Versatility Rogan's best asset

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UT defensive back, Dennis Rogan talks about the importance of being able to play more than one position under the new head coach, Lane Kiffin. Watch »

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Dennis Rogan returns a kick during a spring practice.

Last season, Tennessee cornerback Dennis Rogan started all 12 games. This spring, though, the junior isn't wondering about how many he'll start this fall.

Working with the second-team defense for most of the spring, Rogan can't help but wonder if he'll wind up starting at all.

"It's tough, because it's like you're thinking maybe you're not going to get to play this year," Rogan said. "It's only spring. You're still working. You're still trying to get everything down, learning everything. (So are) the people that's going in front of you or going behind you. So it's the same either way."

The former Fulton High School standout burst on the scene as a true freshman in 2007. Making his most significant impact in the return game, Rogan still worked heavily in the rotation at cornerback and played the majority of the SEC championship game there after Brent Vinson left with a shoulder injury.

Last season, he transitioned into a full-time starting role and was the most productive member of the secondary aside from All-American safety Eric Berry.

Rogan finished with 53 total tackles, including 32 solo stops. He added an interception, broke up five passes and recovered a pair of fumbles. He even started twice at free safety last season in place of Demetrice Morley, who was dismissed from the team last week.

And despite working mostly with the second team as a cornerback, Rogan has seen first-team snaps at safety and as a fifth defensive back in UT's nickel package.

That versatility will do nothing but help Rogan, first-year UT coach Lane Kiffin said.

"We've continued to talk about moving him around - nickel and safety and doing some things with him - even more because he can do so many things," Kiffin said.

Yet even with increased opportunities at safety with the dismissal of Morley, the secondary promises plenty more competition this fall.

Highly touted signees Darren Myles and Janzen Jackson will both begin their UT careers at safety, says defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza, and athlete Nyshier Oliver could also get a look there in fall camp.

Of course that's nothing new. Spring practice has been plenty competitive already, says C.J. Fleming, who along with Art Evans has spent most of the spring as a first-team corner.

"The guys who play the best will play at the time," he said. "Every day we get out of bed, it's competitive. It's me, it's Rogan, it's Art. Marsalous (Johnson) will be back. It's always competitive."

From that standpoint, Rogan has had little trouble keeping up.

Two weeks ago, he forced a fumble with the second-team defense during a scrimmage in Neyland Stadium. On Friday, he picked up a sack.

"He's doing good," Garza says. "He's picking up on the system. He's working really hard. We've been happy with him, and of course we've still got a lot of work. But he's willing to do the work, and he's making progress. We're excited with him."

UT's coaches made sure they kept Rogan in the loop this spring, too.

After the first few practices, Rogan said he got word that he and Brent Vinson were being moved to second team to help foster some competition.

"Coach came and talked to us, me and Brent, and said to pick up the competition," Rogan said. "To help do that, I guess, he said they're moving us to twos."

Vinson, who underwent shoulder surgery soon thereafter, is out for the rest of the spring.

Rogan, meanwhile, has tried to keep a positive attitude and keep on making plays, regardless of where he falls on the depth chart.

"He's done a good job," Garza said. "He hasn't pouted about the situation that he's in, being that he started last year. He's done a great job and he's making progress and improvement and working hard."

Following Saturday's Orange and White Game in Neyland Stadium, UT's coaches will shore up their first depth chart.

"That's exactly what we're doing, just trying to figure out where everybody's going to fit best," Garza said. "It's evaluating them and see what kind of abilities and talents they have. At the end of spring, we'll make a good, firm decision on where exactly everybody's going to be."

But with offseason workouts, the arrival of those talented signees and fall camp still to come, nothing is set in stone - or even written in pen - just yet.

"It's not like I'm out of it right now or anything," Rogan said. "You've got the whole summer, and you've got August."

If Rogan's past performance is any indication, he's got September, October and November, too.

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