This time last year, Tennessee edge rusher Byron Young had never played a snap at the major college level.
Young is now the only Volunteers player to earn a spot on the Southeastern Conference's preseason first team. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder from Georgetown, South Carolina, had a debut year worth savoring in Knoxville, amassing 46 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
"Last season gave me a lot of confidence," Young said in a recent news conference. "I remember how nervous I was and how I wouldn't talk to anybody. I'm more advanced now and more confident with my technique and in being a leader.
"I'm way more comfortable."
The Vols went through their 11th preseason practice Saturday in preparation for Sunday's second scrimmage.
This time last year, Young was also Tennessee's most unique story, having left the Palmetto State after high school for Columbus, Georgia, where he worked for 18 months as an assistant manager at Dollar General before giving football another try at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville. Young had a stellar 2019 season at GMC, collecting 31 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks, but the outbreak of the coronavirus in March 2020 wiped out junior college football later that year.
Young enrolled at Tennessee in January 2021 and started gaining confidence during his first spring practice, but an NCAA eligibility snag prevented him from competing in the opening games against Bowling Green and Pittsburgh. In his initial contest against Tennessee Tech, a 56-0 romp, Young led the Vols with six tackles and helped limit the Golden Eagles to 35 rushing yards.
A starter for the final eight games, Young wound up tying linebacker Jeremy Banks for the team lead in tackles for loss and sacks, and he capped his season with 2.5 tackles for loss and his first career interception in the Music City Bowl. He is now the furthest thing from a newcomer in the eyes of Vols second-year defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
"We've put him through some different situations in the offseason where he had to be more verbal, and I thought he answered the bell," Banks said. "I don't think it's his natural instinct to be able to lead from the front, but he's worked very hard to be very vocal. As he's become more vocal, he's become more confident.
"He's worked hard to refine his technique and his overall knowledge of the game, and I think we'll start to see that pay some dividends moving forward. I'm excited about him. He's got the ability to be one of the better players in the conference and the country."
Young admitted there were times last season where he had to slow down and "mentally take in what the coaches were saying." He enters his senior season with goals that are rather sizable, but nobody is doubting his potential to attain them.
"I basically want to double what I did last year," the 24-year-old said. "I don't have any specific numbers, just as many as I can get. If I want to dominate in this league, it's up to me."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.