Vols Fall Practice #3

[Fingers]

After not being spotted yesterday, Squirrel White was seen today. Didn't see him during warmup but he appeared later.

TEs were doing work on the sleds. Okoye is a beast for his age. It'll take a bit for him to be ready for an SEC football game but he's got the tools.

No notable players missing.

r.sylvia

The only injury/absence was freshman Ethan Davis. He was there fully dressed out to start practice but ended up running into the bowls of the Anderson Training Center and did not return for the remaining periods open to the media. I didn’t see what happened and he was running off the field looking fine so I doubt it’s an injury— at least one of significant nature— but he was not going through routes on air with his teammates.

The first four throws through for Milton included an inaccurate pass to Jacob Warren and Ramel Keyton running his route too deep and catching the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Milton and the Vols’ starters bounced back the second time through with four completions though Keyton received instruction after a slightly sloppy route. Keyton, Dont’e Thornton, Warren and Bru McCoy represented the first group. Kaleb Webb, White, McCallen Castles and Chas Nimrod represented the second group.

While freshman Khalifa Keith is massive, he doesn’t have the quick feet and elusiveness of the rest of Tennessee’s running backs— at least at this point.

We noted yesterday how Tyre West and Daevin Hobbs are both working with strong side defensive ends right now and you can add freshman Tyree Weathersby to that list.

It leaves the defensive tackle spot relatively thin right now. Kurrott Garland, Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Bryson Eason and Omarr-Norman Lott are at least somewhat reliable guys in that spot. But after them, Tennessee is relying on the likes of Nathan Robinson, Trevor Duncan and Isaac Green.

r.schumpert

Gerald Mincey continues to work on the left side behind John Campbell while Jeremiah Crawford and Dayne Davis are on the right side.

The quarterbacks and wide receivers were doing routes on air from the 10-yard line going into the end zone. We thought the first group looked pretty good, crisp and efficient with Joe Milton working his way down the line (left-to-right) connecting with Bru McCoy on a hitch, Jacob Warren on a drag, Dont’e Thornton on an in and Ramel Keyton on a fade. When the second group got up, Nico Iamaleava missed on two of his throws – one going behind Ethan Davis in the back of the end zone. He still looked good connecting on other throws throughout the period.

Cam Seldon looked good catching the ball out of the backfield and that’s no surprise given his background. Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small also made it look routine.

The LEO position was split up with older and younger guys. Mike Ekeler took Roman Harrison, Joshua Josephs and James Pearce while Chop handled Caleb Herring, Chandavian Bradley and Trevor Duncan. Bradley was one young guy that was getting some special attention by Chop. A lot of technique displays and then explosions off the line of scrimmage.

At linebacker, the group was split in two. Aaron Beasley and Keenan Pili led the way with run-reads and then blitzing from the second level while the other side was hitting the one-man sled, focusing on extension with a violent rip through and up the field. Elijah Herring has come along way in this drill since last year and even the spring. It’s basic but goes to show you what a year in the program can do.

I know we have said this countless times this week, but Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander just don’t look like freshmen. Those two guys will absolutely play on every single special teams unit they can and will push for snaps in the middle of the defense.

e.cain

Once the offensive line broke into position work, who worked where remained unchanged. John Campbell Jr. continues to work at left tackle ahead of Gerald Mincey with Brian Grant and Shamurad Umarov repping behind them. This is just the order through individual periods, but Campbell looks considerably more comfortable compared to the spring when he was still learning Tennessee’s offense and how the Vols do things – it looks like he is determined to make the starting left tackle job his.

With Campbell and Mincey on the left side, Jeremiah Crawford continues to lead the line at right tackle followed by Dayne Davis and Larry Johnson III.

At center, Addison Nichols continues to go third through the line behind Cooper Mays and Parker Ball. Left guard is the most crowded position from a scholarship-player standpoint as there are five of them there: Ollie Lane, Andrej Karic, Mo Clipper Jr., Vysen Lang and Ayden Bussell. Spraggins is first up at right guard, of course, and is followed by Jackson Lampley and Masai Reddick.

Saw a few moments of routes-on-air at the goal as Tennessee worked on its red-zone passing game. The accuracy from the quarterbacks appeared to be pretty good overall as the wideouts and tight ends ran a variety of routes – this session was off-limits for photo and video as the Vols try to keep their plans under wraps. I thought Kaleb Webb and Nathan Leacock each had good routes and grabs on one rep and Dont’e Thornton Jr. gets out of his breaks really smoothly for a guy with his long, lanky frame.

Elijah Herring and Jeremiah Telander worked at the front of the group otherwise consisting of walk-ons as the linebackers got acquainted with the one-man sled. Telander is a candidate to become Tennessee’s next ace freshman on special teams.

p.brown

 

[Shades]

You da man, Fingers!

 

[TheVolsFrog]

2nd again

 

[Rockytopvol86]

Thank you!! As always @Fingers.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

 

[MemphisVol77]

It leaves the defensive tackle spot relatively thin right now. Kurrott Garland, Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Bryson Eason and Omarr-Norman Lott are at least somewhat reliable guys in that spot. But after them, Tennessee is relying on the likes of Nathan Robinson, Trevor Duncan and Isaac Green

I'd love to see Elijah Simmons have a great year.

I always pull for the somewhat unheralded players, recruited by previous staffs, to break out. Hasn't it pretty much been conditioning thats kept Elijah Simmons from getting more snaps the past few seasons?

 

[barrylee]

Anyone else a little surprised Nichols isn’t more in the hunt for playing time?

 

[ENGRVOL]

Our freshman linebackers Carter, Smith, and Telander are going to be special.

 

[JCVol00]

I love the differential in reports from E. Cain and schumpert. One mentioned the crispness of the qbs and the other mentioned some inaccuracies. One also mentioned Ethan Davis wasn’t out there and the other said he was going through drills

 

[volmandu]

Anyone else a little surprised Nichols isn’t more in the hunt for playing time?

Yes, especially how close he was to competing for playing time last year and people kept saying he looks ready as Freshman. Hopefully its just an early sophomore slump thing and he gets out of it.

 

[mitzustu]

“It leaves the defensive tackle spot relatively thin right now. Kurrott Garland, Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Bryson Eason and Omarr-Norman Lott are at least somewhat reliable guys in that spot. But after them, Tennessee is relying on the likes of Nathan Robinson, Trevor Duncan and Isaac Green”

No whammy’s no whammy’s no whammy’s.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

"It leaves the defensive tackle spot relatively thin right now. Kurrott Garland, Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Bryson Eason and Omarr-Norman Lott are at least somewhat reliable guys in that spot. But after them, Tennessee is relying on the likes of Nathan Robinson, Trevor Duncan and Isaac Green."

Dang it Dajon Terry!

Surprised Jayson Jenkins wasn't mentioned in that group. I guess he is working SDE too?

No doubt some of these SDE guys will work inside some, especially on third and longs.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Anyone else a little surprised Nichols isn’t more in the hunt for playing time?

Lots of really old guys ahead of him.

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

I love the differential in reports from E. Cain and schumpert. One mentioned the crispness of the qbs and the other mentioned some inaccuracies. One also mentioned Ethan Davis wasn’t out there and the other said he was going through drills

Very confusing.

 

[Vol737]

"It leaves the defensive tackle spot relatively thin right now. Kurrott Garland, Omari Thomas, Elijah Simmons, Bryson Eason and Omarr-Norman Lott are at least somewhat reliable guys in that spot. But after them, Tennessee is relying on the likes of Nathan Robinson, Trevor Duncan and Isaac Green."

Dang it Dajon Terry!

Surprised Jayson Jenkins wasn't mentioned in that group. I guess he is working SDE too?

No doubt some of these SDE guys will work inside some, especially on third and longs.

Yeah, I really wish Terry and McNeil had stuck around. Could’ve used the experience and the depth. Oh well…

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Yeah, I really wish Terry and McNeil had stuck around. Could’ve used the experience and the depth. Oh well…

Yeah both were unfortunate.

Terry for this year

McNeil would have been nice to have for 24' since we are losing Garland, Thomas (probably) and Simmons after this year. Could lose Eason if he breaks out. We will definitely be hitting that portal after the season.

 

[USCGVOL]

1st page!

 

[HighRockvol]

First page

 

[DonDiego]

Anyone else a little surprised Nichols isn’t more in the hunt for playing time?

I wish Nichols could fit in at right guard behind Spraggins. The guys they have listed backing Spraggins up don't give me a great deal of confidence.

 

[DougVol]

I love the differential in reports from E. Cain and schumpert. One mentioned the crispness of the qbs and the other mentioned some inaccuracies. One also mentioned Ethan Davis wasn’t out there and the other said he was going through drills

They’re just making this s… up.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Yes, especially how close he was to competing for playing time last year and people kept saying he looks ready as Freshman. Hopefully its just an early sophomore slump thing and he gets out of it.

From what we're hearing across the board, it could just as likely be that he improved himself quite a bit, but the guys ahead of him improved even more.

Or, it could be he's still catching up on making all the blocking calls for the OL at our offensive pace. I think that might be the most demanding (on one person) part of our offense.

Mays played injured most of last season, so no surprise he would be much improved, physically.

Parker Ball is a redshirt senior and 3x SEC Academic Honor Roll. As a junior he "played a career-high 36 offensive snaps at center and did not allow a hurry, pressure or hit in win over UT Martin (10/22) ... Played 23 clean offensive snaps at center in second half of 63-6 victory over Akron (9/17) ... Saw significant action at center in season-opening win over Ball State (9/1), playing 33 snaps without allowing any pressures, hurries or sacks."

 

[Vol49er]

Am I misunderstanding something? Schumpert seems to say Ethan Davis doesn’t practice, but Cain says Nico misses Ethan Davis in the end zone

 

[Ace]

I just texted the link to Spyre to a friend who is a big UT fan in Knoxville. He said he had never heard of it, but is going to check it out.
Here is the link:
Join The Volunteer Club
Go forth and do the same.
If you are not a member, just do it.

 

[joevols89]

Hopefully someone steps up at LG, preferably Karic.