Tennessee was back at it Tuesday morning for practice No. 8 of spring. It was the first workday for the Volunteers following Saturday’s scrimmage and the first of four on the week. UT will also practice Thursday and Friday in preparation for Saturday’s scrimmage No. 2.
Some quick notes: OT Gerald Mincey was back out there today with his right ankle heavily taped. He did not participate in Saturday’s scrimmage. Running back Jabari Small was not out there while the media was present and tight end Princeton Fant was not dressed out. Doneiko Slaughter was not seen on the practice field either.
After stretching and circuit work inside the Anderson Training Facility, the team made its way to the Haslam Practice field.
The wide receivers and quarterbacks were repping go-routes down the seam or outside the hash. Kelsey Pope was about eight yards off the ball with a dummy pad, slapping the receivers as they ran by. He was preaching ‘clean release’ as the wideouts slapped the pad away while continuing down the field.
A few things that jumped out to me while observing. Because of Kaleb Webb’s long strides, it didn’t take him long at all to get down the field. Squirrel White is indeed, fast. I thought both Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton looked really good throwing this deep all. Granted, it’s on-air with no rush. It should look good.
After this drill wrapped up, Pope huddled the receiver group up for about two minutes, as they took a knee. He was coaching them up on something, btu also giving them a breather while the defensive backs finished up their drill. They then joined together for groupwork, focusing on jamming and breaking that press coverage.
The quarterbacks then went off by themselves and performed some pocket presence drills. Moving up, back, side, side and then rolling out of the pocket – all while avoiding or shaking off the padded dummy being thrown their way. I thought Tayven Jackson looked poised doing this drill, especially for being a young guy.
Since there’s no Fant or Miles Campbell, the tight end group looks small. That left plenty of time for Alex Golesh to coach up redshirt-freshman Julian Nixon, and that’s exactly what was happening Tuesday morning. Tennessee’s OC was overhead emphasizing the word ‘details’ to Nixon as he continues to adjust to life as a tight end.
What an opportunity for him to make some noise with two guys above him not practicing at the moment.
Defensively, it was a lot of the same work. The defensive line worked the bags in and out of the cage. The linebackers worked steps and reads under the cage. The groups today were Banks/Beasley, Mitchell (yellow jersey)/Page, Garland/Herring and then so on.
At defensive back, the safeties worked route recognition while the corners repped ball drills and back pedal. The cornerback group still looks small with only Christian Charles and Desmond Williams over there of note.
2023s Tony Rojas and Tymere Burton were on hand for practice today. Brian Jean-Mary will meet with us later this morning around 11:20 and will be followed by Jaylen McCollough, Trevon Flowers, Omari Thomas and Roman Harrison.
Some quick notes: OT Gerald Mincey was back out there today with his right ankle heavily taped. He did not participate in Saturday’s scrimmage. Running back Jabari Small was not out there while the media was present and tight end Princeton Fant was not dressed out. Doneiko Slaughter was not seen on the practice field either.
After stretching and circuit work inside the Anderson Training Facility, the team made its way to the Haslam Practice field.
The wide receivers and quarterbacks were repping go-routes down the seam or outside the hash. Kelsey Pope was about eight yards off the ball with a dummy pad, slapping the receivers as they ran by. He was preaching ‘clean release’ as the wideouts slapped the pad away while continuing down the field.
A few things that jumped out to me while observing. Because of Kaleb Webb’s long strides, it didn’t take him long at all to get down the field. Squirrel White is indeed, fast. I thought both Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton looked really good throwing this deep all. Granted, it’s on-air with no rush. It should look good.
After this drill wrapped up, Pope huddled the receiver group up for about two minutes, as they took a knee. He was coaching them up on something, btu also giving them a breather while the defensive backs finished up their drill. They then joined together for groupwork, focusing on jamming and breaking that press coverage.
The quarterbacks then went off by themselves and performed some pocket presence drills. Moving up, back, side, side and then rolling out of the pocket – all while avoiding or shaking off the padded dummy being thrown their way. I thought Tayven Jackson looked poised doing this drill, especially for being a young guy.
Since there’s no Fant or Miles Campbell, the tight end group looks small. That left plenty of time for Alex Golesh to coach up redshirt-freshman Julian Nixon, and that’s exactly what was happening Tuesday morning. Tennessee’s OC was overhead emphasizing the word ‘details’ to Nixon as he continues to adjust to life as a tight end.
What an opportunity for him to make some noise with two guys above him not practicing at the moment.
Defensively, it was a lot of the same work. The defensive line worked the bags in and out of the cage. The linebackers worked steps and reads under the cage. The groups today were Banks/Beasley, Mitchell (yellow jersey)/Page, Garland/Herring and then so on.
At defensive back, the safeties worked route recognition while the corners repped ball drills and back pedal. The cornerback group still looks small with only Christian Charles and Desmond Williams over there of note.
2023s Tony Rojas and Tymere Burton were on hand for practice today. Brian Jean-Mary will meet with us later this morning around 11:20 and will be followed by Jaylen McCollough, Trevon Flowers, Omari Thomas and Roman Harrison.
