Strange are the twists and turns of college football. Josh Dobbs’ coach at Tennessee is now Jalen Milroe’s coach at Alabama.
Be sure Nick Sheridan will know his way around Neyland Stadium when the 5-1 Volunteers and 5-1 Crimson Tide go toe-to-toe and blow-to-blow on Saturday. Sheridan, once a relatively obscure graduate assistant on Butch Jones’ UT staff, was Dobbs’ day-to-day instructor for his spectacular 2014-2016 career.
Officially, Mike DeBord was then the Tennessee quarterback coach. In fact, he was almost always busy being offensive coordinator. Sheridan had played for DeBord at Michigan. Sheridan at 24 was DeBord’s right-hand man.
Nick Sheridan (Photos: University of Alabama athletics)
It was Sheridan who jumped highest at Georgia when Dobbs launched the most famous Hail Mary in Tennessee history, to Jauan Jennings to stun the Bulldogs. Jauan jumped pretty high, too, amid a sea of red as time expired.
You can imagine how proud Nick was of his small role when Joshua graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average in aerospace engineering and as designated ambassador for NASA’s research center and a Tennessee torchbearer.
Sheridan is now offensive coordinator for Alabama. Head coach Kalen DeBoer says Nick has a brilliant mind.
“He has a big-picture view and understands the things you’ve got to have for a successful offense – the tools, concepts, formations, wrinkles. He can see defenses and make quick decisions. (DeBoer snapped his fingers to illustrate quickness).
“He’s a bright, bright coach. I’ve told him over and over again, he’s got a bright future, not just as an offensive coordinator, but as a head coach someday.”
Sheridan was always going to be a coach. His father coached in high school, college and the NFL.
Nick found out early that he might not be a superstar athlete.
“I couldn’t start on my middle school team, so I knew I was probably going to get into coaching.”
Milroe, a prospect in the Heisman Trophy race, says Nick Sheridan has restored for him joy in football.
“He believes in me and he loves me. I think there is nothing greater than that. Beyond any Xs and Os and going over schemes, it is the belief that a coach has in a player. You are going to want to play for a coach and do your best if you have a coach that is behind you and wants the best for you. That is something I have seen from him. It has been fun.”
That’s one way of saying Nick Saban’s offensive coordinators were not perfect fits for the QB.
Milroe thought Bill O’Brien didn’t believe in him and that Tommy Rees did not know how to consistently use him. Based only on the won-lost record, I thought they did rather well.
In fact, wins and losses will determine Sheridan’s future. For this Saturday, he has the small advantage of knowing what the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry means.
“I think the passion, the intensity of the game, that’s what stands out the most,” said the coach. “The environment is as good as it gets in college football. That’s what stands out.”
Kickoff will be a few minutes after 3:30 on ABC.
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It isn’t easy being an old Vol. On October 25, the group will gather in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, to remember good times past with teammate Terry Bird. The offensive tackle died not long ago in Melbourne, Florida, at age 80. The celebration of his life will be in his old hometown.
“I remember Terry was a sharp dresser,” said old Vol Charles Rosenfelder. “He had that college-style look. He was not a big offensive lineman (5-10, 194) but he did a good job.
“Terry always had a smile and a great attitude.”
Bird had courage, too. He was an Army lieutenant in charge of an infantry platoon in Vietnam. He earned several medals, including the Purple Heart.
Bird majored in transportation as a UT student and actually used his education with Southern Pacific railroad in California and Texas.
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Dylan Sampson’s three touchdowns against Florida triggered questions about Tennessee records. The Vol running back had four TDs against Kent State.
That put him in the company of six other runners – Bob Lund, 1945, against Vanderbilt; Herky Payne, 1951, against Washington and Lee; Hubert Simpson, 1979, against Notre Dame; Tony Thompson, 1990, against Vanderbilt; James Stewart, 1994, against Georgia; and John Kelly, 2017, against Georgia Tech.
The Tennessee touchdown rushing record was set at five by Gene McEver versus South Carolina in 1929.
Answer to next question: I missed that game.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com