Spring practice Updates Day 13

[Fingers]

PREVIOUS PRACTICES
Spring Practice Updates Day 1
Spring Practice Updates Day 2
Spring Practice Updates Day 3
Spring Practice Updates Day 4
Spring Practice Updates Day 5
Spring Practice Updates Day 6
Spring Practice Updates Day 7
Spring Practice Updates Day 8
Spring Practice Updates Day 9
Spring Practice Updates Day 10
Spring Practice Updates Day 11


VIDEOS


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi6eFBulsbI[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PdDoc66hz0[/youtube]

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

[twitterv]https://twitter.com/WBIRSports/status/986372870858297345[/twitterv]


VQ Highlights: https://player.vimeo.com/video/265268432


NOTES

Latest Tennessee positional updates after spring practice No. 13:
Alontae Taylor still at CB
Greg Emerson still at OG
Eric Crosby still at OG
Latrell Bumphus back at TE
Matthew Butler back at DL

j.simonton

The OL was still a bit shorthanded, but Riley Locklear was back in action Tuesday. Notably, Trey Smith and DeVante Brooks were doing running on the side with the S&C staff. It’s the first time we’ve seen Smith do any running at practice.

Just caught a few minutes of the routes on air period, and Jarrett Guarantano had one of the best throws I’ve seen him make this spring. Tennessee did a few different route combos, with double-moves, deep posts and some arrow patterns. Guarantano uncorked a perfect 45-yard bomb to Marquez Callaway on a double-move, hitting him in-stride, on the outside shoulder where the junior wideout could stay in bounds. On the flip side, Guarantano tossed what would’ve been a pick-6 on the very next throw, going high and wide to Brandon Johnson.

Kevin Sherrer was displeased with his MLB unit on Tuesday, making Will Ignont, Shanon Reid and Solon Page III go back in line several times during a drill a shoot drill. Darrin Kirkland Jr. drew Sherrer’s ire, too, with really only Quart’e Sapp and Daniel Bituli drawing any praise.

Chris Rumph was HOT today, especially toward Jordan Allen. The junior college outside linebacker had to redo at least 3-4 reps and then was still forced to do up-downs when he couldn’t get it right. Darrell Taylor continues to lead that unit — both with effort and fundamentals.

j.simonton

I still think there are too many balls hitting the ground in #Vols practice. It’s the spring, new staff, new scheme, etc., but that needs to improve.

w.rucker

Alontae Taylor remained with the cornerbacks after moving over from wide receiver.

Greg Emerson and Eric Crosby remained with the offensive line.

Matthew Butler, however, was back with the defensive line after working on the offensive line last week.

LaTrell Bumphus rejoined the tight ends.

On the offensive line, Riley Locklear returned to practice and was working at left guard, while Devante Brooks was working on the side with Trey Smith and strength coach Craig Fitzgerald.

p.brown

Rising sophomore Matthew Butler lasted one week on Tennessee's offensive line.

Perhaps the most intriguing position switch of last week will continue.

Freshman Alontae Taylor, who practiced at wide receiver the first three weeks of spring practice, remained with the cornerbacks on Tuesday.

Another player who returned to their original position on Tuesday was LaTrell Bumphus.

The big, athletic rising sophomore spent last week with the defensive line, but he returned to the tight ends on Tuesday to rejoin the position he played as a freshman and for the first three weeks of spring practice.

Greg Emerson, another former four-star prospect, remained with the offensive line on Tuesday, as did redshirt freshman Eric Crosby, another player who had been with the defensive line.

Both players again worked at guard as offensive line coach Will Friend put his players through another taxing set of individual drills.

Sophomore guard Riley Locklear returned to practice on Tuesday after missing about two weeks. Pruitt was unwilling to reveal publicly what was keeping Locklear and Devante Brooks out of practice. However, both players were dinged up.

Freshman Jerome Carvin appeared to get most of his work at right tackle, where the Vols had him at the start of spring. Locklear, who practiced at right guard before his absence, was working at left guard. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Johnson appeared to get reps at both right guard and right tackle as he continues to get looks across the line.

Darrin Kirkland Jr. again was participating in individual drills with the rest of the inside linebackers early in practice, as was Daniel Bituli.

Both players were expected to practice in a fuller capacity this week after their offseason procedures.

Pruitt didn't rule out them playing in Saturday's spring game.

p.brown

I thought Jonathan Kongbo looked particularly sharp. He worked with the defensive linemen today and looked very quick. He worked alongside Shy Tuttle and Kyle Phillips primarily, with Tuttle working at nose guard. With Kongbo’s versatility in that defense, there’s a good chance that could be the starting down linemen in a 3-4 scheme.

Shanon Reid was a guy who was particularly being encouraged by his teammates and challenged by the coaches.

Quart’e Sapp and Daniel Bituli continue to be the two inside linebackers leading the way in just about every drill. You could perhaps pencil them in as the starting duo at that position this weekend for the spring game.

w.boling



PHOTOS

PRUITT

Jeremy Pruitt says Tennessee's first and second teams got around 143 snaps in Saturday night's closed scrimmage at Neyland Stadium.

Pruitt: Moving some lineman to the offensive side has allowed us to get more reps

Pruitt says he felt like the offense created some explosive plays in Saturday's scrimmage. "I thought our running backs competed well with the ball in their hand, and I think they blocked well."

Pruitt follows that up by saying the defense didn't create enough turnovers and didn't have enough "clean up tackling."

Pruitt a bit frustrated with the defense: “If you play the right way the runners don’t wanna run the ball.”

Pruitt: Today we had some guys that looked like it was the 13th practice. We'll have a football team when it's not me policing them.

Pruitt says his team won't stay at a hotel before the Orange & White Game like he previously considered

Jeremy Pruitt says he's been preaching to recruits about the passion of Tennessee football. Says it will take everyone to get the program back. One way for fans, he says, is showing up for the spring game. "I expect our fan base to be there ... we need it for our program."

Pruitt says he’s still evaluating a few athletes who could switch positions.

Greg Emerson (OG), Eric Crosby (OG) and Alontae Taylor (CB) will remain at their new positions for the last week of spring but their ultimate future is yet to be determined.

Pruitt on the secondary: “We got guys with plenty of talent. It’s learning how to play.”

"As a whole, I think the group of running backs have improved this spring. We have very little depth at that position ... we're looking for able bodies that can play running back."

Pruitt: It's hard to grade where exactly we're at on either side of the ball, because we've had some guys out and moved some guys around.

Jeremy Pruitt on cornerbacks coach Terry Fair: Terry has poise. He probably has the worst position coach because I'm over there with him all the time. He's a smart coach, picks things up fast.

“When it comes to being good on offense is being able to protect the quarterback, even on good football teams. I can tell you this, we have improved on both sides of the ball.”

Pruitt says an official depth chart will be announced Thursday after practice

 

[jpope9]

in!

 

[UT-Rex]

in!2 it's all good news, so far.

 

[VOL221]

Fingers for MVP of VolNation!!!

 

[Volatility]

Thanks again Fingers. Your posts are helping my football withdrawals

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Really hope JG improves this year.

 

[Fingers]

Not a practice note, but interesting.

"I think Keller Chryst comes in provides stability and leadership and if Tennessee can protect this guy they'll go to a bowl game this season"

m.griffith

 

[87&91ALUM]

Coach Pruitt preaches consistency. Very few places where you can find that right now. Just gotta keep repping until it is like eating and breathing.

 

[volinexile17]

Wonder what the deal is with Ryan Johnson? Can’t find a spot, one of the best five and coaches are making sure they can get him on the field, or future sixth man?

 

[vol-un-tear]

Think Ryan is at Center

 

[vol-un-tear]

Wonder what the deal is with Ryan Johnson? Can’t find a spot, one of the best five and coaches are making sure they can get him on the field, or future sixth man?

Center

 

[Biopsyman]

Emerson and Crosby will go back to D line after spring ballThis is a temporary measure due to Not enough bodies

 

[HoptownVol]

Many thanks!

 

[Power T-Rev]

Not a practice note, but interesting.

m.griffith

Mike Griffith. Pass

 

[Evergrenevol]

Thanks Fingers, good stuff!

 

[VAVolsFan2009]

Wonder what the deal is with Ryan Johnson? Can’t find a spot, one of the best five and coaches are making sure they can get him on the field, or future sixth man?

Johnson will probably be the starter at center, but the staff wants him to get reps at multiple positions. Building depth as a hedge against injuries.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

Thanks Fingers! 🤯

 

[DonDiego]

Mike Griffith. Pass

Disagree. Griff, Hooker, Rucker, Rutherford, Brice...all do a good job. You maybe just don't like what they say sometimes.

 

[UT-Rex]

"I can tell you this, we have improved on both sides of the ball.”

 

[butchna]

Disagree. Griff, Hooker, Rucker, Rutherford, Brice...all do a good job. You maybe just don't like what they say sometimes.

Isn’t what they SAY part of their jobs?

 

[DonDiego]

Isn’t what they SAY part of their jobs?

Yeah, but maybe making you always LIKE what they say isn't.

 

[butchna]

Yeah, but maybe making you always LIKE what they say isn't.

In Griffith’s case, he wrote an article characterizing Pruitt’s first week as disastrous. That was STUPID and unprofessional. And it isn’t an isolated incident with him. I don’t think he does a good job. How do you LIKE that opinion?

 

[rdavis007]

There seems to be much more teaching and practicing technique with the ew staff. Haven’t seen a lot posted around the new S&C program, hoping it yields big improvements.

 

[DonDiego]

In Griffith’s case, he wrote an article characterizing Pruitt’s first week as disastrous. That was STUPID and unprofessional. And it isn’t an isolated incident with him. I don’t think he does a good job. How do you LIKE that opinion?

Meh, it's a freaking opinion from a guy with 48,000 posts, who lives on the site night and day. It's a freaking opinion--get a life. Means about as much as the opinion of a guy with ten posts.

 

[BloomuVol]

There seems to be much more teaching and practicing technique with the ew staff. Haven’t seen a lot posted around the new S&C program, hoping it yields big improvements.

Several players appear to have already put on 15-20 good lbs. Early results seem promising for those that are putting in the work.