Great start to Tennessee’s own “Hard Knox” football series. And while we’re on it, how bout my next installment of the UT depth chart, the defensive line. Starters, followed by subs:
DE – Jacques Smith, DT – Daniel Hood, DT – Malik Jackson, DE – Marlon Walls
Receiving significant minutes and in the 2-deep: DE – Willie Bohannon, DE – Ben Martin, DT – Mo Couch, DT – Corey Miller
Derek Dooley, Mychal Rivera, Corey Miller, and Ja’Wuan James speak with the media following the first practice of two-a-days Thursday.
Just for everyone’s information, it’s pronounced “DAY”-Rick, although Dooley could care less. Miller says he could put on a few more pounds and Mychal Rivera’s sister is still on “Glee”. Happy practicing.
Tennessee defensive line coach Chuck Smith (right) on Vol freshmen Jacques Smith and Corey Miller:
“If I’m here as I plan on being here with Corey Miller and Jacques Smith, we’re going to bludgeon the conference,” Smith said. “I got a guy right there in Jacques Smith that has the potential to be a top-five pick in the NFL. It is what it is — I hate to say that as a true freshman, but he’s just special. The one thing you can’t measure in any defensive lineman is that dog in him. Him and Corey have that dog now. Technique comes and goes, but when people play with that dog, like Leonard Little, like Al Wilson, like Raynoch Thompson — he ain’t big, he ain’t fast, but he got that dog in him. Those are the kind of guys we want. We want tough guys here, and all that pretty, sexy stuff gets you in the position we’re in now. We want dogs, guys that hunt, guys that get punched in the mouth and get up and say, ‘Where are my teeth at? It’s cold out here. Who cares?’ We’re working towards that, and all I tell folks is just stick by us. We’ve got some bright days ahead of us and young, talented players here that are as talented as anybody in the conference.”
Following a week that saw just as much talk concerning NCAA letters of inquiry and Achilles tears, the Vols actually got in a weeks worth of practice. Here are a few of my observations after the first week:
Govolsxtra Rocky Top Talk