Practice 18

[Fingers]

videos
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqZoIXDrNao[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osvWnzSM7Sc[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgxsnGEVN8k[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rO39WP5TdA[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67IurCBsbg4[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Yldfr4ibY[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7E79E-a9s[/youtube]

VQ Highlights: https://player.vimeo.com/video/230456816



clips
[twitterv]https://twitter.com/DamichaelC/status/899633770810179584[/twitterv]

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/DamichaelC/status/899634586342363136[/twitterv]

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/DamichaelC/status/899635434761986050[/twitterv]

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/will_boling/status/899652051155734529[/twitterv]

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/JesseReSimonton/status/899653583964180482[/twitterv]

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/rockytopinsider/status/899653948314980354[/twitterv]


notes

It’s easy to see why the staff is so impressed with Will Ignont. The freshman middle linebacker moves really well for a guy his size. Ignont displayed some nastiness on a block during kickoff work, too.

Tennessee’s offensive line remains shorthanded, as a couple notables remaining missing.

Trey Smith, Marcus Tatum and Brett Kendrick were all at practice and getting coached very hard by Walt Wells.

The pat-and-go period was much crisper than Friday’s practice, as both quarterbacks were on the money.

Freshman Princeton Fant ran routes and worked exclusively with the tight ends Monday. The first two slot wideouts in the pass -skeleton period were Tyler Byrd and Latrell Williams.

j. simonton

With gameday two weeks away, it's might be that the Vols start a combination on the offensive line that hasn't played together since the team put on pads and started contack work.

b. hubbs

The quarterbacks and receivers upped the tempo. I thought that that group did a good job. Routes were crisp, and there were very few drops. But Butch Jones was adamant that they needed to pick up the pace. With two quarterbacks throwing at a time, once every receiver had caught a pass, the QBs would sprint twenty yards down the field.

Freshman running back Ty Chandler and sophomore receiver Tyler Byrd were among those players fielding punts.

ill McBride looks much more comfortable in the offense than when he started. He developed good timing with the wide receivers and completed the vast majority of his passes

Kevin Beard ditched the wide receiver gloves and threw passes to a group of the wideouts. In that group was Josh Palmer and Jordan Murphy. With Josh Smith potentially sidelined, Palmer moved up in the pecking order and got some of the first reps in the individual drill with quarterbacks.

w. boling

Butch says senior CB Shaq Wiggins has been limited due to injuries but adds "We need him back out there." Doesn't sound serious

m. bratton

ON THE LINE: Tennessee appeared to have eight scholarship offensive linemen available for any potential 11-on-11 work based on the early periods of practice.

The players getting most of the work during individual drills were Brett Kendrick, Drew Richmond, Marcus Tatum, Ryan Johnson, Riley Locklear, Venzell Boulware, Jashon Robertson and Trey Smith.

One thing that stood out, though, was watching a bigger Darrin Kirkland Jr. go through the kinda-sorta-tackling drills. The junior middle linebacker is a good 10 pounds bigger but still runs well for a middle linebacker, and the sound from his popping pads with someone is much louder. It might be the loudest of the bunch — though, in fairness to sophomore Daniel Bituli, the sound from his crunching hits is pretty loud, too.

Another thing that stood out: Tennessee’s options at linebacker are better than they’ve been in a few years. No one is suggesting that all of those players are All-Americans or anything like that, but the athleticism and quality from even the third-team players is pretty solid.

True freshman wide receiver Jordan Murphy did have one drop, as did a couple of Tennessee’s walk-on receivers. But there appeared to be only a few errant throws from the quarterbacks, and from junior Quinten Dormady and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano in particular.

Lately, though, Butler has gotten most of his work at defensive tackle.

p. brown

 

[greazy1722]

Yeappp!!! 2 more weeks

 

[WesTnVol]

I'm ready for some Big Orange football 🏈

 

[MrKnowItVol]

hahaha, check out the last 5 seconds of the vimeo clip. doug needs to speak up

 

[roosterjbh]

Yeappp!!! 2 more weeks

Could you give us any insight on the QB battle?

 

[PEPPERJAX]

These are by far the best threads. Thanks Fingers!

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

hahaha, check out the last 5 seconds of the vimeo clip. doug needs to speak up

Lol nice catch. Was that Wells asking him?

 

[MrKnowItVol]

Lol nice catch. Was that Wells asking him?

haha 100%

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

The reports on the OL continue to leave me bewildered... 😳

IF our OL is not vastly improved then you can bank on 8-4 being our ceiling this year.

 

[VolinMC]

Thanks so much Fingers!

 

[PEPPERJAX]

So P. Fant is going to be moved to TE?

 

[gunner]

The reports on the OL continue to leave me bewildered... 😳

IF our OL is not vastly improved then you can bank on 8-4 being our ceiling this year.

That's exactly right, the offensive line must be much more physical this season. They must block better, and protect the QB much, much better. Josh Dobbs is no longer available to bail them out with scrambling away from the rush.

 

[90 Vol]

Could you give us any incite on the QB battle?

No, it might insight a riot...

 

[VOLywood]

Morning practice to avoid the eclipse?

 

[deezvols]

since the clips are on the internet...... can we call them e-clips for the day?

 

[njvols]

The reports on the OL continue to leave me bewildered... 😳

IF our OL is not vastly improved then you can bank on 8-4 being our ceiling this year.

way under-rated post.

Not panicking, and know some tweak injuries, but you'd think w/ returning talent, we'd be hearing about OL having things locked in. IF OL isn't core strength of this team, we're in for a long season, and Butch will be the undisputed champion of the hot seat for 2018.

 

[wtmvol]

I love getting these updates, but I have to believe if the staff were to read the scouting reports these media guys try to offer their readers given the limited number of practice segments they get to observe, they'd get a good laugh.

 

[roosterjbh]

No, it might insight a riot...

Lol, whoops!

 

[VOLumeS]

Just win.

 

[Power T-Rev]

I guess everyone can stop freaking out about Wiggins now

 

[44DivePlay]

When did we get LB depth? Awesome if so

 

[A-RodWiLks]

So P. Fant is going to be moved to TE?

Yes....he enrolled larger than expected and they think he isn't done growing yet

 

[griffdog14]

way under-rated post.

Not panicking, and know some tweak injuries, but you'd think w/ returning talent, we'd be hearing about OL having things locked in. IF OL isn't core strength of this team, we're in for a long season, and Butch will be the undisputed champion of the hot seat for 2018.

seriously boys, we're in deep trouble at OL and still most people are touting the "experience" we have...yeah the experience of getting manhandled. Trey Smith is our best and he's a true freshman!

 

[NannerPuddin]

Feb-July "OLine will be strength. Plenty of returning players, they can only get better"
Aug "OLine not looking great but plenty of bodies"
Sept "OLine needs to find their stride heading into the thick of conference play"
Oct-Nov "OLine is a weakness"
Dec "OLine was already bad but the injuries and youth aren't helping"
Jan "OLine played good in a bowl game against inferior competition"

see first line of this post for February

 

[CA_Vol]

The reports on the OL continue to leave me bewildered... 😳

IF our OL is not vastly improved then you can bank on 8-4 being our ceiling this year.

With two 5* players and a wealth of experience, if the O-line blows this year, Butch needs to reconsider the blocking scheme. It's absurd this is still a concern.