Elarbee anxious to see his squad's growth
College coaches always say your biggest improvement is from game one to game two. In terms of spring practice that means from scrimmage one to scrimmage two. So when offensive line coach Glen Elarbee was asked Tuesday evening to assess if his group was ahead or behind, the veteran coach said give me a minute to find out.
“I think we are in a good spot. The best tell of that is when we get to scrimmage a second time,” Elarbee said. “That’s where you always make the biggest jump because they get to see how to play with tempo. Where they were slowing themselves down inadvertently. You don’t have to be in a panic. Everything is smooth and smooth is fast. Just knowing their awareness. That’s where we will probably make the biggest jump then I can tell you if we are on track or not at that point. If we don’t make the jump then we have a ways to go. We will see.”
Elarbee’s squad has some experience. It has some depth inside, but it also has questions, particularly at tackle.
“It’s an interesting combination,” he said. “There are alot of older guys who have played ball and are really savvy whether it’s a Cade Mays, a Jerome Gavin, guys who kind of understand the game at a different level. Then you have a bunch of young guys who play really hard. Give unbelievable effort, they just have to learn the game. They have to learn where to put their hands and how to step. What the defense is trying to do. It’s a good blend. Right now just trying to help the older guys bring the younger guys along to get to the point we want to be at.”
One of the biggest surprises to date offensively has been on the offensive line and that’s walk on Dayne Davis at left tackle. On practice one Davis took first team reps because on his winter work. Just over halfway through spring practice, the East Tennessee product is still there.
“Dayne studies the game now. I don’t know that there’s been a guy who studies extra especially there at the beginning to try and learn the offense like he has. A great example, we were kind of talking different pass sets and he was trying to play to some of his strengths and change the set. You respect a guy that understands where he’s good and what he has to do. He plays with great effort and has a great attitude. He has done a really good job at left tackle. He’s been as solid as can be,” offered Elarbee.
Davis’ competition has been from veteran K’Rojhn Calbert who has all the physical ability.
“K’Rohjn has an unbelievable personality and is a really enjoyable guy to be around. He has great talent,” Elarbee stated. “He can twitch and pop and do some things run game wise, body position wise, pass set wise. I think trying to find the fine line with is knees, his motor every single play is kind of where we have to get to with him. But the cool thing is they are both competing. They are both rolling in and taking reps. Let the best man win, but also let those guys sharpen each other.”
On the interior, Elarbee has depth and competition at center and guard with Jerome Carvin who can play either. Javontez Spraggins and Cooper Mays among others.
“Coop has made a big time leap one in his footwork and base. If you go back and look at the first couple of practice as where he was in the run game to where he is now, he enjoys it every single day. He has juice every single day. He is trying to fix or trying to be a better player every day,” Elarbee explained. “Spraggins is one of the guys who has an unreal motor. He plays a thousand miles an hour. I think he has in ways to not necessarily slow down, but learn how to play that fast with technique. With a first step, second step, hands, where I am trying to take the defender and keep my leverage. He’s going to be a great player man. All those young guys have improved by leaps and bounds. They just have to keep going that way.”
One of Elarbee’s most essential requirements to be a successful lineman is understanding the game. Physicality is a must especially in the SEC, but that’s not just about brute strength.
“Crazy enough I do think it starts mentally,” Elarbee offered. “Guys have to be able to process fast. It’s is a fast tempo. The play is coming in. We are identifying the front and the ball is snapped. If you can’t process you are going to struggle. I think in this league and the way we do run the ball you have to be a guy with wide hips and physicality. If you don’t like to knock someone off the ball and you don’t enjoy moving a man from point A to point B then you aren’t going to be very good in this offense either. You have to be a tough guy. After that it comes down to redirection. For me, can you think, are you a tough dude who can move some people off the ball and can you redirect. If you can do those three things you start to build from there.”
A guy who has those three things is senior Cade Mays. Mays can and has played everywhere on the offensive line not just at Tennessee but when he was also at Georgia. Where does he play for the Vols in his final ride? Wherever it makes this group the most productive according to his position coach.
“At the end of the day, it’s a matter of where he fits best with all the other guys. He’s such a talented guy and he has played so many different positions. He knows how to use his body. Really at the end of the day he’s probably going to slide in there where it makes us best,” Elarbee said. “If that’s at tackle, awesome we will roll on down the road. If it’s at guard, awesome that’s where we will go. To his credit, he has had to move alot and has done it for whatever is best for the team. Really appreciate that part of him because one I can move him because he can play anywhere and two he has responded to it.”