Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
Brian Callahan’s offense boasts one of many NFL’s greatest large receiver trios on paper in DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. The brand new Titans coach additionally will get the possibility to form and mould second-year professional Will Levis, the franchise’s hopeful franchise quarterback.
However Callahan would not need anybody to miss his “actually improbable” operating backs, Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard. He sees their explosiveness, how they transfer throughout the formation, how they make performs within the display and passing recreation.
“Of all of the teams we’ve got,” Callahan stated final month, “I feel these guys are those who’re most enjoyable for me.”
The Titans are banking on the Pollard-Spears tandem as their resolution to changing perennial Professional Bowler Derrick Henry, who signed with the Baltimore Ravens in March after a historic eight-year run in Nashville.
Tennessee by no means dominated out his return forward of free company, however the offense’s shift to a pass-first scheme below Callahan made it unlikely. Pollard and Spears match the brand new imaginative and prescient as dual-threat backs, and the crew hopes their collective expertise — and flexibility — neutralizes the lack of Henry’s dominance.
Pollard, who signed a three-year, $21.75 million cope with Tennessee after 5 years with Dallas, has had at the least 1,000 scrimmage yards — together with 300 receiving yards — in every of the previous three seasons. He is additionally registered 1,000 dashing yards in back-to-back years regardless of turning into a full-time starter for the primary time final season.
A 2023 third-round decide, Spears shined in a complementary function to Henry as a rookie, registering 1,108 all-purpose yards — 453 dashing yards, 385 receiving yards and 270 kick-return yards.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Pollard is an inch taller and 15 kilos heavier than Spears, however on the floor, their video games are very related. Each have shiftiness operating between the tackles. They will additionally catch at a excessive price out of the backfield.
“What’s loopy is that within the pre-draft course of, they in contrast me to him,” Spears stated of Pollard. “After we obtained him, I despatched that to him. … We laughed about it.”
Can Will Levis lead the Titans to the playoffs?
Pollard sees their personalities as “evening and day.” He describes himself as laid again, whereas Spears is the loud, outspoken one.
However Pollard sees the similarities, the potential for a “good 1-2 punch.”
“Simply by no means giving a protection a break,” Pollard stated of manning the backfield with Spears. “You bought one man that may are available there and do a whole lot of various things. Then sub out and put in one other again who can include that very same vitality.”
Spears stated he and Pollard obtained into an argument throughout OTAs final month. It was “nothing loopy,” he acknowledged, however they exchanged phrases. The second-year operating again chalked it as much as their competitiveness.
He needs them to dominate in 2024.
“I wish to see us within the high 5 in dashing, top-five greatest backs this 12 months with the offensive line we’ve got,” Spears stated. “We will attain these heights, however we’ve got to push one another.”
It will not simply be as rushers.
With the Titans’ proficient large receiver trio, Callahan anticipates single protection alternatives for Pollard and Spears to use within the passing recreation.
“Numerous instances, when you could have backs like these two guys, they will be at a matchup benefit towards linebackers more often than not,” Callahan stated Tuesday. “You attempt to discover each which approach you’ll be able to to place them in that area to allow them to go beat what is probably going a lesser athlete. And so they each have the power to do it.
“As we get nearer to recreation planning and fewer putting in of a system,” he continued, “now we’ve got an opportunity to be a bit extra free and artistic with how we deploy them and the formation and use them towards gamers we predict they will go beat.”
Are the Titans being slept on?
[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]
For Levis, the tailbacks’ presence means extra peace of thoughts going by means of his progressions.
“I’ve confidence now each single time we drop again, with no matter operating again goes to be in our backfield, that we can dump it down and make anyone miss and get a primary down,” he stated.
Spears admitted that he misses Henry’s presence within the locker room. What did he be taught from the previous Titans celebrity?
“Every little thing issues,” he stated. “All of the small particulars on the subject of operating outdoors zone or operating any sort of run play, simply persist with the small print. Additionally, do not be so arduous on your self. Give your self time to develop as a result of it is going to take a while.”
The Titans hope it will not take too lengthy for the crew’s new backfield tandem to make its mark.
Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a 12 months and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to shifting to Tennessee. You’ll be able to observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
Get extra from Nationwide Soccer League Comply with your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
