Defensive coordinator John Jancek, right, listens to football coach Butch Jones' spring practice plans during a news conference at the University of Tennessee.
Defensive coordinator John Jancek said the Volunteers have a lot of unknowns going into Sunday's season opener against Utah State. "We haven't seen these guys compete in this type of a venue."KNOXVILLE -- It's not that Tennessee defensive coordinator John Jancek doesn't appreciate the five years he spent at Georgia coaching the Bulldog linebackers. He'll swiftly say of that time, "Lots of good memories with the coaches there, lots of friendships made."
And he remains genuinely impressed with the history of Sanford Stadium, "between the hedges, all that stuff."
But all that ended for him in 2009. He coaches the Vols now. And that's all he'll be thinking about when UT arrives in Athens, Ga., Friday evening for Saturday's noon kickoff against the No. 12 Dawgs, which is also his first time coaching at Georgia since he left.
"We're going there to win," Jancek said Wednesday night following practice. "It's a business trip."
For defensive backs coach Willie Martinez, it's both similar and different. Martinez didn't just spend nine years on his close friend Mark Richt's UGA staff; both his daughters -- Christina and Ashley -- are Georgia grads.
"It's like a lot of places in the SEC -- it's got great traditions, great fans," said Martinez. "Certainly I enjoyed my time there. But I'm not thinking about that this week. We're just trying to get ready to play a great Georgia football team."
To listen to Jancek, Martinez and fellow defensive assistant Tommy Thigpen, UT just may be about to play the deepest and most balanced offense in the SEC, one averaging 48.7 ppg and more than 471 yards, despite its 0-1 conference mark thanks a 38-35 loss at South Carolina two weeks ago.
"Everyone talks about how all these spread offenses make you soft," said Thigpen. "There's nothing soft about Georgia's offense. There are two premiere running teams in the conference, and maybe the whole country. Those are Georgia and Alabama. [Todd] Gurley is the best running back you'll ever see. He'll overpower defensive backs. He can give you a shake like a little back or power like a big back. And if he sees a guy trying to cut him off with angles he'll just use his speed to outrun him."
But Gurley is not all that concerns Thigpen, Jancek and Martinez. The Bulldogs are loaded at running back, what with five averaging 8.8 yards or more per carry. And that group doesn't even include Keith Marshall, who may still be the second best back on the team once he completely recovers from last year's ACL tear.
"They've got players all over the place," said Jancek. "Running backs. Wide receivers. Tight ends. They're very balanced. And [quarterback] Hutson [Mason] does a great job of managing the game. They take what the defense gives them. It's going to be a lot of fun, but it's going to be a big challenge, too."
To further that theme, Jancek said that while he believes his players will be in the right position to limit big plays, "Once you get there, you've still got to get them down. Gurley's got something like 132 yards after contact."
It all sounds a wee bit ominous, and perhaps it should, given that some point spreads favoring the Dawgs are trending in the 19-point neighborhood.
Or as Thigpen noted, again referring to the classic physicality of Georgia's two-back power attack compared to all these get-lost-in-space spread formations: "This is one of those double-chinstrap weeks. This is old school. Just line up and play."
But Tennessee also arrived in Athens facing a similar situation in 2004, UGA ranked No. 3 to UT's No. 17, only to shock the Dawgs 19-14. Bad as the 34-10 loss to Oklahoma may have looked to those who didn't closely watch it two weeks ago, a call here, a catch there and UT might have been within 27-21 in the fourth quarter.
And now they've had an off week to size up Georgia.
"It's always about the players," Martinez said. "That's who wins the games, not the coaches."
But the coaches set the tone, draw the plays, spend three hours playing chess on turf with fast-moving pieces. And given all the time that both Jancek and Martinez spent in Athens before arriving in Knoxville with Butch Jones last season, isn't there anything they miss about their former residence?
"There's a restaurant in downtown Athens," said Martinez. "The Last Resort. Unbelievable. You've got to try the shrimp and grits if you go there."
Jancek wasn't biting, however, no matter how tasty the fare at the Last Resort.
"Athens was great," he said. "But it's also great to be in Knoxville. All the best restaurants are in Knoxville. There's no place I've ever been like the University of Tennessee."
If such a sales pitch doesn't yet have the Vols boasting the same talent as the Dawgs, it may one day soon, which would return UT to the days when opposing coaches were always making those "double-chinstrap" comments about facing the Big Orange.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.