The defensive backfield may be Tennessee’s weak link heading into the 98 season, at least early in the campaign.  Last year, the secondary was somewhat of a disappointment, giving up 2,898 yards passing, the most in the league.  Enemy quarterbacks completed 55% of their passes against UT’s defense.  Although the Vols ranked 4th in the SEC in pass efficiency defense, fans and coaches had expected better.  The Vols did play a tough schedule with several fine QBs, but there is room for improvement in 1997.  Achieving significant improvement over last year, however, could prove to be a daunting task.
    Coach Kevin Ramsey must replace three very experienced senior starters.  As a true freshman, cornerback Terry Fair won a starting position midway through the 1994 season and stayed in the lineup from that point forward, as long as he was healthy.  The Detroit Lions made Fair the 20th pick in the first round of the NFL draft in April.  Free safety Cory Gaines was the defensive “quarterback,” starting every game in 1997; he was drafted in the 7th round by Indianapolis.  And strong safety Tori Noel, who started 34 games for the Vols over his last three years at UT, signed a free-agent contract with the Denver Broncos.  To replace these fine, veteran DBs, Tennessee has a load of young talent, but limited experience.

Projected Depth Chart                  See Also Official UT Post-Spring Depth Chart

                       LCB                        SS                             FS                           RCB
            Dwayne Goodrich        Fred White              Deon Grant           Steve Johnson
             Buck Fitzgerald         Mikki Allen            Gerald Griffin           Andre Lott
                                             Derrick Edmonds       Tim Sewell           Tyrone Graham

Cornerbacks

Dwayne Goodrich:  Junior, 6-0  185, Oak Lawn, IL.  Any discussion of the Vol defensive backfield must begin with Goodrich, Tennessee’s best returning DB and the heir apparent to Terry Fair as the Vols’ feature cover corner.  Goodrich came to UT in 1996 as the most highly rated DB prospect in the nation, and he has lived up to the billing.  Blazing fast, tough, and durable, he will draw the assignment in ’98 of covering the opponent’s best receiver, week in and week out.  Goodrich, nicknamed “Big Play,” had four fumble recoveries and two interceptions as a true freshman, including a TD return against Arkansas and a pick in his very first game as a Vol against UNLV.  His knack for big plays continued last year, as Goodrich returned an interception for a TD against Ole Miss, then had two picks in one game against Vandy.  Goodrich is a preseason All-SEC selection and honorable mention preseason All-America.  Dwayne returned kickoffs last year and may also return KO’s and punts this season.

Steve Johnson:  Senior, 5-11  175, Powder Springs, GA.  Johnson, UT’s only senior cornerback, saw extensive duty last season, filling in for an injured Terry Fair.  Steve held his own, getting a pick against Florida.  He remained a key reserve at CB but gave way to Fair and Goodrich when those two were healthy.  Johnson has suffered concentration lapses at times, and has struggled to stay in the starting lineup.  He’ll face stiff competition from promising young players this fall, but his experience should work to his advantage, and fans can expect to see Johnson get the start against Syracuse and Florida.  Hopefully Johnson can play with ability and consistency and have a great senior season.

Andre Lott:  Sophomore, 5-11  185, Memphis.  Coming out of Memphis Melrose High School in 1997, Lott was considered the #1 prospect in the state of Tennessee.  Unfortunately, he only managed to become a partial academic qualifier, and Vol fans have been forced to wait a year to see him on the field in a game.  That time is now, and coaches are excited about Lott’s potential as a cover corner.  Andre turned some heads in the spring, but he was burned a couple of times in the Orange and White game.  Lott is a talented but inexperienced DB who may work his way into the starting lineup at some point in the season.
 
Buck Fitzgerald:  Redshirt Freshman, 5-9  180, Nashville.  Fitzgerald, son of Nashville Pearl-Cohn football coach Maurice Fitzgerald, signed with the Vols in 1997 after leading Pearl-Cohn to the 4A state championship.  As a high school senior DB, Buck picked off 11 passes and blocked a punt.  But last year, Fitzgerald didn’t get onto the field with Tennessee’s deep, senior-laden secondary and was redshirted.  He looks like a fine young player and figures to get some playing time this fall.  Fitzgerald ended spring drills listed as Dwayne Goodrich’s backup at LCB.

Tyrone Graham:  Sophomore, 5-9  160,  High Point, NC.  Switched from WR to CB in spring practice, Graham has not played defensive back since his freshman year of high school.  Last year, as a redshirt freshman WR, Graham didn’t get much action.  Graham is a burner and coaches would love to find a spot where he can contribute.  He came along nicely at CB in the spring and is listed as the third team RCB.

Safeties

Deon Grant:  Sophomore, 6-3  190, Augusta, GA.  A USA Today first-team high school All-American, Grant was rated as the #1 safety prospect in the South by NRA when he signed with the Vols in 1997.  Grant played some meaningful minutes as a true freshman last season, most notably in the Orange Bowl against Nebraska.  With his great size, speed, and athletic ability, Grant is often compared to Dale Carter, former Vol safety now an All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs.  Coach Fulmer said recently that Grant was a definite starter this season.  Deon is an aggressive player who loves to come up and make the hit in run support.  He will have to temper his aggressiveness as a free safety, as often Grant will be the last line of defense between an enemy ball-carrier and the goal line.  Expect Grant to make some mistakes early, but there’s little doubt he will be a great one when he gets more experience.

Fred White:  Junior, 5-11  185, Griffin, GA.  White has been a key contributor to the Vol team for a couple of years now, primarily as a special teams operative, but this season he gets the chance to start at strong safety.  After finishing eighth on the team in tackles last year, and being named a finalist for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams award, it is realistic for Vol fans to expect quality play from Fred this fall.  Pound for pound, White is one of the most vicious tacklers in the SEC; he’s very reminiscent of his predecessor Tori Noel in this department.  Fred needs to improve his pass coverage skills.  In last season’s Kentucky game, with Al Wilson out, Noel moved to OLB and White got the start at strong safety.  White was somewhat of a liability back there as Tim Couch torched the Vol defense for 476 passing yards.  Hopefully Fred learned from the experience.  Coach Fulmer has said that competition for the SS position will be wide open in the fall, but look for White to get the start against Syracuse.

Gerald Griffin:  Junior, 6-1  182, Murfreesboro.  Griffin is a versatile and talented DB who can play either corner or safety.  Having been Cory Gaines’ top backup at free safety for all of last year, many thought Gerald would win the job after Gaines’ departure.  However, Deon Grant seems to have nailed down the starting position.  Griffin could remain a valuable reserve at safety, or he might figure in the competition for a starting CB job opposite Dwayne Goodrich.  Either way, Gerald will play a lot of snaps and be an integral part of UT’s 1998 defensive backfield.

Mikki Allen, Junior, 6-0  175, Murfreesboro.  Allen was a pleasant surprise right from the start of his UT career, debuting against UNLV and recording a caused fumble and a pass breakup.  Allen went on to play in 8 games as a true freshman.  His greatest asset is strength and physical toughness, fine attributes for a strong safety.  Allen is listed as Fred White’s backup at SS coming out of the spring.  Mikki will battle for a starting job this fall and will provide quality depth at safety if he does not start.

Derrick Edmonds, Junior, 5-10  185, Tampa, FL.  A fine athlete used mostly as a pass catcher out of the offensive backfield in 1997, Edmonds was switched to defense by the coaching staff this spring.  Mired in a depth chart logjam at fullback, Edmonds is too talented to stand on the sidelines.  Derrick came to UT in 1996 as a highly-regarded DB and running back.  He’s been clocked at 4.3 in the forty yard dash.  Edmonds drew the ire of Georgia Head Coach Jim Donnan when he took a short swing pass from Peyton Manning late in last year’s game, broke a tackle, and rambled 13 yards for a late TD to give UT a 38-13 lead.  Hopefully Derrick can find his niche at safety, and play a more prominent role for the 98 Vol squad.

Tim Sewell:  Senior, 5-11  178, Columbia.   A three-time letterman at DB, Tim is a wily veteran who knows what’s going on at the free safety position.  Not likely to start ahead of more talented players, Sewell is nevertheless a nice addition to the secondary.  Tim remains a key member of special teams units and is ready to step in should his services be needed at defensive back.

Freshman Signees to Report in August

Willie Miles:  (6-0  170)  Exceptional cover corner prospect, rated as highly as #3 in the nation.  The best DB prospect of an outstanding group, Miles will most likely play as a true freshman.
Shawn Seabrooks:  (5-9  185)  PrepStar’s #1 defensive back in the East.  Another one who may be too good to keep off the field as a true freshman.
Tad Golden:  (6-1  185)  NRA’s #6 safety prospect in the nation.  The only bona-fide Blue Chipper that UT landed in the state of Georgia this year.  May grow into an OLB.
Teddy Gaines:  (6-0  160)    Head Coaches Carl Torbush of UNC and Woody Widenhoffer of Vandy called Gaines the best cover corner they saw on film among last year’s prospects.
Steve Marsh:  (6-1  175)  Was Marsh good enough for UT to offer him a scholarship?  Penn State must have thought so…The Nittany Lions tried to get Marsh to sign with them down the stretch, but he honored his commitment to the Vols.

Overall Assessment of Secondary
 The talent is there.  Goodrich and Grant are on the verge of superstardom.  However, there is youth and inexperience, which may not bode well for the Vols, who open the season on the road against Donovan McNabb and Syracuse, then return home to face Steve Spurrier’s Fun ‘n Gun.  Some young defensive backs will have to grow up in a hurry, or Tennessee could find themselves in an early hole.  It doesn’t get significantly easier after Florida—two of the Vols’ next three games are SEC road affairs, at Auburn and at Athens on successive Saturdays.  Who will get the nod at strong safety?  White is more aggressive and better in run support, but with Grant and White on the field at the same time, Tennessee could be susceptible to a big play off a play-action fake.  Griffin may be a steadying factor.  It will be exciting.
 Only one team in the nation, Florida, recruited a better group of DB signees, but that was before the tragic drowning death of Gator signee James McGriff.  Coach Fulmer has indicated that some of the signees would play as true freshmen.  “Heck,” he has said, “they might all play.”
 

June 5, 1998:  My preseason look at the defense continues.

Installment Two:  Linebackers

      In the 1960's and early '70s, linebackers like Jack Reynolds, Steve Kiner, Jamie Rotella, Frank Emanuel, Paul Naumoff, Jackie Walker and Andy Spiva were household names.  The Vols of those years were known for their defense, and long-time Vol fans yearn for those golden days of hard-nosed "smash mouth" football.  In the  1990s, the Vols have taken on a different look, now known as "Wide Receiver U" and famous for wide-open, high-scoring offenses.  But if the Vols hope to repeat as SEC Champions and aspire to even loftier goals, it will take great play from the Big Orange defense, especially the linebacker corps.
        Defensive Coordinator John Chavis also serves as the Vol linebacker coach; and while his charges have been adequate, Vol fans would like to see better.  Since 1972, only one UT LB has been an All-American, Keith DeLong in 1988.  Only three Vol LBs have been selected as All-SEC in the 1990's.  Can the 1998 Vol defense bring improved LB play to the table, and win some post-season individual honors?

Projected Depth Chart

                        LOLB                                    MLB                                    ROLB
Eric Westmoreland/Roger Alexander        Al Wilson                        Raynoch Thompson
                Jerrod Hayden                          Shawn Johnson                   Austin Kemp
                 Andre James                            Chris Ramseur

Starters

Al Wilson:  Senior, 6-0  233, Jackson.  1998 Football Captain and leader of the Tennessee defense, Wilson moves to the middle after two years as a mainstay at left outside linebacker.  Wilson was 3rd on the team last year in tackles with 83, including seven stops for lost yardage and 5 sacks.  He was named 2nd-Team All-SEC last season, and is a favorite to garner 1st-Team All SEC Honors this season, perhaps All-America.  Some football players just have the ability to make plays, an instinctive nose for the football.  Wilson is such a player; fiery and emotional, he keeps the defense focused and gives 110% effort on every down.  He is fast, having been an All-State safety in high school, and excellent in pass coverage.  He explodes into enemy ball-carriers, not just tackling them, but punishing them.  His reads and reactions are excellent, prompting coaches to believe his move to the middle will be much more successful than the failed Leonard Little experiment of one year ago.  Wilson's health and durability are key to the defense's success this season.  With Al on the sidelines for most of the Arkansas game, and unable to go against Kentucky after injuring an ankle last season, the Vol defense really struggled.

Raynoch Thompson:  Junior, 6-3  215, New Orleans, Louisiana.  Outstanding young talent who heads into his second season as a starter at outside linebacker.  Thompson had 67 tackles last season, including five for negative yardage and one sack.  He caused three fumbles and had one interception.  Still developing as an SEC linebacker, Raynoch needs to improve in pass coverage; fast and aggressive, he sometimes took poor pursuit angles in '97 and overran some plays.  In the Orange Bowl, Thompson came to play; he was involved in seven of Tennessee's first 10 hits against the Cornhuskers, three of which were for negative yardage.  The major knock on Thompson is his lack of size; though he has tried desperately to add bulk, he remains a little light for the rigors of SEC competition.  His lack of size, coupled with his reckless, aggressive style of play, has led to numerous injuries, most of which Thompson has played through.  Last season he missed the UCLA game with a bruised kidney; at other times during the season, he also suffered a broken nose and a concussion.  Thompson is an exciting young player who can be counted on to make some big plays this season.  Hopefully he can avoid the injury bug and stay healthy most of the year.

Eric Westmoreland:  Sophomore, 6-0  210, Jasper.  Eric is a player who showed right from the start that he was going to be a star for the Vols.  In his very first game at UT in 1996, Westmoreland got on the field in a mop-up role against UNLV and made the most of the opportunity, getting three tackles and scooping up a fumble, returning it 23 yards for a TD.  Westmoreland went on to be one of only a handful of Vols to see action in every quarter of every game of the 1996 season.  Great things were expected of Eric last season, as he entered the campaign as the top reserve OLB.  It wasn't long until he was called on--he started game #2 against UCLA, subbing for an injured Raynoch Thompson.  Only a few plays into the game, though, Westmoreland suffered a season-ending knee injury that required off-season surgery.  His promising 1997 season was over; but there was some good news forthcoming as the NCAA granted Eric an additional year of eligibility.  He's now a redshirt sophomore with three years to play three.  Eric was penciled in to take over Al Wilson's LOLB position, then was struck down yet again in spring practice, falling victim to cartilage damage in the same knee.  Doctors, who had originally tried to repair the damaged cartilage, decided this time to remove it completely.  Westmoreland is expected to be fully recovered from the injury by the time fall drills start.  Like Thompson, Westmoreland is a little on the small side for an SEC linebacker.  However, he is a gifted defender against the pass and has shown that he can hold his own against the run when given a chance.  Hopefully he has conquered his nagging knee injury problem and can stay in the lineup full-time this season.

Roger Alexander:  Junior, 6-3  225, Paterson, New Jersey.  Considered by most experts as the best JUCO linebacker prospect in the nation after finishing his career at Nassau Community College, NY in 1996, Alexander sat out the 1997 football season for the express purpose of getting his academics in order so he could play at Tennessee.  Alexander enrolled at UT in January and participated in spring drills, where he was impressive.  Coaches say Roger is definitely one of Tennessee's 11 best defenders and will be on the field somewhere this fall, most likely at OLB.  If he does not start, consider him the top LB reserve and the first substitute to come off the bench when needed.  With OLBs somewhat on the small side, and oft-injured, it's great to have a guy like Alexander who can give some depth to this critical position, even as a part-time starter.  Alexander was a JUCO All-American both years at Nassau; he's the only player in Nassau's history to be named JUCO All-America as a freshman.  As a sophomore in 1996, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year after making 146 tackles, including 21 sacks.  Alexander was recruited for immediate impact and Vol coaches expect him to provide it.  UT fans are going to love this young man.  He's a great-looking player, and he really wanted to be a VOL.

Reserves

Shawn Johnson:  Junior, 6-2  220, Louisville, Kentucky.  After redshirting as a freshman in 1995, Johnson saw action in every Vol game in 1996.  He was named the Most Improved defensive player following 1997 spring practice, and seemed poised to take over Tyrone Hines' vacated MLB position.  But in the fall, coaches decided to put Leonard Little at MLB.  Johnson went from probable starter to a reserve lost in the shuffle.  He did see some action later in the year when Al Wilson went down to an ankle injury, but didn't really draw rave reviews.  Known for his good play against the run, coaches said Johnson needed to improve his pass defense.  However, playing several snaps against Nebraska in the second half of the Orange Bowl, Shawn looked helpless as the Husker offensive line pancaked him a few times (in defense of Johnson, most of the other Vol defenders had the same problem).  As Johnson enters his junior season, time is running out for him to make a move to become an everyday player.  It didn't help matters that he missed the entire spring with an injury.  If he can become a first-team caliber player, it will go a long way towards shoring up LB depth, which is questionable going into the 98 season.

Jerrod Hayden:  Sophomore, 5-11  215, Louisville, Kentucky.  One of Kentucky's best LB prospects who signed with the Vols in '97, Hayden saw plenty of action as a true freshman last season, filling in extensively when Al Wilson went down with an ankle injury against Arkansas.  Hayden made a big play in that Razorback game.  His recovery of a fumbled Hog punt set the Vols up with excellent field position deep in Arkansas territory and was instrumental in Tennessee's come-from-behind victory.  At times last year, when forced into action, Hayden looked like what he was--a confused true freshman.  But his "baptism by fire" will surely make him a better player.  He is a key reserve, one of only a few young Vol LBs that know the pressures of playing in the critical part of an SEC game.

Chris Ramseur:  Sophomore, 5-10  211, Maiden, North Carolina.  Ramseur was the hit of the 1998 Orange and White game, with two TDs off fumble recoveries.  Ramseur also made some nice plays in the game at MLB for the second-team defense.  He could develop into a good linebacker in the next year or two, and provides some quality depth this season.

Austin Kemp:  Sophomore, 6-2  220, Brentwood.  Kemp was one of the most highly regarded high school football prospects in the nation following the 1996 season, and Vol fans expected great things of him when he signed with UT a year ago.  Kemp did see some mop-up and special teams duty as a true freshman, but his development has been slowed by a nagging back injury.  There was some talk about moving Austin to offense in the off-season, but that didn't happen in spring drills.  He remains penciled in at 3rd-team OLB.  Hopefully he can get 100% healthy and achieve the greatness that was predicted for him coming out of high school.

Andre James:  Redshirt Freshman, 6-2  210, Harmony, North Carolina.  Highly-touted high school player rated by some as highly as the #5 prospect in the state, Andre made over 150 tackles as a senior.  James didn't see action as a true freshman at UT and is still developing as a linebacker.  It's still too early to tell how much of an impact he will make.

Freshman Signees to Report in August:

Travis Colston:  (6-3  220) Vol coaches think Colston is the "sleeper" of this year's class.  Colston originally received interest from Nebraska and Penn St, but those schools backed off because of academic questions.  The Vols took a chance and offered Colston, who surprised some folks by becoming a full academic qualifier.
Keyon Whiteside: (6-2  230)  #2 LB prospect in NC, very fast and athletic, hard hitter.  Likely to see playing time as a true freshman; great prospect that was recruited by Florida and Michigan.
Omari Hand:  (6-5  215)  Pass-rush specialist from Florida.  Needs to bulk up and get stronger in upper body.  Indications are that Hand will be groomed as a rush end and may never see playing time at LB.

Overall Assessment of Linebacker Corps
    There are two major concerns associated with this group.  First, they are undersized.  Even Al Wilson at 230-ish is a bit on the light side for a MLB.  Thompson and Westmoreland are strong-safety sized and while fast and athletic, may pay the price in lack of durability.  Alexander is a prototype OLB and hopefully he will see a lot of action.  The second major concern is the sharp drop-off in ability and experience after the starters.  Coach Fulmer has stated that his LB reserves would have difficulty competing with the lower-echelon SEC teams.  The Vols have not recruited the LB position well for two straight years now.  They have been involved with top prospects, but on signing day UT has not gotten the signatures of players like Jacob Houseright, William Witherspoon, Shamar Finney and Darius Gilbert.  The Vols could be in trouble in the event of injury to key players, like an Al Wilson or Raynoch Thompson.  The linebacker corps has some good talent but for the second straight year, quality depth is a major concern.

May 30, 1998:   This is the first article in a series examining Tennessee's 1998 Defense.

Installment One:  The Defensive Line

        In 1997, enroute to the SEC Championship and an appearance in the top Alliance Bowl, the Vol defensive line was extremely effective.  They finished the regular season 8th in the nation against the run, allowing just over 93 yards a game rushing.  But make no mistake, the D-line last season was also able to mount a fearsome pass rush.  The 97 defense set a school record with 46 sacks; DE Jonathan Brown led the league with 13 1/2.  But going into 1998, the Vol D-line has been a source of concern.  Three of the four defensive linemen who started the Orange Bowl--Bill Duff, Buck Buxton, and Brown--have graduated.  DE/LB Leonard Little, one of UT's greatest pass-rush specialists ever, will be playing on Sundays this fall.  Spring practice left even more question marks, as seemingly every D-lineman on scholarship missed at least part of spring drills due to injury.
        So where does that leave us as we look to '98?  Head Coach Philip Fulmer and Defensive Line Coaches Dan Brooks and Steve Caldwell have often said they like to use a rotation of 10 defensive linemen—5 quality tackles and 5 quality ends—during the course of a game.  If we accept that baseline premise, who will those 10 quality linemen be for the 1998 Volunteers?

Projected Depth Chart (Jumpmaster's Best Guess)  See Also Official UT Post-Spring Depth Chart

                           LDE                              LDT                            RDT                         RDE
         Shaun Ellis/Jeff Coleman      Darwin Walker             Billy Ratliff               Corey Terry
                    DeAngelo Lloyd          Fred Weary                  Ron Green                Ed Butler
                    Joe Reid                      Matt Goodin                 Kenny Smith             Judd Granzow

Defensive Tackles

Billy Ratliff:  Junior, 6-3  275, Magnolia, Mississippi.  Ratliff, when healthy, has given the Vol defense an aggressive, attacking look.  He has the ability to really disrupt an opposing offense and make life difficult for a quarterback.  Playing in only about half of Tennessee’s games in 1997, Ratliff still managed 17 tackles, almost half of which (7) were behind the line of scrimmage.  The Vol coaching staff says that Ratliff’s rehabilitation of a torn ACL, his second such injury in a brief UT career, has gone very well.  Marion Hobby, a strength and conditioning coach for the Vols, said on a May 27 radio show that if the season started tomorrow, Ratliff would start.  Having been out of contact for almost a year going into fall drills, Billy’s conditioning and preparation to play early will be a concern.

Darwin Walker:  Junior, 6-3  281, Round O, South Carolina.  Since transferring to UT from NC State in 1996, Walker has continually improved his strength and technique.  By the end of 1997, it was clear that Walker is one of the best DTs on the team and is ready to make a major impact in the SEC this fall.  Walker ended 1997 with 27 tackles, including three sacks and five stops for lost yardage.  With a bench press in excess of 500 pounds, Darwin is by far the strongest Vol, and it showed in the Orange Bowl as Walker was one of the few defensive players who was able to compete with the Cornhuskers in the 2nd half.  Coming out of spring practice, Walker has established himself not only as a starter, but an SEC All-Star candidate.

Fred Weary:  Redshirt Freshman, 6-4  281, Montgomery, Alabama.  This awesome physical specimen, who was an All-State heavyweight wrestler in high school, has turned heads ever since his arrival on campus in the fall of ’97.  Weary played so well against the first-team Vol offensive line in fall practice, that coaches and fans expected him to contribute right away last season.  Many compared Fred to former Vol and All-Time NFL Sack Leader Reggie White.  Unfortunately, Weary suffered a stress fracture in his foot that eventually required surgery and forced him to redshirt as a freshman.  The Vol defense would get a boost if Weary has a big impact this fall.  He looked a little tentative in spring practice, as the coaches had him thinking about his reads and reactions and learning the mental part of playing DT in the SEC.  Weary is one of the most outstanding young DTs in the league and in time will be a great one.  He will play early and often this year, and get close to 50% of the defensive snaps.

Kenny Smith:  Sophomore, 6-6  270, South Pittsburgh, Tennessee.  Originally an Alabama signee in 1996, Smith failed to qualify academically.  After sitting out a year, and finally gaining his eligibility, Kenny cast his lot with the Vols.  He saw some mop-up and special teams duty as a freshman, getting most of his snaps at DE, but look for Kenny to move inside this year due to his size and Tennessee’s lack of DT depth.  Smith looked good last fall until he was injured in a scrimmage; the injury slowed his development somewhat.  This off-season Smith injured his shoulder lifting weights, and had to miss spring practice.  That was unfortunate, as the coaching staff wanted Smith to get some spring work at DT.  Because of the injury Smith will have to learn quickly this fall.  He’s a young player with great potential and he will get his chance to contribute early this year.

Ron Green:  Senior, 6-1  275, Severna Park, Maryland.  One of Tennessee’s most experienced and steady defensive linemen, Green also was limited in the spring due to a knee injury.  Recent news on his injury is discouraging; Coach Fulmer said this week that Green could probably qualify for a medical redshirt year, but Green just wants to play, and contribute whatever he can.  This could mean that Green plays less than half the defensive snaps per game, further degrading Tennessee’s already-thin defensive line.  But Green is a veteran who can help the younger players with leadership and peer coaching.  He has improved his DT techniques consistently, and he knows what it takes to succeed in the SEC.  He will provide valuable depth to the ’98 defensive line.

Others:  Matt Goodin (6-0  255)  This walk-on has seen game action in each of the past two years, and was quite impressive in the spring, when many scholarship players were out with injuries.  Goodin is a guy who knows what he’s doing out there, and could contribute some quality snaps in a reserve role this season.
 Jeff Coleman (6-4  242)  This senior figures to get most of his snaps at DE, but he is big enough and experienced enough to play some tackle if the situation demands it.
 

Defensive Ends

Corey Terry:  Senior, 6-3  250, Warrenton, North Carolina.  Originally coming to Tennessee as a tailback, Terry still has that good speed as a rush end off the edge.  The most experienced, and potentially the best, returning Vol defensive lineman, Terry needs to have a banner year to offset the loss of Jonathan Brown and Leonard Little as pass-rush specialists.  Terry had a solid ’97, finishing sixth on the team with 56 tackles and 13 big plays, including four sacks.

Shaun Ellis:  Junior, 6-4  267, Anderson, South Carolina.  In the early morning hours of March 16, Ellis fell asleep at the wheel of his car as he drove to Knoxville from his hometown of Anderson.  Near Dandridge, Tennessee he ran his car off the road, totalling it.  In the process, Ellis suffered a dislocated and broken hip and facial lacerations that required over 100 stitches.  He was lucky to be alive in the wake of the serious accident.
Ellis was out for spring, and his status for the fall was very much in doubt.  The mishap occurred following Ellis’s best off-season workouts as a Vol, at a time when the coaches expected Shaun to have a dominant spring at his left DE position.  In the days and weeks since the accident, Ellis has been evaluated and re-evaluated by UT physicians and other experts.  The injury appears to be healing well, and has not required surgical intervention.  Ellis walked first on crutches, then with a cane, and now walks unassisted.  Coach Fulmer said, as the Big Orange Caravan passed through Atlanta last week, that doctors expect Shaun to be 100% healthy for fall practice.  Like Billy Ratliff, though, Ellis will be out of condition and weakened by his injury.
Ellis saw extensive action in 1997, playing DE on those downs when Leonard Little was at MLB (about 50% of the time).  Ellis was able to hurry the QB on numerous occasions, and steadily improved his play against the run.  If Ellis is indeed healthy, and able to stay that way, he will be the starter at left end going into the ’98 season.

Jeff Coleman:  Senior, 6-4  242, Gaffney, South Carolina.  Versatile player who came to UT as an outside linebacker, then bulked up enough to become a DE last year.  Jeff has been a steady, if not spectacular, contributor on the Vol defense, playing wherever he has been needed.  This year, it appears that need will be at DE, especially if Shaun Ellis is not able to return to his pre-injury form.  Coleman is not flashy, but he’s had his moments.  His most memorable play last year was against Southern Miss in the first half.  The Vol offense had been sluggish and Tennessee trailed 13-6 in the 2nd quarter, when Coleman hit Eagle RB Harold Shaw after a pass reception, forcing a fumble.  The ball was picked up by DT Darwin Walker and returned to the USM 41-yard-line.  UT scored a TD to begin a 28-0 run that buried the Golden Eagles.  It was generally agreed that Coleman’s play turned the game around.

DeAngelo Lloyd:  Sophomore, 6-6  235, Charlotte, North Carolina.  Lloyd reported last fall as a tall, gangly OLB, but he has added about 15 pounds of bulk and has gotten stronger in the upper body as he grows into his position as a DE.  Still a little light for the rigors of SEC defensive line play, Lloyd will continue to work hard in the weight room.  He has shown a lot of potential and played in spots as a true freshman last season.  Lloyd figures to be in the two-deep DE rotation this year; as such, he’ll see plenty of playing time and have a great chance to continue his development as a fine young DE.

Ed Butler:  Redshirt Freshman, 6-4  230, Huntsville, Alabama.  Unable to crack the lineup last year at linebacker, Butler may have found his niche at DE.  He was listed as the 2nd string RDE coming out of spring practice.  He has added some bulk and strength, and looked much improved in spring drills.  1998 may not be Butler’s year to burst on the scene, but if he continues the steady rate of development he has shown he will be a major contributor on the defensive side of the ball in a year or two.

Others:  Antron Peebles (6-3  247)  Virtually forgotten as a potential defensive end, Peebles is in a logjam at the TE position with three other players.  A senior who has played DE and OLB in his Vol career, Peebles could add some needed quality depth to the D-line, and would seemingly be more valuable here than as one of four TEs who will not catch many passes in David Cutcliffe's offensive scheme.
Joe Reid (6-5  225)  True freshman midterm enrollee out of Goodpasture, Reid showed some promise.  He needs to get bigger and stronger.  May eventually end up at TE.
Judd Granzow (6-4  235)  This highly coveted JUCO signee was rated as the fourth-best defensive lineman available in the JUCO ranks this recruiting year.  Granzow, a Californian with a zany personality reminiscent of Bill Duff, is expected to compete for immediate playing time at DE.
Roger Alexander (6-3  220) A JUCO signee who participated in spring practice, Alexander’s size and style of play is much better suited to OLB.  However, he got the majority of his playing time at DE this spring and could be used there extensively by the coaching staff.

Freshman Signees to Report in August:

John Henderson (6-7  280)  The #1 DE prospect in the nation, Henderson is said to be a once-in-a-lifetime player.  He just might be good enough to play a lot as a true freshman—that is, if he achieves a qualifying college entry test score.
Will Overstreet (6-4  250)  The #1 prospect in the state of Mississippi, Overstreet has incredible intensity and speed (4.6 forty, 11.2 100 meters).  He is another one that may be difficult to keep on the sidelines, even though he is only a true freshman.
Bernard Jackson (6-4  245)  The #2 linebacker prospect in the nation, Jackson has ideal size and speed (4.6) to be utilized as a DE.  He could see early action as well.

Overall Assessment of Defensive Line
Depleted by injury in the spring, the defensive line is difficult for observers to assess at this point.  It seemed that almost every Vol D-lineman missed all or part of spring due to injury (in fact, only Darwin Walker and Fred Weary, of all the scholarship tackles, made it through the spring uninjured).  It is a defensive line that can be solid, if not spectacular, as there is a great deal of experience returning.  If young players like Lloyd, Smith, and Weary develop quickly, and if Ellis and Ratliff can play at pre-injury levels while remaining healthy, the ’98 Vol defensive line could be a very good one.
 

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