Why two true freshmen will be vital to the Tennessee Vols' success in 2022
Two true freshmen who play on the defensive side of the ball are going to be key to the Tennessee Vols' success in 2022. Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks told reporters this week that Tennessee's defense in 2022 will only go as far as the defensive line/pass rush takes them. "The reality of it is, […]
Two true freshmen who play on the defensive side of the ball are going to be key to the Tennessee Vols' success in 2022.
Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks told reporters this week that Tennessee's defense in 2022 will only go as far as the defensive line/pass rush takes them.
"The reality of it is, we'll go as far as our front goes," said Banks this week. "Those guys know that. Everybody has a job to do on every single play. But those guys are the tip of the spear and they've really worked hard. We're anxious to see them show it on Thursday night (against Ball State)."
If the Vols can generate an effective pass rush, it will allow the secondary to focus on stopping the pass, instead of forcing those guys to blitz often.
An effective pass rush makes life for defensive coordinators so much easier. If you've got four guys getting to the quarterback, then you can drop those other seven guys into coverage (depending on what's called) and make life tougher on the opposing offensive coordinator.
For the Vols to have that sort of pass rush this season, they'll need depth. They have some talented guys that can rush the passer — like Byron Young and Tyler Baron — but we saw last season that Tennessee needs more than just two guys. Because of the Vols' uptempo offense, the Vols' defense is on the field often — even when the offense is successful. That means Tennessee needs quality depth to help combat the late-game fatigue (that's what made Georgia so dangerous last season).
And that's where true freshmen edge rushers James Pierce and Joshua Josephs come into play.
Pierce and Josephs are two highly rated four-star edge rushers that appear poised to make an impact this season.
Banks doesn't know for sure how much they'll contribute this year, but he thinks they'll be a factor for Tennessee.
"We're excited," said Banks of Pierce of Josephs. "Those guys have been as good as advertised in terms of athleticism that they bring to the table during lift. They're polished in terms that they've come from good football programs. We feel like they were prepared, as much as you can be, coming to the collegiate level."
"We anticipate them playing," added Banks. "I think those guys will obviously contribute. How much? We'll see, but we're counting on those guys, and we need those guys to play well for us to continue to grow this defense and bring some added speed and athleticism too."
The Vols don't need either of those true freshmen to be Derek Barnett in 2022. They just need them to be effective enough to disrupt the passing game while playing in a backup role. If Tennessee can count on Pierce and Josephs — specifically in the second and third quarters of games — then it will allow Young and Baron to stay fresh for the fourth quarter.
A lack of depth was the Vols' biggest enemy last season. If these two true freshmen step up in 2022, it could be a gamechanger for Tennessee.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
