Vols' offensive linemen 'excited' about facing Aggies

Texas A&M defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) looks for the ball against UCLA during their Sept. 3 game in College Station, Texas. A&M won 31-24 in overtime and hosts Tennessee this Saturday.
Texas A&M defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) looks for the ball against UCLA during their Sept. 3 game in College Station, Texas. A&M won 31-24 in overtime and hosts Tennessee this Saturday.

KNOXVILLE - Compared to the past two games, the next opponent on Tennessee's schedule is a complete unknown.

The Volunteers don't need a full understanding of Texas A&M to know the kind of challenge they'll face against Myles Garrett, the Aggies' all-star defensive end and a likely top-five selection in next spring's NFL draft.

Don't expect Tennessee's offensive line to be fazed by the task.

"It's going to be fun," left tackle Brett Kendrick said Monday. "You always want to go against the best. I'm excited for it. It's going to be a great opportunity, but we've got a pretty good one right here in our back yard, too, in Derek Barnett, and Corey Vereen.

"They've got Daeshon Hall - he's a great player, too. Any time you get to go against somebody so talented, it's going to be a lot of fun. I blocked Derek Barnett all training camp, so I know what it's like to go against the best."

The SEC produced four of the past nine No. 1 overall NFL draft picks, and the 6-foot-5, 262-pound Garrett could become the league's first top pick since South Carolina defensive Jadeveon Clowney in 2014.

In his first two seasons at Texas A&M he had 23 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss, and in four games this season Garrett had three sacks and five tackles for loss before a knee injury forced him to sit out last week's win at South Carolina.

Hall was named the SEC defensive lineman of the week after recording six tackles, 3.5 for loss and two sacks in the 24-13 win against the Gamecocks.

While the focus of Tennessee tackles Kendrick and Chance Hall may be primarily on Garrett, the focus for Vols coach Butch Jones is on Texas A&M's entire defensive line, which anchors what he called a "phenomenal" front seven.

"They do have two great defensive ends, and they have some great interior defensive tackles as well," Jones said. "I think as a unit that gives you a lot of issues, because of their depth, first of all. They can rotate players in and there's no drop-off no matter who's in the game. They're very, very disruptive, and they come off the football.

"If a three technique can win a one-on-one matchup in pass protection, that frees yourself up. You have to pick do you want give help with the center, do you want to give help with the guard, do you want to give help with the tackles? It makes it that more challenging, and because of the talent they have up front, they're able to generate a lot of one-on-one matchups."

Jones said he wasn't sure who would play the role of Garrett on Tennessee's scout team in practice this week - he joked he was going to get former Tennessee and NFL defensive end Chuck Smith and "suit him up" to play the role - but the offensive line got a pretty good preview in August when it faced Barnett on a daily basis.

The Tennessee junior is less heralded than Garrett, but their numbers are similar. Among active Football Bowl Subdivision players Garrett (26) and Barnett (24) are first and second in career sacks. Barnett has more tackles (164-121) and tackles for loss (41.5-37.5), but Garrett's resume includes two blocked kicks and five forced fumbles.

Against division rivals Florida and Georgia the past two games, Barnett has four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.

"We know what he's capable of," defensive tackle Kendal Vickers said. "Everybody in the nation knows what he's capable of. That's a great asset to have for a D-line, to have a player like that who when we need him the most he shows up.

"We can't ask for any more than that, and we've got to step up as well as a whole defensive line in the first, second, third and fourth quarters."

Tennessee's offensive line has improved the past two games, particularly in pass protection, but led by Garrett and Hall Texas A&M will have the best collection of defensive line talent the Vols have faced this season.

"It's tough having two great rushers like that, but the way I see it we have two great rushers on our side, too, that me and Chance have had to go against," Kendrick said. "It's going to be difficult, and we're going to have a great week of preparation, but I think we're ready for it. If somebody else has to play, if Drew (Richmond) has to play, I think Drew will be ready for it.

"It's going to be a great challenge, but we're really excited."

Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.

Upcoming Events