New challenges for Vols receivers : govolsxtra.com

After leading the team in yards gained last season, senior Lucas Taylor is Tennessee's most proven and productive wide receiver.

But with a depth chart jam-packed with speed, athleticism and experience, even Taylor knows reprising that role will be a challenge.

"It's real tough with all those guys," said Taylor, who had 1,000 yards receiving in 13 games last season. "Those guys are real good. It's not going to be easy."

As fall camp continues, the Vols' wide receivers are working to stand out from the crowd and assure themselves playing time when the season begins Sept. 1 at UCLA.

To do that, they'll have to excel at more than one position.

First-year receivers coach Latrell Scott wants his players to be able to line up at all four positions. That versatility allows coaches more flexibility in play-calling and makes it more difficult on opposing defenses.

According to Scott, responsibilities and routes don't change from formation to formation.

"It's concept-based, so if you can understand the concept, you know where you're supposed to be," he said. "We don't teach plays, we teach concepts. We can just mix and move those guys around. If they know the concept, then they'll know where to go."

For now, everyone wants to go to the top of the heap at receiver.

Taylor, senior Josh Briscoe and junior Austin Rogers have the edge early in camp because of experience and productivity. Last year, those three players combined for 2,181 yards and 15 touchdowns.

But players like Gerald Jones, Denarius Moore and Ahmad Paige, as well as junior Quintin Hancock, could contribute this fall.

Jones has perhaps the most big-play potential in the group. Despite catching just 11 passes last season, he should be a major factor this fall. A lot of that is due to the fact that he has fully recovered from a hamstring tear suffered early last fall.

Since then, he's worked to strengthen his hamstrings and even changed the way he runs, focusing on picking up his feet instead of shuffling them, which contributed to his injury.

"They changed my style of running," Jones said. "It's actually made me faster, and it's keeping me healthy."

Another player to watch, says Briscoe, is Moore. As a freshman, the Texas native played in all 14 games, catching 14 passes for 212 yards.

"I don't think Denarius is getting as much credit as he deserves," Briscoe said. "Gerald Jones is a great athlete, and he's going to make a lot of plays for us. But Denarius is very good also. As a freshman, he had a lot of pressure on his shoulders coming in and playing. I think he'll be one of the sleepers in the group."

Just don't expect much sleeping from the players in the hunt for a starting spot.

"There's no off days, especially with this group," Jones said. "As soon as you take an off day, somebody's going to step up and that'll be their day."

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

New challenges for Vols receivers

UT wideouts will have to be versatile