Tennessee Football: Players with the Most to Gain in Spring Practices

When the Tennessee football team heads into spring practice in about a month, several players will have major opportunities to earn their coaches' trust.

Some are mid-term enrollees with the chance to get a leg up on their classmates. Others stand to be the recipient of extended looks thanks to injuries elsewhere at their positions. Then there are some who have been role players throughout their careers with potential to prove they're more.

UT head coach Butch Jones told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview last week that injuries to Derek Barnett, Danny O'Brien, Kyle Phillips and Darrin Kirkland Jr. are a blow this spring.

"We have a number of individuals who are out for spring football, so their development is set back," Jones said. "The fortunate thing is we'll have them available and they'll be ready in August, but their development's going to be set back. That's just where we are still in depth.

"Right now, our spring football is going to be one of many, many challenges."

From those setbacks blossoms the right set of circumstances for others to step up. That's exactly the atmosphere Tennessee will try to perpetuate this spring.

Let's take a look at some players who can advance their careers by breaking out this spring.

Dillon Bates, Freshman Linebacker

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Last season, freshman linebacker Dillon Bates was firmly in the early-season rotation at outside linebacker until he tore his labrum and had season-ending surgery.

After a medical redshirt was granted, the 6'3", 222-pound defender will try to regain a key role in a much deeper defense. He'll continue to build on his progress in transitioning from a coveted recruit to an SEC playmaker.

Though Bates was recruited as an outside linebacker and displays the range and athleticism to stick there because of his exceptional coverage skills for the position, he also has the type of frame that is suited to move inside.

Tennessee has a wide-open spot in the center of its defense with A.J. Johnson no longer on the team, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see UT coaches give Bates an extended look at middle linebacker along with Kenny Bynum, Jakob Johnson and Gavin Bryant.

UT coach Butch Jones told GoVols247's Wes Rucker he'd experiment with Bates at the "Mike" position though he isn't 100 percent cleared from the labrum surgery yet.

If Bates could play in the middle, he'd be an immediate athletic upgrade, and it would lead to a healthy battle with Darrin Kirkland Jr. once he returned from his injury.

Regardless of whether Bates plays inside or out, he is a big piece of UT's future on defense. This spring could map out the position where he'll spend his career.

Dontavius Blair, Junior Offensive Tackle

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One of Tennessee's most important commitments of the 2014 recruiting class simply didn't pan out in his first season on Rocky Top.

Dontavius Blair struggled so much with strength and footwork following his transfer from junior college that he not only failed to start at left tackle (as hoped) but never played at all and redshirted.

If he doesn't make a major move this spring, it's probable that the 6'8", 300-pound redshirt junior from Anniston, Alabama, will never make an impact at Tennessee.

The former No. 4-ranked JUCO offensive tackle had offers from Florida State, Auburn, Texas A&M and others before choosing the Vols, and with UT losing all five starters heading into last year, it was expected that Blair would be a huge factor.

When he couldn't play, the Vols struggled on the offensive line all year. He was beaten out by a former walk-on senior in Jacob Gilliam, who turned into a phenomenal story for UT.

But the simple fact is the Vols need Blair's SEC size and athleticism up front. If he can live up to his massive expectations and fill into his Tarzan frame, it'll be big news for Tennessee's roster.

If not, he'll probably get passed by incoming freshman Drew Richmond or somebody else.

Josh Malone, Sophomore Wide Receiver

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Nobody is concerned about massively talented rising sophomore Josh Malone. But it's important that he takes the next step toward being a consistent weapon this spring.

At 6'3", 204 pounds, the Gallatin, Tennessee, native has the all-around skills that made him a coveted commodity on the recruiting trail.

His freshman season was pretty good with 23 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown, but he tailed off toward the end of the season. Once Marquez North and Jason Croom suffered season-ending injuries, you'd think Malone would have stepped up.

Instead, he disappeared. In the season's final six games, he caught just four passes for 22 yards following a breakout five-catch, 75-yard performance against Ole Miss.

Dealing with some nagging injuries, Malone just failed to fight through them well, a common occurrence for a freshman.

"It was very frustrating," Malone told Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Patrick Brown. "I knew after the Ole Miss game that I could have kept building off those performances and break into the 100s (in yards in a game), but I just felt like I got slowed down. I missed a big year that I could've had."

Malone has had some time to get bigger, stronger and more mentally prepared. It's a crowded corps with tons of talent, and if Malone is going to be a key target this season, he needs to take serious strides.

That starts in March.

Shy Tuttle, Freshman Defensive Tackle

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Everybody around Knoxville is talking about the arrival of star defensive tackle signee Kahlil McKenzie this summer, but the Vols have another highly ranked interior defender already on campus.

Shy Tuttle, a 6'3", 320-pound early enrollee who was the nation's ninth-ranked high school defensive tackle, is in Knoxville and going through preseason weight programs.

That's huge for Tennessee and for Tuttle, who needed to redistribute some weight and add some strength to go along with his surprising agility for such a big frame.

The Lexington, North Carolina, native has a big opportunity to get a head start on McKenzie and the other linemen this spring.

With starter Danny O'Brien missing spring drills due to an injury, a thin position is going to be a lot thinner. That will mean more reps for Tuttle as well as returning Vols like Dimarya Mixon and Kendal Vickers.

Tuttle has a bright future at Tennessee, though he (at least initially) appeared to be a candidate to redshirt and reshape his body. That's likely not going to be an option with UT needing big bodies, so he has a major opportunity to prove he can play right away.

If he does, the Vols have to feel good about the middle of that defensive line heading into fall practice.

Emmanuel Moseley, Sophomore Cornerback

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A season ago, Emmanuel Moseley came to Knoxville at midterm way underweight but proceeded to display enough talent to exit spring practice with a starting cornerback spot, anyway.

This spring, he'll try to secure it.

Despite eventually losing his spot to Michael Williams, Moseley played well enough to usurp Williams midway through the season. The 5'11", 178-pound corner got better and better as the season progressed.

Though the Greensboro, North Carolina, sophomore appears to be the favorite to keep the spot, UT will welcome elite JUCO cornerback Justin Martin to campus this summer.

At 6'2", 190 pounds and possessing sprinter's speed with an impressive offer sheet to boot (Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma, Florida and others), Martin expects to provide some healthy competition for Moseley at the corner spot opposite Cameron Sutton.

If Moseley comes out and shines this spring, that job is going to be a lot more difficult for Martin to take.

Competition is a positive for everybody, and though Martin isn't going to be on campus this spring, Moseley needs to play like he is. If he does, he'll have a grip on the job that will be difficult to wrest away.

Kenny Bynum, Junior Middle Linebacker

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Kenny Bynum's Tennessee career was somewhat of an afterthought, while A.J. Johnson was gobbling up tackles for the Volunteers.

Even when Johnson ran into his legal trouble last season and was suspended for the final three games of the season, UT coach Butch Jones immediately turned to true freshman Jakob Johnson instead of Bynum.

Then came the TaxSlayer Bowl in Bynum's hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

Though he was credited with just two tackles, the 6'1", 243-pound redshirt sophomore was impressive while replacing Jakob Johnson for his first career start, handling defensive calls and doing well on run fits.

Bynum doesn't do anything flashy, but he has the ability to be a smart, solid starter for UT in the middle of the defense.

With Dillon Bates getting a long look at the position and Darrin Kirkland Jr. expected to be a future star with SEC sideline-to-sideline speed, it's a huge spring for Bynum. That's not even mentioning the competition he'll face from Jakob Johnson and redshirt freshman Gavin Bryant.

Is his emergency-need solid performance in the bowl game going to be the highlight of his career, or will Bynum be a solid piece in UT's linebacker rotation through his final two seasons?

This spring may show us a lot about his potential.

Quinten Dormady, Freshman Quarterback

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There's no questioning the importance of junior quarterback Joshua Dobbs and how vital his health is to the success of the 2015 Vols.

But, beyond him, a battle is brewing to be the future face of UT during a time when the Vols are going to be loaded with talent.

A trio of freshman quarterbacks—Quinten Dormady, Jauan Jennings and Sheriron Jones—will be vying to get a leg up on being Dobbs' successor. Two of them (Dormady and Jennings) are already on campus and will go through spring drills.

With Jennings still adapting to the quarterback position and maybe not being as polished a thrower yet, the nod here goes to Dormady.

The 6'4", 200-pound Texan is blessed with a strong arm, good build and better-than-you-think athleticism. UT coach Butch Jones said last week he expects Dormady will be 100 percent cleared for spring drills after a shoulder injury, and it's a big opportunity for him to solidify the backup role.

Jones told the Chattanooga Times Free Press' Patrick Brown, "He's made remarkable progress. (Head athletic trainer) Jason McVeigh has done a great job. Quinten, from a maturity standpoint, in the training room has done a great job. He's been cleared, and he'll be full-go for spring football."

If he can play at full-strength, he'll likely get a jump on the others and could even get game reps this season, which would help him in the future.

LaTroy Lewis, Junior Defensive End

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There are times when redshirt junior LaTroy Lewis is on the field that he looks like a pass-rushing freak for the Vols.

At 6'4", 257 pounds, he certainly looks the part.

He battled injuries and a packed depth chart to only have 12 tackles and one sack in his first two seasons on the field. But five of his eight tackles went for a loss last season, showing he can wreak plenty of havoc when he can get a step on the defender.

With Derek Barnett a rising star and Curt Maggitt entering his senior year, Lewis' path to start is blocked.

But classmate Corey Vereen is injured this spring, and with UT getting Kyle Phillips healthy and welcoming Darrell Taylor onto campus this summer, it's going to be up to Lewis and midterm freshman Andrew Butcher to get some important reps this spring.

Lewis has a big opportunity to move into a favorable position to play a key reserve role during his final two seasons in Knoxville. Of all the UT defensive linemen who've yet to make a considerable move, Lewis has the most potential to be the next Jordan Williams.

Williams bounced around at several different positions throughout his career before being a major weapon and a consistent starter for the Vols at defensive tackle this year.

The junior from Akron, Ohio, doesn't play that same position, but he has the skills to hold off the youngsters and be a big part of Tennessee's defense. This spring is vital to him.

All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports composite rankings unless otherwise noted. All statistics and roster information gathered from UTSports.com, and all observations gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All quotes obtained firsthand, unless otherwise noted.

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.