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Aug. 6, 2015
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Team 119 continued to grind on Thursday as Butch Jones put the Vols through their third practice of training camp. The team started outside on Haslam Field with one-on-one drills and the vaunted Circle of Life before rainy weather forced the team inside.
The Vols coordinators met with the media following the session and spoke about the importance of having so many players back in action who missed spring football.
“Obviously, when we got all of those guys back, it allowed us to go with a two and three-deep,” defensive coordinator John Jancek said after Thursday’s practice. “We really didn’t do anything different. We knew they were coming back. We didn’t want to wear them out. That was the big thing. We’ve rolled some guys in, and we’re just in the first day of shells, so we’ll see when we get all our pads what it looks like.”
With addition of shells came the addition of the Circle of Life which saw some heavyweight battles including defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttledominating their offensive counterparts.
There were winners and losers – some reps were competitive while others were just for fun – but all in all, the goal for the team still remained to give your all and become one percent better by the end of practice.
“We talk about being one percent better every day,” offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said.
So Far, So Good for Young QB, RB Units
First year offensive coordinator Mike DeBord spoke at length on Thursday evening about the progression at the quarterback and running back position–two units that share similar characteristics at the start of camp. While both positions are headed by returning playmakers that have had success at the collegiate level, what lies beneath are a handful of question marks in the form of talented, but not-yet-proven newcomers.
Nonetheless, DeBord has been pleased by the growth he’s already begun to see at both stations and he attributes strong leadership as the source of that early progress.
“Just think of this,” DeBord said regarding freshmen tailbacks David Ralph Abernathy IV, John Kelly, and Joe Young, “You’re going into a class and it’s all a new language. It’s a different type of language. That’s what these kids are going through as freshmen. [But] they’re doing a really good job. They’re focused. They’re really working hard.
“And I tell you what, I think we’ve got really good leadership at that position with those two older guys [Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara].”
Similarly, DeBord has seen good things out of freshman signal-callers Quinten Dormady and Sheriron Jones as the duo falls in behind starter Joshua Dobbs.
“Josh knows the offense. He’s played in this conference, he’s had success in this conference,” DeBord said. “Also, Quinten Dormady has done an outstanding job coming in here and, having just the spring only, and really performing at a high level. And we’ve got Sheriron Jones, who’s also a true freshman, and he’s doing a good job of coming in and learning things.”
Still, with the fall camp now just three days old, there’s still a ways to go to reach the level of performance needed for the Vols to reach their goals in 2015.
“I like where we are, but we’ve got to continue to get better at [the quarterback position]. We talk about getting one percent better every day and that’s what we’re asking of the quarterbacks.”
DeBord Expects Competitive Camp at OL
At his pre-camp press conference, Vols coach Butch Jones noted that this year’s offensive line was two-deep of all scholarship players for the first time during his tenure on Rocky Top. Naturally, the bevy of talent opens up what could be one of the most highly competitive positional battles of fall camp.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that competition always makes an individual better and a unit better,” offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said Thursday. “So we’ve got great competition there right now … once we get into pads that will really start to show. I like the competition, I like our guys.”
Tennessee lists 17 offensive linemen on its current roster, including seven combined true or redshirt freshmen. Seniors Mack Crowder and Kyler Kerbyson, as well as veterans Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas, bring back plenty of experience, but heralded newcomers Drew Richmond, Jack Jones, and Chance Hall are also looking to break into the mix.
“The biggest thing is that we’re just going to have to find who the five best guys are as we go through this training camp,” DeBord said. “And we’re going to have to find them fairly fast.”
Battle for Starting Middle Linebacker
While the Vols enter the 2015 season with a set starter at quarterback in junior Joshua Dobbs, there is still a job opening for starting “Mike” linebacker, a.k.a. the “quarterback of the defense.” Defensive coordinator John Jancek says that he is looking for an inspiring field commander.
“He’s clear, he’s confident, he’s loud,” Jancek said when describing the ideal traits of a middle linebacker. “Those are the things that separate a lot of middle linebackers. It’s not always just ability.”
Tennessee has a completely open competition at middle linebacker. Jancek would like to settle on a definite starter before the season opener against Bowling Green on Sept. 5 in Nashville. Among the players battling to start are junior Kenny Bynum, who started the TaxSlayer Bowl, sophomore Jakob Johnson, redshirt freshmen Dillon Bates and Gavin Bryant as well as talented true freshman Darrin Kirkland Jr.
“I’d like to go in with a clear-cut guy so there’s confidence within the defense and there’s been a cohesiveness,” he said. “You’re not bouncing guys in and out. You’re going to rotate players, but I want it to be solid.”
Jancek Impressed with Newcomers
Preseason camp equates the coaches’ first extended look and development of highly-touted freshmen and newcomers. Jancek had praise for the fresh talent, but admitted that there is still much work to be done in fine-tuning that talent.
Highly-rated freshman defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie has great size and strength but is still improving his game as this is his first preseason camp as a college athelete.
“We’ve only been one day with uppers on, so there’s still a lot to be determined,” Jancek said. “Kahlil is a great kid and I do like him at this point. Again, he’s a true freshman, so he still has got a lot to learn.”
Jancek said that at 6-2, sophomore cornerback Justin Martin has the size and talent he is looking for in a corner and he encourages the transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M to apply what secondary coach Willie Martinez is teaching.
“If it doesn’t happen right away, just keep grinding, keep sawing wood,” he said. “And he’s out there battling. He’s has some good reps against Pig Howard – and Pig can run, so that’s been good for him.”
Armani Exchange
Vol hoops senior forward Armani Moore was embracing the “One Tennessee” mindset on Thursday, taking in Day 3 of practice from the sidelines. Coach Jones challenged the 6-4 former high school wide receiver to prove he still has some gridiron grit.
“We have tryouts if you want to come out,” Jones said. “We can see how tough you are.”
Moore chatted with Joshua Dobbs at the beginning of practice and took particular interest in the “Circle of Life” drill as the Vols circled up for one-on-one battles.
Sound Bites
- Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord
(On Jauan Jenningsadapting)
“Well I thought that he would adapt and he’s done a great job. He really has. Of course, when you’re the quarterback you have to know what the receivers are doing, but yet you don’t know all their techniques and things like that. Zach Azzanni has done an excellent job of bringing him along. He’s excited.”
(On pushing tempo and installation)
“We’ve been pushing both. Our style of play is `us’. So we’ve really been pushing that. I thought the first day that we weren’t as fast as we needed to be. I thought yesterday we pushed it a lot faster. We came inside today from the rain and the tempo wasn’t there.”
(On knowing the quarterbacks)
“Joshua Dobbs knows the offense. He’s played in this conference. He’s had success in the conference, and that’s a great feeling. Also, Quinten Dormandy has done outstanding job of coming in just having the spring only and performing at a high level. Also there is Sheriron Jones who is a true freshman, and he’s doing a good job of coming in to learn things. I like where we are. We just have to get better at that position.
“We talk about being one percent better everyday. And that’s really what we are asking about the quarterbacks. Is for them to continue to get better every day by 1% in everything. Their drops, their progressions, all of that.”
- Defensive Coordinator John Jancek
(On how Derek Barnett is different from last season)
“Derek (Barnett) is just so brutally honest. He just said `I understand so much more this year than I did last year.’ Whether it’s the defensive call or the offensive formation or even some of the fundamental techniques that he’s been taught. So he’s definitely further along. I see that he’s not satisfied, I don’t see that he’s taking anything for granted. He’s working extremely hard, and I’m hoping that he has a big year for us.”
(On early impression of Justin Martin)
“Justin’s got the talent. He has great size and length. He’s really from a physical standpoint, everything you’re looking for in a corner. He’s worked very hard. That position is so technique oriented, and you can give up big plays if you’re not technically sound. My message to Justin is, `learn what Coach Martinez is teaching you and apply it. And if it doesn’t happen right away, just keep grinding, keep sawing wood.’ And he’s out there battling, he’s has some good reps against Pig Howard, and Pig can run, so that’s been good for him.”
(On the many options in the upgraded secondary)
“We’ve upgraded our speed, obviously. It’s more in line with where it needs to be. Are we where we need to be? No, but when you’re building a program, when you’re building an offense or a defense, it doesn’t happen overnight, and to really have longevity, you have to be careful on how you do it. You have to bring good character kids in, they’ve got to have the ability, and you’ve got to build it one day at a time. That’s what we’ve done, and we’ve stuck to the plan, and you can see the progress, you can see the gains that we’ve made, we just need to continue to get better each and every single day. And I will say there’s a lot of room for improvement for us on the defensive side of the ball, so it’s exciting, but yet we still have to stay diligent with everything that we’re doing.”
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