With Tennessee football season just over two weeks away, there are still questions around who will be starting on the offensive line come season time.
Several spots were thought to have been locked down, like the center position. Cooper Mays, the returning veteran, underwent a procedure that has his status in question for the beginning of the season. Ollie Lane has since slid over to snap the ball.
Lane was projected to play at the guard spot, particularly left guard. That leaves the guard position at even more of a question mark.
“That that position is obviously up for grabs and have a lot of people competing for right now,” tight end Jacob Warren said on the Vol Report. “I think you just need a guy that is smart. First of all, understand the interior, just how the interior of the offensive line works. I mean all of them do right, they play the position, but a guy that’s super physical, can play in space and in the gap, whatever it may be. Fast in his pulls, decisive, physical, all those things are kind of what you’re looking for and all of them doing a job. Obviously we’ll see who they go with, not my call. Love the guys and looking forward to just watching them compete.”
With Lane running first-team center, the left guard spot has seen Texas transfer Andrej Karic taking charge at the spot. In practice, he also has Miami transfer John Campbell Jr. to his left.
That gives the Vols two portal pickups on the left side of the offensive line. Warren has been impressed with Karic, calling him an open book.
“He’s just kind of come on-campus and just been embraced by us,” Warren said. “He’s been more than happy to get to know us and be around us and all that stuff and really fun guy to be around. He’s funny, he’s cool, easy to talk to, easy to get along with, plays really hard. He’s a smart guy and and does really work his but off every day, pushes through a lot of stuff, is real gritty and and just really, really cares a lot about ball first of all, but also this place in just a short time.”
