good overview of our linebackers

#1
kamoshika

kamoshika

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#1
Seniors: Jonathan Kongbo, Dillon Bates
Juniors: Austin Smith, Darrell Taylor, Quart’e Sapp, Darrin Kirkland Jr., Daniel Bituli
Sophomores: Jordan Allen, Deandre Johnson, Will Ignont, Shanon Reid
Freshmen: Solon Page III, J.J. Peterson

The one unit on Tennessee’s roster that has experienced the most change since Jeremy Pruitt and his staff took over has been the linebacking unit. The Vols have added four players from the defensive line to their linebackers with the switch to a base 3-4 scheme, and several players have undergone fairly big transformations in the weight room from the end of the 2017 season to now. So how will this unit shake out? That’s a tough question to answer.
Fall Camp Position Preview: Linebackers | Rocky Top Insider
 
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#3
#3
Some of the RTI position previews are laughably bad. Do these guys actually keep up with what goes on with our team?

Tennessee’s pass rushers are likely going to be Darrell Taylor, Jonathan Kongbo, Austin Smith, Jordan Allen, Deandre Johnson, Quart’e Sapp, Solon Page III, and Shanon Reid.
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Neither Sapp nor Reid played any OLB in the spring. Both were at ILB. In an interview Sapp was even asked about what the coaches want from OLBs in the new scheme and he replied with something along the lines of “idk I’m not an OLB anymore.”
 
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#4
#4
This group was so bad last year...and they were so beat up.

I feel real good about them now. Hope I'm right.

Sapp, Bituli, Kirkland, Ignont and JJ Peterson? are a formidable group of ILBs.

Taylor, is a great OLB. A. Smith and Kongbo are wildcards. Maybe just maybe Kongbo has found his calling as a standup rusher. Some of the newcomers may surprise. Maybe Peterson lands here as well.

Coach um up Jeremy!
 
#6
#6
HuntlandVolinColo said:
This group was so bad last year...and they were so beat up.

I feel real good about them now. Hope I'm right.

Sapp, Bituli, Kirkland, Ignont and JJ Peterson? are a formidable group of ILBs.

Taylor, is a great OLB. A. Smith and Kongbo are wildcards. Maybe just maybe Kongbo has found his calling as a standup rusher. Some of the newcomers may surprise. Maybe Peterson lands here as well.

Coach um up Jeremy!
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If they can stay healthy and they take to the coaching, I think we have 4 pretty solid guys with some nice skill sets to roll with at ILB. Bituli and Ignont are the thumpers. DK and Sapp are the more athletic guys who can cover in space and run sideline to sideline.
 
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#11
#11
IF these guys can stay healthy I think they have a chance at being a strong unit this year.
 
#14
#14
We are going to find out how good a coach Pruitt is with our secondary and linebackers. Both areas were weeeeeak the last two years and beat up. If we can hold our opponents to less than 20 points a game and 200 yards a game, we have a chance against everybody. We scored and rushed/passed for less last year and our opponents average was 30 and 250. I'm thinking our offense is going to be better next year. Defense is the question mark for me.
 
#15
#15
I think all around his hard nose style will improve everywhere. I am concerned about play calling
 
#16
#16
Darth_Shiveman said:
If they can stay healthy and they take to the coaching, I think we have 4 pretty solid guys with some nice skill sets to roll with at ILB. Bituli and Ignont are the thumpers. DK and Sapp are the more athletic guys who can cover in space and run sideline to sideline.
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Good assessment Darth. If we stay healthy and our guys take coaching and get better as football players, I think we should be more than adequate at the position.
 
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