University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley speaks to the press during an event.KNOXVILLE – Derek Dooley called it a mess a couple of weeks ago, and the Tennessee football coach still is tinkering with his secondary.
Izauea Lanier, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior college transfer, will start when the Volunteers return to Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon to host Buffalo. Lanier took over the spot during UT’s bye-week practices last week.
“He’s playing better,” Dooley said after Monday morning’s practice. “It’s everything, he’s got good size and speed at the position, he’s a tough guy, makes tackles in space. I think as time is going, he’s getting a little more confident with the defense, he’s playing a little faster and he played pretty good against Florida. We hope he can progress.”
Lanier is the third different starting cornerback opposite of the steady Marsalis Teague. Freshman Justin Coleman started the season’s first two games, but he allowed a couple of big plays in each game. Fifth-year senior Art Evans started in the loss to Florida.
“I just come out here like every day, like I treat every day as it’s the same,” said Lanier, who signed with Auburn out of Gordo High School in Alabama in 2009. “I’m not too overwhelmed about it because I still have a job to do. I’m just going to stick to what I’ve been doing.”