Kyler Kerbyson 'ready to play anywhere' on UT Vols' line

photo UT's Kyler Kerbyson, standing, checks on Von Pearson after he was injured in the first half of the game against Arkansas State at Neyland Stadium.

KNOXVILLE - If Kyler Kerbyson knows where on Tennessee's offensive line he'll play this week, he is unwilling to reveal it.

Chances are, though, it'll be a different spot than it was last week.

The Volunteers continue to shuffle the linemen around heading into Saturday night's daunting game at fourth-ranked Oklahoma, and during Tuesday's practice Kerbyson got extensive work at left tackle. The fourth-year junior began training camp at right guard.

"I'm not sure yet," Kerbyson said following practice. "Everybody's getting reps at different places, and it's up to the coaches. I'm ready to play anywhere, really."

Based on the limited viewing during the open period of practice and comments from Tennessee coach Butch Jones and players after practice, it appears likely the Vols will flip Kerbyson to left tackle and plug in true freshman Coleman Thomas at right tackle against the Sooners' big, athletic defensive front.

Former walk-on Jacob Gilliam was Tennessee's starting left tackle for the season opener, and redshirt freshman Brett Kendrick started against Arkansas State last week after Gilliam was lost for the season.

With a regular schedule this week, Tennessee is searching for the combination that puts its best five linemen on the field, and it appears Thomas is among that group.

"He's done a great job," Jones said. "He's a true freshman, and I think that's a thing that gets lost in this is he's playing a position as a true freshman that really is a developmental position. You develop your line over years in the weight room in the mental toughness and the physical toughness aspect of it, and he's still a true freshman.

"He continues to develop, and he's one of those individuals that I said will continue to grow and develop at their own pace. I see that pace starting to accelerate now a little bit, and he's going to continue to get better. We're going to need him now. We're going to rely on him a lot."

Thomas stepped into the first-team right tackle role the day he arrived on campus in January, but he was bumped to the second group midway through training camp after fellow freshman Jashon Robertson emerged at right guard.

"It was everything for him just to have the right mindset of coming to work every day," center Mack Crowder said. "We did do a great job of saying, 'Hey, man, you're one guy away from playing.' I think he did come to work every day, and I don't think he took any days off. I think he is ready to step up and play if needed."

As for Kerbyson, he's bounced around all over the offensive line during his career, and he hardly views playing left tackle, where he spent spring practice last year, as something new.

"There's not much change. Plays are going the opposite way, you know what I mean?" he said.

"I love to be that [utility guy]," he added. "I like that the team can get on my shoulders and I can help them out. I take pride in that, and I've been getting left snaps this week and really taking pride in working on my technique and making sure I'm ready to go for the game in case they need me."

At the Helm

Freshman tight end Ethan Wolf, designated by Jones on Monday as questionable for Saturday's game, did not practice Tuesday. He walked around the practice field with a slight limp while wearing a brace on his right knee and a sleeve on his right leg.

Jones said Tennessee would go "tight end by committee" with Daniel Helm, Brendan Downs and walk-on Alex Ellis if Wolf can't play, but freshman Helm is in line to get what his coach called a "tremendous opportunity."

"I'm not going to prepare any differently," Helm said. "I've prepared to play a lot every week because we were rotating a lot. It's a little more intense this week just with the pressure and nerves, but I need to be able to flush all those down."

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Helm, who essentially played wide receiver in high school, remembers getting "tattooed" by defensive end Curt Maggitt during one spring practice, and that served as a wake-up call that his physical presence and blocking needed serious improvement.

Through two games, Helm believes he's blocked better than even he expected.

Asked why, he was blunt.

"Because I had to," he said. "I had to adjust to it. I had to get better. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to see the field. I don't quite know what it's going to take this week. This is my first game against a high major-conference team. I know they're good, and we respect them. I'm just going to give it my all."

Hurd's highlights

Freshman tailback Jalen Hurd grinded out 83 yards on 23 carries against Arkansas State, and his longest run of the season is 12 yards.

In reviewing his performances, Hurd has seen plays where he was one broken tackle from breaking a long run, and that's the type of play Tennessee will need to pull an upset on Saturday.

"Those are times where I have to make somebody miss," he said.

"I have to earn my scholarship," he added, referencing one of Jones's phrases, "but we're working hard for Oklahoma."

Tennessee tidbits

The Vols missed out on one of their offensive line targets in recruiting Tuesday as Drew Richmond, a 6-5, 320-pound Memphis University School tackle who's rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com, announced a commitment to Ole Miss over Tennessee and Alabama. ... Freshman tailback Derrell Scott did some light jogging around the field as he continues to recover from his foot injury. ... Jones said Tennessee still is figuring out the exact size of its travel roster for this weekend. For SEC road games, the travel roster is 70 players. For this game, Jones said the Vols may take 70 or 72.

Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.

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