Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee came under fire on social media earlier this week after some frustrations boiled over. The Vols have been linked to several high-caliber offensive linemen during this portal cycle but haven’t closed the deal with any of them. Depth is a concern heading into the 2024 season, but Tennessee still has a few premium targets they are recruiting. The frustrations of Tennessee’s fan base are linked back to recruiting and portal addictions, two things that can sometimes be outside the realm of control of assistant coaches. Nonetheless, Elarbee was Tennessee’s top recruiter this cycle, landing a host of talented offensive linemen that should be pieces for the Vols in the future. All rankings are courtesy of 247Sports’ Composite. Tennessee’s 2024 Offensive Line Class Rankings Bennett Warren, OT: No. 148 player William Satterwhite, OG: No. 218 player Max Anderson, OT: No. 295 player Gage Ginther, OL: No. 543 player Jesse Perry, OG: 780 player This doesn’t even factor in three-star signee Jeremias Heard, a 6-9 defensive lineman who ultimately may swing out to offensive tackle for Tennessee. Heard has only been playing football for a little over a year and began garnering interest from top programs nationwide, though he shut his recruitment down early after Tennessee offered him. Elarbee also went into the transfer portal last cycle and landed Miami transfer John Campbell Jr., a plus starter for the Vols who will end up being a two-year starter at left tackle for Tennessee. Elarbee has proven that he can go out and get bodies from the high school ranks and big ones. He also played an integral on-field role in helping Tennessee’s offensive line finish the season as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding offensive line. The Vols were the No. 1 rushing attack in the SEC despite having a few poor games in pass protection. The bottom line here is that Elarbee should be judged by what he puts on the field, not what people think about the “big names” he does or doesn’t land on the recruiting trail or in the portal. It’s one thing to land elite offensive linemen – it’s another to develop them. Elarbee has done a strong job since arriving on Rocky Top developing players, whether young or old, into SEC pieces for one of the most high-octane offenses in the country.
