Sep 13, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Justin Worley (14) throws during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive Line: A
When looking back on the 2014 season for the Vols, it’s easy to figure out which unit was the most criticized throughout the season. One unit was the talk of almost every game and made headlines for their erratic play in 2014.
That unit: the offensive line.
Butch Jones and his staff addressed the offensive line heavily in the 2015 recruiting class, signing five solid offensive linemen to the class. The Vols had to wait till the morning of National Signing Day to hear from their biggest target, however.
Drew Richmond, considered by some recruiting services as the top recruit in the state of Tennessee, flipped from Ole Miss to the Vols at approximately 10:15 AM Wednesday morning, giving the Vols a huge signee on National Signing Day.
Richmond had been Tennessee’s biggest remaining target for weeks heading into National Signing Day, and it looks as though his official visit to UT’s campus the weekend before Signing Day was just what Butch Jones needed to persuade him to play for the Vols.
Richmond highlights what was already a solid group of linemen in the 2015 class for the Vols, as fellow in-state and four-star lineman Jack Jones is enrolled early. Three-star lineman Chance Hall is also enrolled early, and three-stars Venzell Boulware and Zach Stewart round out the group.
Offensive line was the biggest position of need for the Vols in the 2015 class, and they addressed it in a big way. Left tackle was probably where the Vols needed the most help going forward, and landing Richmond could not have been a bigger addition for Tennessee.