The UT football preseason depth chart released on July 30 pitted freshman cornerback Cameron Sutton as a backup to junior college transfer Riyahd Jones.
A calf injury Jones suffered during fall camp then vaulted Sutton to a starting role for UT’s season-opener against Austin Peay.
Through six games, Sutton is thriving at a position of need, racking up 21 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
But with Jones now back at practice, it’s unclear how or if the Vols’ secondary will adjust.
One position that could use a boost, according to defensive coordinator John Jancek, is the nickel back position that manned by freshman walk-on Devaun Swafford and former running back JaRon Toney.
“Trying to find consistent play,” Jancek said of the nickel back position. “Guys go out there and they’re making mistakes, so we’re looking for a level of consistency from that position and it’s hard.”
In Jancek’s defensive system, the nickel back is generally used in passing situations instead of a third linebacker in order to give the defense an extra defensive back to aid in covering wide receivers.
“You can’t just go base people and throw a linebacker out there when you’re playing these teams that are playing three or four wide receivers,” Jancek said. “You’re at a strategic disadvantage and a disadvantage in space. We’re trying to get someone to come alive at that position.”
With all the inconsistencies at nickel back, Jancek has exhausted most of his viable options, even trying out players unfamiliar with the position.
“We had (Geraldo) Orta there at one point in the spring and even early in camp and that didn’t look that was going to pan out,” Jancek said.
Veteran safety Byron Moore and starting corner Justin Coleman were also possibilities, but their inexperience, as well as the lack of secondary depth on the defensive unit, nixed that decision.
“We don’t have any safeties so we can’t really take from that position to put him in that nickel,” Jancek said.
“When we got Riyahd back, we wanted to move Coleman to look at him at nickel,” he added. “That hasn’t come to fruition at this point, so we are what we are and we’ve just got to keep getting better and focus on us each week and improving and that’s been the message to our guys.”
Jones’ return comes at a crucial point in the season where snaps have started to build up on some of the more important defenders on the team.
“Every time we get somebody new it always changes things and we really need everybody to play for us and with Riyahd and a lot injured people coming back,” Coleman said. “They’re going to help us get a breather and probably make some plays for us.
“I feel like we need everyone. Everyone is a huge part of the team. Freshman have been making big plays that have been helping us throughout the year.”
Assistant Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron and Copy Editor Dargan Southard contributed to this story.
