Tennessee Spring Practice Updates 3.29

[Fingers]

True freshman Tyus Fields working with safeties again today. The staff loves his versatility. He can play anywhere in the secondary.

-Ubben

Couple quick notes from Vols practice: For the first time all spring, freshman RB Eric Gray participated in individual drills OL Jerome Carvin looks to be getting a real look at center Lots of praise for DL John Mincey Way too many drops vs. air for the second straight day

-Simonton

Tennessee lightened the physical load for its players on Friday by having them practice in helmets and shorts, but the coaching staff still emphasized not wasting a rep as they rolled the Vols through drills.

For the first time this spring, freshman running back Eric Gray wasn't working with the strength and conditioning staff on the side of practice, where he's typically been riding a stationary bike as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery.

Instead, the former four-star prospect was going through drills with the rest of the running backs for the first time this spring.

The Vols are giving sophomore Jerome Carvin an extensive look at center this week as they continue to move their pieces around on the offensive line.

Josh Palmer, Brandon Johnson and Deangelo Gibbs all had dropped passes in successions, but otherwise there weren't too many footballs on the ground.

Chaney and Weinke were stressing the importance of putting the ball high on the throws into the back end zone and wanted the quarterbacks delivering the football to where only their intended target could come done with it, and for the wideouts it was a chance to work on getting their feet down in bounds.

Senior Daniel Bituli and freshman Quavaris Crouch were back at inside linebacker on Friday after working with the outside linebackers on Thursday.

-P. Brown

A day after the quarterbacks and wideouts had a pitiful routes on air session, Friday’s showing was better, but still not great. Overall, the quarterbacks were sharper but far too many passes still hit the ground due to drops.

Deangelo Gibbs, who did have a bad drop, continues to look like a really smooth athlete for someone who hasn’t played receiver in several years. He flashed his balance and ball-skills twice on fade routes, catching two touchdowns in the back corner of the end zone while keeping a foot in bounds each time. Marquez Callaway was really good during the drill, too. Drops included Brandon Johnson, Josh Palmer, Jauan Jennings and Ramel Keyton. I thought JT Shrout threw several really nice balls today, showing better touch than we've seen all spring.

Didn’t see a ton of the offensive line today, but Jerome Carvin continues to get a look at center with the 1s. Wanya Morris was the first-team LT for the second straight day, too. Trey Smith, without the concussion padding on his helmet, took a few light contact reps again today.

Only saw the defensive line for just a minute, but Tracy Rocker was complimentary of sophomore John Mincey after two different reps today.

-Simonton

 

[esands88]

GBO!!!!

 

[GoVolunteers]

Second

 

[LouderVol]

Trey definitely has a different gear than the other OL

 

[Paper_Towel]

Good god those drops were bad.

All in the same spot, too.

Contagious

 

[Dudleys87]

Speed at WR
Speed at RB

If we’re fast on D good things will happen

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Just got done washing my truck and I am rewarded with a practice report. Man, my life is sweet!

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Good god those drops were bad.

All in the same spot, too.

Contagious

They ought to have a couple of cheerleaders in the end zone.

 

[USMC-TNVOL]

Good god those drops were bad.

All in the same spot, too.

Contagious

Think Pruitt yelled, “WHAT’S GOIN’ ON?!”

 

[SpookyAction]

I believe dropped passes is the number 1 cause of Big Orange defeats in my lifetime. I don't see big time program receivers drop like ours. In the one Jones victory over UF guess what our boys did in that one. Held the ball and caught it.

You can put a track athlete in to block and run the routes and not catch it.

 

[RoaminVol]

First Page!!!

 

[Ten_Titans]

Can't wait for everyone to freak out over drops for it to end of being a complete non issue like every year.

 

[rgvol]

Shout out to John Mincey...

 

[DustyRockSolid]

Damn... JG sure throws a pretty ball.

 

[MaximumVOLtage]

Can't wait for everyone to freak out over drops for it to end of being a complete non issue like every year.

Not sure what you’re talking about.. had the highest percentage of drops among starting QBs. Still managed to complete 65% of his passes

 

[08Vol]

Can't wait for everyone to freak out over drops for it to end of being a complete non issue like every year.

UT has a WR problem and it has been going on for a LONG time. We haven’t had a star receiver in YEARS. There is a reason we have like 8 WRs that get meaningful snaps every season. Malone had a lot of yards one season but not a lot of TDs. Jennings has some big catches in big games, but still hasn’t ever taken a game over or had a star season. When was the last time we had a WR taken in the first round? How many WRs have we had drafted over the last 10 years? Maybe 5?

 

[MSME Vol]

Not sure what you’re talking about.. had the highest percentage of drops among starting QBs. Still managed to complete 65% of his passes

That is almost a reverse SEC power rankings

 

[MSME Vol]

UT has a WR problem and it has been going on for a LONG time. We haven’t had a star receiver in YEARS. There is a reason we have like 8 WRs that get meaningful snaps every season. Malone had a lot of yards one season but not a lot of TDs. Jennings has some big catches in big games, but still hasn’t ever taken a game over or had a star season. When was the last time we had a WR taken in the first round? How many WRs have we had drafted over the last 10 years? Maybe 5?

You're right, off the top of my head:

Patterson
Hunter
North declared but I think went undrafted
Malone

That's about it and those first two are going back a ways

 

[VolDaddy61]

I thought I read somewhere that Tate Martell was granted immediate eligibility ? Any reason to believe our transfers won't be ?!

 

[Manning Up]

I assume Trey continues to go through light drills because there's some hope he will be able to return to the OL.

 

[Ten_Titans]

UT has a WR problem and it has been going on for a LONG time. We haven’t had a star receiver in YEARS. There is a reason we have like 8 WRs that get meaningful snaps every season. Malone had a lot of yards one season but not a lot of TDs. Jennings has some big catches in big games, but still hasn’t ever taken a game over or had a star season. When was the last time we had a WR taken in the first round? How many WRs have we had drafted over the last 10 years? Maybe 5?

WR was the best position group on the team last year. Even when it hasn't been, drops haven't been a significant issue for us in years.

 

[Ten_Titans]

Not sure what you’re talking about.. had the highest percentage of drops among starting QBs. Still managed to complete 65% of his passes

But you act like his completion percentage being 65% is done in spite of 25% of his incompletions being drops.

The more passes he completes, the higher that percentage is going to be because, you know, less total incompletions. Statistics.

Perfect example of a made up misleading Stat. It comes out to 1.6 drops a game which is pretty damn average.

For reference, Ta'mu from Ole Miss had 2.76 drops per game.

 

[Remy]

I assume Trey continues to go through light drills because there's some hope he will be able to return to the OL.

<blue font> Forget it. His career is over. There is not a doctor on this planet that will sign off on his playing a down during the 2019 season ... so say many VN soothsayer shade tree medical types.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

But you act like his completion percentage being 60% is done in spite of 25% of his incompletions being drops.

The more passes he completes, the higher that percentage is going to be because... Statistics.

Perfect example of a made up misleading Stat. It comes out to 1.6 drops a game which is pretty damn average.

People overlook the contested throws where our receivers are fighting for the ball in the air.... (most of the drops our receivers had) very rarely did our receivers miss a ball where they were open and had no one on them.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

We've been fingered again and liked it.