The University of Tennessee is ramping up its efforts in 7s this winter/spring, and have enlisted the help of alumnus Sammy Anderson to run the 7s team.

Anderson played 15s and 7s for Tennessee - playing for the Vols in the first CRC in 2010 - and later was a standout for Life University and NYAC. He spent time in South Africa and played at Stellenbosch University, before coming back to the USA.

Anderson has been working as a skills coach for UT, and has been named the Head Coach of the 7s team. He has a squad of 17 in the High Performance 7s program. 

“We have a core group of players concentrating on 7s and we’ve been working very hard on basic skills and techniques,” Anderson told Goff Rugby Report. “When I was at Stellenbosch they really stressed those and I learned a lot. They changed our passing and kicking techniques for 7s and really focused on those skills.”

The body position, physics, and footwork of the pass - all of it is fair game for Anderson.

“Even Peyton Manning has a passing coach,” he said.

Tennessee will play in a series of tournaments beginning in March, with an eye toward winning the SCRC 7s, and thus garnering automatic qualification to the 2015 CRC.

The UT High Performance Sevens Squad will play and train, pushing for a spot in the championship squad.

All, said Anderson, have been working very hard.

 

The University of Tennessee High Performance 7s roster is:

Nick Duklewski

Lee Bogitsh

Andrew Sayers

Will Holland

Josh Landon

Dylan Craven

Ryan Roper

Sam Hawkins

David Ilchert

Duncan Bintrim

Colin Thul 

Logan McNeil

Jared Bowlus

Wyatt Visca

Forrest Stone

Steven Harris

Zoe McCullough