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Is the use of Vols walk-ons a problem with Josh Heupel?

tabnews August 19, 2024
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It's panic time in the Tennessee Volunteers' football preseason.

This is the time when fans who had expected a hugely successful season temporarily dampen their expectations.

This usually happens in mid-August. The initial excitement of pre-season training has worn off, but the first game still seems a long way off.

And there can be various reasons for this: the injury of a key player, rumors about underperforming players in training or even obscure comments from a coach.

For UT, this preseason is all about walk-ons.

And more specifically, it's about what might have gone wrong with recruiting or player development that has left the Vols dependent on walk-ons before the season even starts.

Exhibit A: Will Brooks.

Brooks has a chance to start as a walk-on. He made a few first-team appearances as a safety before UT ended practice last week. And coaches are talking about him in a way that goes far beyond the usual praise for hard-working walk-ons who only play special teams.

“(Brooks) is someone we rely on to lead because he's been here a long time and has done it the right way,” secondary coach Willie Martinez said.

But there are other examples.

Walk-on DeSean Bishop is battling for the No. 2 running back spot as a redshirt freshman.

Walk-on Gaston Moore is the No. 2 quarterback and UT's best hope behind center if Nico Iamaleava ever sprains his ankle in a game or wakes up with a stomach ailment like the one that kept him out of Thursday's practice game.

And former walk-on Dayne Davis is the backup for up to four positions on the offensive line and is competing for the starting position at left guard.

Is there cause for concern or is this a trap for overreaction?

RESULTS OF THE TRAINING GAME IN TENNESSEE Nico Iamaleava sits outside, Dont'e Thornton shines

Applause for the walk-ons. But why are the Vols in this situation?

These players should be praised, not belittled, and UT fans understand that.

They turned down scholarship offers from mid-sized universities and instead ran the T at Neyland Stadium, played in the SEC and tried to overcome the odds by beating scholarship players.

They have done this and therefore deserve admiration.

But the question of why they play a key role is another topic, and that's exactly what UT fans are talking about after the other preseason storylines have died down.

Why haven't scholarship players performed better? What happened in recruiting that gaps have to be filled with walk-ons? Are coaches relying too heavily on experienced players instead of unproven talent?

There is certainly room for criticism. But every situation is different. Let's look at each one.

Is Will Brooks the best option for the safety position?

Brooks competes with Middle Tennessee transfer Jakobe Thomas and sophomore John Slaughter at safety.

Slaughter was a three-star recruit who played on special teams last season, so it's reasonable to assume he's not ready to start in his sophomore season.

But Thomas is likely to be stronger competition for Brooks.

Thomas has been one of the best safeties in Conference USA the past two seasons. Granted, that's a lower level of competition, but Thomas played comparably to UT's safeties against Alabama and Missouri last season.

Against Alabama, Thomas' Pro Football Focus grades were better than Wesley Walker's and slightly worse than Jaylen McCollough's. Against Missouri, Thomas and Walker both had poor grades, while McCollough's were pretty good.

Of course, Thomas couldn't rely on UT's pass rush against these SEC teams.

So if Brooks starts ahead of Thomas, it could mean that UT coaches misjudged Thomas in the portal or did not recognize his full potential.

Will UT regret letting defensive backs go in the portal?

This also sheds light on a shortcoming in recruiting. UT had not signed a safety better than a three-star recruit during Josh Heupel's tenure until four-star recruit Boo Carter arrived this season.

Carter competes as a nickelback, but would also have been an option for the safety position.

Some coaches also prefer experienced players with whom they are more familiar over young defensive backs. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, who coaches the safeties, has had to face this criticism before.

All that aside, if safety becomes a weak point this season, UT could regret transferring almost its entire secondary.

The Vols lost eight defensive backs through the portal. They included Walker (Michigan), Doneiko Slaughter (Arkansas), Brandon Turnage (Ole Miss) and Tamarion McDonald (Louisville) – all of whom could have played safety or nickelback, giving Carter the freedom to move to the safety position.

Jack Luttrell (Arizona), a three-star safety in the class of 2023, also transferred.

Gaston Moore is QB1 if something happens to Nico Iamaleava

If Iamaleava were to get injured and Moore became the starting quarterback, it would change the season and put the coaches under scrutiny.

According to offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, Moore is underrated as a walk-on.

“He's a guy who knows (the offense) inside and out, and he's a better athlete than people give him credit for. As far as arm strength, he can make any throw on the field,” Halzle said.

But there is a big gap between Moore, a fifth-year senior, and Iamaleava, who was considered a five-star talent.

UT didn't add a veteran backup quarterback from the portal. Admittedly, it's a tall order to get someone to hold a clipboard behind Iamaleava.

But forgoing this insurance policy is a gamble.

DeSean Bishop could be RB2. Is he up to the job?

Bishop's situation is less serious, but if injuries continue to crop up in the backfield, things could get worse.

Dylan Sampson is the starting running back, but the Vols need one or two more in the rotation.

Bishop, a former Karns star, is competing with freshman Peyton Lewis for RB2, or at least until sophomore Cam Seldon returns from a shoulder injury he suffered in the spring.

UT could have signed a more accomplished running back from the portal, but that could have disrupted chemistry and wouldn't have been worth the high NIL cost of a replacement.

Again, it's a risk, but UT was willing to take it.

Georgia starts as a walk-on, but has a good plan B

UT is not the only club that relies on walk-ons, especially in the secondary.

Former walk-on Hudson Clark will start at safety for Arkansas. Transfer walk-on Caleb Flagg will be in the rotation at safety for Missouri. And former walk-on Dan Jackson will likely start at safety for Georgia.

But unlike UT, the Bulldogs have a five-star freshman on track to take that spot – KJ Bolden, the No. 1 safety in the 2024 class.

As strong as UT's recruiting has been lately, there is still room for improvement.

The Vols have made great strides in recruiting offensive linemen, from a solid 2024 class to commitments for a full 2025 class. Perhaps this will prevent a situation where a former walk-on like Davis is so important.

They need to make the same progress in recruiting safeties so that a walk-on like Brooks can be celebrated for overcoming low expectations and not become an unfair target of criticism.

Adam Sparks is Tennessee's football reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparksSupport strong local journalism by subscribing to knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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