Tennessee defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs could’ve been the next great X-Factor for Josh Heupel’s offense… until the ball slipped out of his hands.
Blame the not-for-catching lineman gloves.
While speaking with the media on Tuesday morning, the Vols’ sophomore defensive lineman pulled back the curtain on a funny story from his freshman season when he got an opportunity to try out a trick play with the offense.
Hobbs didn’t reveal too much about the play itself, but the North Carolina native did have to hold himself back from laughing as he revealed parts of the story to the media in the room on Tuesday.
“What was that freshman year?” Hobbs said as he pieced together the memory in his head. “My first fall camp, I blew my chance, man. [They] threw a ball, I dropped it. I’m not used to catching with all that tape on my hands or my gloves on – the lineman gloves. So, yeah, maybe another time.”
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Hobbs’ response came after a question asking if he had ever been part of an offensive package such as the role that fellow defensive lineman Jaxson Moi has had this season. In a few different goal line situations this year, Tennessee has lined up the 307-pound Moi in the backfield with quarterback Nico Iamaleava under center as a strong fullback.
Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson scored a touchdown in this formation on Saturday against Kentucky.
Jaxson Moi ran in like a wrecking ball and then let them know what exactly he did pic.twitter.com/XiRVHydV1j
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) November 3, 2024
By the sound of Hobbs’ details on Tuesday, perhaps the Vols’ lineman was put in the fullback position and then slipped out for a route on a play-action pass. Maybe we’ll see Jaxson Moi do so at some point this season.
While Hobbs might not see any time on the offensive side of the ball anytime soon, that seems perfectly okay with defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
Hobbs has been a key rotational piece in Tennessee’s stout defensive front this season and has grown to be a productive interior defensive lineman.
“I play it every game,” Hobbs said about growing into the interior role compared to an outside rusher. “At practice, I still do both here and there, still get in my [defensive] end reps every now and then. But ready for whatever [Coach Garner] needs me to do in a game. My big thing is I just want to be able to do everything. Whatever he needs me at whether it’s nose, three-technique, end, whatever he needs me at, I’ll go in and do it.”
Check out Daevin Hobbs’ full player press conference from Tuesday morning in Knoxville below. The seventh-ranked Vols will host SEC foe Mississippi State on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. ET in Neyland Stadium.
