Tennessee football 2017 breakdown: Linebackers face immediate challenge vs Georgia Tech

This is the second in a series evaluating how Tennessee stands at each position for the 2017 football season. Go to govolsxtra.com for the first installment.

When Tennessee coach Butch Jones addresses the increased demands of playing college linebacker, you can better understand how damaging a season-ending injury was to Jalen Reeves-Maybin in 2016.

“There’s so much that goes into that position now,” Jones said. “First of all, it’s a speed game.

“Used to be, the play was kind of restricted to the box from tackle to tackle. … You have to be a complete player in today’s world to play linebacker.”

Reeves-Maybin was just that. He had the instincts, experience and speed to play a challenging position. When a shoulder injury limited him to only four games, UT never came close to filling the void.

Reeves-Maybin is off to the NFL, but the void remains. Darrin Kirkland Jr., who also was injured last season, clearly is the most proven player. UT is counting on less established players such as Cortez McDowell, Colton Jumper, Quart’e Sapp and Austin Smith making greater contributions.

There is younger help on the way, too.

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Daniel Bituli, who was one of the top prospects in Tennessee, played sparingly last fall. However, he got his teammates’ attention during bowl practice in December and followed that up with a good spring.

Experienced or not, UT’s linebackers all could benefit from their offseason workout regimen.

“I think we have a little bit of a lighter linebacking group but a lot more speed, which I think in today’s game is something you need a lot,” Jumper said.

UT’s linebacking corps will be tested right away when it takes on Georgia Tech’s “flexbone” offense in the opener.

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The vet: Tennessee coaches have been raving about Kirkland’s great memory since he started playing as a freshman two years ago. But the junior linebacker probably would like to forget the 2016 season.

When he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the second game, his season was never the same. He ended up starting six games, four fewer than he did as a freshman. And when he played, he didn’t have the same impact as in his previous season.

He was still limited early in training camp. However, his status changed quickly.

“Kirkland has really stepped up to what we were expecting him to be,” defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said.

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The future: While Bituli hasn’t been fully healthy in camp, freshman Will Ignont has capitalized on the opportunity for more reps.

“I’m not sure if it will be in 2017,” Shoop said. “But I think Tennessee football fans have a pretty good player for the future.”

Ignont, a four-star recruit, twice made Class 7A first-team all-state as a hard-hitting linebacker at Buckhorn High School in Huntsville, Ala. But he also has impressed his UT teammates with his knowledge of the game.

“Will’s a lot, I mean, head and shoulders above any other linebacker that has come in here,” Jumper told 247Sports. “I think he just recognizes the game really well.”

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Quote: Tennessee linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen on the challenge his group will face against Georgia Tech: “Your eyes have to be right, your hands have to be right, and your technique and alignment have to be spot on. There’s no margin for error.”

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: Twitter.com/johnadamskns.