Tennessee returns a good number of bodies to a defensive line group that wasn’t very effective last season and went through plenty of growing pains in the spring.

Last year nothing was normal for the defensive line. They didn’t get to work with new coach Jimmy Brumbaugh in spring then Brumbaugh was abruptly fired in the middle of the season as Jeremy Pruitt took over. So it’s safe to say it was a strange year.

From an experienced standpoint Matthew Butler is the old veteran leading the way. Butler has played in 40 career games recording 105 tackles. Last season Butler had 43 tackles including 2 sacks and 3 tackle for losses.

Aubrey Solomon is back as a veteran. Solomon had a disappointing 2020 season. After not taking contact in the preseason, Solomon never got going record just 23 tackles and no TFL’s or sacks.

Ja’Quain Blakely is back along with Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Kurott Garland, Dominic Bailey, and LaTrell Bumphus. Getting Bumphus back from injury is a big deal. Over the last 16 games played, Bumphus has 7.5 TFL’s, and 3 sacks.

The story on the DL is transfers as Tennessee welcomes Kansas transfer Da’Jon Terry and Southern Cal veteran Caleb Tremblay. Terry is a Mississippi native who had a previous tie to Rodney Garner. In 8 games last year, Terry had 14 tackles and two sacks.

Tremblay in 2019 had 16 tackles, 3 for loss and 2 sacks. Both will be counted on heavily by Garner to make an impact.

From the high school ranks, Tennessee welcomes signee Amari McNeil who long term could end up on offense.

For a group that didn’t have any direction a year ago, the best strength to this unit is Rodney Garner. The 30 year SEC veteran has never gotten his due as a teacher and coach. He knows what it takes to succeed in this league and he certainly has developed alot of successful, highly acclaimed defensive linemen through the years.

The playmaking ability of this group. Can they develop and learn to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage or will be just be guys trying to hold up in gaps. Josh Heupel has said he wants to be an attacking defense. Can this group who struggled to make plays a year ago made plays in this defense.

Tennessee has some big bodies along the front. Can those bodies learn to stuff the stat sheet this fall.