The realization hit Roman Harrison a year ago.
Playing behind NFL-bound Byron Young at the LEO position, Harrison knew he would be one of the anchors of the Tennessee defensive line the following season.
Now the clear-cut starter off the edge, Harrison is still looking forward, focusing on preparing the players in the spot he was in last season to take over when he's gone.
"I feel like last year I kind of realized that (Young) was going to be gone this next season and I felt like I needed to step up at that point then," Harrison said. "At this point it's not just about betting myself, it's about bettering those around me. I figured that out over the past couple of seasons. It's just about bringing those young guys along with me."
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Tennessee has reason to be optimistic in the play of its defensive line in 2023.
Alongside Harrison, the Vols return starting tackle Omari Thomas and end Tyler Baron. Arizona State transfer Omarr Norman-Lott also adds experience to the interior.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Harrison appeared in 12 games, totaling 39 tackles, 3.0 sacks and five quarterback hurries. He worked on improving his hands in the spring and it has shown through a week of fall camp. Harrison also hopes to bolster Tennessee's pass rush.
"In this league, everybody is fast and everybody is strong," Harrison said. "I would say it's your will, obviously it's your strain. Are you going to strain? If you get beat on this block, are you going to try and beat it or are you just going to stay there? It's just about are you willing to finish? At this level, everybody is already physical, everybody is already fast, everybody is already strong. I feel like that's what separates it."
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee football DL coach Rodney Garner details fall camp
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner has been a big part of Harrison's development.
Harrison, who arrived at Tennessee as a freshman in 2019, played his first two seasons at linebacker before transitioning to LEO under the current coaching staff. Young's progression solidified a starting spot, but Harrison excelled as his backup.
With two underclassmen in Joshua Josephs and James Pearce Jr. making up the LEO room, Garner has seen Harrison transform into more than just a consistent piece of the Vols' front four.
"Roman Harrison has had a good camp and is starting to do things the Tennessee way and not so much things his way," Garner said. "I think it's becoming contagious. (The defensive line) is not afraid to call one another out. That's what real leadership is. It's just being willing to be different, be out in front and be able to take a stand...I think we are seeing a lot more of that."
Harrison doesn't take credit for that kind of accountability, though he has shown it.
He instead sees it as a by product of the approach the coaching staff took when they took over the program three years ago, particularly head coach Josh Heupel.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Key takeaways from Tennessee's sixth practice of fall camp
"I can't talk about too much in the beginning, but Tennessee became what I wanted it to be without me having to say a word," Harrison said. "That's a big up to coach Heupel. Obviously with the last staff I would just sit back and watch everything. This staff, they bring you in more. It's more of a family type environment. We pull each other along and we bring the best out of each other because we expect the most out of each other, because we ourselves are giving that.
"We expect to win games, we expect to win championships but it's going to come day-by-day. We know it's going to come with the hard days, we're going to have to work everyday for it."
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