Mike Matthews picks up another honor by getting selected to play in the Polynesian Bowl. The game will be played on January 19th, 2024, at 9 pm et and can be viewed via NFL Network. The game is in Honolulu, Hawaii, so if you want to give me a free trip to Hawaii @Tyler Mansfield 😅😅😅

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Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is slated to meet with the media at 11:30 a.m. following the Vols’ first scrimmage of fall camp inside Neyland Stadium.

For updates, follow along here and on Twitter @TennesseeRivals, @RyanTSylvia and @ByNoahTaylor.

A full week of practice is now in the books.

Here is my full notebook:

NOTES

- Cooper Mays is still absent
- Wesley Walker was present again
- Squirrel White was fully active, ran routes well, looked quick
- QBs worked on laterals for a little
- Cody Duncan best catch of the day. One-handed and got his feet in bounds.

SLOT RECEIVERS

These were the players that spent the entirety of practice in the slot

- Squirrel White
- Dont'e Thornton
- Jack Jancek
- Garrett Young
- Dayton Sneed

REPS

(All in the red zone, all fades are to back pylon)

Joe Milton
McCoy slant complete
Warren hook complete
Thornton hook complete
Keyton slant complete
Okoye hook incomplete (drop)
McCoy fade incomplete (overthrow)
Warren in complete
White fade complete
Keyton fade incomplete (couldn't keep feet in)
Keyton fade complete
McCoy in incomplete (drop)
Warren in complete
White in incomplete (drop)
Keyton in complete
McCoy slant complete
White fade complete (BEAUTIFUL THROW AND CATCH)
Keyton slant complete
Warren fade complete (BEAUTIFUL THROW AND CATCH)
White in complete
Jancek fade complete

Nico Iamaleava
Nimrod slant complete
Castles hook complete
White hook complete
Webb in complete
Nimrod fade complete
Castles in complete
Jancek out incomplete (below average throw but catchable)
Webb fade incomplete (overthrow)
Nimrod in complete
Castles slant complete
Jancek in incomplete (jammed on release by coach and couldn't get to ball, not Nico's fault)
Webb in complete
Okoye in complete
Nimrod slant incomplete (below average throw but should've been caught)
Jancek hook complete (slow to throw from Nico, took too much time to get the ball out)
Webb slant incomplete
Castles fade incomplete (overthrow)

From @Hunter.DeNote:

On Tennessee wide receiver Ramel Keyton and how last season changed his approach: https://Tennessee.rivals.com/news/a...eason-keyton-now-the-veteran-of-vols-wr-corps

Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright were named to the Doak Walker Award watchlist on Wednesday: https://tennessee.rivals.com/news/t...amed-to-doak-walker-award-preseason-watchlist

WR coach Kelsey Pope mentioned negative recruiting concerning Tennessee’s offense during his presser today.

Dont’e Thornton said he heard it when he was being recruited out of the portal, too.

Pope on Hyatt, Tillman succeeding in the NFL:

"I think it's awesome to see but quite frankly that's the expectation, right? You hear a lot of people say a lot about the offense and this and that and people make up what they want to in recruiting. This offense helps guys win in one-on-one matchups. That league is all about one-on-one matchups. So, the things that those guys are doing there is an expectation by everybody in this building, that they're going to win situations like that. We look forward to seeing those guys.”

Pope on countering misconceptions about Tennessee offense:


“I think what people don't understand, they try to just kind of make up, but it's my job as a coach to answer questions in the recruiting process. Our offense puts guys in situations to win one-on-one matchups. Defenses are supposed to stop guys and those one-on-one situations. It doesn't matter at the end of the day what the scheme is, what the play call is. I'm given a technique to beat a defensive player. He's given a technique to beat me. If I'm beating him 10 out of 10 times, I can translate that on any level and that's what it comes down to. Now guys have different skill sets. You show those in recruiting. Guys are put in different spots, you show those in recruiting. At the end of the day, you got to win your matchup, and that's what it is. That's what those guys have learned to do and that's what they showed on Saturday. That's why they're successful in the league. It's no rhyme or reason to why they're doing it besides a transition from what they did in college."

Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope and select players will meet with the media following the Vols' seventh practice of fall camp beginning at 11:10 a.m. ET.

For updates, follow along here and on Twitter @TennesseeRivals, @RyanTSylvia and @ByNoahTaylor.

Tennessee will face MTSU in women's basketball for four-straight seasons.

This year is in Huntsville on Dec. 6. 2024 and 2026 are in Knoxville. 2025 is at MTSU.

"I'm pleased to begin a four-game series with Middle Tennessee," Harper said. "We are always looking for ways to challenge our team with our schedule and to also help the game of basketball grow around the country. Our meeting in Huntsville offers a great opportunity for folks from our state to make a short road trip and for those in Alabama to watch two NCAA Tournament teams battle on a neutral court. We certainly hope our players with ties to the region will also have a great turnout as they make their return."

Single-game tickets will be available for $20 each. Beginning Monday, Sept.4, at 11 a.m. ET, fans can conveniently make their purchases online through Ticketmaster.com via the Von Braun Center. Groups of 20 or more will have the opportunity to take advantage of a discounted rate, with tickets priced at just $12 per person.

From @Hunter.DeNote:

Dont'e Thornton has rare attributes that leave him at 6-foot-5 with blazing speed.

This combination was likened to both Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman by WR coach Kelsey Pope.

"He's kind of a mixture of both of those guys in some ways."

MORE TAKEAWAYS:

WR coach Kelsey Pope, TE McCallan Castles, WR Dont'e Thornton and WR Ramel Keyton spoke with the media today.

Afterward, @Noah-Taylor and I broke it and the day of practice down.

WATCH:

From @Hunter.DeNote:

Great young coach. Insane how much he's done so early in his career.

Wanted to know if he was going to talk to media during fall camp? What other coaches?

As Elijah Simmons switches his jersey number from 51 to 10, he also wants to change his play on the field.

This all starts with a new mindset at practice.

"No. 10, he’s going continuously fight, strain and compete every day."

MORE:

Tennessee wrapped up its foreign tour 3-0 with a dominating win over Stella Azzura.

The final victory came in the form of a great defensive effort.

Here's what you need to know:

Roman Harrison knew the position he would be in when Byron Young left.

He began preparing for a leadership role last season that is benefiting the Tennessee DL already in fall camp:

We were able to watch about 20 minutes of practice today.

Here's my notebook:

NOTES
- Squirrel was stretching and with the team but did not run any routes in the time that we were allowed to view practice. Also didn't see Bru running routes.
- Wesley Walker was not with the safeties. Could have been elsewhere on the field but we couldn't find him if he was.
- Heupel's statement to the team: "Finish strong today." They have an off day tomorrow.
- WR coach Kelsey Pope was happy with his guys. "Looks like ya'll have been practicing."
- LB coach Brian Jean-Mary wanted more out of his group.
- McCollough a clear leader in the safety room. Was coaching up freshman Jack Luttrell.
- Heupel spent a lot of time with QBs today.

REPS

Joe

Nimrod in route complete
Dont'e comeback route complete
Warren curl complete

Nico

Bittner in route complete
Jancek in route incomplete (high pass but should've been caught, Jancek wasn't happy with himself)
Castles curl complete
Webb in route incomplete (bad drop)

Joe

Nimrod curl incomplete (drop)
Thronton in route complete
Keyton curl complete

Nico

Bittner curl complete
Jancek in route complete
Webb curl complete

QB NOTES
- Good energy from both guys
- Joe was on the MONEY today. Super accurate. Didn't see a bad ball from him.
- Nico was really solid. Not as clean as Joe but still impressive.

Tennessee is back at practice on Tuesday.

Here is my full notebook:

NOTES

- First day of full pads
- Wesley Walker is back
- Still no Cooper Mays
- Squirrel White was there but didn't run routes in front of media

REPS

Joe Milton
Hunter Barnes screen left complete
Cameron Seldon screen left complete
Dylan Sampson. screen right complete
DeSean Bishop screen right complete

Nico Iamaleava
DeSean Bishop screen left complete
Jaylen Wright screen right complete

Joe Milton
Bru McCoy hook incomplete (bad drop)
Jack Jancek hook incomplete (bad drop)
Jacob Warren hook incomplete (bad drop)
Bru McCoy hook complete

Nico Iamaleava
Chas Nimrod hook incomplete (bad drop)
Dont'e Thornton hook complete
McCallen Casteles hook complete
Kaleb Webb hook incomplete (bad drop)


Heupel didn't want media to record the following drill. "Go film the o-line or d-line, they need love, too."

Joe Milton on roll outs
Bru McCoy streak complete
Dayton Sneed slant complete
Jack Jancek out incomplete (drop)
Hunter Salmon incomplete (overthrow)
Chas Nimrod out incomplete (bad throw, but catchable)
Trey Weary streak complete
Bru McCoy streak complete
Kaleb Webb out complete

Nico Iamaleava on roll outs
Unknown out complete
Michael Bittner streak incomplete (over throw)
Unknown incomplete (threw to wrong route, not sure who was intended)
Jacob Warren in complete
Cody Duncan out complete
Ramel Keyton streak complete

Steele obviously referring to Tennessee.

Interesting.

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This ranking blends the high school rank plus the final transfer portal rank into one:

All videos from today's practice are below:

Rodney Garner met with the media today. He talked about improving in the pass rush, the LEO position and more. Here are three key takeaways: https://Tennessee.rivals.com/news/key-takeaways-from-tennessee-s-sixth-practice-of-fall-camp

Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner and select players are scheduled to meet with the media beginning at 11:10 a.m. ET.

For updates, follow along here and on Twitter @TennesseeRivals, @RyanTSylvia and @ByNoahTaylor

From @Hunter.DeNote: