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Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop has one of the most talented defenses in the SEC for 2016, and he’s confident in his unit, too.
Shoop said Monday night that “nobody will run the football on Tennessee” this season, via Jimmy Hyams, a host on The Sports Animal in Knoxville.
Shoop: `We’re very committed. We’re going to stop the run. Nobody will run the FB on the Orange Swarm. Nobody will run the FB on Tennessee.’
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Those are bold claims by Shoop, who was hired from Penn State this offseason.
Tennessee ranked ninth in the SEC in run defense in 2015, giving up over 151 rushing yards per game, including 13 rushing touchdowns.
During Shoop’s first year at Penn State in 2014, the Nittany Lions finished second in the Big Ten in run defense, and his unit finished eighth overall in 2015. Before Penn State, Shoop coached at Vanderbilt, and his defensive units were a staple of the James Franklin era.
But he didn’t have as much talent nor depth as he does this season.
The Vols are virtually loaded at every level on defense. Derek Barnett, Kahlil McKenzie, Kendal Vickers, Corey Vereen, Shy Tuttle, Kyle Phillips and LaTroy Lewis, among others, make up a strong defensive front. That unit screams depth and talent. The Vols return their best defensive player in Jalen Reeves-Maybin at linebacker, too, along with Darrin Kirkland.
Will Tennessee be the SEC’s best run defense in 2016? It’s certainly possible, but Alabama, Georgia and Florida will have something to say about it.
Here are some other nuggets from Shoop via Jimmy Hyams:
Shoop on Butch Jones: “Make no mistake, when he hired me,
he said your job is to get us from nine wins to 11 in a hurry.’’— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Jones challenged Shoop to do 4 things with defense: 1. Create
a culture, 2. Create an ID, 3. Teach fundamentals, 4. Finish games.— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Shoop said DE Derek Barnett has 20 career sacks and `knows
for a fact Reggie White has 32. Trust, me … he reminds me every day.’— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Shoop said he thinks the most underrated player in the SEC
is senior DE Corey Vereen: `All he does is go out there and make plays.’— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Shoop said juco DE Jonathan Kongbo has gone from 255 when he
signed to 280: `He may eat himself into playing inside (at tackle).’— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Shoop said DT Kahlil MaKenzie was too heavy at the start of spring but lost from 335 to 320. Shoop doesn’t want a defender who can’t run.
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
Shoop said McKenzie is a good run stuffer `but if he wants to be a 3-down lineman in the SEC or at the next level, he better be able to run’
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) May 3, 2016
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
