Meet the Volunteers--Defense

Tennessee linebacker Austin Johnson is a converted fullback, Academic All-SEC two years running, brought over from the namby-pamby side of the ball to add leadership and depth to a unit that lost five starters last year, including Jim Thorpe Award winner Eric Berry, one of the most accomplished and decorated defensive backs in conference history, and linebacker Rico McCoy, who led the team last season with 119 tackles.

That's a sentence of Faulknerian length if not elegance; you'd think we were playing Mississippi rather than Tennessee. Instead we lent the Rebels a wayward player with a personal history more convoluted than the Snopes family.

Back to Johnson. His conversion to defense is off to a tremendous start. In the 55-0 victory over Tennessee-Martin he had a tackle for a safety and an interception. About the Ducks he told the Tennessee press, "Coach Wilcox had a great game plan against them last year, so we feel really confident with the game plan. Hopefully we can shut them down." Not bulletin board material, just an articulate and hard-working football player saying he and his teammates are ready to compete.

It's not surprising he would have such confidence in his coach. The Vols had a great game plan for their first-game foe, outgaining them 537 yards to 142, rolling up 23 first downs to 3. The Skyhawks were outmuscled and overmatched by Tennessee, and the dominance was a needed confidence builder for a once-glorious program that has had three head coaches in three years and gone 13-13 in its last two seasons.

The UT players, many of them supremely talented and highly recruited, are committed to rebuilding the tradition of the program, and want to make a name for themselves in the process. When the Duck players enter the tunnel in Autzen stadium they touch a sign that says "Win the Day." Tennessee players have a sign of their own: "I will give my all for Tennessee today!" I'm not sure of the age of the sign. I can't say if it bears Hacksaw Reynolds' fingerprints, but I'm certain it bears his legacy.

In his first year as Tennessee defensive coach, in his squad's first game under his direction, Justin Wilcox has his players giving their all. Against UT Martin they busted up plays and stormed for seven sacks and two interceptions, allowing just three first downs. Nickle back Prentiss Waggner stole a pass and jetted 54 yards for a touchdown.

Ask Oregon defensive coach Nick Alliotti. Against any opponent, a shutout is a big deal. It is a pride thing, a confidence builder for a developing defense. It means your second and third-teamers are paying attention and have bought in to the goals of the program. It's a oneness. It's a measure of commitment and a touchstone of potential. Like New Mexico, Tennesse-Martin was not good, but the Volunteers' effort and relentless execution on Saturday gave them a glimpse of how good it feels to play dominating defense. They'll want that feeling again, and the desire is powerful. A great defensive coach knows how to create and harness desire. Wilcox has proven himself to be that kind of coach.

Even so, the Vols don't have an easy road against Oregon. Stopping LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner is a far cry from overwhelming a FCS school. But there should be no doubt about the UT defense's readiness and willingness for the challenge. Johnson told Beth Rucker of govolsxtra,"We obviously have to pick up our game a little bit. we know that, and we know that UT Martin isn't the same caliber as Oregon. We know we've got to come out fast, do what we need to do and shut them down."

In the off season Tennessee's defense took a huge blow with injuries to defensive line standouts Ben Martin and Marlon Walls. The strength of the defense is at linebacker where Johnson has shown early promise, and senior middle linebacker Nick Reveiz returns with 60 career tackles, including 4.5 for loss last season. His junior season was cut short by an ACL injury. Johnson and Reveiz are joined on the outside in the 4-3 alignment by senior LaMarcus Thompson, 6-1, 228 from Lithonia, Georgia, who had seven tackles for loss last year and seven total tackles versus the Florida Gators. Free safety Janzen Jackson started nine games as a freshman in 2009, gaining valuable experience working alongside the departed Berry. He posted 37 tackles and had an interception in team's bowl game against Virginia Tech.

Tennessee has a vaunted tradition as we have discussed this week, and the heart of that tradition is defensive football. In recent years they've sent Berry, John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth to the pros. Wilcox is working diligently to revive that standard and instill pride and fierceness in this young unit. A strong showing against Oregon, particularly an upset victory, could catapult their progress and rock college football. Don't think for a moment these players won't give their all to obtain that goal. Oregon will have to be ready, and display grace under pressure in a very difficult environment.