Attention to detail an asset for UT secondary
KNOXVILLE — In sophomore safety Nigel Warrior, Tennessee defensive backs coach Charlton Warren sees “a young guy that’s hungry, a guy that plays with some explosion.”
With senior cornerback Justin Martin, Warren sees “a long, athletic guy that’s really trying to buy in.”
And with sophomore cornerback Marquill Osborne, the first-year assistant coach sees “a versatile player.”
Ability is not the issue for a Volunteers secondary that struggled with a new defensive scheme in 2016.
Instead, for players like Warrior, Martin and Osborne, who hope to become regulars on the field for the Vols in 2017, there are two things Warren is looking for: consistency and an understanding of the defensive scheme that coordinator Bob Shoop introduced in 2016.
“I think the combination of that is what all these guys are striving to do so they can get on the field and carve out a role for themselves,” Warren said after a recent spring practice.
The Vols graduated Malik Foreman and fouryear starter Cam Sutton
from their defensive backfield, but Warren will have plenty of talent to mold into a viable secondary this year, after a season in which Tennessee ranked 72nd among 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in passing yards allowed.
Warren contrived the nation’s 12th-best passing
defense at North Carolina in 2016 as the Tar Heels allowed just 11 passing touchdowns in his second year on staff. By contrast, they ranked 120th in total defense and allowed 3,346 passing yards in 2014, the season before Warren arrived.
Shoop observed that
the secondary is “doing a good job of fixing the issues that hurt us last year and playing to our individual strengths.”
A slew of injuries forced several young players into the mix last season, which contributed to Tennessee’s defensive woes. It also gave Warren
relevant video to review of the players he is now coaching.
“I saw a lot of guys that can run, that were competitive,” Warren said. “I saw them adjusting to a new scheme. I saw a bunch of young guys just coming out of high school. I saw a lot of youth playing against very good competition. The good part about that is they’re back.”
A handful of players in the secondary are limited or out for spring practices due to injuries, and several freshman defensive backs will arrive in time for preseason camp. Until then, Warren said he appreciates the attention to detail he is seeing from players at practice.
Head coach Butch Jones said he has noticed it’s a group of players who coach each other and also one that “holds on to every word” spoken by Warren and Shoop.
“They’re very competitive and very eager,” Jones said. “I see progress from everyone on the back end of our defense.”
Warren added that he would love to be able to substitute regularly in games this fall to keep everyone fresh.
Those decisions will be made later. The basics are taking precedent for now.
“No one has showed me enough to be happy yet, but they’ve showed me enough to know they’re hungry and working to get better on a daily basis,” Warren said. “In spring ball, that’s really all you can ask for.”