Are you surprised by the number of people who showed up for an open practice? Not really but I was a little surprised this weekend. This practice was not as marketed as much. They announced it at the end of July but 30K to 40K showed up. I had family outside if Chattanooga show up.
What jumped out at you at the open practice? Who responded well? Couple of groups. The WR’s and Ethan Wolfe. Juan Jennings showed everyone why he is getting reps with the 1st team. Vincent Perry showed some speed and elusiveness. Josh Malone had a one of the better practices that we have seen. He has become much more consistent and mature. The receiving core looked good. Flip it over to the other side. I know we have talked about it all Fall camp but that DL units is going to be really good. Whether it is Derek Barnett or Maggitt. Then you add the young guys like Phillips and McKenzie. Then you add a guy like Vickers and Owens. On another flip side the OL did not look great. One on Ones they were dominated. Got better as practice went on. I am particularly impressed with Kyler Kerbason. I think people forget that he was shoved into that position last Fall. That was not his natural position. His whole off season he has been concentrating at that position. He concentrated on LT all off season and he looked pretty good against Curt Maggitt last Sat.
You flip on the tape and you look at the DL just dominating? Can this group be over hyped? Maybe because they are still young. The reality is that they is a ton of potential there and a ton of talent. Derek Barnett a FR All American with 20.5 tackles for loss and double digit sacks. Maggitt with double digit sacks. Owen Williams and Vickers two upper classmen who are coming on their own. McKenzie is as big of guy in college football. He just bulls people over. Add Tuttle who had his striped removed. He is quick off the ball. A guy that weighs 310 to 315 he is quick of the ball. Phillips is there. Then Mixon. He is a Soph. he is really coming on off the edge. Had to play DT last year and he had to bulk up to much for his frame. Now he has lost some weight. Found a home at End. No doubt this will be one of the top 4 DL in the league. I really do think that they are that good.
Recruits over the weekend? How big was it and did TN make up some ground? You had Mecole Hardmen show up. He is the big time #37 player in the country. He is an explosive receiver. First time back since the Spring Game. I got to know Mecole very well. TN was one of the first team to offer. At one point TN was clear cut leader. Other teams started offering. It was good to get him on campus. Butch has taken over his recruitment. He has really bonded well with Coach Jones. Coach has talked to his family several times. Mecole will be back OK game with his family. He takes his recruitment a little different. He will take his 5 official visits to places not close to home. He has mentioned Stanford, Mich., Miami. He lives about 20 minutes from UGA’s campus. Once it comes down to things it is GA to beat with TN and Auburn in the mix. Then you have Kyle Davis who is another big time receiver. One of my favorite players in the class. It is a TN vs. GA battle there as well. He lives in Lawrenceville GA which is 45 minutes from GA campus. I think TN continues to gain momentum there (boom?). That’s is one to watch till he announces around mid –Oct. another name to watch out for is Marlon Dunlap. He is a DT out of Charlotte NC. He was on campus. He was offered early this summer. NC in the picture. It will be interesting to see his recruitment the next few weeks and months. He is a guy that is starting to pick up interest. Miss St and Mich St is in there. He is a guy without a ton of offers but with a really good SR. year he can turn heads. He is 6’5/290lbs. and pretty athletic.
Secondary? Mid state guy? Gaulden, where does he fall in? right now he is the starter at Nickle. The secondary has potential to be the best since Eric Berry was here. They have a lot of guys on that side of the ball. Got a lot of experience. Throw in Emanuel Mosely. Looking to get around 182lbs by game week so guys cants chuck him at the line. He had a really good open practice. Had a good INT in the end zone. Justin Mrtin another in-state guy, if he can come back healthy that’s another good guy. With Martin coming back you just don’t have to play Gaulden at Nickle. He can play some Safety. Gaulden is one of the most hardest hitting guys I have seen in a long time. He loves to hit. He is not the biggest guy but he loves to hit and people feel it. He will be a valuable piece of the secondary.
That’s all folks!! Go Vols!!!
What jumped out at you at the open practice? Who responded well? Couple of groups. The WR’s and Ethan Wolfe. Juan Jennings showed everyone why he is getting reps with the 1st team. Vincent Perry showed some speed and elusiveness. Josh Malone had a one of the better practices that we have seen. He has become much more consistent and mature. The receiving core looked good. Flip it over to the other side. I know we have talked about it all Fall camp but that DL units is going to be really good. Whether it is Derek Barnett or Maggitt. Then you add the young guys like Phillips and McKenzie. Then you add a guy like Vickers and Owens. On another flip side the OL did not look great. One on Ones they were dominated. Got better as practice went on. I am particularly impressed with Kyler Kerbason. I think people forget that he was shoved into that position last Fall. That was not his natural position. His whole off season he has been concentrating at that position. He concentrated on LT all off season and he looked pretty good against Curt Maggitt last Sat.
You flip on the tape and you look at the DL just dominating? Can this group be over hyped? Maybe because they are still young. The reality is that they is a ton of potential there and a ton of talent. Derek Barnett a FR All American with 20.5 tackles for loss and double digit sacks. Maggitt with double digit sacks. Owen Williams and Vickers two upper classmen who are coming on their own. McKenzie is as big of guy in college football. He just bulls people over. Add Tuttle who had his striped removed. He is quick off the ball. A guy that weighs 310 to 315 he is quick of the ball. Phillips is there. Then Mixon. He is a Soph. he is really coming on off the edge. Had to play DT last year and he had to bulk up to much for his frame. Now he has lost some weight. Found a home at End. No doubt this will be one of the top 4 DL in the league. I really do think that they are that good.
Recruits over the weekend? How big was it and did TN make up some ground? You had Mecole Hardmen show up. He is the big time #37 player in the country. He is an explosive receiver. First time back since the Spring Game. I got to know Mecole very well. TN was one of the first team to offer. At one point TN was clear cut leader. Other teams started offering. It was good to get him on campus. Butch has taken over his recruitment. He has really bonded well with Coach Jones. Coach has talked to his family several times. Mecole will be back OK game with his family. He takes his recruitment a little different. He will take his 5 official visits to places not close to home. He has mentioned Stanford, Mich., Miami. He lives about 20 minutes from UGA’s campus. Once it comes down to things it is GA to beat with TN and Auburn in the mix. Then you have Kyle Davis who is another big time receiver. One of my favorite players in the class. It is a TN vs. GA battle there as well. He lives in Lawrenceville GA which is 45 minutes from GA campus. I think TN continues to gain momentum there (boom?). That’s is one to watch till he announces around mid –Oct. another name to watch out for is Marlon Dunlap. He is a DT out of Charlotte NC. He was on campus. He was offered early this summer. NC in the picture. It will be interesting to see his recruitment the next few weeks and months. He is a guy that is starting to pick up interest. Miss St and Mich St is in there. He is a guy without a ton of offers but with a really good SR. year he can turn heads. He is 6’5/290lbs. and pretty athletic.
Secondary? Mid state guy? Gaulden, where does he fall in? right now he is the starter at Nickle. The secondary has potential to be the best since Eric Berry was here. They have a lot of guys on that side of the ball. Got a lot of experience. Throw in Emanuel Mosely. Looking to get around 182lbs by game week so guys cants chuck him at the line. He had a really good open practice. Had a good INT in the end zone. Justin Mrtin another in-state guy, if he can come back healthy that’s another good guy. With Martin coming back you just don’t have to play Gaulden at Nickle. He can play some Safety. Gaulden is one of the most hardest hitting guys I have seen in a long time. He loves to hit. He is not the biggest guy but he loves to hit and people feel it. He will be a valuable piece of the secondary.
That’s all folks!! Go Vols!!!
