University of Tennessee NCAA college football offensive coordinator Jim Chaney
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — Tennessee’s offensive line is taking the most basic approach possible in attempting to fix the rushing game.
Beat the guy you’re supposed to block. Coaches and players call it “playing physical.” The offseason-long emphasis appears to paying off in practice.
“We have a long way to go,” Volunteers offensive line coach Sam Pittman said after Tuesday afternoon’s practice at Milligan College, “but we’re playing physical. We’re doing that. We’re coming off the football, and we’ve been pleased so far.”
In Saturday’s scrimmage, Tennessee ran the football “very efficiently,” head coach Derek Dooley said. That came against both the first- and second-team defenses, though some of the bigger plays came against the backups.
In assessing closed scrimmages, players’ and coaches’ words can be more valuable than what’s on the stat sheet. And the mystery goes beyond which defense was on the field.