Coach's Corner: Niedermeyer Starting from Ground Up at Inside Linebackers Coach

Brian Niedermeyer moved positions to one he is familiar with. We take a look at his background with the position, challenges he faces, and more.

Jake Nichols

The Facts:

Firstly, let it be known that, although he’s only been a tight ends coach in Knoxville, Brian Niedermeyer has coached linebackers before his time at Tennessee. As a graduate assistant at Georgia, he helped develop Chicago Bears standout Roquan Smith and NFL free agent Leonard Floyd before working under then-Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt in Tuscaloosa.

There, Niedermeyer helped develop players such as Reuben Foster, who was named First Team All-SEC in 2016. Foster also earned the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s top linebacker, while Niedermeyer was at Alabama.

Besides his role with tight ends, Niedermeyer has also served as Tennessee’s recruiting coordinator since coming to Knoxville. As a native of Alaska, he stretched across the nation to lure names such as Dominick Wood-Anderson, Darnell Wright, Henry To’oto’o and Quavaris Crouch to Rocky Top. Those trips paid off, earning National Recruiter of the Year honors for Niedermeyer in 2019.

Niedermeyer’s Strengths

When it comes to pros, Niedermeyer has plenty. He’s a fan favorite, having earned the nickname “Moose” from “Vol Twitter” and his Alaskan heritage. That love from fans has even continued through the Coronavirus pandemic, as Niedermeyer tweeted a photo of himself wearing a fan-made shirt honoring Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

His recruiting talent speaks for itself, and the relationships built with players such as To’oto’o and Crouch, as well as new additions Martavius French and Bryson Eason, will be invaluable going forward.

But we haven’t seen enough from Niedermeyer as an inside linebackers coach to truly judge his prowess yet.

The relationships, which are indeed key, are there. But his graduate assistant and development roles at other schools, no matter the players that come out of such schools (like Foster), are not enough to determine the success he’ll have at this position at Tennessee.

Furthermore, Niedermeyer did well as the Vols’ tight-ends coach. Jim Chaney’s affinity for tight ends who can block and run well will no doubt play into how Niedermeyer coaches on the opposite side, especially for how to shed the blocks and run with the position he used to coach.

But Tennessee’s gaps at inside linebacker, whether in experience or amount, will prove the true test of Niedermeyer’s expertise at the position. Those gaps are where the questions begin.

Biggest Questions for Niedermeyer in 2020

As previously stated, Niedermeyer is a fan favorite. The players love him. His fellow coaches love him. Big Orange faithful adore him.

But is that adoration enough to combat some serious questions left for a key defensive position for Tennessee? Daniel Bituli served as an anchor for the Vols’ defense, and team as a whole, before graduation.

That leaves To’oto’o, who fit nicely alongside Bituli as a freshman last season. And, as stated, To’oto’o has a great relationship with Niedermeyer from recruiting.

The same goes for Quavaris Crouch, who could move from an outside linebacker spot to fill Bituli’s hole, as well as former Whitehaven standouts Martavius French and Bryson Eason.

But Niedermeyer’s biggest enemy is time, at least right now. With the current state of sports in general due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the same can be said for every coach in the country. But with Solon Page filling in opposite To’oto’o for Tennessee’s first (and only) few days of spring practice and a giant question mark on when the Vols can even reunite, Niedermeyer could be facing some trouble.

Not only does he have to help Page mesh with To’oto’o as a starter (assuming Page even takes the field first), but Niedermeyer also has to work in developing Aaron Beasley, who moved over from defensive back, as well as J.J. Peterson, who has yet to fill his potential in Knoxville, all while mentoring Eason and French as the freshmen of the group.

Summary

All in all, the inside linebacker spot is a legendary one for Tennessee.

It is also a major key in Jeremy Pruitt’s defense, as we’ve seen from players like Bituli.

With names such as Al Wilson, Kevin Burnett and Leonard Little in UT linebacker lore, it’s no mystery that anyone to play that position in orange ultimately has one mission, and one mission alone: to inject fear into every opponent.

Now, it’s up to Niedermeyer to get another group of Vols to that level.

But will his experience as a recruiter and tight end be enough, especially with a position so known for its tenacity?

Only time will tell.