Vols' Drew Richmond works toward 'bright' future while redshirting

KNOXVILLE - When he stepped on the University of Tennessee campus earlier this year, Drew Richmond had aspirations of starting right away.

The offensive tackle out of Memphis had plenty of reasons to believe that was possible.

Richmond was a five-star recruit, one of the top prospects in the state of Tennessee and at his position. When he flipped to Tennessee from his longtime verbal commitment to Ole Miss just before signing day last February, he became one of the Volunteers' biggest recruiting coups in recent memory.

Tennessee needed help at tackle, too, given its struggles at the position in 2014.

Things have gone a little bit differently for Richmond, who now finds himself living the somewhat anonymous life of a redshirt freshman. His future remains bright, but it's certainly not easy to go from being a blue-chip recruit to not playing, and the Vols have tried to send the message to Richmond that these months could help set the foundation for a successful future.

"It's really a collective effort," offensive line coach Don Mahoney said Tuesday. "(Former Tennessee tackle) Ja'Wuan James came in for his open date and was a great, great resource for (Richmond) to talk to, to say, 'Hey, look, I played early, and I probably shouldn't have.' I think as time has gone on, it's been kind of a process in which it's just slowly had its effect to where he understands it.

"It's so hard. I've had talks with him, Coach (Butch) Jones has had talks with him. I said, 'Look, no one can even begin to understand the amount of pressure that you came in under.' I said it to his folks, because I have so much respect for them. People look and say, 'Is he failure? Is he a bust?' I said, 'Absolutely not.'"

The 6-foot-5, 301-pound Richmond was the No. 7 offensive tackle prospect in the country in 2015, according to 247sports. Of the top 10 players in those rankings, at least four are redshirting. Martez Ivey is playing and starting, albeit at guard, for Florida, and Mitch Hyatt is starting at Clemson, where he's the first freshman to start at offensive tackle since 1944. Chidi Okeke, a five-star prospect, is redshirting at LSU.

At Tennessee, freshmen Chance Hall and Jack Jones have started and played extensively on the offensive line, but unlike Richmond and fellow redshirting offensive lineman Venzell Boulware, those two players enrolled last January and benefited from spring practice.

"Drew and Venzell's career and future is going to be really, really bright," Mahoney said.

As redshirts, Richmond and Boulware - the Vols held off Ohio State to sign him - have a different routine, one that has them focusing on their work in the weight room and playing a role on the scout team in practice.

"Venzell actually just won the strength award," sophomore center Coleman Thomas said Wednesday. "He's been grinding in the weight room. Them two have done an exceptional job of accepting their role and knowing that their time's going to come. Right now it's time to get bigger, faster and stronger, and get more involved in the playbook."

Mahoney has had former players come in and speak to his offensive linemen, and he's asked them if they redshirted their first seasons in college. Many did. One was Spencer Riley, the starting center on Tennessee's 1998 title team.

Fewer freshmen offensive linemen are redshirting. However, it's still a developmental position.

"To play nowadays as a freshman, it's not a failure if you don't," Mahoney said. "And really it's almost one in which you should say thank you, because you had a chance to digest things. You have a chance to mature. You have a chance to process.

"Probably where it hit (Richmond) the most was the open date. We were coming off the (practice) field and he said, 'You know what, I can't wait till the spring to become a much smarter player.' They all think they're ready until they get in there and the bullets are flying. They go, 'No, I'm not.'"

In recent seasons, the Vols couldn't afford to redshirt many freshmen linemen. Jashon Robertson and Thomas started last season, and injuries forced Jones and Hall into the lineup this year. In 2010, the Vols started three freshmen, including James, most of the season.

Thomas admitted he wonders how his career would be now had he been able to have a year to acclimate to college football.

"At times I do, but I was blessed to get that experience being a freshman," he said. "At times I think, you know, I could have focused on my strength level and (get) one more year in the program. But that's the way it was last year, and I had to make the best of it."

For the Vols, it's important Richmond does the same.

Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.