Vols Football: Predicting Top 5 Playmakers in 2014
2. Curt Maggitt
Curt Maggitt has made a difference before for the Vols, but he needs to take it to a whole new level in 2014. PHOTO: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
It’s not often a player who misses an entire season is expected to be one of the best players the following year, but that’s just how important Curt Maggitt is to the Tennessee defense.
Maggitt tore his ACL near the end of the 2012 season, causing him to miss the final two games of that season and forced him to sit out all of 2013 because he never fully healed enough to contribute. So instead of having him play a handful of games at limited strength, Butch Jones and Maggitt agreed to have 2013 be a redshirt year, allowing him to keep two years of eligibility coming into the 2014 season.
In his two seasons with the Vols, Maggitt has flashed his potential many times, but injuries have limited him from being the impact player many envisioned him being coming out of high school. As a freshman, Maggitt totaled 56 tackles in 11 games (8 starts), making 5.5 tackles for a loss and forcing a fumble as well.
Maggitt’s sophomore season started out well, and it appeared he was going to have a breakout season. He made 5 tackles against North Carolina State in the 2012 season opener, adding an 18-yard sack that forced a fumble, resulting in a safety. But his injury problems began, as he played banged up for the next few games. He was just starting to hit his stride in the back end of the schedule, registering 11 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and a sack in a three game stretch against South Carolina, Troy, and Missouri. But he tore his ACL, and the rest is history. He finished his sophomore year with 30 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
Butch Jones redshirted Maggitt in 2013 in hopes that his knee would completely heal, allowing him to play at 100%and become the player he was recruited to be out of high school. For Tennessee’s sake, Maggitt needs to be one of the best player’s on their defense if they hope to field a solid defensive unit in 2014.
The 2013 defense failed to penetrate opposing offensive lines too often, and opposing quarterbacks had too much time to torch Tennessee’s secondary. Tennessee finished last in the SEC in sacks (101st overall) with 18 and 12th in tackles for a loss (98th overall) with 65 in 2013. Those numbers need to drastically improve in 2014 if Tennessee wants to win more games and make the postseason.
Curt Maggitt might be the best player on Tennessee’s roster who can immediately help this. The Vols have added a stable of pass rushers in the 2014 signing class, but Maggitt is the only one with collegiate playing experience, and he’ll be used in the “leo” defensive role that is designed especially for rushing the quarterback.
Maggitt is now officially listed as a defensive end instead of a linebacker on Tennessee’s roster, but he won’t spend all his time with a hand on the ground. Look for him to roam around and follow the running back as a hybrid linebacker at times as well.
For Tennessee’s defense to improve in 2014, Curt Maggitt must be its top difference maker. Getting after the quarterback and stopping running backs in the backfield win games in the SEC, and Maggitt is capable of doing both if he remains healthy.