Diverse Backgrounds, Unified Goal
Gearing up for his 40th start this weekend against Kent State, right guard Javontez Spraggins, another key piece of this experienced line, speaks to the diversity within the group and how it has strengthened them.
“We have a bunch of different guys from a bunch of different places, coming together to complete one goal and one purpose,” the fifth-year senior said. “It’s pretty diverse, but when you bring us all together, that camaraderie unites us for one purpose.”
That purpose is clear: winning football games. Tennessee’s offensive line has been a semifinalist in back-to-back years for the Joe Moore Award – which recognizes the best offensive line unit in college football – speaking volumes about the hard work that the Vols’ offensive line and coaching staff has put in. The group has protected and paved the way for one of the top rushing attacks in college football under head coach Josh Heupel.
With four of last year’s starters returning, including Mays, Spraggins, and tackle John Campbell Jr., the group’s chemistry is unmatched. Campbell, now in his seventh collegiate year and second at Tennessee, could have moved on but chose to return, driven by the relationships he’s built in Knoxville.
“I just wanted to stay with the guys, that O-Line room,” Campbell said. “Those are my boys … I love the room; it’s just great people in there. If you see somebody down, they’re going to pick them up. It’s just a brotherhood as an O-Line room. We’re all servants, that’s what we’re held for. I just love to be with those guys.”
Campbell’s decision underscores the depth of the connection these linemen share. More than just teammates, they are brothers in arms, pushing each other through adversity and celebrating each other’s victories.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Tennessee Athletics…