Spring Primer: Can Tennessee find the right pieces in the secondary?
Tennessee ranked No. 3 nationally in pass defense a season ago, but the Vols were the ultimate pass defense paper champions.
Aside from Rashaan Gaulden, Tennessee’s secondary struggled with consistency and playmaking. While senior cornerbacks Justin Martin and Emmanuel Moseley had their moments, neither were lockdown defenders, and Tennessee was oftentimes exposed on the outside when it needed a stop. Trailing in the majority of their games in 2017, the Vols finished the season facing the fewest pass attempts per game (23) in the SEC and had a conference-worst five interceptions, so now, Tennessee’s three-headed collection of DB whispers — Jeremy Pruitt, Charles Kelly and Terry Fair — are looking to make the unit more productive and dynamic in 2018.
After all the attrition, the challenge is finding the right pieces in the secondary.
Tennessee returns its starting safeties from a year ago — Nigel Warrior and Micah Abernathy — with many Vol fans hopeful that Pruitt and Kelly can unlock Warrior’s vast potential as a truly game-changing play-maker. In 2017, the rising junior finished the year second on the team in tackles (83) and teased his upside with three forced fumbles and a 70-yard pick-6.
As for Abernathy, the senior has started 22 games in the last two seasons, but too many misplays have opened the door for Theo Jackson to compete for the spot this spring. Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore, is set to cross-train at both safety and STAR, and the Nashville native could be a perfect replacement for Gaulden at the nickel spot. Todd Kelly Jr. is wildcard, but the senior safety is not expected to participate in spring practice.
Meanwhile, corner has several spots up for grabs and is among the biggest questions marks on the roster. While Pruitt scoffed at the suggestion that Tennessee needed corners after National Signing Day — “Who said corner was a position of need? We got guys that can play cornerback.” — it’s clear that the new staff is going to explore lots of options there after failing to sign an impact corner in the 2018 class.
Tyler Bryd will finally get his opportunity to showcase his talent at his natural spot, but he’ll have to improve his practice habits to truly rise up the depth chart. Carlin Fils-Aime will spend the first two weeks of spring practice working at corner, too. Can Fair bring the best out of former blue-chip recruits Marquill Osborne and Baylen Buchanan?
Finally, Shawn Shamburger returns as Tennessee’s most talented (and best press-man) corner on the roster, but where will he fit best in Pruitt’s new scheme? There’s scuttle that the 6-foot-1, 198-pound sophomore is a leading candidate for the STAR/nickel spot despite playing exclusively boundary corner as a freshman.