KNOXVILLE – Bob Shoop believes the Tennessee defense he’s inheriting has the pieces and the potential to be a championship unit.
The new defensive coordinator knows it’s up to him to get the Volunteers there.
That was part of the appeal of the job he left Penn State to take, and Shoop used his introduction to describe the style of defense he wants to play and how he wants to help Tennessee’s pursuit of a championship next season and beyond.
“Sometimes you take a job because the team was 1-11 and it’s a disaster. But I don’t see that here,” he said Tuesday. “The core values are in place to be a good team.
“I watched this team closely – from a distance, I should say – go from 5-7 to 7-6 and destroy Iowa in the bowl last year to a 9-4 team winning their last six games this year to a team that’s got a tremendous amount of confidence. That was really appealing to me. These players have had success. These coaches have great pride and they’re really good coaches.
“To come in and say what you’re doing isn’t good enough, that’s not correct. I can just be a piece of that puzzle and help maybe take it to the next level, from nine wins to 10 wins or 11 wins, to Atlanta in the first Saturday in December. I understand that’s what the expectations are, and I’m excited about that.”
Tennessee’s defense wasn’t broken in 2015. The Vols finished 16th nationally in scoring defense and second in third-down defense. There were some shortcomings, though, that played a part in head coach Butch Jones’ decision to part ways with John Jancek, his defensive coordinator the past six seasons dating back to their time at Cincinnati.
Whether it was due to struggles in the fourth quarter, on fourth down or for off-field reasons, Jones elected to make a change and landed Shoop – whose past five units at Penn State and Vanderbilt finished in the top 25 nationally in total defense – to a three-year, $1.15 million deal that does not include a buyout if he leaves.
Jones admitted it was difficult to part ways with his longtime coordinator, but it’s a decision he felt he had to make, even though he oddly declined to delve into the reasons for it.
“There’s a lot of things that go into making that decision,” he said. “I don’t want to get into the specifics. That’s the responsibility of the head football coach, and a lot of times they say leadership is lonely and the only person you tell your fears to or your concerns is your pillow.
“You try to look at anything and everything and address that, and I had a checklist of the things I thought we needed to continue to grow upon and continue to elevate in our football program, and I believe Bob’s that individual that will be able to do that.”
So how does Shoop plan to achieve that objective?
He’ll tailor his scheme to the players at his disposal. He wants to use more players and have the confidence to trust reserves to get the job done and help the Vols develop depth. Shoop says he’s a “‘ships” guy who stresses building relationships with players and recruits and strives for championships.
“We’ll be an in-your-face style of defense that’s built on relentless pursuit and never-ending pressure,” he said.
“We always talk about trying to stop the run, minimizing and eliminating big plays and creating takeaways. That’s the great equalizer. Takeaways turn a bad defense to good, a good one to great and a great one to a championship one.”
During his interview, Shoop spent 12 hours meeting and talking with Steve Stripling, Tommy Thigpen and Willie Martinez, the three defensive assistants he would soon join.
He was sold on what he called a “big-time defensive staff.” Now he’ll start trying to turn Tennessee into a big-time defense.
“Recruiting’s of the utmost priority right now, because we only have till the signing date,” Shoop said, “but at the same time, on the days I’m not recruiting I plan to watch most every game. I’ve watched the bowl game already. I’ll watch every game and make my own assessments.
“One of the things I’ve done every time I’ve gotten a new job is reached out to each of the players and spent some time trying to develop a relationship with them. ‘Tell me about your family. How’d you end up at Tennessee? What’s important to you? Are you a good player? Can you help us win? Where do you see our role?’ Things like that.
“I’ll also share with them my vision and how I see this working out. Through winter program, through spring ball, through the summer and summer camp – we’ve got a long way to App State. I’m going to take my time, and I’m going to be patient. This isn’t an overhaul. This is an enhancement.”
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.