We answer your question about the Vols or anything else in our weekly mailbag, Insider Mailing. If you have questions about anything in the mortgage process, go to BenMillerLoans.com.
“How much of an impact, if any, did the absence of key defensive players have on the install of The Shoop Defense? What defensive player benefits most statistically from the new Shoop defense?” – Tennessee Williams
Erik: Not much because spring practice with a first-year coordinator is more about attitude and expectations, not just schematics. Shoop is teaching them how to practice and what he expects, not every blitz he has in the playbook. In terms of who benefits the most, I’d say Derek Barnett because we like to bring pressure and play man-to-man, he won’t have many opportunities to get double-teamed. I think he might see more single blocks than he ever has. The guys that stand to lose the most are the DBs playing man-to-man, they could get beat more.
Stephen: I think EA answered the first part of your question spot on. As for which player will benefit most statistically? I’m going to say Todd Kelly Jr. TK is already a stud in the defensive secondary and is currently the only lock to start at safety. Shoop’s background is in coaching DB’s and his passing defenses have been stellar everywhere he’s been. Part of that is due to pass rush efficiency which Ainge alludes to, but I am going to say Kelly sees the biggest jump from where he would have been without Shoop compared to where he will be with him.
“What 3 Teams would you like to see in the SEC Champ Game, Playoff Game, and National Champ Game? #VolsRevengeTour2016” – Cole Wampler
Daniel: The ultimate revenge tour for UT would be Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, Oklahoma in the playoffs and then Michigan in the title game with Butch Jones getting up on the podium and saying, “and Peyton got robbed of the Heisman” after the Vols win.
Stephen: Daniel knows us so well. That’s the perfect scenario. Tennessee/Michigan would be absolutely incredible not only from a national storyline perspective, but also a personal one. My best friend is a UM fan and we have an ongoing bet that whoever’s team wins a national championship first, the other person has to convert to be a fan of the winning team for one year. And seeing him in orange every Saturday would make my heart happy.
Nathanael: I think Daniel nailed it on the head. The only other team I can think of to add to that or change out would be Clemson just because the Tigers have been stealing some of Tennessee’s top recruiting targets and because the last time the two teams played, Clemson embarrassed the Vols in the Peach Bowl.
“Who’s the best same-number combo on the team? (i.e. Josh Dobbs/Austin Smith #11)” – @Chuck_Des
Daniel: That’s a great question. It probably was No. 1 last year with Hurd and McKenzie, but with Kahlil moving to No. 99, I think No. 6 (Alvin Kamara/Todd Kelly Jr.) is the new champ. No. 11, like you mentioned, is in the running, but we haven’t seen enough from Smith yet to put it on top of No. 6.
Nathanael: There are a lot of intriguing options for this question. I like Daniel’s choice of No. 6, but I’m gonna go one spot ahead and go with the combo of Preston Williams/Rashaan Gaulden at No. 7. Special shoutout to Aaron Medley and Josh Smith at No. 25.
Stephen: Hard to disagree with the 6’s. Kelly and Kamara make one heck of a same-number duo. I’d put that combo against just about any other same-number combo in the country.
“Since most of UT passing yards came after the catch, what can we expect from the downfield passing game? Improved accuracy?” – Jeff Willis
Erik: I think their trust in Dobbs’ decision-making in the passing game will allow for more drop-back downfield progression reading, which will evolve into more completions down the field. Calling token deep ball pass plays doesn’t count when you’re calling it throw the ball to the shallow cross or the check-down.
“What are the chances we get the majority of in-state prospects for the 2017 class?” – @TyK8606
Daniel: Looking at the top-18 prospects in the state according to the 247Sports Composite ranking, it’s fair to say that UT would take a majority of those guys if they wanted to commit right now. Of those top 18, I really like UT’s chances to get at least six – Tee Higgins, Maleik Gray, Theo Jackson, Chase Hayden, LaTrell Bumphus and Princeton Fant. I think they have a fair shot at Trey Smith, JaCoby Stevens and Ty Chandler. And there are a couple other guys I’m not sure how high of a priority they are for UT. Overall, I think UT gets about half the in-state guys it really wants, which is pretty good.
Erik: If they’re interested, and we want them, we’ll get them.
Nathanael: Personally I think the Vols can get just about anyone in this in-state class they want. Aside from Amari Rodgers and Jacoby Stevens, I think they’re in for a lot of them. Trey Smith, Tee Higgins, Chase Hayden, Princeton Fant, and others are all likely coming to UT. They just got Maleik Gray too. So to answer your question, I think chances are pretty high they get a majority of the top 10-15 of the in-state guys.
Stephen: I agree with Nathanael here, but I would add Memphis native running back Cordarrian Richardson to the list of untouchables. Both he and Rodgers are pretty solid to Clemson and Stevens looks like he wants to get out of Tennessee. Other than that though, I’d say the entire pool is pretty open, including the players already committed elsewhere. And for the record, I think if Tennessee can land Tee Higgins, Maleik Gray, Trey Smith, and Ty Chandler they will have won the state.
“Confess: what’s one sport you really don’t like watching?” – Doug Brooks
Daniel: I’ll go the other way around and say that college football (primarily the SEC) and the NFL are the only two sports-related things I do like consistently watching. I’ll watch the Braves in baseball (I know, it’s a struggle), and the Preds in hockey when I can.
Outside of that, I’m not going to sit down and watch a regular-season baseball, hockey or basketball game at any level unless I’m extremely bored or it’s just on for background noise. I’m even fairly apathetic about the playoffs in those sports until it gets to the finals, and even then, there better be a good storyline or a great game to hook me. I like certain events like the Masters, March Madness, the World Cup, etc., but I just don’t have enough love for any sport outside of football to spend time watching largely irrelevant game between teams that I don’t have anything invested in.
Erik: Soccer!
Nathanael: I’m a sports fanatic. I can watch games of the three major US sports easily. I’m into soccer and trying to get into hockey more. I can watch games of those too. But I absolutely cannot stand NASCAR. I don’t know if I consider it a sport, but that’s my answer. Can’t watch more than five minutes of it without getting bored out of my head. I’ve tried multiples times. Just can’t do it. I can watch golf more than I can NASCAR.
Stephen: Soccer, NASCAR, regular season baseball.
“Polka dots or stripes? And if stripes…horizontal or vertical?” – Andy Sharp
Daniel: Vertical stripes all day – need every bit of help I can get to a look a little taller and a little thinner. Much easier than eating less.
Nathanael: Definitely going stripes here. Not a big vertical stripes guy on me, so horizontal it is. But I like Daniel’s little eye trick there.
