Tennessee Football: Projecting Who Will Win Volunteers' Open Starting Positions
The most talented Tennessee football team in at least a decade will trot onto the field in 2015, but that doesn't mean every starting spot is locked up.
As a matter of fact, there are several wide-open races ongoing that will heat up once practice begins. Even more could emerge once UT gets all its highly touted recruits on campus and thrown into the fray.
For instance, the Vols return starting defensive tackle Danny O'Brien. But with potential stars such as Kahlil McKenzie joining freshman Shy Tuttle on campus, nobody's job is safe.
The same situation applies to sophomore Emmanuel Moseley, who must hold off JUCO transfer Justin Martin, freshman Darrell Miller and others to keep his starting spot.
Still others, such as left tackle Kyler Kerbyson, left guard Marcus Jackson, safety LaDarrell McNeil and receiver Marquez North, who appear to have firm holds on starting jobs, aren't guaranteed to lead their respective units onto the field.
Even running back Jalen Hurd could see stiff competition from Alvin Kamara, though both will receive plenty of carries.
It's going to be a free-for-all for several spots, but a few position battles are setting up to be particularly interesting. Let's take a look at some open competitions and who should emerge as starters by the time UT travels to Nashville to take on Bowling Green on Sept. 5.
Outside Wide Receivers
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It would be a safe bet to go ahead and write senior receiver Alton "Pig" Howard's name into the starting slot receiver role.
Beyond that, there's plenty of promise but no guaranteed spots in the starting lineup.
Still, it would be unwise to assume anybody starts over junior physical specimen Marquez North, who was UT's biggest playmaker at receiver in 2014 before he was sidelined by shoulder surgery during the last part of the season.
He had 30 catches for 320 yards and four touchdowns a year ago, but he missed this spring due to recovery. It would take a big move by a player such as Josh Malone or Jason Croom to knock North out of the starting lineup.
So, if Howard and North make up two-thirds of Tennessee's starting receiver rotation, who will hold down the final job? That's not as clear right now.
If Von Pearson is reinstated to the team, he's a good bet to play significant snaps. But that situation is up in the air (at best) right now with an ongoing rape investigation.
There's no shortage of talented players in UT's receiving corps, and new, potentially dynamic players are being added to the mix with Preston Williams and Vincent Perry.
But if Pearson isn't back, the bet to win that other spot is redshirt sophomore Josh Smith. He was off to an exceptional start to the '14 season before a nasty high ankle sprain against Oklahoma cost him the season.
Until then, Smith led UT with 10 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown in two-plus games. Though he wasn't 100 percent this spring, he will be once fall drills start, so the receiver starting unit should look like this: Howard, North and Smith, if Pearson doesn't return.
If he does, it'll be tough keeping him off the field.
Center
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It's difficult to predict anybody unseating a rising redshirt senior starter who proved to leave a large hole when he was injured a season ago.
But sophomore Coleman Thomas certainly has the ability to beat senior Mack Crowder for the starting snapping duties.
He'd have to play great to do it, though. Crowder has some physical limitations—he isn't the biggest or strongest lineman—and he was pushed around some last year, but he is a vocal team leader and a veteran.
When he missed some late-season time with an injury, the Vols really struggled with Dylan Wiesman taking over.
Meanwhile, Thomas was thrust into a starting tackle role out of necessity. He played in 11 games, starting five, and was pummeled at times playing before he'd developed enough to be counted on.
This spring, Thomas was moved back to his natural position of center and impressed. He missed time after being arrested on March 25 (though he was exonerated), but when he was in there, coaches praised the 6'6", 308-pound Max Meadows, Virginia, native.
Offensive line coach Don Mahoney told the Knoxville News-Sentinel's Dustin Dopirak: "He was actually a lot better than I thought he would be. Playing center, for the most part, his snap location was good. He's always been a guy who understands the offense. I was quite surprised, really. He was further ahead than I thought he would be."
Coaches haven't committed to keeping Thomas on the interior, so picking him to start over an incumbent senior is really going out on a limb. But the Vols need some talent and athleticism all across the line, and Thomas gives them both.
If he can't get the job done, the Vols know that Crowder can be the steady leader in the middle. The early nod goes to Crowder for the first game, but Thomas won't be far behind and should start at some point throughout the season.
Right Tackle
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Tennessee desperately needed tackles to step up this spring, and redshirt sophomore Brett Kendrick answered the charge.
The 6'6", 316-pound former Christian Academy of Knoxville standout worked on his body this offseason, and his strength was evident throughout the spring. He locked down the starting job at right tackle leaving drills, and it would take a strong showing for anybody to take over.
The Vols may just have somebody who can in former 4-star Drew Richmond, who told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan he expects to start as a freshman in Knoxville.
It's great to hear confidence such as that from such a big, talented lineman who just happened to provide UT a boost at its most urgent-need position. But he or fellow freshman Jack Jones or perhaps junior Dontavius Blair would have to shine to unseat Kendrick.
A year ago, Kendrick showed flashes of playing up to his ability, but he was obviously not where he needed to be physically.
Now, three years into his UT career, this spring was a key reason to believe that he can be a key cog in a line that needs consistency.
GoVols247's Wes Rucker said he was "arguably the team's most improved offensive player this spring."
If he continues to develop and redshirt senior Kyler Kerbyson keeps being the steady force at left tackle, the Vols could be a lot better along the offensive front. If Richmond does come in and seize his opportunity, you'll know he earned it rather than just being best by default.
That's what Kendrick's emergence means to UT.
Defensive Tackles
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This spring, true freshman Shy Tuttle and third-year sophomore Kendal Vickers emerged as viable threats to start at defensive tackle for the Vols.
So, why won't they?
In short, because incumbent starter Danny O'Brien missed the spring with an undisclosed injury, and former 5-star Kahlil McKenzie is on campus and ready to compete. They'll seize the spotlight once they get back onto the field.
The 6'3", 327-pound McKenzie was one of the most coveted players in the country and followed in his father's footsteps to Knoxville.
Even though McKenzie has just arrived in town and hasn't yet played a single practice, he's an elite, disruptive and massive force. He has the front-line punch and pursuit skills to rush the passer, and he's big enough to be a force against the run.
That's why the true freshman gets the nod to start from Day 1, even with Tuttle and Vickers thriving.
At the other spot, it's hard to bet against O'Brien. He isn't the biggest or the most talented lineman, but he's coming off a stellar sophomore season, notching 23 tackles and 4.5 stops for a loss. As the year progressed, he got much better.
He'll also be better because he won't be on the field nearly as much as he was forced to be last year. With improved depth, he'll get necessary breathers.
Between those four and senior Owen Williams, Tennessee has plenty of options at defensive tackle. After a season where the Vols basically went with a three-man rotation, they can go five or six deep, and that'll help everybody involved. Even Dimarya Mixon can play inside if needed.
But McKenzie and O'Brien get the nod here, and they'll be an impressive duo.
Middle Linebacker
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The most highly publicized position battle this fall in Knoxville will come at the epicenter of the defense.
Tennessee's middle linebacker position is as wide-open as a position can get.
A year after perennial All-SEC mike A.J. Johnson's career ended prematurely with a sexual assault investigation, and with a fruitless spring battle behind them, the Vols middle linebacker candidates are about to get an injection of urgency.
A former 4-star, prototypical SEC middle linebacker with a photographic memory is about to be thrown into the fray. That would be Indianapolis freshman Darrin Kirkland Jr., who tore a pectoral muscle shortly after arriving in Knoxville and missed the spring.
He'll be fully healthy in time for fall drills, and he will certainly make his impact felt in the race. Kirkland is a big hitter who has the size to clog the box and stuff the run and also possesses sideline-to-sideline speed. He's the total package at MLB.
This spring, Dillon Bates, Kenny Bynum and Gavin Bryant showed out or earned defensive coordinator John Jancek's trust.
While Bates has the talent, he hadn't yet fully recovered from 2014-ending surgery. Bynum knows the defense and is steady, but he isn't a dynamic athlete. Bryant just isn't ready physically or mentally yet, though he's a hard hitter.
Kirkland has yet to step onto the field, but he is the favorite to win the job. Bynum holds that position tenuously right now, but if Kirkland can impress when the pads go on, he'll be the guy.
If not, don't sleep on weak-side linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin shifting inside due to necessity and Cortez McDowell sliding into the starting role at JRM's old spot. It would be better to keep the UT defensive leader at his regular spot, so Kirkland's rapid development is paramount.
Cornerback
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For all the talent the Vols are bringing in at defensive back, it's easy to overlook the young budding stars already in place.
Guys like Todd Kelly Jr. and Evan Berry are the names of the future at safety, and while there will be plenty of buzz surrounding JUCO mega-athlete Justin Martin and the freshman duo of Darrell Miller and Micah Abernathy, it's easy to forget another young corner with a promising past.
Emmanuel Moseley committed to UT as a no-name 2-star prospect who had pledged to the Charlotte 49ers. He came to Knoxville a shade over 160 pounds and about as underdeveloped as any defensive prospect you'll see in the SEC.
By the end of spring practice, he'd secured a starting cornerback job. Though he lost it for half of his freshman year, he ended the season where he started it: on the first team.
Expect Moseley to stick around there for 2015, too.
After missing some time this spring due to a horrific car crash he was involved in with his family and then a bout with mononucleosis, Moseley returned toward the end of drills and had a four-interception day his first practice back.
While practice means little, the performance shows his talent, speed, athleticism and ball skills. Moseley has the total package, and after taking a few lumps as a freshman, he's been battle-tested in the nation's toughest conference.
That's life experience Martin, Abernathy and Miller can't boast. So, yes, Martin will almost certainly come in and play a positive role in his first year, but the nod here for starting duties opposite Cameron Sutton go to Moseley.
Safety
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All anybody ever does is doubt rising senior LaDarrell McNeil.
Last year, many thought it was a matter of time before he lost his job to Todd Kelly Jr. Talent, some argued, trumped experience.
Then, the Texan went out and rebounded from a disastrous sophomore season, proving he was talented and a seasoned vet. He started 12 games, making 76 tackles, forcing a fumble, recovering one and notching two interceptions.
Most importantly, McNeil was the hard-hitting enforcer who punished receivers coming across the center of the field.
McNeil still doesn't always take the best angles in pursuit of ball-carriers, and because of that, he'll get burned on some runs, but that isn't his game. He's the punisher who also makes the big plays, and that's why he'll line up alongside fellow senior Brian Randolph in the Bowling Green game.
There's plenty to love about TKJr. and Berry, both of whom had exceptional springs and look primed to man the back end of UT's defense for the next two seasons. They'll play key roles this year as depth, and a healthy rotation will keep everybody fresh.
But McNeil was bet against in this space last year, and he proved doubters wrong. Very few doubt him anymore. With another season like he had last year, McNeil could find himself on an NFL roster in 2016.
Punter
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Entering 2014, UT coaches were concerned about who'd take over the punting duties after Michael Palardy exited following a career-resurrecting senior season.
Senior Matt Darr then followed that same pattern, going from a guy who couldn't crack the kicking duties to averaging 42.2 yards per punt and being a special teams weapon.
For the third time in as many seasons, the Vols are looking for a punter.
They've got at least two viable options, and probably three.
Former Maryland punter Nathan Renfro, who spent the past three seasons as the Terrapins starter averaging nearly 41 yards per punt, will return to his home state and play his final season as a graduate transfer for UT.
Then there's U.S. Army All-American punter Tommy Townsend, who has arrived in Knoxville as a freshman from Florida trying to follow in the footsteps of his brother and become an SEC starter. Johnny Townsend punts for the Florida Gators.
Third-year sophomore walk-on Trevor Daniel is a bit of a wild card with a big leg who could beat out both of them.
It's nice having viable options, especially considering UT had a couple of guys the past two years it turned into junkyard jewelry in their final seasons. Special teams coach Mark Elder knew Palardy and Darr had talent, and he got them to tap into it.
For the third straight year, UT will trot out a senior punter, as Renfro gets the nod to start and be a steady special teams force for the Vols.
All quotes and observations gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All statistics gathered from CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information obtained from 247Sports.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
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