In the first two weeks of training camp, Tennessee already has likely lost injured guard Marcus Jackson for the season.
Advertisement
UT coach Butch Jones didn’t disclose the nature of Jackson’s injury and said there’s no set timetable for his recovery but added that “it could be the season, it could be eight months, it could be nine months”.
“If he has any opportunity of returning, it would probably be toward the tail end of the season or a bowl game”, Jones said, via the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Tennessee gave up 43 sacks last season.
If they avoid additional injuries, the Vols should deliver the big plays that were missing from this offense the last couple of years.
In this August. 31, 2014, photo, Tennessee offensive lineman Marcus…
It’s never ideal to lose a starter in fall camp, especially one up front who was being counted on to be the centerpiece of a developing unit.
The junior managed to rack up these stats while battling nagging injuries, most recently a torn labrum that forced him out of the final two games of last season. Senior center Mack Crowder made 11 starts and sophomore tackle/center Coleman Thomas started five games. “But he’s making plays out there, which we like to see”.
“We’re trying to really educate them and provide them the means to really be able to rest and recover”. “It’s always a question mark with the O-line, but I want to show people that we’re the glue that holds it together”.
The Volunteers’ elite recruiting class included some talented offensive linemen.
The Vols also worked out Saturday without guards Jack Jones and Jashon Robertson, who was in uniform but didn’t participate in offensive line drills as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Jones said Tennessee sports nutritionist Allison Maurer has “done a tremendous job of really kind of fostering this and really kind of championing this cause”, and he said the program eventually could expand to include every player on the team.
Advertisement
“You have one second to make a quick decision and then play with pad level and physicality”. Austin Sanders could slide into the starting role, but let’s not forget about the freshmen who will be pushing for playing time on an O-line that has desperately needed bolstering of late.
