When Corey Vereen checked the film following his four-tackle performance at Oklahoma, the sophomore defensive end liked what he saw: a vast improvement from his opening performances against Utah State and Arkansas State.
“In the first two games, I was a little bit too robotic,” said Vereen, who’s racked up six tackles and two quarterback hurries in 2014. “I was trying to think too much. But then I just played football at that point (against Oklahoma). I knew what was going on, and I just watched my keys pretty much.
“I feel a lot better now. I feel looser, just more locked in knowing what I can do. Knowing what’s not working so well. Just knowing what I need to do on a down-to-down basis to be successful.”
That correction couldn’t have come at a better time as Vereen and company are now tasked with slowing down Georgia potent running attack, spearheaded by junior superstar Todd Gurley.
“Pretty much just getting off blocks,” Vereen offered up a solution to halt the Bulldogs’ ground attack. “Holding points and tackling well. Gurley likes to break tackles, and pretty much every one of their backs and receiver like to break tackles. They get a lot of yards after contact. So basically just tackling, being physical at the point of attack and winning the juncture point.”
So far, though, the Georgia matchup has been a promising one for the 6-foot-2, 253 pounder.
Last year, as a freshman, Vereen racked up a key sack of ex-Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray —the takedown nearly propelling the Vols to an upset of then No.6 Georgia.
“That was a stepping stone for my career and really the defense as a whole,” Vereen said. “Getting off (the field) on third down, fist up, all the fundamentals, swarming to the ball — everything like that was at the center of our defense.”
The Trevarris triumph: After re-injuring his surgically repaired right knee during UT’s open practice Aug. 16, it appears redshirt junior defensive tackle Trevarris Saulsberry is now primed to make his 2014 debut despite missing the Vols’ first three games.
“He had a good week,” defensive line coach Steve Stripling said. “We just let him go this week and kind of let him manage his own situation. He did great.
“I anticipate him being on the field Saturday.”
Saulsberry’s Knoxville tenure has been rocky, to say the least. Last season, the Gainesville, Fla., first suffered a knee injury in UT’s 59-14 loss at Oregon – an issue that kept him sidelined for the next six weeks.
The 6-foot-4, 296-pounder returned to action for the showdown with No. 1 Alabama but once again did significant damage to his knee, causing him to miss UT’s last four contests.
But despite playing in just eight games over three years, Saulsberry’s veteran status is a welcomed sight to a defensive line unit splattered with newcomers.
“I think he brings a lot to the table in that he’s an older player,” Stripling said. “He brings some maturity to the room. I think he brings a presence in that he’s a 300-pound guy, and we’re a little short on those guys right now. It’s good to see him out there working into the reps.”
Maggitt’s maneuver: While most of Curt Maggitt’s offseason was spent transitioning to an unfamiliar defensive end spot, the redshirt junior will likely find himself in a far more customary setting come Saturday.
“This is his kind of game playing Sam linebacker,” UT linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen said Wednesday. “Him and (Justin) King are our No. 1 and No. 2 Sam backers, and they do a good job at the point of attack.
“It’s going to be a big challenge for those guys because they do a lot with formations. For those guys playing in space taking on the fullback that’s going to be a big challenge for them this week.”
