Tennessee Vols' new strength program yields weak returns

Knoxville

A prominent offseason theme for Tennessee football was its strength-and-conditioning program. The conclusion: The Vols would be stronger, faster and not as apt to wilt in the fourth quarter.

Amid a three-game losing streak and a 3-4 record, maybe it’s time to revise that conclusion.

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New strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson arrived with NFL credentials in January.

He had been the strength and conditioning coach for the Rams from 2009 through 2016. Before that, he had served in the same role with both the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

How could he not help the Vols, who were beset with injuries and faded down the stretch on defense in 2016?

That apparently would change with Gullickson strengthening and toughening up the Vols.

A few offseason headlines:

“Tennessee strength coach Rock Gullickson has earned Tennessee players’ respect.”

“New strength and conditioning coach receiving praise from Vols.”

Coach Butch Jones cited numerous players for having made “monumental gains” under Gullickson.

“You’re going to see a much stronger, much bigger and a much more explosive football team,” he said.

Stronger? Bigger? More explosive?

In fact, you haven’t seen any of that. And you have seen another rash of injuries. Offensive tackle Chance Hall was lost for the season with a knee injury. Linebackers Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Cortez McDowell also are out for the season. So are safety Todd Kelly and wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

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Moreover, the team’s stamina has been an issue on both sides of the ball.

The Vols have been held scoreless for the past three fourth quarters. Their defense also has waned late in the game.

No doubt the lack of help from the offense has negatively impacted the defense. But Tennessee's inability to slow down South Carolina in the last quarter and a half was an indictment of its strength and conditioning.

South Carolina isn’t close to being an offensive juggernaut. It has been without its best player, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, since early in the season. Three of its starting offensive linemen sat out the UT game with injuries. Then it lost its best running back, Rico Dowdle, to injury midway through the first quarter against the Vols.

But none of that seemed to matter when the Gamecocks cranked out a 95-yard touchdown drive near the end of the third quarter and followed that up with a 16-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a field goal in the fourth quarter.

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Never mind how banged up South Carolina's offensive line was. Or that it hitched its running game to 184-pound A.J. Turner. In the last 23 minutes, it gained 198 yards.

Even against winless UMass, UTs defense sagged midway through the third quarter. The Minutemen drove 75 yards in 10 plays for their only touchdown in a 17-13 loss to the Vols.

Alabama outgained UT 160-20 in the fourth quarter of its 45-7 victory on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. That just continued a theme.

In the fourth quarter of Tennessee's past three SEC games, only the opponents have made monumental gains.

Reach John Adams at john.adams@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6284 and on Twitter @johnadamskns.