Rock has become a “rock star” for Tennessee this summer, as the team has truly bought into the new S&C coordinator. Sure, the happy talk of S&C happens every offseason, but several players have indicated that vibe in the training room this year is different.
As senior Jashon Robertson said, “There’s a significant amount of trust that comes with all that NFL experience. You can’t ignore longevity.” Rock’s resume bought him some immediate currency with the team, but his personality and ability connect with each player has really made the difference. As senior DT Kendall Vickers said, “no one on the team wants to let him down.”
We’ll have stories on both Roberson and Vickers next week. Both seniors weight around 295 pounds, with Vickers saying he’s at the lowest body fat number he’s ever been at. The much-injured Robertson also said he’s never felt healthier.
Another interesting note was that Vickers acted as if he didn't know Rock's last name when we called him coach Gullickson in our interview. He's just ‘Rock’ and as Vickers said, “He knows what he's talking about.”
The offseason weight room alphas have apparently been the OL/DL. Roberson, Vickers, as well as Kahlil McKenzie, Jonathan Kongbo and Darrell Taylor have emerged as real leaders this summer. That could pay huge dividends for Tennessee, as both the OL and DL must spearhead the team if Tennessee hopes to compete for the SEC East in 2017.
In terms of other guys showcasing well this offseason, we’ve heard freshmen Trey Smith and K’Rojhn Calbert have impressed, while Marcus Tatum, Quay Piccu and Alexis Johnson continue to work towards increased roles in 2017.
In addition to the weight room work, there's a lot of film work going on. Vickers, as well as other vets, are leading film work, showing the young players the scheme and trying to get them up to speed on things. They have also been watching tape on opponents like Georgia Tech. The defensive line is not the only group doing this, as all position groups are doing film study in addition to the weight room work.
Defensive back Emmanuel Moseley was pretty low key in nearly all of his comments while at SEC Media Days, but he was clear what he thought of the summer 7-on-7 work and how helpful it has been. There's real optimism that as a result of that work the offensive passing game will be in a better rhythm to start fall camp than it's been in any of Jones' previous years at Tennessee. On the defensive side of the ball, there's a believe that communication in the backend of the defense will be further along when camp opens on July 29th. We’ll soon find out.
The other big note from Jones this week was the cutting ability of defensive tackle Shy Tuttle. No one is expecting Tuttle to be at full strength to start the year, but there continues to be growing optimism over Tuttle's progress and him being on the field early in the season.
As for the rest of the summer workout plan, the next stage of Rock Gullickson's plan is more about conditioning than anything, as he works to have the team is the best football shape that he can. They haven't quit in the weight room, but they have “enjoyed” the hot weather this week to help them prepare for the start of camp.
Senior tight end Ethan Wolf said back in the spring that he had two goals: To not drop a pass during spring practice and an off-season goal of putting on strength and weight.
Wolf was definitely bigger when he met the media on Thursday. Wolf currently weighs 260 pounds, but expects he will drop five pounds or so during fall camp. His goal is to play at 255 pounds, which is 10 pounds more than last season. Wolf said he finished the year somewhere around 245 pounds.
Wolf, like many others, credits Rock Gullickson for his growth. Continuing a trend with lots of other Tennessee players, Wolf said he didn't want to let Rock down. He also noted how much Gullickson's experience has meant to everyone.
“Everyone has so much trust in him and he's always upbeat and positive,” Wolf said. “Don't get me wrong he will yell when he needs to, but no one is afraid of him or intimidated by him. He's always available if you need him.”
While multiple veterans have emerged as weight room stars this summer, junior defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie has consistently wowed teammates with his strength and effort in the gym. According to one veteran, McKenzie tossed up 365 pounds on a power clean this week, and after repping more than 550 pounds on squat, Rock & Co. had to tell the junior to ease up a bit. This is a big fall for the Tennessee legacy, and McKenzie’s work in the weight room has positioned him for a potential breakout season.
Tennessee remains Gullickson’s “team” for one more week, as the Vols have shifted some of their offseason S&C focus to conditioning of late. This week they had lots of runs in the heat — welcomed by Gullickson and the coaches. The early morning runs — like all of Gullickson's conditioning workouts — always involve something football specific, though. It's not just running to run.
As senior Jashon Robertson said, “There’s a significant amount of trust that comes with all that NFL experience. You can’t ignore longevity.” Rock’s resume bought him some immediate currency with the team, but his personality and ability connect with each player has really made the difference. As senior DT Kendall Vickers said, “no one on the team wants to let him down.”
We’ll have stories on both Roberson and Vickers next week. Both seniors weight around 295 pounds, with Vickers saying he’s at the lowest body fat number he’s ever been at. The much-injured Robertson also said he’s never felt healthier.
Another interesting note was that Vickers acted as if he didn't know Rock's last name when we called him coach Gullickson in our interview. He's just ‘Rock’ and as Vickers said, “He knows what he's talking about.”
The offseason weight room alphas have apparently been the OL/DL. Roberson, Vickers, as well as Kahlil McKenzie, Jonathan Kongbo and Darrell Taylor have emerged as real leaders this summer. That could pay huge dividends for Tennessee, as both the OL and DL must spearhead the team if Tennessee hopes to compete for the SEC East in 2017.
In terms of other guys showcasing well this offseason, we’ve heard freshmen Trey Smith and K’Rojhn Calbert have impressed, while Marcus Tatum, Quay Piccu and Alexis Johnson continue to work towards increased roles in 2017.
In addition to the weight room work, there's a lot of film work going on. Vickers, as well as other vets, are leading film work, showing the young players the scheme and trying to get them up to speed on things. They have also been watching tape on opponents like Georgia Tech. The defensive line is not the only group doing this, as all position groups are doing film study in addition to the weight room work.
Defensive back Emmanuel Moseley was pretty low key in nearly all of his comments while at SEC Media Days, but he was clear what he thought of the summer 7-on-7 work and how helpful it has been. There's real optimism that as a result of that work the offensive passing game will be in a better rhythm to start fall camp than it's been in any of Jones' previous years at Tennessee. On the defensive side of the ball, there's a believe that communication in the backend of the defense will be further along when camp opens on July 29th. We’ll soon find out.
The other big note from Jones this week was the cutting ability of defensive tackle Shy Tuttle. No one is expecting Tuttle to be at full strength to start the year, but there continues to be growing optimism over Tuttle's progress and him being on the field early in the season.
As for the rest of the summer workout plan, the next stage of Rock Gullickson's plan is more about conditioning than anything, as he works to have the team is the best football shape that he can. They haven't quit in the weight room, but they have “enjoyed” the hot weather this week to help them prepare for the start of camp.
Senior tight end Ethan Wolf said back in the spring that he had two goals: To not drop a pass during spring practice and an off-season goal of putting on strength and weight.
Wolf was definitely bigger when he met the media on Thursday. Wolf currently weighs 260 pounds, but expects he will drop five pounds or so during fall camp. His goal is to play at 255 pounds, which is 10 pounds more than last season. Wolf said he finished the year somewhere around 245 pounds.
Wolf, like many others, credits Rock Gullickson for his growth. Continuing a trend with lots of other Tennessee players, Wolf said he didn't want to let Rock down. He also noted how much Gullickson's experience has meant to everyone.
“Everyone has so much trust in him and he's always upbeat and positive,” Wolf said. “Don't get me wrong he will yell when he needs to, but no one is afraid of him or intimidated by him. He's always available if you need him.”
While multiple veterans have emerged as weight room stars this summer, junior defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie has consistently wowed teammates with his strength and effort in the gym. According to one veteran, McKenzie tossed up 365 pounds on a power clean this week, and after repping more than 550 pounds on squat, Rock & Co. had to tell the junior to ease up a bit. This is a big fall for the Tennessee legacy, and McKenzie’s work in the weight room has positioned him for a potential breakout season.
Tennessee remains Gullickson’s “team” for one more week, as the Vols have shifted some of their offseason S&C focus to conditioning of late. This week they had lots of runs in the heat — welcomed by Gullickson and the coaches. The early morning runs — like all of Gullickson's conditioning workouts — always involve something football specific, though. It's not just running to run.
