In Justin Worley’s time at Tennessee, this is the most depth that he has ever seen at the receiver position.
The Vols senior quaterback said that the receiving corps is similar to when recivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson played at Tennessee.
“I think we have a little bit better depth this year,” Worley said. “Across the board we’ve got some studs out there.”
One of those receivers that the team is excited about is sophomore wide receiver Marquez North.
The preseason Third Team All-SEC member saw success out on the field in his first season, with 38 catches for a team leading 496 yards, and the former high school running back is much more comfortable as he enters his second preseason training camp.
“I feel a lot more comfortable and I’ve been in the system a year,” North said. “I’m real excited about the young talent. I’m still young myself, but we are coming together.”
With others, such as Pig Howard, Josh Malone, Von Pearson, Jason Croom, Vic Wharton and Josh Smith in the picture, North and his teammates take pride in playing for a team that is the original “Wide Receiver U” according to its second-year head coach, Butch Jones
“I’m a real prideful person,” North said. “I’m trying to be one of the greats hopefully one day. Coach Zach Azzanni (wide receivers coach) is pushing us more than anyone would ever know individually. We are taking it day-by-day and just trying to get better.”
Last season Tennessee finished last in the conference in passing yards per attempt (5.8) and were one of only two teams to not throw for over 2,000 yards passing as a team, despite only being sacked 15 times.
Jones said that the 12 touchdown passes compared to 17 interceptions his quarterbacks threw last season will improve vastly.
“This last year I thought we forced our quarterbacks to play perfect at times,” Jones said. “We want our receiving corps to be exceptional and be the best in the country.”
With his 6-foot-4, 221-pound frame, North has the physique to outmuscle other corners and has a toolset that many other receivers around the conference don’t have.
“He is completely different,” his 46-year old head coach said. “Last year he didn’t quite understand the nuances of playing receiver. Playing winning football as a receiver means winning in transition, getting out of cuts, maintaining blocks, and release techniques. Now he’s had a full year of being able to do that.”
Not only are the additions of five-star freshmen receiver Josh Malone, who caught three touchdowns in the Orange and White game, and one of the top JUCO receivers in Von Pearson expected to help the passing game this season, but so are two others at a different position.
“I do think the quarterback play will be elevated because of the supporting cast around them,” Jones said. “The additions of tight ends Daniel Helm and Ethan Wolf are big and it brings a level of competitiveness and athleticism. Now we are going into camp and everything is about competition.
“We have some players that can catch in advance now and that is critical as we move forward.”
Over the next month North, along with others on the practice field, will help lead others and look to make sure they are ready come the season opener against Utah State on August 31.
“The whole transition of this football team is they’re working together,” Jones said. “When you watch our practice Friday night you are going to see a group of guys that are coaching each other. We always talk about it’s better to be a player-coached team than a coach-coached team. They’ve taken great ownership in each other. You’ll see a team that coaches each other on every single snap, and Marquez is one of those.”
