Getting fluent faster: Crompton, offense adapting quickly to new scheme

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Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton waits to talk with members of the media at Neyland-Thompson Sports Center on Tuesday, July 14, 2009.

“I love where we are right now.’’

How long has it been since a quarterback uttered words of love about Tennessee’s offense?

You didn’t hear it often, if at all, during the misbegotten 2008 football season.

July is a time prone to optimism. Still, UT fans can take heart in senior Jonathan Crompton’s assessment Tuesday of the offseason development of the Vols’ new offensive scheme.

Coach Lane Kiffin and his staff installed the pro-style offense in spring practice. Since summer school began, the players are fine-tuning on their own in informal but meaningful sessions.

The idea is to reboot an offense that staggered to a near halt last year, averaging only 268.7 yards a game, UT’s leanest output in more than 40 years.

The Vols scored a mere 22 offensive touchdowns in a new scheme implemented by a new offensive coordinator, Dave Clawson. However, after a 5-7 season, Clawson, his cerebral offense and even head coach Phillip Fulmer are gone.

Enter Kiffin and the pro-style attack he directed as coordinator at Southern Cal.

“We can do a lot more things in it,’’ Crompton said. “I’m a lot more comfortable.’’

Crompton, who hopes to fend off Nick Stephens for the starting job when camp opens next month, is no stranger when it comes to acclimating to new tactics. Jim Chaney is his fourth offensive coordinator.

Compared to mastering the nuances of Clawson’s system, this latest learning curve is not so steep, several players said Tuesday during a media session.

“It’s hard to explain unless you’re in the film room and understand what we’re going through,’’ Crompton said, “but I really enjoy it.’’

So does senior center Josh McNeil. When asked if this July is going better than last July, McNeil had a quick answer:

“One hundred percent,’’ he said.

“I can’t even really put into words how much better, how much smoother, this offense is translating on the field than what it did last year.’’

Last July, McNeil said, it was a challenge for the players to be productive in their seven-on-seven drills, especially for an offensive line trying to learn complicated assignments.

“Not this year,’’ he said. “They show us a defense and we know what to run.

“We’re honing our skills instead of just out there trying to figure out what to do every play.’’

The goal is be able to execute flawlessly when the season opens Sept. 5 against Western Kentucky.

Crompton said the team’s players-only workouts are an endorsement of the new regime and the hope it brings for a fresh start.

“It’s voluntary, but everybody shows up,’’ he said. “That’s a good sign when you have 100 percent attendance.’’

After being a figurehead for the frustration of 2008, a renewed Crompton hopes to be at the forefront of the recovery.

Admitting it was “one of the worst years of my life,’’ Crompton said the ordeal only made him stronger — and more determined to write a happy ending.

“You never quit,’’ he said. “You never give up.’’

Crompton’s teammates say his leadership is helping the new offense take hold.

“Jon took last year kind of on himself,’’ said defensive end Chris Walker. “He doesn’t want that 5-7 feeling ever again and just seeing him work about that is really encouraging, even for us on defense.’’

“You could tell,’’ added McNeil, “that he’s been under fire. He’s been in some battles and he’s come through it.

“He’ll be a better leader when we come up in tough situations on the field.

“This time we’re gonna come through it and get it done.’’