Matthew Butler (94), walking off the field with offensive lineman Riley Locklear (56) after last year's loss to Florida, now is Tennessee's most experienced healthy returning defensive linemanKNOXVILLE - Tracy Rocker was locked in at practice Thursday.
At some moments during the media viewing session at Haslam field, the Tennessee defensive line coach was encouraging to his position group. At others, he was critical.
At this point he has to be both: His already difficult job just got a bit harder.
Senior Emmit Gooden's torn ACL suffered late in Tuesday's practice cost the Volunteers their most experienced defensive lineman. It wasn't as though Gooden had a ton of experience - he was a reserve lineman in 2018 for the Vols, starting one game and finishing with 33 tackles, seven for loss and a sack - but he did have more than anybody else on the roster.
"It's sad. You hate to see it," senior receiver Brandon Johnson said Thursday. "We're definitely praying for Emmit and his family, because you hate to see those things happen, a freak accident in practice.
"He's come a long way since last year and was looking real good, but he'll be back, stronger than ever."
But as for 2019, Matthew Butler becomes the Vols' most experienced returning defensive lineman, having played in nine games. Ja'Quain Blakely and John Mincey have played in five. Kurott Garland, Greg Emerson and Kingston Harris also have played, but they recorded nothing in the way of stats.
The six returning defensive linemen - not counting LaTrell Bumphus, who played 12 games as a tight end - have combined for 26 games, 18 tackles and a sack.
The wild card, Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon, suddenly would be looked to as a leader, having played in 18 games and recorded 26 tackles during his time with the Wolverines. But he has yet to hear the ruling of an appeal to the NCAA to make him eligible immediately.
So the only thing Rocker, head coach Jeremy Pruitt and defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley can do is work with what they have.
"In practice, you start with individuals and piece together to a drill, whether it's a half-line or block progression," Pruitt said. "Right now, these guys show a lot of promise during their drills. When you get to 11-on-11, there are more things flying around. We haven't had near the consistency that we need to have, and that will come with more playing time and more practices. We have to continue to put these guys in those situations and put them out there. That's why they came here, for the opportunity to play, and they'll get it."
Head coach Jeremy Pruitt questions Matthew Butler (94) about a roughing the passer penalty. The University of Tennessee Volunteers hosted the University of Texas El Paso Miners at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018. Added Ansley: "If you're not good in the trenches in the SEC, you're going to have a hard day's work. We have a lot of bodies up front, and a lot of competition in that group. Tracy does a really good job molding those guys, getting them to play the right way."
And suddenly, a four-player recruiting class on the defensive line just became that much more important. Two of those additions - Darel Middleton and Savion Williams - came from the junior college ranks, while 340-pound freshman Elijah Simmons has turned some heads with his agility at his size. Solomon fits in there, but it's hard to count on him considering there's no judgment on his appeal.
Middleton has performed pretty well at camp. As a likely candidate to take Gooden's position at defensive tackle in the Vols' 3-4 scheme, the 6-foot-7, 311-pounder will have to continue that.
"Darel is a big-bodied guy that has some length to him," Pruitt said. "He's one of those guys that's on day four of an install. There's a lot being thrown at him, and some of that has to do with the linebackers. They have to make the calls so you have an understanding, and when you're sitting there and your back is turned, there will be a point in time that he won't need anyone to make any kind of verbal calls to him because he'll understand it himself. He'll be able to look at the formations and have an idea of what he's got, but right now he's relying on someone behind him to make the calls.
"I'm sure there's some anxiety with that and there are some times where we don't line up the correct way, but he's a guy that has the ability to strike, has ability to rush the quarterback. He's worked extremely hard since he got here, and we're excited to have him."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.