Vols hope trimmer, quicker O-line pays off

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer feels really good about the left side of Tennessee?s offensive line. He rates the other three positions as OK, but there?s concern about depth across the line.

The offensive line is always a key for the No. 23 Volunteers, who host ninth-ranked California in the opener Sept. 2. It?s even more so this season after finishing 5-6 a year ago with a line that was not as good as advertised.

Most of the linemen were ordered to lose weight by new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe so they could be quicker and more athletic, particularly when blocking on screens.

The starting lineup was completed this week with the announcement of former walk-on Michael Frogg getting the first snaps at center.

Arron Sears, an All-Southeastern Conference performer, starts at left tackle with fellow senior David Ligon at left guard. Junior Eric Young is the right tackle with sophomore Anthony Parker at right guard.

?I think we?ve made some progress. You know Sears and Ligon can play. I?m really happy with the progress Eric Young has made. … Parker I think has done well,? Fulmer said.

?I believe we?ll fight you, and we?re fairly athletic.?

Fulmer would like to be two deep at every position, but he said the Vols aren?t there yet.

Sophomore Ramon Foster is the offensive line?s sixth man and can play most of the positions. After Foster, it?s hard to rank the backups.

Fulmer said freshman Jacques McClendon, a Parade All-American, is not far from contributing. Redshirt freshman Chris Scott, who lost 60 pounds in the offseason, needs to get stronger although he had a good preseason camp, Fulmer said.

Redshirt freshman Vladimir Richard switched from defensive line to offensive line this month, and Fulmer considers him a ?real good prospect,? but not ready yet.

Josh McNeil, who had to redshirt last year as a freshman because of a shoulder injury, is the backup center and pushed Frogg for the starting job.

Another potential backup, Malcom Rawls, decided to leave the team earlier this month.

In last year?s preseason when Tennessee was ranked third in the nation, Fulmer liked what he saw across the line.

?I think we?ve got as good a group there as we?ve had in some time as a whole,? he said last August.

The injuries started piling up quickly in the preseason, however, with the two players vying for starting center out early. Guard Rob Smith, who decided to leave early for the NFL this spring, started at center in last year?s opener. Sears ended up playing every position but center last season.

The Vols ranked ninth in the SEC and 80th nationally last season in rush offense, averaging 128.3 yards a game. The 1,411 yards of rushing for the team was 1,000 yards less than the year before. There were 10 rushing touchdowns, the fewest since having the same amount in 1966.

When Cutcliffe was hired to replace Randy Sanders in the offseason, returning to the job he held under Fulmer in the 1990s, he said the linemen had gotten too big.

?Last year I think our line averaged 330 (pounds). This year we don?t have a guy close to that. Right now we?re quicker. I think we?re more aggressive and can move better,? McNeil said.