UT Vols: Team record shouldn't prevent Trey Smith from being All-SEC

Coaches and media will vote on All-SEC teams next week. And none of the voters are apt to spend much time looking at Tennessee’s depth chart.

UT coach Butch Jones was fired earlier this month. The Vols weren’t bowl eligible. They went 0-8 in the SEC.

That body of work doesn’t bode well for individual honors. That’s unfortunate for Tennessee’s 6-foot-6, 320-pound freshman offensive lineman Trey Smith.

Few freshman seasons are as impressive

Few freshmen in UT history have had a season as impressive as Smith’s. But it might go unnoticed by voters.

The SEC doesn’t keep stats on how many opposing defenders an offensive lineman flattens. Offensive linemen are ignored altogether in conference stats.

The absence of stats is only part of the problem in evaluating offensive linemen. They rarely show up on highlight videos, either, unless they’re being flagged for a crucial “false start.”

So how does someone make first-team All-SEC as an offensive lineman?

More than likely, he made the All-SEC preseason team. Or he was listed in the SEC media guide as one of a school’s four “all-star candidates.”

Arkansas center Frank Ragnow was one of the league’s most acclaimed players in preseason. But his senior season ended when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the seventh game.

He still might make All-SEC just on name recognition with the coaches and media who select the all-conference teams. But do you think a quarterback or running back would be selected if he missed five of the 12 games?

Trey Smith has name recognition

Smith has name recognition from being one of the most heralded signees in the 2017 class. Freshmen rarely make preseason all-conference teams, though.

He has something else going against him when it comes to the all-conference teams. Offensive linemen are often judged as a group.

A team that leads the conference in rushing or allows the fewest sacks in the league obviously has a good offensive line. So you can ask a school’s media relations director, “Who’s your best offensive lineman?”

Given UT’s team stats, no one might bother asking about Smith. Tennessee ranks in the bottom 20 nationally in fewest sacks allowed and rushing offense.

Best offensive lineman since he arrived at UT

But don’t judge Smith by those rankings.

He has been UT’s best offensive lineman since he arrived on campus. In his first game, his eye-catching block against Georgia Tech was a hit on social media.

Tennessee is doing its best to promote Smith. In last week’s game notes, it pointed out that Smith leads the Vols with 53 “knockdowns” or “pancake” blocks.

Just starting all 12 games in the SEC should give him an inside track on freshman All-American honors. He was the team’s only offensive lineman not to miss a start. And he opened the season at right guard and moved to left tackle when Tennessee’s line was decimated by injuries.

He has my vote on The Associated Press All-SEC team. He deserves more votes than that. 

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.