KNOXVILLE — Rashaan Gaulden has tried to avoid thinking about the moment.
The Tennessee defensive back let his mind wonder for a moment or two last week, though.
One of the handful of midstate products on the roster for the Volunteers, Gaulden is understandably excited about opening the 2015 season at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
What will make that game more meaningful to the sophomore, though, is that he likely will make his starting debut as Tennessee’s nickel cornerback, a position he’s spent all of his brief career preparing to play.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Gaulden said. “I’m not really trying to jump ahead. I’m just trying to control what I can control each and every day in these last few days of fall camp. Just thinking about it ahead right now, it kind of gives me the chills, me possibly getting my first start in my hometown.
Tennessee cornerback Rashaan Gaulden hauls in a pass during drills as the Volunteers practice on April 9, 2015.“I’m just going to keep on working hard every day to make sure I can make it to that stage.”
Of course, Gaulden doesn’t want just to reach that stage. He wants to thrive when he gets there. After playing primarily on special teams as a freshman, the 6-foot-1, 178-pounder from Independence High School in Franklin is ready to make an impact for the defense.
Gaulden is taking over the position vacated by Justin Coleman, one that requires him to be able to defend speedy slot receivers and provide sturdy run support on the perimeter of the defense.
“Rashaan’s just really gotten much more comfortable at the nickel position,” defensive coordinator John Jancek said following Monday night’s practice. “He understands leverage; he’s reading stems of routes. He’s really come on and has provided us some really solid nickel play, which you guys know is important.
“From year one to year two we were able to move Justin in there, and Justin was a really good example for Rashaan last year in Rashaan’s first year. He grew at that spot just watching Justin Coleman play. Now it’s his opportunity. He’s taking it real serious. He puts in the time and keeps getting better and better.”
Coleman was one of three senior starters the Vols lost from a defense that finished eighth in the SEC in total defense in 2014, but there’s been little concern about his replacement.
That’s because there seems to be a collective confidence in Gaulden’s ability.
“We can definitely count on him,” safety Brian Randolph said. “He’s a physical player out there. He can cover as well. When he’s on your side of the ball, you just know you’ve got extra help out there.”
Gaulden, who missed a few weeks of the offseason after undergoing hand surgery in April, takes confidence from the trust his coaches and teammates have in him to do his job.
“It’s very valuable to me,” he said. “It means a lot. It shows that the work that I’ve put in and the guys that I’ve been looking up to – your Cam Suttons, your Brian Randolphs and other guys – you just feed off their performances. It makes me excited to know that they trust you.”
Tennessee should have a stout secondary this season with a blend of veterans and young talent.
Gaulden was part of a 2014 defensive back class that includes cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safeties Todd Kelly and Evan Berry. Moseley has had a strong preseason, and Kelly and Berry have developed into dependable options this offseason.
Four newcomers have added to the competition, though cornerback Justin Martin and safety Stephen Griffin have missed more than a week of practices.
“It’s a great mix to have, just knowing that every day they’re going to push you to be the best person that you can be on and off the field,” Gaulden said. “That competition level, we’re so deep at the defensive back position. Everybody’s going to be on their ‘A’ game. We’re just vying and just competing to see who’s going to get out on the field.
“It’s going to be hard to keep everybody off the field with how competitive we are.”
With his opportunity nearly upon him, Gaulden feels he’s confident he can be a big key to Tennessee’s success.
“Rashaan has made some great plays,” Jancek said. “He’s still learning. There’s still a lot of little nuances and things that he has to figure out and adjust to, but I like the way he’s playing. I like Rashaan’s game. He’s a physical player, and he doesn’t say whole lot. He just goes out and puts his body of work on film, and that’s what I love about him.”
“I know that he cares and he works hard. Is he going to make mistakes? Yeah, he’s going to make mistakes. That doesn’t mean I don’t trust him. I trust Rashaan because of what he stands for as a young man and the things that he’s been able to do in a very short amount of time.”
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.