Tennessee: Adkins: Vols linemen ‘playing faster’

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee’s top six offensive linemen are considered by many as one of the best units in the Southeastern Conference, if not all of college football.

But their position coach remains disappointed with their spring practice performance.

“In the spring, we didn’t play anywhere up to our expectations of what we needed to get done to win at a consistent level,” Greg Adkins said after Monday’s practice. “But so far, the first three days (of preseason camp), we’ve played faster.”

Adkins said his group was “getting there” but noted that Wednesday will be the first day “with a little bit of contact.”

“I want to keep seeing progression being made,” he said. “We’re still not anywhere near being ready to play a game, but we are playing faster.”

Junior center Josh McNeil, whose absence with knee surgery explained some of the line’s spring struggles, said consistent effort hasn’t been a problem.

“We’re getting after it,” McNeil said. “We just need to keep working, and we’ll get where we need to be.”

Head coach Phillip Fulmer said sophomore offensive tackles Ramone Johnson and Jarrod Shaw “may definitely be pushing themselves for playing time,” and he put junior walk-on center/guard Cody Sullins “in the first group” as a contributor. If those three hold up, coaches could go into the season opener at UCLA with nine linemen they feel comfortable playing.

“It’s a process,” Fulmer said. “We’ve got a group of guys (competing for playing time), and you’ve got another group of guys who are trying to get on the bus to go to the game.”

Adkins said Sullins is currently considered in the rotation and will stay there “as long as he keeps progressing.”

Sullins and his twin Cory are 6-foot-1, 285-pound linemen from Cottontown, Tenn., and White House High School.

“Cody’s done everything that you’d like to have done,” Fulmer said. “He’s an incredible young man. He’s a tough guy, a fighter, smart. He loves Tennessee.

“The young guys, the older guys, the black guys, the white guys — everybody really respects him because of how he goes about his business, trying to be a good player. Hopefully he’ll be able to help some of those other guys.”

Switches starting

Steven Fowkles, a 6-5, 210-pound freshman from the Atlanta area, worked with the defensive ends Monday after spending the first few days at wide receiver. Several other freshman “tweeners” could shuffle around before finding a permanent position.

“I’m looking for effort and athletic ability,” Fulmer said. “I’m trying to find the best place where they’re going to help our team in the future.

“We’ve made some significant changes with guys before. Jason Witten didn’t speak to me for a week after I moved him (from defensive end to tight end), but he’s not mad at me anymore. You’re finding those spots where you think they’re going to help your team.”

Witten, of course, has become an NFL star at tight end with the Dallas Cowboys.

Fulmer said freshman Ben Bartholomew, a third-generation Vol who has spent the first three days at middle linebacker, could move to fullback. The coach said more freshmen could be moved this week, but he wanted to speak with them before telling the media.

Closing notes

Fulmer said “basically the same group of guys” as last season could help Dennis Rogan in the return game. He listed junior receiver Austin Rogers as a “real steady” punt returner and said All-SEC senior receiver Lucas Taylor’s return to 100 percent health makes him another candidate. Fulmer said sophomore receiver/quarterback Gerald Jones “is a guys we’d like to get the ball to, any way we can.”

Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Donald Langley practiced Monday after missing the first two practices to be with his sick mother in Maryland.