2. The defensive line looks much different
The most obvious difference is who isn’t there. Derek Barnett, Corey Vereen, LaTroy Lewis and Dimarya Mixon are among those that are gone, while several key players such as Kendal Vickers, Kyle Phillips and Shy Tuttle are out for the spring. Others are limited in what they can do right now due to injury. That leaves plenty of opportunity for players such as Darrell Taylor, Quay Picou, Alexis Johnson, Jonathan Kongbo and others.
And even among that group, there are several physical differences. Kongbo has slimmed down and looks to be moving very well. The same can be said for Johnson, who appears to be positioning himself to be in the rotation after a tough first year in Knoxville. Taylor, who came out of high school as a wide receiver, still has a lot of that athleticism, but has also put on enough weight that he can be seriously considered in the defensive end conversation. Picou also looks to have reshaped his body to the point that he can be in competition for a lot of playing time as well.
The defensive line — Kongbo, Johnson, Picou & Taylor — getting some work in pic.twitter.com/13yrI0A8Cc
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 21, 2017
How will that all shake out? It’s tough to say at this point because of injuries and overall inexperience in this unit. But Brady Hoke has some intriguing pieces to work with. It’ll be a tough task, however, to replace the lost productivity.
