KNOXVILLE — This pre-Orange and White game blog excerpts a 20-minute interview with first-year University of Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

Fan Day festivities start Saturday at 11:15 a.m. at Haslam Field, with the Vol Walk at 1:30 p.m. and kickoff at 3 p.m.

Here is the Chaney interview:

JIM CHANEY

Opening statement:

CHANEY: “Guys, it’s been fun. It’s been an eventful spring for us. We started out trying to implement an entire new system to this group of young men. I think for the most part, from the beginning to right now, they grasped everything that we’re trying to get done. They’re understanding cultural changes, what we’re trying to do. In the past, the tempo, it appears, wasn’t going as fast at practice as we like. So we’re trying to get that done, continually pressing on them to pressure themselves to work real hard and finish every play at practice has been a thing that we’ve really been pressing on them hard to do.

“You can tell if you’ve been out on the football field our tempo at practice from flying from drill to drill — Coach (Lane) Kiffin is big into that. That’s where we’re going to get our conditioning at, so we continue to harp on them to get from drill to drill as fast as we possibly can. Throughout the practice, we’ve identified individuals as rabbits to try to lead those groups from one place to another, and they’ve been buying into that and having a lot of fun with that.

“I think all in all, some of the things we’re trying to do culturally in putting in Coach Kiffin’s way of practicing has been beneficial, and for the most part we’re pleased with their development in that sense.

“Now we get down to some X’s and O’s things. From the beginning, the changes have been made primarily in the run game, using the zone scheme, as you guys have witnessed on the football field. These are tedious, and there’s a lot of nuances to these schemes that we’re doing with the offensive line.

“Once again, you’ll hear this come from my mouth quite a few times: I think they’re right on schedule for what we’re trying to get done. They’re buying into the schemes that we’re trying to do and run the wide- and the tight-zone schemes, and they’re learning it. It’s a learning process for them. In the past, it appears to me they’ve been primarily a tight-zone team, and we’re trying to get them to push the ball a little bit wider at times. So the speed of the field and the offensive line is something that we’re trying to do.

“Now, with that said, perimeter blocking is paramount. I think one of the things I’ve been most pleased with this spring is how our wide receivers have blocked. Our physical nature on the perimeter has really been a plus for our offense throughout the spring. They’ve created some issues for the defense, I think, and there’s been a lot of competitive spirit on the field.

“I don’t think any defensive back likes to get blocked by a wide receiver, and wide receivers love to attack defensive backs, so it’s gone real well. The competitiveness of our kids has really shined in that group. I think Coach (Frank) Wilson’s done a wonderful job with that, getting it out of those guys, and I think it’s part of them. I don’t believe it’s something we’ve had to bring out; I think it’s part of who they are in that group of the wide receivers.

“So as we continue to develop that run game, we’ll continue to work on fine-tuning the nuances of the zone schemes, and that will go all the way through two-a-day practices. We’re getting closer there, but there are still a lot of little things that we’re trying to get cleaned up. Within the passing game, we’ve implemented new protections and schemes for the guys up front, and once again, I’ll say again, they’ve grasped quite a few of those with relative ease. I think this is a part of their past that we haven’t had to change a lot.

“A few of the things we’re doing schematically have created some issues with the kids. The center position with Josh (McNeil) and Cody (Sullins), they’re doing a good job trying to learn stuff. It’s been difficult for them. Some of the things are completely new and foreign to them, but I admire their courage of trying to take on something new, and their attitude’s been fantastic about it, so we’re real pleased with that.

“Within the passing game, you move into throwing the football. Everybody wants to know about the quarterback position, but let’s go to the wide receivers first and foremost. We’ve got a lot of stringent rules on their alignments, and once again, for the most part, they’ve done a great job. We’re not where we need to be yet, we feel like in our passing game. We want to continue to improve on that today. We’re emphasizing to our kids today is a big day for us to go out in our passing game.

“It is a full-on practice today, and we’ve got to continue to improve, so we’re looking for that improvement outside in our passing game. For the most part, they’ve caught the ball relatively well. We’re coming out of the practice with drops a little bit higher than what we want right now, so we’ll continue to improve on those. We quantify everything, we video everything, we keep stats on everything we do with them throwing the ball, catching, dropping, on-target percentages by the quarterback, so we don’t subjectively say, ‘Hey, you’re not throwing the ball accurate enough.’ We can tell them and document them exactly what we’re trying to get done with that. That’s been good.

“So we continue on working on the passing game, the running game. The nuances of it is something we need to continue to improve.

“Now let’s talk about the positions. At the tight end spot, guys, I think Jeff Cottam was having an excellent spring football camp for us until he came upon a little injury with his knee, and we tried to tone him down a little bit. Luke Stocker’s doing a real nice job with us, and as far as his vertical threat, Luke possesses some ability to do some things that we didn’t know in the beginning, and we’re real pleased with that position. Those two have really stood out and done a nice job.

“Then with the offensive line, the senior leadership has really showed up again. We’ve got some good young men in there. The pleasing part is also the two young tackles. I think Dallas Thomas has done a nice job, and Aaron Douglas has done a real nice job moving in there. That’s a difficult task, guys, when you ask a kid that’s been running routes to move in and play offensive tackle. By his nature, he’s a physical kid, Aaron Douglas is, so he’s grasping it real well. He’s got a lot of things to learn in the pass-protection things, but we’re really pleased with his development and really excited about him and those young tackles.

“Out at the wide receiver position, I think Quintin (Hancock) has done a fantastic job for us. From the first practice at 6 a.m. to right now, that young man has bought into exactly what we’re trying to do as far as effort and physical play. He’s done a marvelous job. We can turn on that tape every day, and he indicates by his actions he understands what we’re wanting to get done. He flies around the football field, he shows up day in and day out and he plays football the way we want. We’re real pleased with how Quintin’s done it.

“Gerald (Jones) has proved to us once again he’s a playmaker. He can make plays on the football, and for the most part that whole group of kids have worked their hides off to get better and learn the new route systems that we’re putting in. A few things are completely foreign to them: how we call the routes, so they’re having to learn a new language. I would liken it to you guys writing right-handed, if I asked you right now to put your pen in your left hands and start writing, it probably wouldn’t look real good. So it takes a little while to learn a new skill, and that’s what we’re trying to ask those guys to do.

“The running backs have done a good job. I think Montario (Hardesty) has really done a fantastic job learning what we’re wanting out of him as a running back, doing a one-cut and getting the ball vertical: He’s doing a fantastic job on that. Tauren (Poole)’s run the ball real well in all the scrimmages. I think he’s leading the team in average (yards) per carry — which I don’t put a lot into but it sure sounds good, something to sell, so let’s do it. He’s doing a nice job of that.

“Toney Williams is a youngster, if you remember he’s just a high school kid, and he’s played very, very physical football for us. We really like his opportunities here at Tennessee, and we’re looking for great things from him.

“Kevin Cooper and Austin Johnson in the backfield are learning to do a bunch of new things also at the fullback position. It’s just not all power blocking, go block one guy. We’re asking them to be a little more creative, see a bit more of the field than maybe they’ve done in the past, and they’re grasping that very good. Coop’s always knocking people down. I believe Austin won the award for the most knockdowns in the past scrimmage.

“All in all, I think the guys are buying in on what we want to do, and we’re real pleased with their attitudes and their effort’s been fantastic.

Q: How has the idea of “no depth chart” played out through the spring? And do you have a good (or at least better) handle of what you have and don’t have now?

CHANEY: “I don’t know necessarily if we can put a nail down on a depth chart. What we’re finding out is individually what these young men can do. So as you put the game plans together, you can find out what they’re going to be able to do and what they can’t do, but as the depth chart, I think we’re going to let this competition keep on going a lot of times. What you find is some kids that have played a lot of football are really antsy about what’s going on, but Coach made it very clear when we walked in the door that everything is open, and we are following true to that. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Q: How about your three competitors for the starting quarterback position: Jonathan Crompton, Nick Stephens and B.J. Coleman?

CHANEY: “I think those guys have done a good job. Jonathan’s done a very good job of keeping up. I feel kind of bad for Nick, because he got the injury and it set him back a long way, but we’re really trying to force-feed Nick a lot of reps in this last week just to give him the opportunity to get on the field and compete, and he’s doing a real good job with it.

“B.J. consistently works his hiney off. He’s very hard on himself, and he works very good. And I’ll tell you what, he makes very few mistakes. We’re real pleased with all their development. As we move into the two-a-day practices, we’re going to keep right on rolling with that competition at those positions, but they’re doing a very good job.

“I’m really pleased with Jonathan’s development, and how he’s taking care of the thing. He’s throwing the ball very accurately for us right now, and I’m really pleased with those guys. Right now we’re going to get it going and see what happens, see what goes on in two-a-day practices and see who emerges in that situation.”

Q: Crompton has been labeled as good in practice, bad in games. What have you seen that makes you think he’ll be good in a game?

CHANEY: “All I know is what I’ve been able to see. Up to date, what amazes me about all three of our quarterbacks possibly is their intellect. Like I mentioned, we’re putting a complete new language in. Some of our terms are very long and it takes a while to call these. These guys step in the huddle and just throw these calls right back out at the offensive line, and everybody in the huddle amazes me.

“I’m sitting there learning the offense myself, and a lot of the things I’m learning, it takes me a little time to regurgitate them back out, but they’re doing a fascinating job with that. I think that’s very good. So I have no indication to think that Jonathan can’t turn this thing right back on the field and be well.

“All I know is what I’m watching on the football field. He’s preparing well for practice, he’s competing well in practice, he’s throwing accurate balls in practice, for the most part he’s making some good decisions. Not as many as I would like, but no quarterback I’ve ever coached does. For the most part I’m really pleased, and I have no indication to think anything other than he’ll be a successful football player.

Q: Is everything in the passing game where it needs to be?

CHANEY: “No, they’re not yet. That’s true. That comes without saying. Once again, the quarterback position is the one that gets all the blame when you lose and all the benefits when you win. When you throw the football, timing is so important. So if the receiver’s 2 yards short on a route, he’s getting a little too wide on his break ... and it looks like the timing’s off, so the quarterback’s messed up. A left guard (steps back) and the quarterback makes a step up, so once again, everybody notices the quarterback position. But it takes all 10 of them in a timing situation.

“We’re not where we need to be yet entirely in the passing game, but we feel very comfortable that we’re on a schedule to be there. That’s the key to the thing, is understanding when our guys can sit there when we turn on the video and say, ‘What is the issue here? Why isn’t this route timed properly?’ If they can answer the question, ‘Why?’ then we’re on the right page, and we’re getting a lot closer to that. We can say, ‘Why is he catching it out of bounds 1 yard?’ He can say, ‘I’m a little short on my route, Coach. I lined up too wide.’ All those nuances of alignment and depth on routes are critical, and we’re getting closer to being able to answer the question, ‘Why?’ The players are being able to answer that question, ‘Why?’”

Q: Are you concerned about the pass protection from your offensive tackles?

CHANEY: “Always, for 25 years — or 24, whatever it is. Certainly, I am. I think that’s something that every coach does. When you put yourselves in those third-and-long situations and you’re forced to throw the football, you worry about those cheetah cats coming off the end on those offensive tackles. But we also have enough schemes and ways to help those young men be successful. We’re not foolish enough to just set them out there and hang them out to dry.

“I think that’s the one thing coming from the National Football League that benefits you. You’re not always blessed with the two best tackles in football, so you always have to find creative ways to assist those young men, and we’re ready to do that if we need to. Right now, they’re doing a fine job of getting it done. But, quite honestly, every day at practice, they’re going against some awfully fast defensive ends, and that’s going to benefit us in the fall.

“The competitive spirit we’re trying to develop on the football field will have a lot of positive things happening to us in the fall.”

Q: What about the rest of the offensive line?

CHANEY: “I think Vladimir (Richard) started out doing fantastic things, and Vlad was set back when he got hit in the head and he missed a few days of practice, so we’re back to knocking the rust off of Vlad a little bit. Early on in spring ball, I thought Vlad was doing as good as anybody on that offensive line.

“Jacques (McClendon) is really big into what we’re trying to get done as far as getting through to the second level and playing a little bit faster. He’s really into it right now. I’m really pleased with him.

“Josh (McNeil) has played a lot of football in a lot of different systems, so once again, here comes another system at the center position. They’re forced to be the brains of the operation a lot of times ... and so they’re having to learn everything new. With that comes a lot of questions and a lot of things we’ve got to work out, and we’re right on schedule with those.

“I think Cody Sullins is competing his hiney off at that position. He and Josh are competing very hard for that starting spot right now. I think Cody has done a lot of things for us that we’re really pleased with. He’s played very physical football.

“Their effort level has been fantastic. We continue to press on that. When we watch a tape, if we run the ball and we get a running back 20 yards down the field, every one of those offensive linemen better get in that video. That’s what we’re pressing to these young kids. You’ve got to get down the field when you’re in the offensive line, and they’re buying into that. They’re working hard to get that. For the most part, that’s what’s going on (with) the offensive line. I mentioned already that the young tackles that we’ve moved.

“I think Jarrod Shaw moved up to that right tackle spot was where we’d like to have tried Jarrod at earlier, but because of some injury stuff, we just couldn’t get that done. He’s moved over there, and he looks pretty natural playing that spot right now, so he’ll be competing for that spot as we continue on, with Aaron (Douglas) and William Brimfield.

“Brim has been a little behind all spring because of injuries. That’s been unfortunate. We haven’t been able to really evaluate him because of the injuries.”

Q: Was it easy to sell the players on the new offensive system?

CHANEY: “I don’t know if anything’s easy to sell to 18-to-22-year-old guys. There’s a certain amount of cynicism that exists all the time. But we hope that we can back up our words with video and show them on the football field, ‘Hey, if you do it this way, success comes your way.’ That’s what we’ve been able to do.

“Now, as we continue to show them on video and demonstrate that success can come their way if they do it correctly, then it’s easier to sell. The sale gets easier the more success that they have. Because I wasn’t here in the previous years, I really don’t know what their mindset was. I just know, when you come in, any time you take over an offense or defense or football team, you’ve got to sell what you’re doing and sell your system as hard as you can.”

Q: Obviously you’re not a defensive coach, but do you have an appreciation for the spring Chris Walker has had?

CHANEY: “He’s been fantastic. He’s a special guy. He’s a much stronger football player than I thought. To me, he’s everything (left tackle) Chris Scott needs lining up in front of him every day, to compete against Chris and make Chris strain on every play. You make a little bit of a mistake, he makes you pay.

“To me, that’s how you define good football players. You make a little mistake on him, he makes the play. That’s what Chris has been able to do so far.”

Q: Do you think the fact that many of these players have been in several systems now has helped them make the transition this spring?

CHANEY: “I think there’s some truth to what you’re saying. I think it makes them inquisitive, because they probably had some success — whether it was a great amount — in the past systems, and when you try to change something, they’ll say, ‘Well, why don’t we do this? Why don’t we do that?’ I like that. I think that’s a good thing because, as soon as you start answering those questions, ‘Why?’ they have a better understanding of the foundation of what you’re trying to build. So, yeah, I think it does benefit them sometimes. There’s no question about it.”

Q: How has the reception been for you moving back from the NFL to the college level?

CHANEY: “I can’t tell the difference, to be real honest with you. I get asked that question a lot. It is amazing to me the ... at any level of football when you walk out of the locker room, most football players love to play the game. When you love to do something, you are naturally inquisitive, so they’re wanting to find out. They want to be coached. Our football team here wants to be coached, and it’s been a real satisfying thing.

“They want to come out. They want to be coached. They want us to give them something to hang their hat on, and I think we’ve been able to do it. I really, personally, can’t tell much of a difference. They’re football players out there, and that’s good, because before I did the NFL stint, I didn’t know about that.”

Q: Would you like your offensive linemen to lose weight? Other coaches have talked about that topic.

CHANEY: “We want them to be able to run and efficiently block on the second level. To put a number on that, I can’t tell you that.

“He could weigh 400 pounds, and if he can run and get there, that’s good enough. If he can’t and he needs to weigh 290, then so be it. Every individual is really different.”

Q: What are your thoughts on the Sullins brothers and other walk-ons contributing to the team, possibly as first- or second-teamers?

CHANEY: “When I coach a football team, I really am not looking at whether they’re on scholarship or not. I’m sure, without question, those kids come in with a little bit more motivated than others.

“I’d be willing to say Cory and Cody Sullins 20 years from now will be very successful because of just who they are inside. They’re just competitive young men. As far as the kids, whether they have scholarships, I don’t look much into that.”

Q: Ever had a three-year starter at center like Josh McNeil being pushed by a walk-on with little experience?

CHANEY: “I don’t know that I’ve ever had that. I’d have to look back on my history. I know that we’re always going to try to play the best football players and let everybody compete for a spot, and try to develop enough depth where every year, that young man’s trying to compete for a spot.

“At the end of the day, whether Josh ends up being the center or Cody does, we’re going to be better because of the competitiveness of that.”

Q: When one quarterback is playing in a scrimmage with only the second-team offense and another is playing with only the first offense, can you still get an accurate read on who’s playing better?

CHANEY: “You can some things. You can evaluate who’s making good decisions with the football. Regardless of who’s on the defense, it often calls for a decision to be made. Was it right or not? Yes or no? When you made the decision, was the ball thrown accurately? Yes or no? Those are the things you can evaluate without a question. There are things you can quantify, and, yes, you can evaluate them. You don’t have to be against the ones (on defense).”

Q: Does the difference in the speed on the field go into judging that?

CHANEY: A decision’s a pre-snap decision, so that doesn’t change, but there’s no question you take (in-play speed) into consideration. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”

Read Saturday’s Times Free Press for additional UT coverage.