7 Tennessee players to solve Vols’ pass rush problem, including this slippery transfer

It stood out when Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner looked at the stat sheet, and then he saw the same thing when he reviewed the game film from last season.

UT’s defense was very good at dropping ball-carriers behind the line of scrimmage. But it didn’t utilize those same talents to get to the quarterback enough.

Those lopsided results must level out this season if the Vols want to maintain their stingy rush defense but turn around a poor pass defense.

The Vols must produce a pass rush with four defensive linemen without help from the linebackers and defensive backs. And there are a few potential candidates to lead the way.

“We did a really good job as far as (tackles for loss). But we’ve got to do a better job as far as being a four-man pass rush team,” Garner said. “We can’t always rely on bringing five or six (pass rushers).”

UT had the No. 2 rush defense in the SEC, trailing only national champion Georgia. And it ranked No. 2 in tackles for loss behind Missouri.

But the Vols’ pass defense was nearly the worst in college football, ranking No. 127 among 131 FBS schools. They got their fair share of sacks, 31 by the team. But seven sacks came from Byron Young, who’s now in the NFL, and eight from players other than defensive linemen.

Here are seven defensive linemen who could rack up sacks to help UT develop a strong four-man pass rush.

Omarr Norman-Lott

Most effective pass rushers come off the edge. But Arizona State transfer Omarr Norman-Lott is uniquely skilled in penetrating from the interior line.

He’s big (6-foot-3, 301 pounds) but slippery. At ASU, he was a better pass rusher than run stopper, which is the opposite of most UT interior defensive linemen. And he's pushing for a starting job in preseason practice.

“He has a skill set. He has power. He has initial quickness,” Garner said. “He knows how to maneuver his body and slip and just naturally make some plays.”

Roman Harrison

Fifth-year senior Roman Harrison, a long-time backup, plays Young’s weakside defensive end position. Last season, he had three sacks and five quarterback hurries, playing his best late in the season.

Coaches think Harrison has improved quite a bit. But whether that’s enough to draw double-teams like Young did remains to be seen.

Tyler Baron

Tyler Baron hurried the quarterback almost as many times as Young. But he got only 2½ sacks to Young’s seven.

Their position accounts for part of that discrepancy. Baron plays strongside defensive end, where there’s usually more obstacles to the quarterback.

But Garner also said his best pass rushers must finish plays better by wrapping up elusive quarterbacks. If Baron does that, his sack total will rise.

Joshua Josephs

As a freshman, Joshua Josephs played well in a limited role behind Young and Harrison at weakside defensive end. He had five quarterback hurries and sacked LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Josephs has gained 22 pounds since arriving on campus in 2022. Coaches hope he can step into a bigger role as an every-down defender, but especially as a pass rusher.

James Pearce

As a freshman, James Pearce had the team’s highest grade as a pass rusher by Pro Football Focus. But it was a very small sample and usually against reserve players.

Pearce had two sacks in only 35 snaps on pass plays at weakside defensive end. Compare that to Young’s 433 snaps, Harrison’s 240 and Joseph’s 171 on pass plays at the same position.

Pearce has a lot of talent. But he’ll need to be consistent to take snaps away from Harrison and Josephs.

Omari Thomas

Remember Omari Thomas’ monstrous hit on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young? That play and Thomas’ 14-yard sack in the fourth quarter of that UT win showed his potential impact as a pass rusher.

But Thomas, a 6-4, 320-pounder, defends against the run better than the pass. If he can improve the latter, his stock as an NFL defensive tackle would rise sharply.

Tyre West

Similar to Josephs, Tyre West made a moderate impact in a limited role as a freshman. He had two sacks and four quarterback hurries in 106 snaps on pass plays.

West plays strongside defensive end behind Baron, where playing time is available.

LaTrell Bumphus was the starter at that position last season, and Garner thought he was vastly underrated as a pass rusher. Bumphus finished his eligibility, so Baron and West must pick up the slack.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 7 Tennessee football players to solve Vols’ pass rush problem