Glen Elarbee realized the luxury he finally had back in the spring.

With some veterans on Tennessee's offensive line either sidelined or limited in practices, Elarbee saw the fruits of a nearly four-year labor in building up the Vols' front five.

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Now, ahead of his fourth season as the offensive line coach, Elarbee has a balance of experience and youth that had enough reps in the spring to be valuable assets if needed.

"(Depth) helps you with your older guys. You can plug in young guys and give them reps and the team doesn't suffer," Elarbee said. "They can function. They can go and do the job, and it helps them continue to grow. Them moving up helps guys that have just got in the room...Those kinds of guys still get reps, and it just makes life a lot easier for sure."

One of the positions where that depth has been evident is at tackle.

Tennessee bolstered the position in the offseason, adding former five-star prospect Lance Heard from LSU while returning John Campbell Jr., who moved over to the right side to make way for Heard, who is anchoring the left.

That transition for Campbell began in the spring and spilled over into the summer. He remained in contact with Elarbee, even when the two were away from campus.

"You can tell (Campbell) got in a ton of work this offseason," Elarbee said. "When we're on break, he's always sending me videos of him doing work, getting sets and asking for critiques. He's a meticulous note-taker. He has, in my opinion, looked flawless. He's done a phenomenal job, and all of that credit is due to him."

Tennessee has other options at tackle, too.

Dayne Davis continues to take reps there, among other positions up front and Elarbee feels more comfortable rotating at tackle a little more than three weeks before the Vols open their season--a benefit that Tennessee hasn't necessarily had in recent years.

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"Because those guys have gotten reps (at tackle) and having that depth helps not only us but the team," Elarbee said. "You can practice and put guys out there where you don't need to necessarily rep that guy and you can still continue to go and function. It will help us.

"When we get to the fall, hopefully you're rotating guys, preparing them for the next year and also helping guys last for what is hopefully a very long season."

The starting positions on Tennessee's line are largely set.

Cooper Mays is back for his fifth season and fourth as the starting center. Javontez Spraggins will hold down right guard with Heard and Campbell featuring at left and right tackle, respectively.

Where the Vols are looking for a starter in fall camp is at left guard, where there has been an open competition.

Ollie Lane started nine games there last season, but is gone after five seasons. Jackson Lampley played both guard positions last season, starting the last two games on the right side after Spraggins' injury and Andrej Karic returns from a season-ending injury after starting the first four games of 2023 at left.

"Just being consistent. Playing the way I typically play, especially the run game and also the pass game," Lampley said. "Just being able to move people, but also playing smart. I think those two things are really going to help me."

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Tennessee hasn't been limited on who is getting reps, though. The list of players that have rotated at left guard through one week of fall camp also includes Davis and red-shirt freshman Shamurad Umarov.

"We are kind of moving guys around (at left guard) day-to-day. At the end of day, whoever is the best," Elarbee said. That guy is going to play, and then we are going to have to play someone behind him later. It's going to be a long year. Coach (Josh) Heupel is making instances of us rotating, so I'm trying to make that point in the way we practice. Guys are rotating in and taking a lot of reps, reading ones and twos."

"We will hit that five mark eventually I would assume," Davis added. "Just working everywhere, priding myself in versatility, you know left tackle, right tackle, left guard, center, everywhere. Just having the versatility to go anywhere."

Offensive line isn't the only veteran-laden position group that Tennessee boasts.

The Vols return a number of veterans on a defensive line that is expected to be among the best in the SEC this season, starting with EDGE James Pearce Jr., who is projected to be a first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

For both sides, there won't be many position groups that the Vols' offensive and defensive lines will face this season than each other.

"Iron sharpens iron. I feel like we have gotten better," Elarbee said. "They also have taken steps. It's a great defensive line, and you get to go against those guys every day in one-on-one pass rush or any drill. It helps you grow. I do think our young guys have taken big steps.

"Now, with getting some of the depth guys back, that's going to help prepare them to be ready to roll in the season."

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Tennessee's defensive line depth has been on full display, too.

The players on the offensive side that have to block them every day have seen that first hand and know the difficulty in preparing for something different in each rotation. For both sides, that has been paramount in making them better.

"We've got so many guys, man that they're all so different," Lampley said. "There in practice, if you watch film or games, you could not get two different (defensive) lineman than Elijah Simmons and then Omarr (Norman-Lott). One play, you've got some guy that weighs like 340 (pounds) and is just strong as an ox. Then you've got Omarr who's quick as a cat.

"Then sometimes you'll have James Pearce or (Omari Thomas). Any of those guys...All those guys are tough to block."

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