What Tennessee DL coach Rodney Garner said after Wednesday’s practice

Everything defensive line coach Rodney Garner said during his press conference after Tennessee Football’s Wednesday fall practice at the Anderson Training Center:

The depth on Tennessee’s interior defensive line

“I still think we are a work in progress trying to identify who those guys are, who’s truly four, who’s five and possibly six. We feel really good about one, two, three. We felt four was really coming on, four-A, four-B. Now we just got to keep moving the needle. It’s just, what, day six. So it’s a process. It’s a process. There’s some good stuff put on film, some good things to teach off of. Areas that they see things they need to do to improve to try to move the needle in the right direction. So I’m encouraged about the attitude and the mindset that they’re bringing. But we got to continue to push that thing, push the right way.”

Tennessee’s defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby

“Well, I think he’s had a really good camp thus far. I think he picked up where he left off in the spring. He’s a kid that had a really good spring. He’s a kid that has a tremendous skill set, and he’s done a really good job of picking up the system. He has minimum bust, he plays hard. He has the right prototype body type that you’re looking for. So we’re excited about him as far as where he’s been these first six days. Counting on him to continue to climb and move that needle in the right direction. And I can see that kid playing a significant role on this team this year.”

What Tennessee’s Daevin Hobbs has done to improve his standing on the defensive line

“Hobbs, he’s a long, athletic kid that can bend, that can really run first. The things that you really want. You wish for Hobbs, he’s been stunted from a power explosiveness with two offseasons because of shoulder surgeries. You sit there and you’re like, always wondering, what if? What would he be if he had those two offseasons, what would he be right now? But he’s a very talented guy. We need for him to take that next step. And so far in camp, he’s done a really good job. Obviously he’s a lot like some older kids I’ve had, like (Richard) Seymour and (Marcus) Stroud. He’s a tall kid, so he has to really be conscientious on making sure that he’s playing great pad level, especially as an interior guy. So, like I was telling him, we were watching film last night if you think you’re low, get lower. You ain’t never going to be low enough just consistently playing behind his pad and playing with great fundamentals.”

The level of competition in Tennessee’s defensive line room

“The whole room is competitive because they all want to play. I mean, that’s how we built the culture of that room. It’s about guys that will come out every day, put the work in to show that they’re trustworthy and that they can play at a championship level. So that thing is always on display. There’s nobody that has birthrights. So every day they have to go out and earn it. Like I say, this game, it parallels to life. You know, in life, you got to go earn it every day. There’s nothing given to you. So it is a competitive room, I think, even for young guys. Everybody comes in asking about the culture that we want, that you have to put that work in. When you step between those lines, your reputation is over every day. It doesn’t matter. There’s no off days. Your reputation is on the line every time you step on the field.”

Dominic Bailey’s progression, what it says about the culture of the room

“I’d say, just talking to those scouts, I think right now if we had to vote on the MVP of the front guys, I think Dom Bailey would win it hands down. This kid has had an outstanding camp, run, pass, leadership, all those things. He really stands out in a very positive way. And, obviously, I think a lot of people know when I first got here, he stood out in another way, and it wasn’t a good way. So you know, this kid has really earned everything that he’s got. He’s a blue-collar, worked his tail off to get himself in this position and he’s made himself a really good SEC d-lineman and I am really glad that we have him. I love his leadership, I love the way he goes about his business, his work ethic. He’s trying to hem along with Moi, you know, they’re really trying to lead that room and be pace setters for that. And even Eason has gotten better and they’re trying to get him to even up his to their level. But you know, I’m excited about Dom.”

Jamal Wallace’s offseason

“Well, you know, Jamal is a talented big man. He just didn’t have any sweat equity as a d-lineman. And then just getting hurt and not being able to put the work in to work on the nuances of being a defensive lineman and not just being a defensive lineman, being an interior defensive line. You’re taking a kid that was a safety, outside backer, dropping. When he got here, he didn’t even know how to get into a three-point stance. So you know, he needs every single day of work that he can get because he is big, he is explosive, he can run, he is twitchy. He has the traits of a d-lineman, an SEC d-lineman. But now, just putting together the mechanical, technical things that he needs to do to take that game. But you know, I’m excited. He’s been able to be out there so far and stay healthy. That’s the biggest thing, be able to stay healthy, put in that work and continue to grow.”

The hardest thing to coach in or out of a freshman

“Well, I think the transition from high school to college, it always is going to come down to the tempo of practice. And then the level of competition, they’re playing against 200-pound offensive linemen in high school, those guys don’t exist. Just the level of competition, the strain that’s involved. It’s just like we were talking yesterday, they can never become great and stay comfortable. So, they got to get themselves comfortable being uncomfortable right now so they can be comfortable later. So those are the things that I am trying to put into them, put them in difficult situations, so strain them so that good stuff can come out. Because that’s when the good stuff comes out, when you put them in pressure situations. But, you know, I’m really excited about the three young guys. All three of them are long, they’re athletic. I think they have a really good skill set and I can see those guys having a role and being able to contribute in a positive way.”

If this is the deepest, most diverse Tennessee has been at strongside defensive end during his time here

“Yeah. Competition is good. It’s the best thing you can have. It really is. You know, it doesn’t allow for a guy to get comfortable. A guy can’t rest on his morals. It’s just like, even just out there, we just got through running. One of them don’t wanna run? Hey, that’s alright, I’m playing the next guy. I don’t really care. I mean, that’s just the way it is. We gonna do it one way, and that’s the right way. Because everybody’s hurt. My toe hurt. My hip hurt. Everybody got something hurt, you gotta figure out a way to fight through it. And that’s the thing that you’re trying to build in that room. And I just think the guys know that that’s what we’re built on. That’s the consistency of it. But, that has allowed us to build depth and be able to play multiple guys. And so we’re still working on that to identify who are our top 10 guys. Who’s 11, who’s 12, all that, just guys that we can count on to be able to go out there and play at a championship level.”