Can the top Juco corner turn the Vols around in 2020?
Hutchinson CC (KS) product Art Green (6'2-200) is bringing his talents to Knoxville, to a 1-3 Vols team that looks like they’ve lost their confidence after scoring just 3 points against rival Florida. After Committing to Tennessee in May, Green turned his sites to helping Hutchinson compete for a Juco national title.
On the surface, Green’s other-worldly leaping ability may seem like his biggest strength, but upon closer examination of his turnover infested tape, I’ve come to a different conclusion.
Strengths
#1 - Closing Ability
The reason he gets so many interceptions is because he makes the QB think the receiver is open, and pounces once the ball is released.
His closing speed is NICE, and his hops certainly help his case on the high point balls, especially against deep routes. But the trust he has in his ability to bait and strike is good as I’ve ever seen at the Juco level.
#2 - Range/Timing
Green also excels at keying the receiver to trigger his head turn at the perfect time to make a play on the ball. Moves just as well in the flat as he does in a deep third, but I would try my best to keep him deep, based on the plays I’ve seen.
#3 - Feet
Quick enough to cover smaller guys in the flat for enough time, but where his feet really shine are when he’s defending the deep routes. His feet, (and hips) can be triggered in an instant (see minute 2:02), and he reaches top speed, like all corners wish they could, in an instant.
Tennessee Vols Recruiting
The Vols class of 2020 may feature a lot of talent, however by Tennessee standards, many would call this class one of the weakest in recent Vols history. With nine fewer commits (so far) compared to their 2019 class, from the outside looking in, I’m concerned.
However; good coaches know that sometimes the more talent you have on the field, the harder it is for them to be a cohesive unit. The beauty of football lies in its ability to humble even the biggest, baddest dudes, and challenge them in ways they’ve never experienced.
We all know the story. Big budget, big names, big losses. Recruiting has never been the problem at Tennessee, it's what they do with the talent once they get there that conducts the failing Tennessee train.
An old coach of mine used to say “never doubt your ability to play this game, because the second you doubt yourself is the second somebody takes your spot.” This was on a similar team, full of big fish in a small pond, (sound familiar?).
Point being, it takes mental and emotional strength to make that adjustment from being the guy, to just being one of the guys, and Tennessee clearly has had trouble combating this.
Art Green already went through this process and rose to the top. Hopefully, he can teach this skill to his future Volunteer brothers.
