University of Tennessee Athletics
Lott Now Veteran of Vols' Young Secondary
September 11, 2000 | Football
Tennessee entered last season with an experienced trio of defense backs. Dwayne Goodrich would anchor one of the corner positions with Deon Grant and Fred White at the safety spots.
|
"It
is different because I am usually only worried about one person. Now
I am worried about the whole field and making sure everybody is in the
right spot. It is a lot different than playing corner."
|
|
Andre
Lott on his move to free safety from cornerback.
|
The unknown quantity in the secondary would be Andre Lott. Lott would be replacing the departing Steve Johnson, who was instrumental in the Vols' run to the 1998 National Championship.
Lott quickly dispelled any thoughts that he would be the sitting duck in the Vols' secondary. He stepped into the left cornerback position and turned in an outstanding eason. He may have not started a game prior to last season but he saw action in all 13 of the Vols' games during the 1998 season. Inexperience may have the wrong word to describe him, and questions that urrounded Lott had little effect on him.
"I just went out, had fun and did my job," he said. "I wasn't worried about anything else."
But Lott has gone from the newcomer to the wise old master in the secondary. Goodrich and White were lost to graduation, and Grant exercised his option to enter the NFL draft after his junior year. Lott suddenly went from the least experienced to the most experienced.
To throw another kink in the chain, Lott was moved from his left cornerback position to free safety. Thus, effectively making all four members of the secondary new starters. Lott is still adjusting to the position switch.
"Andre is doing pretty good," said Cedrick Wilson, a high school teammate of Lott's at Melrose High School. "He told me he was uncomfortable playing safety, but he is team player. That is what he has to do for the team to be successful."
Lott is working to be the best he can be at his new position. I just went out this summer and worked hard at it to try to be the best safety I could be, he said.
Lott's responsibilities on the field changed drastically. During the 1999 season, he was usually only responsible for one offensive player. He had the responsibility for man-to-man coverage with a receiver. Now he must make sure everybody is in the right position for the defense that is called. He is also responsible for every offensive player as well. He could be called on to assist in coverage.
"It is different because I am usually only worried about one person," he said. "Now I am worried about the whole field and making sure everybody is in the right spot. It is a lot different than playing corner."
Like a quarterback controls the offense, I control the secondary and sometimes the front seven. I make sure everybody is in the right spot. It is a lot more responsibility.
Stephen Marsh joined Lott as a starter in the secondary in the season opener against Southern Mississippi. Marsh started at the strong safety spot. Teddy Gaines started at the right cornerback spot with Willie Miles opposite him at left corner.
"He is the only starter back there," Wilson said. "But the guys playing with him can play football."
There is not pressure on him to be 'the man.' Lott certainly did not have to make any game-saving tackles in the opening game as the secondary turned in a solid performance. The defense totally dominated the first three quarters. The third quarter itself may have been one of the best ever performances in recent memory. The Golden Eagles had 14 offensive plays and gained only 7 yards.
Making the defensive back jobs easier in the opener was the fact the Vols registered nine quarterback sacks. That has its good points and its bad ones. It is a lot easier with the pressure, but most teams are going to go to a quick game when they see that, Lott said. We are going to have tighten up our coverage.
Even though the secondary turned in solid effort, Lott knows there is room for improvement.
"We could have a played better, and we have some things to work on," he said. "We are going get picked on the secondary because we are young in the secondary. so, teams are always going to throw on you. But we'll be ready."
