still got fresh legs and his best days are in front of him.

With Kelly heading out, that means rising sophomore Ty Chandler will see an increased load of carries. He ran for 305 yards on a 4.3 average in his first year, and has game-breaking ability. Tim Jordan, Carlin Fils-Aime and Trey Coleman are other running backs on the roster who could wind up getting carries.

The Vols recently signed Memphis (Cordova HS) power back Jeremy Banks, and he seems to have a good opportunity to step right in and be a significant part of this offense. Though Georgia prep runner Anthony Grant is currently committed, he’s looking around, so it’s possible UT could sign another back. The Vols will likely look to do so.

One player Pruitt already has offered is 4-star recruit and Oklahoma commitment Tavion Thomas, from Dayton, Ohio, who didn’t sign during the early period. He would fit the mold of a power back who can step in with Banks and provide some rugged runs to go along with the finesse of Jordan and Fils-Aime and the complete-back style of Chandler.

It’s a big blow to the Vols to lose Kelly; but here’s wishing him the best in the NFL. He was a great player in Knoxville.

Tennessee at Arkansas Preview

The first game of SEC play might be the most difficult, depending on which set of power ratings you ask. RPI Forecast uses Jeff Sagarin’s, which give Tennessee just a 28% chance to win at Arkansas tomorrow. That’s the lowest percentage left on the schedule – the Vols are currently getting 30% in Rupp Arena – and one of only five remaining games where Tennessee is the underdog (at Missouri 40%, vs Texas A&M 46%, at Alabama 48%).

So yes, it’s a big test. As we know, the Vols have already played three of the nation’s top eight teams in KenPom. They beat one and took the other two to the finish line. Arkansas is 22nd in KenPom, just behind the Vols at 19th. But this time, Tennessee has to get it done on the road.

Arkansas does not like close games.

The Razorbacks are 10-2. They beat Oklahoma (#16 KenPom) in the Phil Knight tournament 92-83, then lost to North Carolina by 19 the next day. The Tar Heels were +16 in rebounds, shot 8-of-16 from the arc, and had 21 free throw attempts to eight for Arkansas.

They blew out UConn by 35 two days after that, then lost at Houston (#40 KenPom) by 26 six days later. The Cougars were +9 on the glass, but were also particularly good at shutting down Arkansas: Houston (34.5%) and UNC (37.5%) are the only teams to hold them under 43% from the field.

Then they dusted Minnesota (#41 KenPom, 14th in the AP poll at the time) by 16 a week later in one of their best performances of the season:  57.4% from the field, 43.5% from the arc, 23 assists to nine turnovers. Since then they’ve beaten Troy, Oral Roberts, and CSU Bakersfield by a combined 87 points.

They lost Dusty Hannahs and Moses Kingsley from the group that pushed North Carolina to the end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. But their three senior guards have been a terror: Jaylen Barford averages 18.6 points and 46.4% from the arc, Daryl Macon gets 15.3 on 43.7% from three, and Anton Beard goes for another 12.1. And 6’11” freshman Daniel Gafford has poured in 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action, while guard C.J. Jones has gone from role player to double-digit scorer at 10.5 per. In both losses, this guard-heavy lineup suffered in the post:  Luke Maye had 28 points and 16 rebounds while Gafford played only 15 minutes with foul trouble, and Houston’s Devin Davis (only 6’6″) had 28 and 10 while Gafford had just five. Tennessee will need Grant Williams to have similar success.

What Arkansas does well:

  • Offense, in general. 50.3% from the floor (21st nationally) and 41% from the arc (also 21st nationally). Arkansas is 19th in KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings, and they score 90 points per game playing the 29th fastest pace in college basketball; only North Carolina is faster among Tennessee’s prior opponents.
  • Turnover-free basketball. This is Arkansas’ most remarkable stat:  despite playing at such a fast pace, the Razorbacks are 10th nationally in total turnovers and fourth in turnover percentage, giving the ball away on just 12.1% of their possessions. Arkansas’ Twitter account points out Daryl Macon has 17 consecutive assists without a turnover. The primary ball-handlers are seniors who don’t succumb to pressure. This is an extraordinarily efficient offense.
  • Blocking shots. The Razorbacks are 30th nationally in block percentage, sending back 14.5% of opponent shots. Gafford gets 1.9 per game, a little less than Moses Kingsley’s 2.6 last season, but still effective in limited minutes. Good news here:  Tennessee is even better at this, sending back 16.2% of opponent field goals, 21st nationally.

What Tennessee can do to win:

  • The Vols have plenty of experience with great offenses, and remain one of the nation’s best defensive teams. Tennessee has played the nation’s 14th most difficult schedule in terms of opponent offenses via KenPom. The Vols are first among major conference teams in that metric, and it’s about to get better/worse. Having already faced offenses nationally rated second (Villanova), seventh (Purdue), 18th (North Carolina), and 27th (Wake Forest), the Vols now face Arkansas (19th), Auburn (29th), and Kentucky (25th) in a row. Half of Tennessee’s first 14 opponents will have had a Top 30 offense. And yet, the Vols are 35th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 39% and rated ninth nationally in KenPom’s defensive efficiency. The common denominator in defeat is an elite offense getting the best of Tennessee’s great defense:  Villanova and UNC are still the only two teams to shoot better than 40% against UT. Will Arkansas get there?
  • Do you crash the offensive glass or set up transition defense? Tennessee chose the former against Villanova and North Carolina, getting offensive rebounds on 40.6% of their misses against the Wildcats and 39% against the Tar Heels. It almost paid off both times. But against another fast foe in Wake Forest, the Vols only grabbed 22.2% of their misses. However, Tennessee held the Demon Deacons to 37.7% from the floor and forced 19 turnovers. As noted, it’s unlikely the Vols will force a ton of turnovers against Arkansas. But Rick Barnes will have to choose if he wants to try to win this game with second chances on the offensive end, or if Tennessee’s first chance can be enough to try to win by slowing Arkansas down. North Carolina beat Arkansas via the offensive glass (and, I’m sure, by being North Carolina). We’ll see what Tennessee decides.
  • Grant Williams dominates. It almost worked last year. Robert Hubbs got the headlines with 21 points in a four-point loss in Knoxville, but Williams had 15 points and 11 rebounds (six offensive) in 28 minutes. Moses Kingsley had just seven points. The blueprint is there against Gafford; if Kyle Alexander can help, even better.

It’s the first SEC impression, but could end up being a lasting one. All the pieces are there for the Vols to interest Arkansas in a close, great game between two teams gunning for the conference crown. The Vols have earned the fun they’ll find in Fayetteville.

Saturday, 1:00 PM ET, SEC Network. Go Vols.

 

SEC Basketball Preview: The Best of a Generation

LSU is at Memphis today, and Kentucky faces Louisville on Friday. Then SEC play tips off, with Tennessee and Arkansas doing the honors Saturday at 1:00 PM ET.

Five years ago, you could have confused the SEC for a mid-major league. Florida dominated a newly-expanded conference in 2013, rated second nationally in KenPom before bowing out in the Elite Eight. Missouri got in as a nine seed and lost in the first round. And Marshall Henderson shot Ole Miss to an SEC Tournament title, pushing the Rebels into the tournament as a 12 seed.

And that was it.

Kentucky, Alabama, and Tennessee just missed the field, each earning a one or two seed in the NIT. The league’s three NCAA Tournament teams were the only ones to finish in the KenPom Top 50. And the basement was a mess, dead weight around the necks of tournament hopefuls:  Auburn at 197, South Carolina at 209, and Mississippi State at 256 in KenPom.

Changes in coaching and scheduling made a difference, but not immediately. Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee (barely) got in the next year, with all three advancing to the Sweet 16. Kentucky’s undefeated bid was the story in 2015, but four other SEC teams made the field. But the league was back to just three in 2016, with Vanderbilt bowing out in Dayton.

While the top tier still needed work, the bottom was getting better. Two years ago Rick Barnes’ first squad just missed the Top 100 in KenPom at 103, while Missouri (159) and Auburn (189) brought up the rear. Last year the middle leveled up: while Kentucky and Florida did their usual at the top, the SEC’s Top 12 teams were all in the Top 90. Missouri (156) and LSU (172) still struggled mightily, but South Carolina’s surprise run to the Final Four gave the league some additional juice. Five teams got in, and three made it to the Elite Eight.

The SEC got five in the field in 2017, 2015, and 2011, but six hasn’t happened since 2008. By my count, seven has never been done.

This year, in the Christmas Eve edition of the Bracket Matrix, the SEC has eight on the dance floor.

The best SEC since…

This is easily the best SEC since expansion those five years ago, and has put itself in the running for a much longer conversation. The league is currently third in conference RPI and first in out-of-conference strength of schedule, with ten games against the Big 12 (first in conference RPI) still to come. Top to bottom, the SEC is one of the nation’s best basketball conferences:

SEC ACC Big East Big 10 Big 12 Pac 12
AP Top 25 3 5 4 2 6 2
KenPom Top 25 4 6 3 2 4 2
KenPom Top 50 7 9 7 7 9 4
KenPom Top 100 14 13 9 14 10 6
RPI Top 25 4 5 4 2 3 2
RPI Top 50 8 8 5 4 7 3
RPI Top 100 11 11 8 8 8 8
Bracket Matrix 8 10 6 5 7 2

Texas A&M leads the way at 11-1, seventh in KenPom. Kentucky is 9-2 and 18th.

And then there’s us.

What’s a good goal for Tennessee?

The Vols are one spot behind the Wildcats at 19th in KenPom and join Kentucky and Arkansas at 9-2 in the Top 25 in those ratings. Those four make up the league’s top tier entering conference play. Ending the season in that top tier is a great, practical goal for Tennessee.

Finishing in the top four in SEC play would both give the Vols a double bye in the SEC Tournament, and secure a favorable seed in the NCAA Tournament. Right now the Vols are a five seed in the Bracket Matrix, while RPI Forecast projects Tennessee to finish 10-8 in league play. There are no cupcakes this time around; the league will not be easy. Finishing as a six seed or higher would keep the Vols away from college basketball’s very best until at least the Sweet 16. Or you could consider the fact that the Vols have already played three competitive games with college basketball’s very best and won one of them, and just let this thing play out hoping for the most favorable seed possible.

RPI Forecast also gives the Vols a 75.7% chance to finish the regular season with at least 19 wins, which would make the Vols an NCAA Tournament lock. It’s tough to have a conversation about goals for a team that started the year picked 13th in the SEC and is currently flirting with 13th in the nation. This season so far has been a gift, but this team has earned it:  the Vols haven’t been lucky, just good.

So if they go 9-9 in league play and just get into the tournament, this year would still have to be considered a success. But the Vols have earned the right to dream a little bigger.

On that:

Tennessee’s conference schedule is relatively easy, but extraordinarily front-loaded.

As usual, the Vols get Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina twice. You know what you’ll get from UK every year. Vanderbilt is a conundrum at 5-7 with no bad losses. South Carolina is rebuilding without Sindarius Thornwell, P.J. Dozier, and Duane Notice.

This year the Vols draw Georgia and Ole Miss as their other two home-and-home opponents. The Dawgs are 10th among SEC teams in KenPom, the Rebels 13th. Vanderbilt is 12th, South Carolina ninth.

The Vols and seven others make up the top eight teams in the SEC. And of the other seven, the Vols play six of them only once.

And they will play five of them in their first six SEC games, plus visit Memorial Gym.

  • at Arkansas, Saturday December 30
  • vs Auburn, Tuesday January 2
  • vs Kentucky, Saturday January 6
  • at Vanderbilt, Tuesday January 9
  • vs Texas A&M, Saturday January 13
  • at Missouri, Wednesday January 17

The bulk of Tennessee’s resume will take shape by mid-January. As it looks right now, Tennessee’s only opportunities for quality wins after this are in Rupp on February 6 and vs Florida on February 21. Maybe we’ll be able to add at Alabama to that list by February 10.

So if the Vols start, say, 3-3 in SEC play? That’s far closer to pretty good than it would be to the negative overreaction some casual basketball fans would have. In Sagarin’s ratings at RPI Forecast, the most difficult game left on Tennessee’s schedule is the next one.

We’ll know a lot more about this team and what kinds of conversations we can have for March in just three weeks. Tennessee has to make the most of its early opportunities. Fortunately, the Vols have been doing that all year.

 

(High School All-Star) Bowl Season is Upon Us

Although Tennessee is shut out of a bowl game for the first time since 2013, there are still bowl games of interest.  And I’m not just talking about rooting against UGA and Alabama and the rest of Tennessee’s SEC rivals in their respective game.  Instead, there are three high school all-star “bowl games” in which Vol fans should have some real interest.

Below is a look at the three most prestigious, all of which include a combination of Vol signees and February targets.

O-D Bowl – Friday December 29, 7:30 EST

What to watch for:

The least prominent of the three, the O-D Bowl features three Tennessee signees in Cordova, HS teammates Jerome Carvin and Jeremy Banks as well as Knoxville star Jacob Warren.  In addition, the roster includes Vanderbilt commitment (and another Memphis target) Rayshad Williams, a long CB/S target that the new staff has re-engaged with and who is expected to officially visit Knoxville in January.  Another big Vol target is Nikko Hall, a WR prospect who is also expected to visit Tennessee officially.  Hall played for former Vol QB Casey Clausen and got a quick offer from Coach Jeremy Pruitt and instantly became a high priority. Rounding out the Vol targets on the roster are Rush DE Caleb Tannor and recently offered power RB (and OU commitment) Tavion Thomas.  Tannor has long been on the UT radar and was committed to UGA until decommitting a month or so ago.  There have been concerns about his grades but those seem to have been resolved.  Auburn is thought to be the lean here if the Tigers make a push, but Tannor has long liked the Vols and is the kind of pass-rushing talent this roster needs.  Thomas received an offer this past weekend but it’s unclear how much interest he has – whether or not he sets up an OV to Knoxville will obviously tell the tale.  He’s another power back like Banks and his talent is obvious.

Having three Tennessee signees around these targets can only help UT’s cause, especially since Carvin and Banks are known as big personalities.  It will also be interesting to hear reports out of practice how well these prospects are performing in practice, as those are often more telling than the actual games, which often featured watered down rules (aptly) designed for player safety.

Under-Armour Game – Thursday 1/4, 6:00PM EST

What to watch for:

Like its namesake and sponsor the Under-Armour Game is an upstart that has made it to the bigtime.  While once the Army Bowl was the end-all be-all of these types of events, the U-A Game now attracts as much fanfare and as many high end prospects as its rival.  This year’s game features two Volunteer signees in Alontae Taylor and Paxton Brooks in addition to arguably the top two overall prospects on Tennessee’s board in WR Jacob Copeland and CB Olaijah Griffin.  Both Copeland and Griffin took their Tennessee official visits the weekend before the dead period, and while they each come to their respective Tennessee interest in different ways (Copeland has a great relationship with Pruitt, while Griffin wasn’t even offered by the previous staff but has family in East TN) both were absolutely blown away by what they saw in Knoxville.  Each of their recruitments will likely go down to the wire, as they’ll both take additional visits and have intense interest from bluebloods across the country.  But Tennessee is in deep with both prospects, and having them around the dynamic personality of Taylor in particular (albeit of course around other schools’ signees too) can only help the Vols.

Other Vol targets include big NG Coynis Miller, an Auburn commitment likely to take an OV to Tennessee in January; Alabama LB commitment Quay Walker, a big fan of Pruitt (and new DC Kevin Sherrer) who many expect the Vols to take a big swing at; and WR Joshua Moore, an uncommitted prospect with national interest who was recently re-offered by the new staff after not signing with anyone during the early period.

Army Bowl – Saturday 1/6, 12:00PM EST

What to watch for:

The “original” and still the game with the most cachet, the Army Bowl is the last one before the dead period ends.  Greg Emerson is the only Tennessee signee in the game, and he’ll likely have his peer recruiting sights set on LB JJ Peterson and CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart, and to a lesser extent (in terms of real chances for Tennessee) CB Kelvin Joseph.  Peterson belongs right at the top of Tennessee’s board along with the aforementioned Copeland and Griffin, and Taylor-Stuart is like Griffin an elite CB.  “IST” has yet to schedule a Tennessee OV but it sounds like he will, and if Pruitt and Co. can get him on campus they have a chance to blow him away like they did Griffin.  Joseph is a Baton Rouge, LA product who the new staff offered likely as “see what sticks” gambit – we’ll see if he reciprocates the interest.

Wait ‘til Next Year

More often than not you can tell the overall quality of a school’s commitment (and now signee) class by how many players they have in these types of games.  And not surprisingly, this year they are littered with players from schools like Clemson, Alabama and Georgia, while Tennessee has only a handful.  However, there is still an opportunity for the Volunteer signees to make some waves on the field and in practices – thereby increasing the buzz around them as prospects and potentially even their rankings – and off the field with peer recruiting of specific targets.  With this new staff Tennessee fans should expect to see the Power T next to many more prospects in the 2018/19 versions of these games.  In the meantime, Vol faithful can take comfort in the fact that Tennessee is represented in each of these games and perhaps as importantly has multiple realistic prospects in each of them as well.

The Case for Anthony Grant

There is a lot of speculation that current Tennessee RB commitment Anthony Grant will not end up signing with UT.  After all, not only did he elect to not sign in the Early Signing Period but he’s also yet to take his official visit to Knoxville and instead visited Virginia Tech officially in mid-December.  Many fans have written him off as another Pruitt casualty due to the perceived preference for bigger backs like recent signee Jeremy Banks and Alabama stars and behemoths like Derrick Henry and Bo Scarborough.

However, I’m not ready to say goodbye to Grant, and below is the case as to why Pruitt and Helton and Gillespie should be trying to hold onto him.

Anthony Grant is a Really Good Football Player

Grant is known of course as a RB and for good reason – he was the Player of the Year in his Region (5A in Georgia) and 1st team RB All County after rushing for just under 1,000 yards despite being part of a 3-headed RB monster with Michigan commitment Christian Turner and 2019 stud Derrian Brown.  And he helped lead Buford to yet another state title game.  However, he was also named AJC first team all-state at LINEBACKER.  In addition, he returned punts and was on the kickoff coverage team (check it out at the 6:00 mark for a wedgebusteràshed blockeràtackle).  And after his outstanding senior season he was upgraded to a 4-star by Rivals.

I think Grant could be a really nice complement to Banks in the class.  As noted above, everyone associates Bama with backs, but the Tide has also had a lot of success with smaller (relative, of course) backs like Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs.  Grant is listed at 5’11, 180 and is known for among other attributes his speed and agility, but when you watch his highlight tape (it is 8 minutes long for a reason) you don’t see a scat back who goes down at first contact.  On the contrary, you see a physical player who not only runs away from defenders but also breaks tackles and initiates contact if necessary, not to mention showing good hands and the ability to pass protect.  After viewing his defensive highlights it is unsurprising he was honored for his play at LB, as he shows off his speed and physicality along with an innate feel for the game.  Now, Grant is too small to play LB in Pruitt’s 3-4, but the fact that he played the position at such a high level simply demonstrates his overall football ability and in my opinion a willingness to be more than a speed back.  In my opinion there is no reason to think he can’t get to 200 pretty easily and keep his speed and elusiveness while just adding to the physical style he already brings

This Class Could Use a Second RB

With Jeremy Banks in the fold the 2018 class has a really nice piece at RB – Banks is a large, powerful running back with really nice speed for his size.  And when you add him to the likes of stud Ty Chandler, Tim Jordan, Carlin Fils-aime and Trey Coleman, there are some nice players in the stable for Running Backs Coach Robert Gillespie to work with.  The impending NFL decision from John Kelly will go a long way in determining just how good the 2018 RB corps is for the Vols, but beyond Chandler the rest of the group does not have a surefire go-to guy.  So while I’m not saying Grant to be an NFL back per se, in my opinion he’s good enough to contribute fairly quickly – 2019 at the latest – and he does have some attributes that like Kelly (a two-way high school player himself) one could reasonably project some real potential from.

Buford HS is a Powerhouse Program You Want to Have Ties To

Buford High annually produces not just state title runs but also numerous FBS and more importantly SEC level prospects.  Tennessee already has two players from Buford on the roster already in LB/D Austin Smith – who I think could see a renaissance under the new 3-4 to be implemented –and DT Quay Picou.  Grant would be a third, and Gillespie is hot and heavy on the next stud RB in the aforementioned Brown.  In addition, this year’s Buford squad featured national recruits on the Offensive Line in Harry Miller, Riley Simonds, and Carter Colquitt  along with future 2021 stud QB Aaron McLaughlin who led the team as a freshman.  Tennessee is unlikely to have a true “pipeline” at Buford – it’s an out of state high school in a state where UGA is king and everyone recruits from – but three players in three years, all on the roster at the same time, would give the Vols at least a foothold in a really strong program.  And if anyone knows the power of high school relationships it’s Jeremy Pruitt.

What happens with Grant’s recruitment remains to be seen.  Certainly he’s not a lock to sign with the Volunteers, and from all indications the opposite seems more likely.  However, I think passing on Grant would be a mistake, as he would not only fit a position of need and bring a really good football player to the roster but would also allow the Vols to build what is already a strong relationship with a high school program that annually produces really good players.  We’ll see if Pruitt and Co. agree…

Tennessee Vols 2018 Recruiting Class: Early Signing Day Defensive Capsules

Yesterday, we took a look at Tennessee’s early offensive signees. Now, let’s examine the five defenders who the Vols desperately need to come in and provide some immediate help.

With defensive-minded head coach Jeremy Pruitt, defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer and long-time SEC assistants Tracy Rocker and Chris Rumph, along with former Vol Terry Fair leading the charge on defense, players should be able to get plenty of coaching.

Let’s take a look at the guys who we know will be Vols in 2018, based on them signing last week.

Greg Emerson 6’3″ 280-pound 4-star defensive lineman; Jackson, Tenn. (North Side HS)

Tennessee has long had success recruiting in the Jackson area, and after that city yielded stud offensive lineman Trey Smith a year ago, the Vols highest-rated prospect hailed from there this year, too.

Emerson — who broke his fibula and fractured his ankle with a gruesome injury at The Opening that cost him his senior year — stayed true to his pledge through the coaching change, and he is one of the prospects who could benefit most from the Pruitt regime. Emerson wanted to stick at defensive end, anyway, and now he appears to have the perfect body type to play that spot in a 3-4 base defense.

The Jackson native has violent hands and is extremely strong. His first step may not be good enough to stay outside in a 4-3, but he’s ideal for this new base. He is a great athlete for his size, and he is a consistent weapon when healthy. Since he’s a bit raw, he’ll need to be coached up on a variety of moves, but he has very moldable assets with which Tracy Rocker can work.

 

Brant Lawless 6’3″, 285-pound 4-star defensive tackle; Nashville, Tenn. (Nashville Christian HS)

Lawless was the first of the “Big Three” defensive line prospects in Tennessee to commit to the previous regime, and D’Andre Litaker and Emerson followed. It’s unclear whether Litaker will be part of this class, but Lawless signed quickly after it was clear Pruitt wanted him.

Lawless looks like he will be able to add 15-20 good pounds and play inside in a 3-4 scheme. He isn’t fast enough to play on the exterior. He still needs work to be able to be a difference-maker in the SEC, but he, too, has plenty of traits that will be enough for a good DL coach to help mold. Lawless will have the opportunity to come in and play right away with all the holes UT has in the trenches, but he may be best-served with a year in the weight room and with a redshirt.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Lawless is ultimately utilized. If it’s on the interior, he needs to put on some weight and also to gain some strength. Perhaps the biggest improvement from the Jones era could come on the defensive line, where it wasn’t uncommon for Vols to get pushed around and opponents to dominate UT running the football.

It’s up to big guys like Lawless to make sure that doesn’t happen in the Pruitt era.

 

Jordan Allen 6’4″, 230-pound 3-star weak-side defensive end/outside linebacker; San Francisco (City College of San Francisco)

The last of the Early Signing Day commitments for Pruitt came late Wednesday night, but it wasn’t the least of the pledges.

That’s when pass-rushing outside linebacker Jordan Allen of City College of San Francisco decided to choose Tennessee over schools like TCU, Michigan State and Arizona State. This is after he told the Vols “thanks but no thanks” when they initially reached out to him to try to get him to visit on that final weekend before the dead period. Once Pruitt called and got involved, Allen decided to visit.

He ultimately signed.

Yes, Allen is raw, but he also possesses the size and speed needed for Tennessee to transition as smoothly as possibly to the 3-4 base. He’s a big, athletic kid who can play with his hand down but also standing up, and he’s expected to step right in and play for the Vols on the second level. It’s going to be interesting to see where Darrin Kirkland Jr., Will Ignont, Shanon Reid, Solon Page III and Quart’e Sapp fit in this offense, but it looks like — at least on the surface — that players such as Sapp, Austin Smith and Allen can play a “Jack” style pass-rusher.

If that’s the case, Allen is a necessity. Can he step right in and provide meaningful snaps? Any time you swing at a JUCO kid, it’s a crap-shoot. But when schools like TCU and MSU want you, you’re obviously a guy who a lot of defensive-minded programs believe can play. You don’t recruit JUCOs to stand on the sideline.

 

Kingston Harris 6’3″, 285-pound 3-star defensive lineman; Orlando, Fla. (IMG Academy)

One of the most puzzling pickups for Pruitt in his first few days was IMG Academy defensive tackle Kingston Harris, who had a difficult time cracking the rotation at one of the most loaded high school programs in the country. But that doesn’t mean he can’t play.

Harris was recruited by schools such as Maryland, Rutgers, Central Florida and others, but when Pruitt offered him and Harris visited the weekend before the dead period, he ultimately decided he wanted to play SEC football. The question is: How soon can he play?

Tennessee severed ties with former commitments like Jamarcus Chatman, and Litaker’s status remains in the air, but Pruitt actually laid eyes on Harris, who has the type of big body needed to clog up run lanes up front in a 3-4, and there was obviously something Pruitt and Co. saw in Harris that they loved and believed they could unlock. It would be a surprise if Harris was able to step right in and play, but he probably won’t be needed to.

Tennessee is going after a lot of guys it believes can provide depth in ’18 on the defensive line, but Harris more of a piece to the future. He needs to work on his body and especially his technique, but he looks strong and has the size and frame to pack on weight. This is a project Pruitt deemed worthwhile. With the defensive staff he’s assembled, the Vols won’t have to take too many “projects” in the future.

 

Paxton Brooks 6’5″, 170-pound 3-star punter; West Columbia, S.C. (Airport HS)

Tennessee once picked up a commitment from punter Skyler DeLong, who visited the Vols and committed on the trip. He flipped to Alabama almost immediately when he visited the Crimson Tide.

But UT moved onto Brooks, and he is an ideal prospect to take “Punter U” into the next generation post-Trevor Daniel. He is rated as the nation’s No. 2-rated punter and a 5-star prospect by Kohl’s Professional Kicking Camps, and he is the type of player who has the opportunity to step right in and play. The Vols may need for him to because Daniel is out of eligibility, and he was one of the best punters in the country a season ago.

He chose Tennessee over offers from several schools, including North Carolina State, and he’ll punt in the Under-Armor All-American Game. This could be the player who makes the biggest impact from this class on the field in 2018.

Tennessee Vols 2018 Recruiting Class: Early Signing Day Offensive Capsules

Tennessee’s 2018 recruiting class was looking rough for a while after Butch Jones was fired, the prior administration — led by rogue athletic director John Currie — botched hiring his replacement and Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was brought in to be UT’s new head coach.

In nine days, the man who has orchestrated a championship-caliber defense in Tuscaloosa and helped build a recruiting machine that leads to top class after top class salvaged an early signing period of which Vols fans could be proud.

This 2018 haul was never going to be a highly ranked group after Jones left, and it especially wasn’t after Pruitt severed ties with nearly half that class. But the guys he ultimately brought in surged UT nearly 40 spots in the rankings.

Work remains to make this class strong, but there are time — and spots remaining — to do it. Currently, Tennessee has the nation’s 27th-ranked recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite. Needless to say, that’s not great. But it won’t end up that way. Pruitt still has some targets who could help the Vols reach a class that will wind up from 12-15 potentially.

Yes, losing offensive tackle Cade Mays (Georgia), safety Trey Dean (Florida) and quarterback Adrian Martinez (Nebraska) hurt. But the gains were good, too. Let’s take a look at UT’s 13 early offensive signees.

***

Alontae Taylor 6’0″, 184-pound 4-star wide receiver; Manchester, Tenn. (Coffee County Central HS)

It was a topsy-turvy recruitment for Taylor, who flipped from Vanderbilt to Tennessee early in the recruiting process but enjoyed recruiting, listening to other programs who came calling. Many of those extended offers, and Georgia seemed to be the biggest threat in the end.

After he decommitted, Taylor gave Pruitt the opportunity to re-recruit him and became the new coach’s first commitment after visiting Knoxville the first weekend Pruitt was onboard. Alabama recruited him to play defensive back, so Taylor wanted to verify he’d be a receiver at UT. Once that happened, he was back on board.

That’s big news for Tennessee. Taylor is the type of athlete with the “suddenness” UT lacks on that side of the ball. He played quarterback in high school, so he’s used to having the ball in his hands, and while he may need a little polish catching the ball, he’s a terror in space. Blessed with great quickness and football speed, Taylor almost certainly will have a role in this offense early. He was the biggest senior playmaker in the state.

 

Dominick Wood-Anderson 6’5″, 245-pound 4-star JUCO tight end; Yuma, Ariz. (Arizona Western College)

Few JUCO prospect had as much drama surrounding his recruitment as Wood-Anderson, who is the nation’s top junior college player at his position. He was thought to be a huge Alabama lean and commitment for a long time, and Pruitt wasn’t his lead recruiter with the Tide, either.

But when Pruitt came on in Knoxville, he desperately needed an impact tight end. Currently, the Vols have Latrell Bumphus (who is perhaps better-suited for defense), as well as Austin Pope and former walk-on Eli Wolf. That’s basically it. Though UT had a commitment in Knoxville (Farragut) Jacob Warren, he needs about 30-40 pounds to be able to survive in the SEC. So, the Vols needed an impact player who could step right in and take the snaps vacated by departing seniors Ethan Wolf and Jakob Johnson.

DWA is a big, athletic prospect who can catch the ball and do things with the football after the catch. He reminds me a little of Mychal Rivera, who left UT and has enjoyed a decent NFL career. Brian Niedermeyer deserves a ton of credit for getting DWA on campus, and Pruitt deserves a ton for getting him signed.

Let’s hope this Tennessee staff is better at utilizing tight ends than Alabama.

 

Jerome Carvin 6’4″, 330-pound 4-star offensive lineman; Memphis, Tenn. (Cordova HS)

Losing long-time UT commit and Vol legacy Cade Mays hurts, especially to division rival Georgia. But Pruitt was able to salvage some of the in-state beef when he swooped in and convinced Carvin to come to Knoxville. That’s a major win for a prospect wanted by the prior staff as well as many as the top programs in the country.

The Vols were able to get him to sign despite him not visiting the final week before the early signing period. He chose UT over Mississippi State and Florida, where he’d developed a relationship with new coach Dan Mullen when he was in Starkville. Had Mullen stayed with the Bulldogs, it would have been an uphill battle for Tennessee to get him.

As it turned out, the Vols not only wanted him but also his teammate, 3-star running back Jeremy Banks, who was a 4-star on some services. Carvin also has a relationship with Smith and Drew Richmond, so that was a bonus for the Vols, too.

Carvin is a big, ol’ mean lineman who is country strong. He needs to be coached, taught technique, and he certainly needs to work on his drops, spacing and hand placement. But he has violent hands and a strong first push. He is the type of player who should be easy to teach, and though he probably projects as an interior lineman, the Vols need help everywhere on the offensive front, so he’s got the opportunity to step in and play.

It would be better for UT, however, if the Vols could sign a slew of JUCO offensive linemen to build depth right away and allow guys like Carvin to either play in a reserve role or to redshirt.

 

Jeremy Banks 6’2″, 215-pound 3-star running back; Memphis, Tenn. (Cordova HS)

How in the world is a power runner like Banks from your own state not recruited to come to Tennessee when teams like Florida, Nebraska, UCLA and others wanted him on their team?

Butch Jones, ladies and gentlemen.

Pruitt identified him early on, and it wasn’t as a package-deal situation to get Carvin, either. Banks deserved a scholarship in his own rights, and the Vols needed a power back of his ilk with John Kelly entering his senior season. Tennessee already has speedier backs such as Ty Chandler, Carlin Fils-Aime and Tim Jordan, but the Vols need a guy who can get between the tackles and carry the load. Banks looks like the dude to do it.

He’s already big, and that’s before he gets in a college weight program. Pruitt wants to add another power back in this class, too, but Banks provides a need right away with some beef running behind what is expected to be a much bigger offensive line in 2018. It looks like Pruitt and offensive coordinator Tyson Helton (not to mention offensive line coach Will Friend) want to get back to the power running game (PRAISE GOD!) at Tennessee and get away from all this finesse crap. That’s music to my ears.

Banks is a pivotal piece of that. He doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he has strength, power, size and looks like the ideal type of running back for this system.

 

JT Shrout 6’3″, 190-pound 3-star pro-style quarterback; Newhall, Calif. (William S. Hart HS)

Once Adrian Martinez decided he was going to flip from Tennessee to Nebraska, the Vols were going to have to take a project at quarterback in this class. To be fair, though, Martinez was far from a “sure thing” considering he missed his entire senior season after suffering an injury. The Pruitt regime also severed ties with Florida quarterback Michael Penix, who wound up inking with Indiana and former UT coordinator Mike DeBord.

Meanwhile, Tennessee went fishing for a high-upside quarterback, and it didn’t take the Vols long to reach out to a vital target. It didn’t take long for Shrout to reciprocate the love, either.

The long-time California commitment left his homestate for a weekend visit to Knoxville the week before he was to sign. When he dropped his location via Twitter, UT’s fan base was all over him, trying to get him to come to play for the Vols. He fell in love with the area, decommitted from the Bears shortly after returning home and decided to be Tennessee’s quarterback in this class.

Yes, it’s a major red flag that Shrout threw 25 interceptions as a senior, but he has all the tools. Blessed with good size, excellent arm strength, adequate touch and sharp mechanics, he wowed scouts at a camp prior to his senior season. While it’s obvious he has to learn how to better read defenses, Shrout doesn’t need to step right in and start with Jarrett Guarantano, Quinten Dormady and Will McBride already on campus. If he is molded by Tyson Helton and is a quick study, he’ll have every opportunity to battle for that job.

 

Jacob Warren 6’6″, 211-pound 3-star tight end; Knoxville, Tenn. (Farragut HS)

Pruitt told Warren upon their meeting that — in so many words — he wouldn’t stand a chance in the rugged SEC unless he added weight. Thankfully for Warren, he has a very projectable frame and should be able to do that rather quickly. He needs to, and the Vols need him to.

As noted in the DWA blurb, Tennessee doesn’t have a lot of depth at the position, and Helton’s offense requires at least one (and sometimes two) quality tight ends. Warren looks like the type of athlete who can develop into a great player on the next level. He’s big and possesses great hands and has a knack for big plays. He’s just SO. DANG. SKINNY. He was used as a pass-catching tight end for the Admirals, and that’s the role he’ll fill at UT.

But if he’s on the field in 2018, it’s because Tennessee is in desperate need of bodies, Warren packed on some pounds or a combination of both. If there was ever a guy who needed a year to get bigger and stronger, it’s Warren. But this is a great local kid who has a future in an offense that will actually know how to utilize him.

Warren is one of those commitments you have to put on the top shelf and wait a while, but it’s like Christmas morning when he finally blossoms.

 

Tanner Antonutti 6’5″, 260-pound 3-star offensive tackle; Nashville, Tenn. (Ensworth HS)

Another player who needs a year to get in the weight room, get bigger and get stronger is Antonutti, a guy who wasn’t a for-sure take under the previous regime. Once LSU decided it wanted the Ensworth product, however, the Vols offered, too. Then, the long-time UT fan committed to the Vols and actually stuck with his pledge, unlike some other instate linemen.

The Vols will eventually be glad he did. Antonutti is one of the most athletic linemen in the entire class, and once he puts on 35-40 pounds, he will possess the kind of athleticism and skills to be a strong tackle. When you watch film on Antonutti, what stands out is how strong he is despite not having the weight of other linemen. He’s also very athletic and loves the Vols. Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State and others also saw those assets in Antonutti.

He played tight end and defensive line for Ensworth and was a finalist for the Mr. Football award, so his athleticism is noted. If he packs on weight and continues to develop, he has the chance to be a big part of the future of the offensive line — just most likely not in 2018.

 

Ollie Lane 6’5″, 307-pound 3-star offensive lineman; Corryton, Tenn. (Gibbs HS)

Lane is another Tennessee fan who ultimately chose to stick with his commitment to the nearby Vols. He was coveted by Georgia, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and others. He looks like an ideal player to slide in and play center in the future for the Vols, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wound up at guard, too.

Lane is a burly lineman who looks like a strong candidate to provide depth to the interior of Tennessee’s line. Just how much does it mean to Lane to play for the Vols? He told 247Sports’ Danny Parker that inking with UT “means the world to me.” That’s the kind of kid you want to sign, who will do what it takes to make the body changes and time commitment to be great.

Lane needs to add strength and needs to learn from Friend when it comes to technique, but he has a lot of positive assets that should make him a strong candidate to take over on the inside and battle Riley Locklear, among others, for that starting center spot. Lane has put on some 20-plus pounds in the past year to prepare to play in the SEC.

It’s going to be interesting to see if any of these youngsters on the offensive front are ready to help right away.