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Tennessee signee Drew Richmond expects to start immediately, eyes SEC title
Butch Jones and company pulled out all the stops for Drew Richmond's final official visit to Tennessee last January and flipped arguably the state's top prospect away from his Ole Miss commitment just prior to signing day.
As the huge offensive lineman, six-foot-five and 305-pounds, is set to arrive in Knoxville this week and officially join the team, Richmond has no plans of starting his career on the bench. Richmond recently spoke about his expectations for his first season on Rocky Top to 247 Sports.
“My expectation is for me to start,” said Richmond. “I feel like I can get in there and develop pretty good. I feel like I’m pretty good, and once I get the coaching that the college level offers, I think I can be ready Day One. I expect to start. I just feel like I’ve got the talent to do it, and the situation is good, and I’m going to try to take advantage of it.”
The Volunteers most glaring weakness last season was their offensive line. Starting quarterback Justin Worley took a weekly beating that eventually prematurely ended his season after a midseason shoulder injury.
“I just feel like with my talent and the way I work, I feel like I can start at one of (the tackle spots). We’ll have to see (which one),” Richmond continued. “I don’t want to say anything that will offend the older guys or anything. But I’m just going to go in there and work, and I expect to start.”
The offensive line play improved following the insertion of Joshua Dobbs into the lineup at quarterback last season. If Richmond can come in and earn either starting tackle job, he would potentially be the only new starter on the line, 2014's biggest weakness could turn into a team strength in 2015.
Richmond was willing to take it one step further: “I expect us to win the SEC championship,” he said. “We might not be that good, but our swag is different than any other SEC school. It’s not together yet, but I think it can come together in a couple years.”
(h/t 247 Sports)
