When was the last time there was so much anticipation about a TN season? It’s been a while? It has. You can actually go back a decade. There was some anticipation with Lane Kiffin’s team because it was brand new. Then you go back to the 2005 season after Eric Ainge came off his Freshman season. Fulmer said at SEC media days that Ainge reminded him of Peyton Manning which was a bold statement. We know what happen to that team in 2005. They didn’t live up to the expectations. Maybe when Cutcliffe return on 2006. This one is a little bit different. Fans like it that they are back from a competitive stand point. This is start of a run as opposed to a spike up at talent for one year. This is a jumping off point for a turn to glory for TN football.
First practice have the speed and tempo that Butch was looking for? It did. The thing that jumped out to you when you watch was the lack of newness. That is a good thing for TN. You got guys like Sutton and Maggitt and Dobbs. They understand the expectations on the practice field. Instead of the coaches trying to teach the young guys how to do it , it is the players. There is no question from an installation and practice standpoint that they will go faster.
How much can Juan Jennings help at WR? Athletically he jumps off the page. We saw that in HS. In HS he was best when the ball was in his hands. He has miles to go as far as running route properly. He will go get the ball in the air. He has a big physical frame to work with. He jumps out at you. There will be some growing pains. Everyone is intrigued what he can do physically.
I made the comparison of Corey Fleming? Shows how old we are. Everyone wants to compare to James Banks. JJ is more bigger and physical than Banks. Corey is a great comparison. Corey was highly competitive. Juan is that way. He didn’t want to be the 4th string QB. He wanted to play FB. Question for JJ is how quickly can he pick up the WR position. I will say this about the WR group. Again no shoulder pads but they look the part. When you see North, Jennings and Malone they got frames to work with. They have got to back it up.
Where is Malone with his development? Opportunity abounds. He knows it. When talking with Malone this summer I think he is more comfortable being Josh Malone than he has ever been. There was so much hype and expectation last year and it was harder than he thought it would be. The game came so much easier to him before. I don’t think Josh was ever comfortable being Josh. He seems to have a little more drive about him. With all those guys in the receiving core the proof will come in the production. They looked the part last year. Not a knock on PIG but when you look at the group it is hard to believe that he is the best WR with all their builds. They all got to go out and prove it.
How do they manage all the 13 injury players? Coach Butch discussed it at his Coaches hide way. He likened it to jumping in the deep end of the pool. You got to get in and swim. You got to hit. There are some coming off of injury that has to prove the contact work than others. Example. Dillon Bates needs more contact than Derek Barnett does. You know what you got with Barnett. Bates is trying to win a starting position at MLB. Guys like Bates and Kirkland need more contact work. They will manage it. Don’t think it is a cross the board mange deal. They will be careful. They have studied it especially what NFL teams do. In the NFL you deal with a smaller roster spots.
How does the MLB position competition rank? To me it is huge. To the coaching staff that is right at the top of the page. I had a conversation with Jancek and asked him can you take a lot of the burden of the calls and put it on Jalen Reeves Maybin and he said absolutely no. The MLB has to make the calls. The have to be the alpha dog. The reason is there is a lot of no huddle so you don’t huddle up on defense and the outside LB gets way out wide. The outside backer can’t communicate with the defensive front. The expectation of the MLB is not only to be downhill in the run game versus heavy running teams ( ARK and GA) but that person has the be the communicator. Setting the sight adjustments.
JRM seems that he can help there with his experience? He can help there but if he is 10 to 7 yrds out of the box and there is a 102,000 people screaming it is hard for him to sprint back and tell Shy Tuttle and McKenzie which way they can shade or adjust to and then slide back out. Another interesting thing is they will play some Dime this year. Then you will see JRM slide in and then he will make all the calls. The expectation in the base D and Nickel D is for the MLB to make the calls. That is expected from Dillon Bates , Kirkland, Bynum or the walk on Colton Jumper. Whoever it is the expectation is you better make the calls.
What do they like about Kirkland? He has got this photographic memory that they have tested him for. He is very bright. Very driven. Did not go home mini term to rehab. He studied film and learned with Jancek and Thig. Everybody is anxious to see him with pads on playing the game and seeing this memory recall.
When they tee it up against Bowling Green do you think Von Pearson is on the roster? I don’t have any reason to say he will because this thing has drug out so long. I am not saying he want. I mentioned on Volquest last week that some new evidence was submitted to the Da. I think that was the final findings and the rape kit and all that things. Certainly Von and his camp feel like there is nothing there. The question is when will the University let him back in school. If that doesn’t come to close before the drop and add deadline then what do you do? If Von is going to be a student he has to get the suspension lifted. There is some optimism in the Pearson camp that something will happen. There was a lot of us that was told this thing would be done by the first of May. We are now into August. Hopefully for Von’s sake there is a resolution. A lot of people talk about how he can help the FB team but if Von is innocent and there is not enough to charge him with than this case needs to get close so Von Pearson can get on with his life. Not his Football life but LIFE. He can’t go to school right now. What is he supposed to do. At some point the system has to charge him with something or have the case dismissed. That is my soapbox for today. ( Brent bringing it!!)
Preston Williams situation? We will a time line there. We don’t know it yet. I do think he will take the ACT again. Perhaps the next 10 days. It will be pretty simple. He either makes a qualifying score and he is on the team or he will have to go elsewhere. We will have a resolution soon. Probably take it Mid August.
That’s all folks!!! Go Vols!!!
First practice have the speed and tempo that Butch was looking for? It did. The thing that jumped out to you when you watch was the lack of newness. That is a good thing for TN. You got guys like Sutton and Maggitt and Dobbs. They understand the expectations on the practice field. Instead of the coaches trying to teach the young guys how to do it , it is the players. There is no question from an installation and practice standpoint that they will go faster.
How much can Juan Jennings help at WR? Athletically he jumps off the page. We saw that in HS. In HS he was best when the ball was in his hands. He has miles to go as far as running route properly. He will go get the ball in the air. He has a big physical frame to work with. He jumps out at you. There will be some growing pains. Everyone is intrigued what he can do physically.
I made the comparison of Corey Fleming? Shows how old we are. Everyone wants to compare to James Banks. JJ is more bigger and physical than Banks. Corey is a great comparison. Corey was highly competitive. Juan is that way. He didn’t want to be the 4th string QB. He wanted to play FB. Question for JJ is how quickly can he pick up the WR position. I will say this about the WR group. Again no shoulder pads but they look the part. When you see North, Jennings and Malone they got frames to work with. They have got to back it up.
Where is Malone with his development? Opportunity abounds. He knows it. When talking with Malone this summer I think he is more comfortable being Josh Malone than he has ever been. There was so much hype and expectation last year and it was harder than he thought it would be. The game came so much easier to him before. I don’t think Josh was ever comfortable being Josh. He seems to have a little more drive about him. With all those guys in the receiving core the proof will come in the production. They looked the part last year. Not a knock on PIG but when you look at the group it is hard to believe that he is the best WR with all their builds. They all got to go out and prove it.
How do they manage all the 13 injury players? Coach Butch discussed it at his Coaches hide way. He likened it to jumping in the deep end of the pool. You got to get in and swim. You got to hit. There are some coming off of injury that has to prove the contact work than others. Example. Dillon Bates needs more contact than Derek Barnett does. You know what you got with Barnett. Bates is trying to win a starting position at MLB. Guys like Bates and Kirkland need more contact work. They will manage it. Don’t think it is a cross the board mange deal. They will be careful. They have studied it especially what NFL teams do. In the NFL you deal with a smaller roster spots.
How does the MLB position competition rank? To me it is huge. To the coaching staff that is right at the top of the page. I had a conversation with Jancek and asked him can you take a lot of the burden of the calls and put it on Jalen Reeves Maybin and he said absolutely no. The MLB has to make the calls. The have to be the alpha dog. The reason is there is a lot of no huddle so you don’t huddle up on defense and the outside LB gets way out wide. The outside backer can’t communicate with the defensive front. The expectation of the MLB is not only to be downhill in the run game versus heavy running teams ( ARK and GA) but that person has the be the communicator. Setting the sight adjustments.
JRM seems that he can help there with his experience? He can help there but if he is 10 to 7 yrds out of the box and there is a 102,000 people screaming it is hard for him to sprint back and tell Shy Tuttle and McKenzie which way they can shade or adjust to and then slide back out. Another interesting thing is they will play some Dime this year. Then you will see JRM slide in and then he will make all the calls. The expectation in the base D and Nickel D is for the MLB to make the calls. That is expected from Dillon Bates , Kirkland, Bynum or the walk on Colton Jumper. Whoever it is the expectation is you better make the calls.
What do they like about Kirkland? He has got this photographic memory that they have tested him for. He is very bright. Very driven. Did not go home mini term to rehab. He studied film and learned with Jancek and Thig. Everybody is anxious to see him with pads on playing the game and seeing this memory recall.
When they tee it up against Bowling Green do you think Von Pearson is on the roster? I don’t have any reason to say he will because this thing has drug out so long. I am not saying he want. I mentioned on Volquest last week that some new evidence was submitted to the Da. I think that was the final findings and the rape kit and all that things. Certainly Von and his camp feel like there is nothing there. The question is when will the University let him back in school. If that doesn’t come to close before the drop and add deadline then what do you do? If Von is going to be a student he has to get the suspension lifted. There is some optimism in the Pearson camp that something will happen. There was a lot of us that was told this thing would be done by the first of May. We are now into August. Hopefully for Von’s sake there is a resolution. A lot of people talk about how he can help the FB team but if Von is innocent and there is not enough to charge him with than this case needs to get close so Von Pearson can get on with his life. Not his Football life but LIFE. He can’t go to school right now. What is he supposed to do. At some point the system has to charge him with something or have the case dismissed. That is my soapbox for today. ( Brent bringing it!!)
Preston Williams situation? We will a time line there. We don’t know it yet. I do think he will take the ACT again. Perhaps the next 10 days. It will be pretty simple. He either makes a qualifying score and he is on the team or he will have to go elsewhere. We will have a resolution soon. Probably take it Mid August.
That’s all folks!!! Go Vols!!!
