Heading into the 2003 season, fans will have a difficult time finding a familiar face in Tennessee’s defensive tackle rotation.

After losing nine players at the position the last two years, the current rotation includes a junior college transfer, a freshman walk-on, a beefed-up defensive end and an inexperienced sophomore.

Even defensive coordinator John Chavis said he worries the lack of depth and inexperience at the position could be an open door for opposing teams to run the ball.

“There are a lot of concerns (on defense),” Chavis said, “but that is one that comes right up to the front.”

Entering UT’s two-a-day practices, sophomore Greg Jones and senior Mondre Dickerson held the position with the first team, but injuries and inconsistent play have led to uncertainty for Tennessee’s defensive front.

“We will have a rotation, but we don’t know what that is yet,” Chavis said.

Redshirt freshman Justin Harrell was making great strides at the position and drew plenty of praise from head coach Phillip Fulmer during the early days of practice, but a broken ankle during a non-contact drill will keep the tough-luck tackle out at least six more weeks.

The Martin, Tenn., native who sat out last season due to setbacks from high school injuries missed half of this spring’s practice after breaking his leg.

Following Harrell’s latest injury, Chavis and defensive line coach Dan Brooks experimented by placing sophomore defensive end J.T. Mapu at the tackle position. After adding some muscle in the offseason, Mapu had shown some promise at the position.

Then the injury bug struck again.

During last Saturday’s scrimmage at Neyland Stadium, the hard-hitting Hawaiian went down with a sprained knee on the first play. He is expected to be out for at least another week.

“We’ll only had him (back from injury) for a few days,” Brooks said. “We got him and he took to it really well to help the team.

“Now somebody else has to step up.”

Mapu is expected back for the Vols’ home opener, but one of the tackle positions might just be going to a burly, freshman walk-on from tiny Richlands, Va.

Matt McGlothlin, all 6 feet and 290 pounds of him, has impressed coaches and pushed his fellow tackles.

Brooks said he’s been impressed with the work ethic of the undersized product of Fork Union Military Academy.

“Matt McGlothlin just goes wide open every play,” Brooks said. “If everybody played with the same tempo then it would be great.”

“But I think as far as just a great effort guy, he’s the best out there.”

Brooks said McGlothlin’s biggest impact might be in leadership. He said no one on the D-line had stepped up to lead the group and the walk-on’s energy was as good as any.

“We don’t really have (leadership) yet,” Brooks said. “You can’t appoint someone a leader, I think they have to do that themselves.”

Dickerson would be the most-likely candidate with his experience last season and in junior college, but inconsistent play has held him back.

McGlothlin said he, Dickerson and the rest of the tackles simply need to get angry.

“We’re gonna get better,” McGlothlin said. “We need to get pissed off maybe. Sometimes people just need to get a mean streak about them.”