Versatility necessary up front and out wide

Tennessee started fall camp with what looked like some admirable depth in the offensive line. That depth has been tested early with right tackle Chance Hall sidelined for several weeks with a torn meniscus, which has led to some adjustments.

The immediate response to Hall’s injury has been to insert Brett Kendrick into the right tackle spot, a job he may have won anyway.

Having Kendrick available, who started five games last year, is a luxury. The downside is that now the Vols are a little thin at tackle and could have to shuffle things in case of another injury.

One way the staff has sought to address what could be a potential problem is to ‘cross-train’ several different guys at various spots up front. Few centers have the athleticism and versatility to slide out and play tackle if need be, but Coleman Thomas does, and he’s worked at right tackle a good bit in camp and is listed as Kendrick’s back-up on the initial depth chart.

Similarly Dylan Weisman can move over from right guard and play center if need be, and he’s listed as Thomas’ back-up.

That versatility is something Jones has always sought to develop up front, but the Vols are now in a position in terms of talent and experience to make it more than wishful thinking.

“We’ve always tried to do that as a philosophy just because it’s a long season and injuries are going to occur, it’s the nature of that position group,” Jones said of the importance of having some versatility up front.

“We want to have as many individuals as we can be able to snap the ball at the center position is important, obviously the same thing at tackle. It’s important to just be able to get your best five on the football field all the time, that’s what that versatility lends itself to. Our players really embrace that and they’ve done a great job with it.”

Thomas started at right tackle as a junior, Weisman has seen some game action at center.

Jashon Robertson could play either guard spot or center in a pinch though he seems to be very much at home at left guard. He famously showed up on campus two years ago as a freshman defensive linemen, switched sides of the ball and quickly won a starting job on the offensive front.

That’s a testament to Robertson’s ability for sure, but also says more than a little about the state of the Vols’ offensive front at that time. Based on what he saw last fall, when injuries hit the offensive line hard during the season, Robertson knows the value of being versatile.

“As far as flexibility goes, coach Mo does a great job of putting us in different spots, different positions throughout camp,” Robertson offered. “All of that experience adds up. And last year we had games where things happened and guys had to come in and play and did a good job.

“It’s not just a group of five guys, it’s a group of eight guys or 10 guys. In a league that’s so physical and so demanding you’re going to need a lot of guys and a lot of guys are going to need to be able to play different positions.”

Getting the start on Thursday night at left tackle will be Drew Richmond. The Memphis native is ready and has been doing everything he can to cement his spot in the starting lineup long term.

"He's come a long way," Jones said. "He's worked very hard. I knew initially that redshirt year was very difficult for him. I think he now realizes that was a necessity. He's night and day from where he was last year, but there is still constant growth he has to make every day.

"He's worked in the strength and conditioning room and he's worked on plays. It's very important to him. I'll get text messages from wanting to know what I think about this or that. I'm proud of him because he has come a long way, but he still has a long way to go."

Richmond has been working on his craft religiously since he went to Arizona to work with offensive line guru LeCharles Bentley early in the summer. He's more confident and finally making the strides that many hoped he would.

"He's definitely gotten a lot quicker," Vereen said. "He's a lot stronger with his hands and I'm going against him and trying to make him better every day. It's back and forth and I try to make him better as much I can. I feel like if he can block me then he can block anybody."

It's not just about the time between the white lines for Richmond. He's increased his overall desire to be a football junkie.

"He is a lot stronger," Robertson said. "He understands what is demanded of him and what is demanded out of our group. Drew has increased his overall football knowledge and overall football I.Q. He's someone that I've worked with throughout the summer watching extra film. He hits me up every day and every night with questions about schemes. Drew has developed and become a better player overall."

Jones noted that he will be watching to see how well his team tackles on Thursday. It's a group that has seen very little physical contact in fall camp with just one major scrimmage. With that said, going up against Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and Josh Dobbs in limited circumstances has been good for this defense.

"Personally I think they are pretty formidable to go against in practice," Vereen said. "I think if I can play against them then I can play against anyone. I don't see any reason how playing against them would be any different than someone at Georgia or Alabama. It's a good test to make sure you are ready for game time."

Dobbs and Kamara bring their own brand of special, but it's Hurd that is the barometer for each defender.

"As a young player, I came in and thought if I can tackle Jalen Hurd then I can tackle anyone in this conference or anyone in the country," Kirkland said. "It's great preparation for us."

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones continues to be a little worried about depth at the wide receiver position.

With only four returning receivers that caught a pass last year, along with a junior college newcomer and four true freshmen (two of which have been injured during the majority of fall camp), Jones said the Vols are experimenting with different ways to get running back Alvin Kamara involved.

“You’ll see some things with Alvin,” Jones said. “As we all know, Alvin’s a dynamic player. He’s a great player in space, but also he can get the tough yards from tackle-to-tackle. So, you’ll see some different nuances with him as the season continues to progress.”