For all of the concerns surrounding Tennessee’s offense, specifically the offensive line, there’s one area that maybe hasn’t received the proper attention that it should — defense.
Sure, we’ve all noted that UT’s defense is vastly improved. But I don’t think the defense, or defensive coordinator John Jancek, has been praised the way it should be.
There’s a certain stat, tweeted by our friend Reed Carringer from RockyTopInsider.com, that really made me realize just how improved the Vols’ defense is this season.
Tennessee ranks 16th (!!!) in the nation in total defense. The #Vols ranked 84th in total defense last year.
— Reed Carringer (@ReedCarringer) October 15, 2014
Talk about a huge turnaround.
I think some folks have forgotten there was just as much concern about the Volunteers replacing their entire starting defensive line this season, as there was about them replacing all of their offensive line starters.
Yet they’re playing better than they have in years.
(imagine, for a moment, this year’s defense with Tennessee’s 2012 offense….can you say SEC East champs)
And that’s entirely due to the defensive staff that Butch Jones has assembled. A defensive staff that, to some degree, consists of some guys that were considered “no good”.
Jancek, along with UT defensive backs coach Willie Martinez, served as Georgia’s defensive coordinator in 2009 (Jancek was at Georgia from 2005-2009, Martinez was at Georgia from 2001-2009, serving as defensive coordinator from 2005-2009). Both were fired in 2009.
Most folks assumed, because they had both been fired from their previous SEC coaching position, that neither could coach in the SEC.
That’s in spite of the fact that Georgia, under Martinez, was ranked eighth in total defense in 2006.
Clearly that way of thinking is wayward. Sometimes (actually all the time) situations are unique. Just because Georgia had a terrible year defensively in 2009, doesn’t mean that either Martinez or Jancek forgot how to coach. They didn’t. But somebody had to go and the logical choice, at that point, are the people in charge of the defense.
Now those so called “rejects” have returned to the SEC and have turned the Volunteers’ defense around quicker than anyone imagined.
Tennessee leads the SEC in third-down defense (we’ll give an assist to Lil’ Jon for that). The Vols’ defense has also had the third most takeaways in the conference since this staff came to Rocky Top.
In terms of points allowed, this season is the best that Tennessee’s defense has played since 2008 (defense allowed 16 points a game in 2008, Vols have allowed 19 a game so far in 2014).
That time period coincides with an era of Tennessee football that most fans would like to forget, but I digress.
The great news for Vol fans is this isn’t just a flash in the pan either. This isn’t something that’s been building for a couple of years and these players have finally reached their potential.
No, they’ve been coached up. What you’re seeing on the defensive side of the field for the Vols is pure coaching.
Tennessee is tackling better. They’re quicker to the ball. They’re more crisp in their angles. They just look like an SEC defense is suppose to look.
And next year should be even better.
The Vols are only starting three seniors on defense this season (LB AJ Johnson, DT Jordan Williams and DB Justin Coleman). Plus there’s a ton of elite talent coming to Knoxville in 2015 (Shy Tuttle anyone?).
Basically, Tennessee’s defense is on the verge of being very, very special in the next few seasons.
The increase in quality of talent has helped, but we absolutely can’t overlook the job John Jancek and the rest of the Vols’ defensive staff has done in 2014.
They definitely deserve a round of applause for the work they’ve done and the progress that’s occurred under their tutelage.