Spring Practice #1

[Fingers]

Tennessee released its updated spring football roster this morning ahead of practice #1 and I don’t see defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon on it.

Can’t say it is a total surprise but we’ll see if he’s out there when we get on the field in a little more than an hour.

p.brown

The pecking order seemed pretty set with Hooker leading the way, followed by Milton, Freshman Tayven Jackson, and preferred walk-ons, Gaston Moore and Navy Shuler. Jackson already looked comfortable working with the running backs and in the mesh point. He has a big arm which was evident during the one-on-ones, but like most freshmen, he is coming around to the speed difference a little bit.

Newcomer Justin Williams-Thomas looked the part today. The Freshman's impressive physique certainly catches the eye.

Jalin Hyatt and Jimmy Calloway have added excellent muscle mass and definition this off-season.

Squirrel White, and Kaleb Webb, were as advertised and looked crisp today. They have both added solid weight since we last saw them on the recruiting trail in January

si

Here are the jersey numbers and updated heights and weights for Tennessee's newcomers:

TE Charlie Browder (R-Fr., UCF walk-on transfer)
Jersey number: No. 44 | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 250 pounds
OL Mo Clipper Jr.
Jersey number: No. 56 | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 305 pounds
OL Brian Grant
Jersey number: No. 73 | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 290 pounds
LB Jackson Hannah (R-Jr., Nebraska walk-on transfer)
Jersey number: No. 53 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225 pounds
LB Elijah Herring
Jersey number: No. 44 | Height: 6-2 | Weight: 227 pounds
QB Tayven Jackson
Jersey number: No. 10 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 200 pounds
WR Cameron Miller
Jersey number: No. 82 | Height: 6-1 | Weight: 206 pounds
OL Gerald Mincey (R-Soph., Florida transfer)
Jersey number: No. 51 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 337 pounds
OL Addison Nichols
Jersey number: No. 72 | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 318 pounds
WR Chas Nimrod
Jersey number: No. 81 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 192 pounds
DL Jordan Phillips
Jersey number: No. 50 | Height: 6-2 | Weight: 295 pounds
TE Titus Rohrer (Freshman walk-on)
Jersey number: No. 43 | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 230 pounds
QB Navy Shuler (R-Soph., Appalachian State walk-on transfer)
Jersey number: No. 21 | Height: 6-0 | Weight: 206 pounds
WR Kaleb Webb
Jersey number: No. 84 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 196 pounds
DL Tyre West
Jersey number: No. 54 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 290 pounds
WR Marquarius "Squirrel" White
Jersey number: No. 83 | Height: 5-10 | Weight: 160 pounds
DB Desmond Williams (Jr., junior college transfer)
Jersey number: No. 25 | Height: 5-11 | Weight: 190 pounds
RB Justin Williams-Thomas
Jersey number: No. 26 | Height: 6-0 | Weight: 210 pounds

p.brown

It was Darnell Wright and Dayne Davis repping at right tackle today while JJ Crawford and Gerald Mincey were on the left side. Your normal Carvin-Cooper-Spraggins combination was in the middle while the freshman got some work in.

Addison Nichols was getting reps on both sides of the line while Mo Clipper focused more on the right side.

Tillman and Keyton were the first up on the outside while Hyatt started first in the slot. Behind, Kaleb Webb and Chaz Nimrod were on the outside with Walker Merrill in the slot. Squirrell White (slot) is fast but really, really small. Cam Miller repped on the outside and is bigger on the field. Calloway ran some routes from both he outside and in the slot.

On the defensive side of the football, corners Warren Burrell, Kamal Hadden, Brandon Turnage and DeShawn Rucker are out for the entire spring Instead, the corner group was led by Donieko Slaughter, Christian Charles, Tomarrion McDonald and then Desmond Williams – who was getting adjusted to his first Tennessee practice.

At linebacker, Tennessee’s three-deep consisted of:

Banks – Mitchell (yellow jersey for possibly no-contact)

Page – Beasley

Willis – Elijah Herring

e.cain

Jordan Phillips on the defensive line does not look like a freshman and neither does linebacker Elijah Herring, who already has a chiseled frame and looks like an SEC inside linebacker. Tyre West on the defensive line also looks pretty good, but he bore the brunt of the wrath of Rodney Garner through individual periods.

Florida offensive tackle transfer Gerald Mincey, listed at 6-foot-5 and 337 pounds, looks like a guy who has been in an SEC program for a couple of years and got some reps at both tackle spots.

On the offensive side, Squirrel White at wide receiver is legit quick. His speed is as advertised and his nickname accurate. He worked out of the slot alongside Jalin Hyatt, Walker Merrill and Jimmy Calloway.

The other wide receivers, especially Kaleb Webb and Cameron Miller, look good physically as well, though they were far from flawless working at one outside position.

Two standouts among the more headline players: Wide receiver Cedric Tillman looks to have had a good offseason in the weight room and defensive end Byron Young is even more one of the first-off-the-bus types than he was a year ago.

One notable potential lineup change based on one period of drills: The first group had Jeremiah Crawford at left tackle alongside returning starters Jerome Carvin at left guard, Cooper Mays at center and Javontez Spraggins at right guard. Darnell Wright, last season's starting left tackle, was with the right tackles as they worked separately. The other right tackles were Dayne Davis, William Parker and freshman Brian Grant.

The second group in this particular period had RJ Perry at left tackle, Ollie Lane at left guard, Parker Ball at center and Jackson Lampley at right guard. Freshman Addison Nichols, the former Top247 prospect, got some work at center, flanked in a third group by guards James Robinson (left) and Kingston Harris (right). Freshman Mo Clipper Jr. appeared to work at guard as well.

Among the players not going through practice were tight end Miles Campbell, linebacker William Mohan and defensive backs Warren Burrell, De'Shawn Rucker and Kamal Hadden. Brandon Turnage, another defensive back, is also out for the spring, but we didn't see him on the field. Also didn't see Bryson Eason or Aubrey Solomon, who was not on the updated roster Tennessee released on Tuesday morning.

p.brown

 

[vols 30]

1st

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

2nd .... I love Spring Practice. It will separate the men from the boys ...

A beautiful site to behold if ever there was one to see...

 

[UTblood4life]

Leave it to fingers

 

[VAVol85]

Excited for a new year of football!

 

[Vol8188]

Curious to see if we have any players switching positions

 

[TNHopeful505]

Is there a press conference today? Normally theres a start of spring PC...

 

[Hurley Mooncalf]

Thanks, Fingers! I appreciate you putting these together.

 

[FLVOL_79]

 

[Rockytopvol86]

As always @Fingers you are the best

 

[OrangeTsar]

 

[Sara Clark]

Squirrel White...what's not to love about that name?! Hahaha

 

[fossilfiction]

Really pulling for Hyatt. I thought he would explode last year in this offense. He had some tough drops and too much talent around to breakthrough.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

"Tyre West on the defensive line also looks pretty good, but he bore the brunt of the wrath of Rodney Garner through individual periods"

 

[TNHopeful505]

"Tyre West on the defensive line also looks pretty good, but he bore the brunt of the wrath of Rodney Garner through individual periods"

That just tells you Garner sees some serious greatness in him, and he wont stop until the whole country sees it too.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

That just tells you Garner sees some serious greatness in him, and he wont stop until the whole country sees it too.

Rodney is going to make him his special project.

 

[joevol33]

Thanks Fingers! Love it when it's time to say that!

 

[sjt18]

Honestly a little disappointed that Holiday is still with the WR's. There was a rumor he might flip to DB. Either way, I hope it works out for him. Kind of a guy who has been buried.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Starting to get the chills again.

 

[Hacksaw]

Navy Shuler gets #21 -- pretty cool. Addison Nichols starting out at center, very interesting (heir apparent to Cooper and center of the future, maybe?).

 

[Jax_Vol]

Squirrel White......

 

[IndianaVol]

Really pulling for Hyatt. I thought he would explode last year in this offense. He had some tough drops and too much talent around to breakthrough.

Definite opportunity for Hyatt to step up and be the number 2 behind Tillman.
We could end up with TWO thousand yard receivers this season.

 

[JO VOL]

Navy Shuler gets #21 -- pretty cool. Addison Nichols starting out at center, very interesting (heir apparent to Cooper and center of the future, maybe?).

Copper is hurt quite a bit. A serviceable back up is a good plan to have.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Fanks Thingers!

 

[VAVol85]

Copper is hurt quite a bit. A serviceable back up is a good plan to have.

Agree but center is a tough role for a freshman. And I thought Carvin was a decent backup. I was looking forward to having Nichols reach at tackle.