Tennessee offensive lineman Marcus Jackson
Tennessee quarterback Justin Worley (14) is Tennesse's starting quarterback.KNOXVILLE -- Marcus Jackson remembers how difficult it was to be a freshman starting offensive lineman in the SEC.
He also remembers having it a little bit easier than a couple of his teammates Tennessee are now.
The Volunteers' starting left guard was a five-game starter at that spot as a freshman in 2011, and first-year players Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas are comprising the right side of Tennessee's offensive line this season.
"Coleman and Jashon probably had it a little rougher than I did since they started from day one," Jackson said after Tuesday's practice. "I started probably about week seven, so I took all my lumps in practice, and I was pretty good when I came in. It's just a little process. They're taking their lumps on Saturdays instead of in practice.
"We definitely talk to them and make sure they keep their head up and know that every time something bad happens, they know how to correct it and keep on pushing."
Tennessee's struggling offensive line figures to take a few more lumps Saturday night against the stingy defense of third-ranked Ole Miss in Oxford.
The Rebels are allowing an SEC-low 11.8 points per game, which also ranks second nationally, and though Ole Miss has just 11 sacks this season, it leads the conference with 12 interceptions. Ole Miss's defense has scored nearly as many touchdowns (four) as it has allowed (six) in helping propel the program to its first 6-0 start since 1962.
Alabama is the only team that has scored a first-half touchdown against the Rebels, who shut out Texas A&M in the opening half in a 35-20 road win last week.
"Obviously we have our work cut out for us," Tennessee quarterback Justin Worley said. "They're extremely physical. They like to talk a little bit. Their size and athleticism remind me of Oklahoma, out of our opponents we've faced so far. Big up front, athletic out wide and at the safety position, and they fly around.
"It's going to be a test for us this week, and we've got to go out there and execute and we can't make all these stupid mistakes we've made in the past."
Of course, it wasn't long ago that the Vols were scoring 32 points and rolling up more than 400 yards against a Georgia defense that shut out Missouri last week.
Yet after a dreadful performance against Florida and benefiting from some short fields while playing shorthanded in putting up 45 points against UT-Chattanooga, Tennessee is 109th nationally in total offense (347.5 yards per game) and 118th out of 128 FBS teams in yards per play (4.57).
The struggles of the new-look line have hamstrung Tennessee's offense, and second-year Vols coach Butch Jones made an impromptu defense of the unit in his post-practice media session Tuesday.
Asked about the confidence level of his offense, Jones made the line the tune of his answer.
"The more you guys write about it, doesn't help," he said. "I'm just being quite frank with you. We're starting two true freshmen. It's a brand new starting group but one individual. We knew there would be growing pains, and what you have to do is just focus and continue to get better and better and better.
"When you're a competitor, that's all you want is an opportunity to compete and get better. They have a tremendous work ethic. They take great pride in their performance, and they're learning as we go. This isn't anything that we didn't expect. I don't think it's really anything they haven't [expected].
"It's a long grind. You're playing the best competition in the country week in and week out. I said there'd be growing pains, but we all believe in them and they continue to get better."
Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones looks on from the sideline at Neyland Stadium.Though too many third-and-long situations and mistakes by other players have aided Tennessee's high sack total, much of the heat externally has been on the offensive line.
Last week, offensive line coach Don Mahoney praised Jackson for assuming more of a leadership role with the group, and though he redshirted last season so he'd have two years to play and help Tennessee's number, the junior does have the most experience in the group.
"It's a conscious effort, but it's an ever-growing process," Jackson said. "You've got to learn. There's a lot of ways of leading. You learn you've got to lead guys every day.
"It's not in my comfort zone, but you've got to make sure you bring it every day. You've got to make sure that you set the example and you bring guys along."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.