DL
We have some very impressive looking guys there, it’s all about growing up for this group, the talent is there. Middleton, Williams and Butler/Emerson took 1stteam reps and all of them had their moments. All the DL will be challenged to play the run at an elite level but that’s also the beauty, we have so many clones that they should at least always be fresh. They’re just not any big bodies like a Jonathan Allen was, they will be with another year in the weight room but that’s a year away. All of them had their moments creating push vs the pass. DM had a couple of batted down passes as did GE and Butler. Those guys in particular are the best pass rushers we have such as it is. It’s obvious DM is being pushed hard, he has a 1stround build, needs to add the nasty motor to that and he will be a bad mutha. Williams is a good plugger, Bill Duff like, good leverage, he’s wide and thick, plays the run better than the pass but had a couple of sweet swim moves inside rush to push the pocket vs JG and JT. Greg Emmerson was as impressive as anyone, he really has some talent, if Rock can get the best out of him he’ll be a star. He’s also gonna get huge with another year in the S&C system. Elijah’s skill set is so impressive, but he is still figuring it out as, got jumped one time for lining up in the wrong gap.
Again, these guys are being pushed like never before. The entire rotation played with urgency and intensity, again I think because they rotated so much. Butler is another clone/tater that can play, he is impressive looking out there, long arms and plays with a motor, he got as many reps as anyone. Bumphis was way better than I thought he’d be, showed a lot of aggressiveness and motor but fewer reps. Kingston Harris is another guy who will play this year and he really moves well for his size, dude is big and has some serious punch. He’ll play 8-10 snaps a game but he has upside for the future. All of them are the same, big, athletic and fighters but as with the OL these guys need to be sharpened by getting thrown into the fire and they will get a ton of that this year. I feel this group will be the most improved over the course of the year, when the 2ndteam guys come in there will be no drop-off and rotating bodies with 7-8 guys will help keep them fresh. It was obvious the DL was way fresher than the OL by the end of a hot ass day.
OLB:
No need to go into detail on WGWTFA, he looks the part and he plays like a guy who has a ton of confidence and experience. Very excited to see him develop this year, he should have a massive year. Deandre seems to be the guy opposite him, he looks good, very quick and relentless at the point of attack. Played with good motor and leverage and got into the backfield a ton. Bennett took 2ndteam reps for DT and looked serviceable, his body transformation is incredible, looks great. Probably won’t play a ton because of DT but he is gonna be in the mix so DT can rest.
Now onto the names everyone is curious about. Q Crouch is being groomed as hard and fast as he can go, he will start off as a DPR. Man he is stout at the point of attack, can’t believe he’s a frosh, he is going to play a lot this year. He was also on the 1stteam kick coverage, he is going to knock some heads on kickoff, hope he kills a gator returner. Coaches were force feeding him reps and Rump was by his side every time he took a rep, coaching and correcting him. Every time he corrected him he came back the next play and did it right and usually made a play. He still has a lot to learn on how to disengage with a tackle, use his athletic ability to bend the edge but he will give his all for Tennessee. He needs a ton of work on technique but that’s to be expected but that kid is a play maker and he is relentless…a real football player with some nasty. Roman was on the side working so unfortunately I didn’t get to see him move except in warms ups. All the reports are true, that kid like Q looks like a junior, built like true LB in this system. Those are the 5 guys, that’s why BJO was such a huge pickup, we need 2 more guys for that spot in this class.
ILB:
Bituli is like DT, he looks so good and he will have a monster year as the mike. I think we all know what he has, tons of effort, called the D, made quick adjustments without coaches calling them at all. He’s leaner looking, faster and quicker, he put the offseason to good use. Henry T is going to start day 1 as a frosh, that’s damn amazing and exactly what this program needed. He’s big, fast and one day is gonna be another Aldra Wilson, man he’s smooth. Did a pretty good job vs pass, got picked on a ton and I’m sure that was by design as Pruitt and Chaney are giving him tons of looks to be prepared for. Against the run, he fills his gap decisively, not many false steps…He is ready to play and by USC game he should be playing some fine football. Super high on this kid…Neids should have gotten a bonus for landing him.
Ignot was limited a bit, he repped but his ankle was taped as the guys have reported…He too like DB was very confident in his steps his gap integrity and he looks a lot better, bigger and stronger. I really think those 3 guys are going to make up a very solid core…He and HT will probably split reps 70/30%...Reid is going to be the 4thbecause he’s the 4thguy we have, he’s just short, built like a bulldog and can move, he’ll be a ST stalwart. Another walk-on that everyone told me to watch was #34 Deontae Beauchamp, he looks just like Darrin Kirkland as a frosh, built just like him, will need to add weight to play inside but he has the ability to move very well. Got 3rdteam reps and was very active…Love guys like this, he’s from Hazel Green, AL and had some offers but Pruitt talked him into coming and he is a good add from a depth standpoint. Another spot we need 2-3 guys in this cycle due to lack of depth.
CB:
The two starters are serious SEC level talents, good news for us as this D is predicated on having great corners…Alonte looks so much better than LY, he is fluid and smooth, he’s going to be a star. Thompson is the same, he looks so much bigger than LY, his biggest weakness LY was how slight he was which hindered him from being a good tackler. Such a great athlete and like AT very fluid and smooth. Burrell is gonna play a ton, he’s very good but like almost all frosh, it’s gonna take time to adjust to this level of play…He didn’t back down one single time from the challenge of JJ or Calloway, great to see his competitive nature. They force fed him a bunch of reps vs 1’s and 2’s…he’s getting baptized. The sleeper in this group is Means, that dude is loooong and he had a few incredible breakups, I was impressed with him, he really stood out. On kick coverage team, Chaney challenged him to use that speed as the outside guy on the 2ndrep and man did he take that to heart, he took off and blazed down there like a flash 5 yards ahead of everyone else. Super excited about his potential, hope he can work in at his own pace. Didn’t see much of Soloman out there, he took a few reps but nothing much…RS guys for sure but he’s fast as well.
Safety:
Warrior is gonna have a breakout season, he looks amazing and he was everywhere, running the alley, dropping deep, communicating aggressively and running with everyone out there. DT, DB and NW should all have massive seasons and that gives us one guy at each level that should be big time. Flowers and Theo Jackson played a ton with NW in the back end. Didn’t see Flowers a ton, he played centerfield when NW dropped down in the box…Same for Jackson who had a big hit on the sideline, he was playing with reckless abandon and it was exciting to watch. That kid is built like a safety, tall and rangy, totally impressed with his play. Add McCollough to the mix and we have 5 guys who can play, he too needs a ton of reps and live action to take part in to get him better. He’s well built, big and goes 100%...Can’t wait to see all these guys fight it out in the spring, the competition back there is going to be intense.
Star:
Sham, George, Fields and Labruzza all got reps at star but this is SS’s spot, he looked like that frosh that stood toe-to-toe with bammy as a frosh, no fear…DA has been good for him as Hubbs and crew has surmised. He is going to be good there, he played with a ton of confidence and used his strength well both vs the run and the pass. Very decisive in some reps on swing passes, he just was flying around out there. I think George will be the guy who challenges for game reps with him all year and will play some as well. He’s big and strong, got a ton of coaching and he looked good out there, moves effortlessly. Did a good job of reading and reacting to the ball and played with the 1’s on kick coverage. The backend is serious SEC level talented and they were ball hawking all day, lots of tipped balls, PBU’s and ints. If this defense goes form the back to the front, it should be extremely improved in all aspects.
K:
Cimaglia is a stud, he kicked the ball through the uprights form all over the place, just drilled them, looked like Wilhoit out there…He missed a 55 yarder on his last kick but I think he just missed the ball and didn’t strike it well, worst form of any of his kicks. Like he was trying to muscle it instead of just smooth swinging his leg. Kicker is in good hands with him. Brooks also made all his except the long one as well, missed it left but had the distance. Good backup, let’s hope we don’t need him and BS keeps his strangle hold on the job. Didn’t see any punting work…
Overall this defense is going to be deeper, bigger and faster along with the guys knowing what to do on a higher level than anytime LY. Defensive coaches are awesome, all of them Rump & Rock were working like crazy with their guys, teaching and explaining, Rump and Crouch were tied at the hip all day, good to see. DA was very measured in his coaching, he was intensely observing his group from all over the place, was very intense and focused on the details. Pruitt has given his D some serious help with that hire, if he lets DA do his work on gameday it’ll free him up to be the man.
One cool scene was at the mid-way point of practice the team was given a 5 minute break and while they were getting hydrated, Fulmer and Pruitt stood at midfield having a very intense skull session…So impressed that those two guys are all about one thing and one thing only, restoring the Big Orange among the nation’s elite CFB programs. CPF watched the entire practice (didn’t do any coaching lol) like a lion watching an injured gazelle, and yes he had that look in his eye…The respect is mutual between them, and as I always say, the best thing Pruitt has going for him is a guy that won’t allow him to fail.
That’s it, hope everyone enjoyed…as I said in the original post, Hubbs and crew are awesome, how they can give as much detail with the pitiful amount of time they get to see is amazing. Had a few people talk about him like he was a legend and they all have a ton of respect for him.
