Vols Fall Practice #5

[Fingers]

Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews returned to football practice but wide receiver Braylon Staley was sidelined as the Vols endure a carousel of injuries at an already thin position.

Matthews missed the Aug. 3 practice. He is now back but wearing a brace on his knee. Chris Brazzell, UT's most experienced receiver, remains out with an injury.

Once again, UT had only five healthy scholarship wide receivers at practice. They included Matthews, redshirt freshman Amari Jefferson, freshman Travis Smith, freshman Radarius Jackson and freshman Joakim Dodson.

a.sparks

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. Joshua Josephs was not at practice while the media was on hand for the third-straight day as he is day-to-day likely for the next week or so. Wide receiver Mike Matthews returned to practice after missing Sunday. Fellow wideout Braylon Staley did not practice on Tuesday. Cornerback Rickey Gibson was not seen at practice while the media was present.

With no Rickey Gibson out there (while media was present), the corner rotation was Colton Hood and Jalen McMurray followed by Tyler Redmond and William Wright.

With Boo Carter back in the fold today, McMurray was working both at STAR and cornerback. When the first group drilled together it was McMurray and Hood at cornerback, Edrees Farooq and Andre Turrentine at safety and Carter at STAR. Kaleb Beasley was also rotating in at safety as well. Beasley was receiving some praise this morning.

All three quarterbacks threw the ball well. Jake Merklinger was getting the first reps and was followed by Joey Aguilar (go-pro) and George MacIntyre.

The routes on air portion was going into the endzone from the 10-yard line. Merklinger probably looked the best throwing the football, though no quarterback was bad. We didn’t see any drops by the wideouts and tight ends while we were out here, just a few balls that could have been caught- but no drops. The wideouts continue to work with tennis balls in-between reps. Aguilar showed some good touch on the football for back pylon fades.

One player that stood out to us this morning was Amari Jefferson. Many continue to ask about him and to this point in camp, he had not flashed. He did that on Tuesday morning. With Staley not practicing, Jefferson had increased reps from the slot. He made a pair of really nice catches in the period, one that was one-handed after coming in motion to the other side of the field for a flat route.

Both freshmen Jack Van Dorselaer and DaSaahn Brame looked good running routes into the endzone form the 10-yard line.

On the offensive line, Sam Pendleton continues to get work at center, along with William Satterwhite.

e.cain

Leading the lines in routes-on-air were freshmen Travis Smith Jr. (outside) and Joakim Dodson (slot) and redshirt junior Trey Weary (outside).

Freshman tight end DaSaahn Brame made a pretty sick one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone on an out-and-up route. It was on the far side of the field, so couldn’t tell if he got a toe down inbounds. But it was an impressive snag nonetheless and he had to adjust his body to make it.

This tight end group continues to look really good athletically and catching the football. That starts with Kitselman and Ethan Davis, but freshman Jack Van Dorselaer moves really well and catches the football naturally, too.

The best catch by the wide receivers was a one-handed snag by Alabama transfer Amari Jefferson, who was second in line in the slot behind Joakim Dodson.

Freshmen Travis Smith Jr. and Radarious Jackson also had some good reps during this work.

Lance Heard, Jeremias Heard and Bennett Warren were working at left tackle.

p.brown

Overall, it was a much crisper routes on air portion of practice. There were no true drops though a couple of passes could have been caught. But very few balls hit the ground which is a good step in the right direction.

Jake Merklinger completed nine-of-10 passes while Joey Aguilar completed all nine of his pass attempts. George MacIntyre struggled after finishing last week strong, completing just four-of-eight attempts.

Merklinger’s lone incompletion was a slight overthrow that Miles Kitselman could have hauled in but I wouldn’t classify as a drop either. There were a few throws behind receivers that would have almost certainly been incomplete with defense. That included a Merklinger pass to Travis Smith Jr. and a Joey Aguilar pass to Amari Jefferson where the Alabama transfer made a really nice one-handed catch.

Tight end DaSaahn Brame also had a fantastic catch from fourth string quarterback Mason Phillips. Joakim Dodson also caught a beautiful ball on a fade route from Merklinger.

Lance Heard and Jeremias Heard worked at left tackle while David Sanders and Bennett Warren worked at right tackle during the open portions of practice.

The fourth linebacker competition is one that intrigues me right now. I consider Burns to be the favorite to round out the two-deep with Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander and Edwin Spillman. But i’m not counting out Jadon Perlotte or Jaedon Harmon in that discussion.

r.schumpert

 

[LookoutforVols]

a.sparks








e.cain






p.brown







r.schumpert

My first ever First!

 

[WillisWG]

What's the word on Josephs? "Star edge rusher Josh Josephs remained absent at practice for the second straight practice."

One player that stood out to us this morning was Amari Jefferson. Many continue to ask about him and to this point in camp, he had not flashed. He did that on Tuesday morning. With Staley not practicing, Jefferson had increased reps from the slot. He made a pair of really nice catches in the period, one that was one-handed after coming in motion to the other side of the field for a flat route.

 

[25vol]

Good to see Boo back. Wonder when he might start taking reps with the WRs with all these injuries.

 

[rkvdg]

1st

 

[bigdaddy]

Well, maybe the basketball team can stay healthy.

 

[WillisWG]

1st

so close

 

[DeusExMachina]

My first ever First!

nobody cares.

 

[Nico ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va]

At this point, we may need somebody from VN to suit up and catch some balls. Highly concerned about the health of our WR room. We might just be a 12 man team moving forward if we have a good power run game with TE play.

Glad to see the QBs rebound a bit. Looks like the competition between Merk and Aguilar is going to stay hot for a while, but like others have pointed out it really wont matter much until week 1 when we see them actually play.

I think the defense is going to be insane again this year. They are packed with studs in the box, and if we can stay consistent at DB then we will stay in a lot of games.

 

[volinexile17]

Be nice if Travis Smith could be our Jeremiah Smith.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

PHANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VolFan_stuck_in_the_901]

Feels like we're trying to manage the health of our WR room during fall camp; hopefully next year we have a 9-10 deep receiver room so that we don't have to do all this worrying

 

[PEPPERJAX]

At this point, we may need somebody from VN to suit up and catch some balls. Highly concerned about the health of our WR room. We might just be a 12 man team moving forward if we have a good power run game with TE play.

Glad to see the QBs rebound a bit. Looks like the competition between Merk and Aguilar is going to stay hot for a while, but like others have pointed out it really wont matter much until week 1 when we see them actually play.

I think the defense is going to be insane again this year. They are packed with studs in the box, and if we can stay consistent at DB then we will stay in a lot of games.

RBs might be catching a ton of passes this year.

 

[ENGRVOL]

Good news about Jefferson flashing. Just practice but that news is much needed.

Thanks Fingers!!

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Be nice if Travis Smith could be our Jeremiah Smith.

Yeah I wouldn't get your hopes up, that guy is a generational talent.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

All the people who scream holding all game long should have to watch the 3rd video on repeat. The idea is grab the man, on offense or defense, on the numbers and sling/shove him where you want him to go.

 

[Volanta]

At this point, we may need somebody from VN to suit up and catch some balls. Highly concerned about the health of our WR room. We might just be a 12 man team moving forward if we have a good power run game with TE play.

Glad to see the QBs rebound a bit. Looks like the competition between Merk and Aguilar is going to stay hot for a while, but like others have pointed out it really wont matter much until week 1 when we see them actually play.

I think the defense is going to be insane again this year. They are packed with studs in the box, and if we can stay consistent at DB then we will stay in a lot of games.

I’m ready coach put me in

 

[Garren04]

Even if Travis Smith Jr could have a justin hunter/marquez north type freshman year I think that would be more than solid

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Boo could be the redemption story of college football this year.

Kid messes up, fights back, and gets a chance as a WR because of injuries and shines.

 

[farmdogvol]

At this point, we may need somebody from VN to suit up and catch some balls. Highly concerned about the health of our WR room. We might just be a 12 man team moving forward if we have a good power run game with TE play.

Glad to see the QBs rebound a bit. Looks like the competition between Merk and Aguilar is going to stay hot for a while, but like others have pointed out it really wont matter much until week 1 when we see them actually play.

I think the defense is going to be insane again this year. They are packed with studs in the box, and if we can stay consistent at DB then we will stay in a lot of games.

I caught the winning TD in my junior high intramural flag football teams championship game, I'll give it a go.

 

[WillisWG]

Few Players Return, New Player Misses Tennessee Football's Tuesday Practice | Rocky Top Insider

Multiple players return to the field and a new player missed the Tennessee football practice on Tuesday morning at Haslam Field.

www.rockytopinsider.com

Full pads tomorrow, off Thursday, practice Friday then scrimmage Saturday morning.

 

[WillisWG]

I caught the winning TD in my junior high intramural flag football teams championship game, I'll give it a go.

bring the pain

 

[tnvols106]

He's missed so much time and workouts, I'm not sure he will at least anytime soon. To his advantage we are thin at receiver.

Good to see Boo back. Wonder when he might start taking reps with the WRs with all these injuries.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I caught the winning TD in my junior high intramural flag football teams championship game, I'll give it a go.

I'm in too, though I can snail mail my 40 time to coach faster than I can run it across the field to him.

 

[SaturdaysInKnox]

Seems as though our WRs and CBs are made of glass. Hope they are all minor injuries that they are being cautious with.

Respectfully, can't be trotting out guys like Weary at WR or McMurry at CB every other drive