KNOXVILLE, TN - MARCH 20, 2018 - Defensive Line coach Tracy Rocker during Spring practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tennessee AthleticsKNOXVILLE - Even when he's off the clock and trying simply to be a supportive father, Tracy Rocker can't turn off the coach mentality.
Taking the chance recently to support his son Kumar, a true freshman pitcher at Vanderbilt, in the finale of the Tennessee baseball team's three-game series in Nashville, the Volunteers' defensive line coach found himself with an opportunity to just be a dad, but there was one problem.
He can't turn the "coach" switch off.
"I don't know if I can ever turn it off when I go watch him," Rocker said recently. "I'm like any other parent: Who doesn't want their child to do well, do the right things and be successful? That's part of it, but also I've been with him long enough to know there's ups and downs in this game and, as a coach, you're going to lose some. It doesn't mean you like it, but you learn from it. We all want to win. You're not always going to win them all, but when you win, you've got to understand can you keep doing it again, and hold a standard of how you're going to approach practice, approach the day, every day.
"What I talk to him about is what I talk to my kids (defensive linemen) about. I don't treat him any different than I treat these guys I have here."
Rocker definitely has a group that needs all the coaching up it can get. Four senior defensive linemen departed after the 5-7 2018 season, with only one player returning - senior Emmit Gooden - who received significant playing time. Behind him there seems to be plenty of talent but even more inexperience.
Rocker stated last week that junior Matthew Butler was the player who had stood out the most through the spring. Asked about Gooden, Rocker noted that he's the oldest in the group, meaning more than anything else that the Vols need "more leadership from him.
"But first he must do what he needs to do before he can lead others," Rocker said.
The unit had some solid moments in Saturday's Orange and White game, signaling the end of the spring. They created pressure inside at times, which forced the quarterbacks out of the pocket and in some cases led to sacks by other players, although linemen Butler and Kivon Bennett were credited with sacks as well.
"I do think we pushed the pocket," head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. "A lot of the time, being a good pass rusher is just having good situational awareness. What's the down and distance? Where's the back at? What's the offensive lineman's stance? There are lots of telltale signs, and mostly anybody, if they just look at those things, they'll give themselves a chance. If you don't, it's like driving down the street with your eyes shut.
"But I think we're improving in that area. I mean, hey, if you look at our defensive line, they haven't played much football. There's only one way to go, so if they'll work hard and play hard, to me, being a good defensive lineman is knowing what to do and playing your tail off. Is there some technique in there? Absolutely. But if you don't play with a motor, it's hard to have success playing defensive line."
A number of guys had good moments in the spring: converted tight end LaTrell Bumphus, Todd Mincey and Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon to name a few. There are reinforcements coming in the form of junior college defensive linemen Darel Middleton and Savion Williams. They've all signed up for Rocker's hard style of coaching.
But if they think his son gets it any easier, they'd be wrong.
"(Kumar) went off to school and probably thought I was the meanest man in the world," Rocker said. "Now that he's gone off, he's realized that, 'Hey, he was telling the truth,' and that's part of growing up. We all went through that, even with my dad, we fussed and fought. I went off and realized, 'You were right, Dad. I better straighten up,' and that's life.
"And that's what I enjoy about it. It's the same thing with these guys. They're going to get better. I feel good about it - it's going to keep working. (Defensive coordinator) Coach (Derrick) Ansley, (inside linebackers coach Kevin) Sherrer, (co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Chris) Rumph, Coach Pruitt, we're going in the right direction."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.