Vols Really Are The Big Orange

The first thing I noticed at media day Saturday was how much larger some of the Vols were.

Forget the sizes listed on the roster. The Big Orange is now truthfully the Big Orange.
Tennessee has a dozen players listed at 300 pounds or larger. But, I’ll assure you that there are more than that above the 300-pound mark.

Not only is the Tennessee football team larger physically, but the Vols are obviously stronger too.

Back-up quarterback B.J. Coleman said he has gained 22 pounds since he reported to the Vols in 2007 and is much stronger.

Super sophomore Eric Berry (now around 210 pounds) has gained 15 pounds and today looks more like a linebacker than a safety.

He’s not alone. Tackle Demonte Bolden (6-5, 295) is massive in size compared to 2007.

Offensive lineman Jacques McClendon (6-3, 320) broke all school records when he bench pressed 645 pounds. That’s sick. He’ was a big guy before the weight training ritual turned him into a beast.

My first thoughts when I saw Jacques was how this broad shouldered lineman gets through a door without turning sideways.

Vladimir Richard (6-4, 300) and Anthony Parker (6-3, 300) are other offensive lineman who look gargantuan now.
Richard joined McClendon by benching more than 600 pounds in the offseason too.

But the player who caught my eye who had made the largest jump in size was not one of the hogs up front.

When freshman Rod Wilks was a 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver catching passes from Sonny Gray at Smyrna High the past two seasons he was a sleek speedster who always managed to be one step quicker than his defenders.

He’s now 6-1, 220 pounds and has been moved to safety where he will join his brother Marsalous Johnson (CB) in the secondary.

Coach Phil Fulmer said Wednesday that Wilks would likely get on the field sooner in the secondary where the Vols need depth at safety.

If bigger equates to better look for the Vols to be much improved in 2008.