By Jimmy Hyams
On the surface, you would give Tennessee’s ground game an A for last season.
The Vols rushed for 2,668 yards, fifth most in school history. They averaged more than 205 rushing yards per game, ran for 31 touchdowns and averaged 5.1 yards per attempt.
But there were times when the run game wasn’t up to snuff. UT rushed for a mere 127 yards against Appalachian State and Georgia. The Vols got just 136 against South Carolina and struggled in the second half against Vanderbilt.
The ground game was non-existent against mighty Alabama: 32 yards on 32 carries.
Tennessee’s new offensive coordinator Larry Scott wants more consistent when running the ball.
“You always want to establish the run,’’ Scott said. “You want to run it with efficiency. Not necessarily big runs, but efficient enough to where you can stay in a flow and get a rhythm going with the offense.’’
To be more efficient running, does UT have to be more physical, more aggressive along the offensive line?
“Absolutely,’’ Scott said. “That’s where it all starts, make no bones about it, especially in this league.
“Everybody says it’s a line of scrimmage league, a little bit of scheme and a little bit of making sure you’re putting the kids in the right position to have success.
“But yes, absolutely, it starts up front with aggression and intensity and physicality.’’
Was that lacking last year?
“I thought at times it was definitely something that we needed a little bit more of, whether that was through emphasis or technique or fundamentals or different things like that. I thought that was something we could improve on.’’
Tennessee’s final 2016 stats showed a team with remarkable balance: 205.2 rush yards per game, 238.5 pass yards per game.
Without the production of quarterback Josh Dobbs, is that something the Vols can replicate?
“When you use the word replicate, I think there is no carbon copy,’’ Scott said.
Scott said what UT does on the ground or through the air could vary from week to week based on the opponent. But he said you must be efficient in both areas.
“You want to have some balance,’’ he said.
“I think we need efficient running and efficient passing. And I think the big word we keep saying is efficient in whatever we chose to do — as long as the chains are moving and we’re being consistent with that and we’re playing to our style of play.’’
Scott was asked if UT would run more snaps from under center rather than the shotgun.
“Probably a little bit more, being more balanced and those type of things with under center and in the gun,’’ Scott said.
In short-yardage situations, what is his philosophy about going under center or running from the shotgun?
“I think being able to have a balance of it all and being able to give defenses different looks and things like that is important,’’ Scott said. “I think any time you pigeon hole yourself or make yourself all of one thing, you become more predictable.’’
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