Monday marks the start of spring training for Tennessee football, which is returning to the practice field.
Greg McElroy, an ESPN commentator and former quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide, believes the Tennessee Vols have a “big problem” that UT supporters should be worried about in 2023.
McElroy believes Tennessee’s interior offensive line depth could be a major problem coming fall. McElroy is still really high on the Vols.
The fear stems from center Cooper Mays, who is sidelined following a “procedure” last week, according to the former Alabama quarterback. McElroy also brought up the Vols’ dearth of established center and guard depth.”Now, Cooper Mays has been sidelined, had a procedure, they’re really optimistic about him being able to get back in time for Virginia,” McElroy added. “However, there’s no absolute certainty that he will be available in the first week. It’s not. Therefore, Tennessee’s interior offensive line depth is a major issue. Their left tackle has now made me feel good—in fact, I’d go so far as to say I’m feeling wonderful. Ever since he transferred, they have been talking about John Campbell nonstop (from Miami). They can’t wait for him to secure that position. He and Gerald Mincey were actually engaged in a fierce rivalry. Gerald Mincey was destroyed by him in that match. He has secured and locked down that location.”However, McElroy added, “the depth along the interior of the offensive line—especially knowing Joe Milton, a very gifted football player and talented arm, but he’s not as fleet of foot if he gets pressure up the middle as Hendon Hooker was.” Therefore, that offensive line’s interior needs to be extremely strong. There’s an asterisk for depth. And if Cooper Mays’ upper body treatment causes him to be less than 100% of his usual self during the season, that is something that, as a Tennessee fan, I would be a little concerned about right now.”
Without a doubt, Tennessee’s offensive line is the Vols’ biggest area of concern going into the 2023 campaign.
(Note: Cooper Mays’ surgery isn’t anticipated to last through the current campaign.)
However, that does not imply that Tennessee’s offensive line will have difficulties come fall. Simply put, they have a lot to prove after losing left guard Jerome Carvin and right tackle Darnell Wright, two players who were major contributors to the club and top 10 draft picks.
With the acquisition of two transfers, Campbell and Andrej Karic from Texas, plus some depth that hasn’t quite proved, it’s understandable why there are concerns about the offensive line.
Is it now a major issue as McElroy claims? That has to be seen, in my opinion.
Practice is undoubtedly vital, but until the first game of the season (against Virginia), not even the coaches will know how things will look this year.
During a conference with media earlier this month, Alex Golesh, the head coach of USF and a former offensive coordinator for the Vols, acknowledged that.
Golesh informed reporters that, based on what he seen in practice, he thought Milton was the best player for Tennessee in 2021, but that feeling was soon disproven once the season got underway.
Golesh remarked, “I don’t know that you really know until you know,” in reference to selecting a starting quarterback. “I went through it at the previous place where I thought I knew and I was wrong, so I’m humble enough to admit that.”
Gamers make up some players. Some are not very good in bright lights. And some precisely mirror what you observe in real life. It is one of the challenges of becoming a coach.
McElroy raises some important issues regarding the interior offensive line of Tennessee. Although McElroy has been kind to the Vols over the years, I don’t think they should write him off just because he played at Alabama or works for ESPN. However, that doesn’t guarantee that it will be a “big problem” in 2023 either.
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