Vols Fall Practice #3

[Fingers]

There was a slight change to Carter's routine at UT's third preseason practice on Aug. 2. He wore his helmet and shoulder pads for the first time.

However, Carter remains separate from his teammates during the bulk of practice, as exclusion appears to be part of his punishment for missing some summer activities.

a.sparks

Wideout Chris Brazzell was not practicing again on Saturday. He is expected back sometime this coming week. Tight end Miles Kitselman was practicing and going through some drills, though in a limited fashion, especially during the contact drills. He was in a red jersey and took part in routes on air. Redshirt-freshman tight end Cole Harrison did not practice today. Freshman edge Christian Gass was working off to the side with staffers and not wearing a helmet.

The routes on air session with the Tennessee quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends was horrendous. Remember, there’s much more of practice we don’t see, but from what we did in this period – it was not good.

Wideouts had a rough morning. Several drops, rep after rep. The quarterbacks weren’t spectacular by any means, but the whole operation struggled while throwing curls, hitches and post patterns from the slot.

Mike Matthews dropped a pass on the sideline from Joey Aguilar, which was a solid, catchable ball. Braylon Staley dropped a post over the middle, but that ball thrown by Aguilar was behind him. Still, it hit his hands and should have been caught. Amari Jefferson dropped a post over then middle from Jake Merklinger. Merklinger missed high on a throw to Radarious Jackson.

Miles Kitselman had a nice one-handed catch over then middle. Ethan Davis had a good day catching the football. For a few plays, the slot receiver was put into motion and went behind the quarterback (in shotgun) and caught the ball out of the backfield. Nice wrinkle we haven’t seen in a little while.

The quarterback rotation on Saturday was Aguilar, Merklinger and then George MacIntyre.

It looked like both Bennett Warren and Jeremias Heard were continuing to work behind Lance Heard at left tackle. Both Sam Pendleton and William Satterwhite were snapping the football today.

Hitting drills, one-on-ones, took place with it being the first day of shoulder pads. We couldn’t watch any, but Edwin Spillman raced to the front of the line to be one of the first guys up on defense. We did see Jaxson Moi win his first rep.

e.cain

Let’s start with injury notes as usual and things were largely the same as they’ve been the first two days of practice. Tight end Miles Kitselman was in a red non contact jersey but was doing drills with his teammates. Sophomore tight end Cole Harrison was not fully dressed out but went through warmups before working off to the side for the rest of the time practice was open.

We spotted receiver Chris Brazzell today. He had a helmet on but not a jersey. The senior receiver did not go through warmups with his teammates and got some work off to the side.

Both Jake Merklinger and Joey Aguilar were nine-for-11 passing in the five or so minutes of routes on air the media was able to watch. Mike Matthews dropped an Aguilar pass on a comeback route. The pass was a bit high but one he should have hauled in. The same was the case on an Aguilar pass that was a bit behind Braylon Staley but still should have been caught.

Merklinger sailed a comeback to Travis Smith Jr. and Amari Jefferson had a really bad drop. Josh Heupel usually isn’t super rah-rah on the practice field but he was getting after the receivers pretty good for the drops and lack of focus.

Kitselman did have a really nice one handed catch on an Aguilar pass that was a bit out ahead of him.

Make of this what you will, but Merklinger was the only quarterback wearing a GoPro on his helmet for the second straight practice.

Duke transfer Star Thomas just looks mobile and shifty catching passes out of the backfield. And as we noted the other day, Peyton Lewis looks slimmer and quicker this camp.

The smallest of observations to end on offensively— DeSean Bishop rocking the no gloves look is absolutely fantastic.

Got an up close look at Colton Hood during that part of practice and it’s easy to see why Tennessee is high on him. Has great length. If his speed is at an SEC level, he could easily be a top notch guy this season.

Edwin Spillman continues to look like a potential big time contributor. He’s slimmed down a bit from his freshman season and is much more toned. The sophomore is someone I could see breaking out and changing the outlook of the defense.

Arion Carter was the defensive player with the GoPro on his helmet. While I’m not reading much into Merklinger having the GoPro, Carter having it furthers my feeling that the inside linebacker is the leader of the defense.

r.schumpert

Perhaps the biggest note from Saturday’s brief viewing period was Joshua Josephs was not out there working with the defensive line. So the LEO group when they split up from the defensive line during the first individual period consisted of Caleb Herring, Jordan Ross, Emmanuel Okoye, Kellen Lindstrom and Mike Bethea II. We’re told Josephs is dealing with a nagging injury, so that will be something to monitor going forward.

Herring, Ross and Okoye look like how you want hybrid outside linebacker/edge rushers to look. Ross jumped offside on one rep, going on the sound of Harbin’s voice and not the movement of the football on a stick held by a staffer.

The routes-on-air period for the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends was not very good. The receivers in particular had a rough day with multiple dropped passes, but the quarterbacks weren’t particularly great either. The tight ends were better – Kitselman had a one-handed catch on a pass from Joey Aguilar, and Ethan Davis and Jack Van Dorselaer made nice grabs on routes over the middle of the field.

The drop culprits for the wideouts included Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley and Amari Jefferson, so there were a lot of push-ups going on. Tommy Winton III and Trey Weary were among the wideouts who didn’t drop their passes. On far-hash throws, Aguilar was a little high on far-hash throws to Matthews (it was catchable) and and Jake Merklinger threw too high to Travis Smith Jr., and Staley’s drop was on a throw from Aguilar was late/behind him to the point he had to slow down quite a bit.

Later in the period, things were a little better. Merklinger, with his left ankle noticeably taped up, closed with the strike to Davis over the middle, good timing on a comeback route to Radarious Jackson and an accurate throw on a corner route to Joakim Dodson.

Even in a less-than-full-speed rep, the quicks of freshman running back Daune Morris show up as his little juke on position coach De’Rail Sims mimicking a defender stood out from the rest.

p.brown

 

[WillisWG]

As always thanks Fingers

Shells day, aight now.

Merk has been the only quarterback wearing a GoPro . Arion Carter was the defensive player with the GoPro on his helmet.

Ok you media guys are killing me.

The routes on air session with the Tennessee quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends was horrendous. Remember, there’s much more of practice we don’t see, but from what we did in this period – it was not good.

Both Jake Merklinger and Joey Aguilar were nine-for-11 passing in the five or so minutes of routes on air the media was able to watch

 

[mitzustu]

Josephs injury not a great development

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

I would assume that each media member sees the exact same portion of practice but these guys consistently contradict each other.

 

[VolInDayton]

9-11 isn't good and needs to be way better, but its a small sample size and I wouldnt say Horrendous

 

[Mr. Lofton]

Thanks Fingers!!

 

[VOLumeS]

Josephs injury not a great development

Hopefully its nothing that a few days off can't fix with rehab.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Heupel looking and dressing more like Rodney Garner every year.

Also, for the "it was holding" folks, I believe it was Coach Martinez screaming "Grab the jersey! It's right there!" Holding the jersey inside the shoulders continues to both be taught and not be a penalty.

Overall, that first sound of shell to shell contact is like hearing a newborn cry. Lots of potential in that sound and it makes me smile.

 

[Adam2014]

0-12 back on the table

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

I would assume that each media member sees the exact same portion of practice but these guys consistently contradict each other.

It's intentional.

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

9-11 isn't good and needs to be way better, but its a small sample size and I wouldnt say Horrendous

82% ain't good? Interesting....

 

[bpalmer28]

So what you're telling me is Bishop and Lewis are both going to run for 1,000 yards in 2025... Disappointing to hear about the woes in passing game, especially considering the momentum we somehow have with Keys. But hey, it's Day 3. And if we continue evolving into a smash mouth offense to crams the ball down your throat then so be it.

 

[ENGRVOL]

Thanks Fingers!!!

Hope Josephs and Brazell injuries are minor. Really need those two at full speed this season.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

As always thanks Fingers

Shells day, aight now.

Merk has been the only quarterback wearing a GoPro . Arion Carter was the defensive player with the GoPro on his helmet.

Ok you media guys are killing me.

The routes on air session with the Tennessee quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends was horrendous. Remember, there’s much more of practice we don’t see, but from what we did in this period – it was not good.

Both Jake Merklinger and Joey Aguilar were nine-for-11 passing in the five or so minutes of routes on air the media was able to watch

Yeah I was like they both went 9-11 and that's bad?!?! What kind of dream world are they living in?
I don't want another year of WR dropping balls that hit their hands. I don't care if it wasn't perfect.

As far as Boo I hope they put him to work tomorrow. I get it he needs to his punishment but if we're expecting him to start then he needs these reps

 

[VolInDayton]

82% ain't good? Interesting....

Not when the air is playing defense.

 

[zeppelin128]

The routes on air session with the Tennessee quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends was horrendous. Remember, there’s much more of practice we don’t see, but from what we did in this period – it was not good.

 

[bpalmer28]

82% ain't good? Interesting....

doesn't account for dropped passes thrown by MacInyre and Phillips.

 

[WaywardVol]

Wow 9-11 is horrendous? Looks like the receivers have serious work to do. No offense but Matthews looks small, and definitely doesn’t emote 5-star from the eye test.

 

[WaywardVol]

doesn't account for dropped passes thrown by MacInyre and Phillips.

Since when don’t they count dropped passes?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

WRs with the dropsies at Tennessee? We've seen this movie before.

 

[LittleVol]

9-11 isn't good and needs to be way better, but its a small sample size and I wouldnt say Horrendous

It’s 82% haha.

If that were in a game that would be amazing.

 

[LittleVol]

1) Caleb Herring looks amazing
2) Jordan Ross moves so well looks amazing.

Hopefully these two get on the field together sometime in packages. Both really have some freaky Pearce like burst.

Tyler Redmond keeps getting focus.
Bishop with the old school no- gloves is awesome.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

0-12 back on the table

We're going 11-1. Get it right. Natty appearance as well.

 

[barrylee]

Thx Fingers, we’d be lost without you! If you need someone to mow your lawn or wash your car, let me know! lol

 

[vegasvolfan]

a.sparks









e.cain












r.schumpert







p.brown

Not sure how 9-11 is that bad?