Josh Heupel breaks down Tennessee football offensive line minus injured Cooper Mays
Josh Heupel wasn't sure how Dayne Davis would handle playing center for Tennessee football, but the Vols coach knew the move had to be made.
It paid off as Davis was one of the centers to fill in for injured senior Cooper Mays in UT's season-opening 49-13 win against Virginia.
"It has been really pretty seamless for him in the middle of it," Heupel said Monday. "He has done a great job and really natural there.”
Tennessee played 13 offensive linemen against the Cavaliers as it seeks the right combination of five, especially with the ever-important Mays missing in the middle as the No. 10 Vols (1-0) prepare for Austin Peay (0-1) on Saturday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Mays had a minor medical procedure in mid-August and was unavailable against Virginia. It is unclear when Mays will return.
How Tennessee football centers played without Cooper Mays
Davis, a tackle, hadn't played center since Heupel arrived at UT in Jan. 2021. The Vols moved Davis to center to work along with senior Ollie Lane as the Vols faced time without Mays in the preseason.
Lane started and got more playing time with 48 snaps against Virginia, according to Pro Football Focus. The Gibbs graduate graded well in run blocking but struggled in pass protection. Heupel said Lane had a great offseason in which he overhauled his body.
"That is why I think he is playing his best football right now since we have we have been here," Heupel said. "He has gotten consistent reps at the center position throughout our tenure here."
Davis has played in 26 games at Tennessee with three starts at right tackle. The former walk-on had 27 snaps in the opener, grading as the second-best offensive lineman in pass blocking. He was fair in run blocking.
"He can communicate at a really high level," Heupel said. "We knew that from his time at tackle. It has been really pretty seamless for him in the middle of it. He has done a great job and really natural there.”
How Josh Heupel thought the offensive line performed
Tennessee started Lane in the middle of the offensive line. John Campbell Jr. started at left tackle with Andrej Karic at left guard. Both transferred to UT in the offseason. Jeremiah Crawford opened at right tackle with longtime starter Javontez Spraggins at right guard.
Heupel felt the communication and cohesion was good with the volume of moving parts. He expressed that the offensive linemen that played did a good job "as far as (knowing) where our targets were." The group has plenty to work on though given the rotation and the number of new players in the mix.
“There are a lot of things they have to clean up," Heupel said. "They are anticipated from Week 1 to Week 2. All in all, a really solid performance by those guys.”
Junior Gerald Mincey played as a backup after starting seven games a season ago following his transfer from Florida.
ADAMS: Tennessee football: What good can come of a game against Austin Peay?
Freshman Vysen Lang made his Vols debut as did sophomore Larry Johnson III, a junior-college transfer. Redshirt freshman Brian Grant played in his second career game after playing in one in 2022 before taking a redshirt. Redshirt freshman Addison Nichols played in his third game after also taking a redshirt in 2022.
Veteran backups Parker Ball and Jackson Lampley also played.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Heupel analyzes Tennessee football offensive line minus Cooper Mays
