UT's defensive linemen must finish job

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UT defensive end Xavier Mitchell pressures Georgia quarterback Joe Tereshinski last year.

The secret ingredient in some of Tennessee’s best defenses isn’t really a secret.

In the Vols’ best seasons under coach Phillip Fulmer, the defensive line has been not just productive. It’s been disruptive.

In 1997, the Vols had 47 sacks and 98 quarterback hurries on their way to an SEC championship.

In 1998, the Vols had 31 sacks and a school-record 108 quarterback hurries in winning the SEC and national championships.

In 2001, the Vols won the East with 34 sacks and 80 hurries. In 2004, they had 33 sacks and 80 hurries.

Last season’s numbers? Just 17 sacks, the lowest total since 1988. It’s the lowest total under Fulmer — by 13. UT’s 57 quarterback pressures is second only to 53 in 2002 for the lowest total since 1995, when pressures were first recorded.

“We’ve got to have a chip on our shoulder about that,” says senior defensive end Xavier Mitchell, who led UT linemen with four sacks in 2006. “Almost getting there, it’s not enough. As defensive ends, that’s something we thrive on, getting to the quarterback, making big hits.”

Said junior defensive end Robert Ayers: “Hurries are nothing, really. The quarterback gets rid of the ball, he can throw it for six. Like Chris Leak did, or like JaMarcus Russell. We want to turn them into sacks and give the offense the ball back in good position. That’s our job.”

An early injury to Justin Harrell, a first-rounder in April’s NFL draft, didn’t help those numbers.

Senior tackle J.T. Mapu wasn’t nearly as effective returning from a two-year Mormon mission.

And tackles Demonte’ Bolden, Walter Fisher and Dan Williams have been slow developing for a variety of reasons.

Losing Harrell and Turk McBride, a third-round draft pick, and Matt McGlothlin, who signed a free-agent NFL deal, leaves the defensive tackle cupboard pretty bare.

“We’ve got a lot to work on,” says Mapu. “We’ve got some big shoes to fill, Justin Harrell, Turk McBride and Matt McGlothlin. Overall, I think for being young, we’ve got a good group of guys who are willing to work hard.”

Mapu is among those who set the pace.

While on his mission, Mapu wasn’t allowed to work out the way his teammates did in Knoxville. He arrived last fall at well over 300 pounds, and struggled with his conditioning.

This season, Mapu is down to 285 and has regained much of the strength he lost during his absence.

Fans and coaches alike are expecting more this year than seven tackles in 13 games last season.

“It feels great, but it’d feel a lot better if they could say that about us as a group, the defensive tackles,” he said. “I want that for our whole group. It’s the weakness of our defense right now, the defensive tackles. Not weakness, but biggest thing we need to work on.”

Bolden came on in spring practice, and he and Williams will battle for the other starting tackle position during fall camp.

Fisher has battled injuries since coming to UT from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College as a highly touted prospect, and missed four games with a shoulder injury, including the Outback Bowl.

The talent is a little more proven at defensive end.

Mitchell showed a flair for the big play last season, most notably on a game-saving tackle for loss against Air Force on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

Junior Robert Ayers has turned heads during offseason workouts after missing spring practice because of injury. Senior Antonio Reynolds, who missed starts against Kentucky and Vanderbilt with a neck injury, returns after recording 37 tackles in 11 games.

True freshman Ben Martin, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Ohio and a Parade All-American, could contribute as well.

“We got some young guys, we got some veterans,” Ayers said. “We got some guys like Mapu and Xavier Mitchell. So far we feel like we’ve been doing a pretty good job, when two-a-days start, we’re going to take it to the next level.”

That next level includes getting to the quarterback more often. But it also includes the defensive line doing its job so playmakers like Jerod Mayo and Ryan Karl can do theirs.

“It starts with the defensive line,” Mitchell said. “The linebackers can’t make plays if the lineman’s not holding up the blocker. No matter how young we are in the secondary or how many new faces we have, if we take care of everything on the front end, they won’t have a problem.”

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.