By Jimmy Hyams
Tennessee’s massive offensive lineman Trey Smith paraded around campus with a sledgehammer like Paul Bunyan carrying an axe.
It was the week after the Tennessee-Georgia Tech game.
Smith had won the offensive lineman award for best blocker against the Yellow Jackets.
“Man, I got some looks, I’m not going to lie,’’ said Smith.
Smith took it into buildings on campus. He took it to class.
“I wanted to carry it in a non-threatening way,’’ Smith said, “because I started evaluating, I do sort of have a weapon.’’
That begs this question: But how does a 6-foot-6, 315-pound man carry a sledgehammer in a non-threatening way?
Smith was asked why he carried it around campus.
“To start that legend,’’ he said.
Smith consulted with senior Evan Berry about carrying the sledgehammer.
“I asked him, should I carry it to class,’’ Smith said. “And he was like, `You know what, as a freshman, you look back on that when you’re a senior and it’s like, yeah, I did that that.’
“I really want to leave my mark on Tennessee, but have some fun while I’m doing it.’’
Tennessee running back John Kelly, who leads the SEC in rushing after three weeks, was asked if he’s ever walked around campus with a sledgehammer.
“No, but I think I deserve it,’’ Kelly said with a smile.
Tennessee coach Butch Jones said the sledgehammer has been a ritual for offensive linemen for a while, given for a week to those who meet certain criteria.
But Jones added this about Smith: “He needs to go back and earn that sledgehammer.’’
That’s a not-so-subtle hint that while Smith has done some special things as a true freshman, he hasn’t arrived.
“There is a lot of stuff I need to improve on,’’ Smith said. “Obviously, just being an offensive lineman, you’re never going to have perfection.
“A lot of people play in the league (NFL) for like 16 years or so that aren’t perfect. So I think there is always something to work on. But I think I’m doing OK right now.’’
As is typical with most true freshman offensive linemen, Smith feels he’s better at run blocking compared to pass protection.
“Right now I feel like my specialty is run blocking,’’ Smith said. “I enjoy the physicality of it. I guess the way to put it is to get into somebody’s chest and just run them over. That is the fun part about football for me.’’
In pass protection, Smith says at times he gets overaggressive with his hands.
Have the first three games been a greater challenge than Smith anticipated?
“The transition, man, has been hard,’’ Smith said. “Any time you start as a freshman, the challenge of adapting to something that is different is hard.
“But it’s especially hard being an offensive lineman at times with all the different techniques and different assignments I have.’’
Smith said his teammates like the energy he has brought to the offensive line room.
“My high school coaches and mentors always told me to be the most physical guy out there,’’ Smith said, “so a lot of time, I want to bring good physicality … We just sort of want to destroy people.’’
And carry sledgehammers around campus.
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