After pouring through Tennessee’s 2020 defensive line, there is no question that unit will be among the deepest and most experienced on the team. Barring an unexpected turn, the Vols lose zero contributors from the 2019 group and are bringing in more talent to boost it further.
The next level of Tennessee’s defense is not quite as secure in terms of returning starters, however outgoing seniors Daniel Bituli and Darrell Taylor are leaving the linebacker corps in young, but capable hands.
We start at inside linebacker, a group that lost its position coach Kevin Sherrer to the New York Giants earlier in the offseason. Former tight ends coach Brian Niedermeyer flipped over to the defensive side of the ball to replace Sherrer.
There may not have been a more reliable player in Tennessee’s entire defense in recent years than Daniel Bituli, who racked up 266 total tackles in his career. The defensive signal-caller will be seamlessly replaced by rising sophomore Henry To’o To’o, who showed enough promise to be considered a future star for the Vols. Coincidentally, Niedermeyer is credited for securing To’o To’o’s signature for Tennessee, and now will be his position coach. The former 5-star was named to the 2019 All-SEC Freshman team after securing 72 total tackles, and was called upon to lead the middle of the defense multiple times when Bituli was out injured or suspended for targeting. While To’o To’o is a lock to man one inside linebacker spot, the question is who will be next to him?
Although Quavaris Crouch came to Knoxville in the 2019 class and was expected to contribute at outside linebacker, a lack of depth forced him inside during the season, and that could continue on to 2020. Crouch was not quite as consistent as To’o To’o, but did play in all 13 games at different positions on defense and as a running back in some short-yardage situations, where he scored two touchdowns.
Another Niedermeyer recruit, Crouch can still get to the quarterback, and will likely be asked to to play outside linebacker in several different packages. The Charlotte, N.C. native may be the most versatile player in this position group, but expect Tennessee to have a sophomore duo starting inside with a very high ceiling.
Behind To’o To’o and Crouch are redshirt sophomore J.J. Peterson, redshirt junior Solon Page III and sophomore Aaron Beasley. Peterson was the gem of Pruitt’s first signing class in 2018, and a former 4-star recruit that has not quite caught up to his high expectations. Getting most of his experience on special teams, Tennessee needs Peterson to make a big jump in 2020.
Incoming freshmen Bryson Eason and Martavius French make up two of the three from the Whitehaven trio out of Memphis. Both were highly coveted 4-star recruits with the appropriate size to contribute quickly. Inside linebacker seems to be a top-heavy unit in the spring, and the Vols will need some younger players to step up behind Crouch and To’o To’o.
In terms of edge rushers, Darrell Taylor heads into the NFL Draft after a redshirt senior year that produced 46 total tackles, 10 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. Rising redshirt junior Kivon Bennett will be asked to step in for Taylor, and build off a 2019 campaign that showed flashes with 27 tackles and two sacks. Bennett showed an innate ability to get to the backfield and pressure opposing quarterbacks, but will need to up those numbers for Tennessee in 2020.
Deandre Johnson will be a senior after appearing in all 13 games and starting two at outside linebacker during the Vols’ 8-5 campaign. Like Bennett, here is a player entering his third season in Tennessee’s defense that will be expected to make a jump in production after notching 2.5 sacks in 2019.
Rising sophomore Roman Harrison is a player that Tennessee’s staff fell in love with during his recruitment out of Bainbridge, Ga., and his improvement was noticeable as the season went on. Harrison finished the season with one sack in each of the final two games, and could make a much bigger impact in 2020. Redshirt senior Jordan Allen will be back for Tennessee after missing the entire 2019 season with an injury, and is likely the biggest unknown quantity of this group.
The Vols could get help from two talented freshman from the 2020 class, in Tyler Baron and Morven Joseph. Both former 4-star recruits, Baron comes in as part of the Knoxville Catholic pipeline with a big build at 6-foot-5, 256-pounds. Joseph came into Tennessee’s class late during the Early Signing Period out of Lakeland, Fla. as the No. 12 weak-side defensive end in the country per the 247Sports Composite.
The linebacker corps begins and ends with To’o To’o. Tennessee will build this unit around him, a player the staff already trusts to put teammates in the right spots after just his freshman year. Depth may be an issue for this group, particularly outside. Outside linebackers coach Chris Rumph has possibly his biggest challenge since coming to Knoxville in developing players that can replace production that was lost with the outgoing Taylor.