Someone said you could copy and paste a War Room from Butch early days and it would mirror today’s War Room. So I thought I would do just that haha. I had to skip the recruiting section because it wouldn’t let me post such huge post. But see any differences?
As for the football Vols, it was back to work quickly this week for the Vols coming off spring break. Tennessee had a team meeting Easter Sunday night then an intense workout on Monday to get ready for Tuesday and Thursday. Thursday was clearly a better practice, particularly on offense. The receivers were much better on Thursday and it was the offensive line's best day of the spring. The search for playmakers on offense is a long ways from over. Marlin Lane has clearly been better than Rajion Neal thus far this spring at the running back position and that's a position that has been getting the ball in a couple of ways. Obviously in the run game, and then they are being used a lot in the passing game --- particularly when it comes to the screen game. This offense has worked a ton this spring on the screen game and it's clearly the biggest reason those guys were asked to lose weight.
The intensity of things was ramped up this week and the tolerance for not going at the proper pace is getting smaller. Head coach Butch Jones was more vocal on Thursday with the microphone and didn't have any trouble calling a player out for loafing or appearing to be tired. Jones was also quick to praise good plays as well, including a chest-bump with linebacker A.J. Johnson after a tackle for loss.
Saturday's challenge to the defense is two-fold, being in the proper run fits and tackle. All defensive coaches are still baffled by just how poor of a tackling team the defense is when it comes to fundamentals, such as proper angles and playing low.
The coaching staff is certainly looking for more from the defensive line in all areas particularly a pass rush. In the defensive interior they are just looking for guys to be active and make plays instead of just occupying a space. One guy who might be able to do that is Mo' Couch, but Couch has been in a green jersey essentially all spring and hasn't done any contact work of note. That is expected to continue to be the case all spring as he tries to get 100-percent after off-season shoulder surgery.
Something else that's interesting is that coming onto the practice field players have to go over and underneath a series of hurdles to set a tone to focus and when practice is over, players hit a series of different weight drills with many designed to strengthen hands and forearms. There are barrels of sand that players have to dig items out of with their hands. Then there is 2-3 inch in diameter piece of PVC pipe that has a 25 pound weight attached to it by a rope and the players have to hope the pipe out in front of them and roll the weight up with their hands. Then there is an old football that has some heavy chains attached to it that the players have to throw back and forth between their right and left hand while the weights dangle from the ball. This is an item of particular focus for the Vols' running backs, and it's an obvious method for teaching ball security.
Whether it's been the open talk from Marlon Walls about the Vols being touched by a young teenager's battle with cancer or the faculty breakfast VolQuest.com reported on Thursday or various other items about Team 117, it seems evident at this point that unity is better than in previous years and the team genuinely, for the most part, gets along with a singular vision. Certainly, there's been some practice-field scuffles --- a sign of a growing team with leadership when certain players are defended --- but mostly this team seems to get along well.
As one football expert told us this week, "I've really been impressed with coach Jones. I like what he's doing. I'm telling you, there's something to that team unity and bonding and togetherness. It may not make up for a lack of talent, but there's something to it. It can make a difference."
Saturday in addition to hosting professors, Jones and his program are holding a meet and greet with various donors. But it's not just donors; the breakfast at the stadium --- separate from the one to honor faculty --- also will recognize those who contribute to the program in various ways, such as area restaurants who take turns providing meals for the players and coaches. Saturday is a big day in terms of simply continuing to build and foster relationships on and off campus as they relate to Tennessee football.
There were some auxiliary staff changes this week on Rocky Top. Both Bill Baker and J.R. Sandlin no longer are with the UT football department. The Vols were in discussions with Pittsburgh's Dann Kabala, according to sources, for an administrative recruiting position, but it's now believed Jones & Co. may perhaps look to the NFL to fill a hybrid form of those vacated roles.
As ETSU works to relaunch its football program, former Tennessee national championship coach Phillip Fulmer has emerged as a key figure in the Bucs' search process. We're told Fulmer could earn between $50,000-$100,000 for his work in the ETSU search; moreover we're told it's another avenue for Fulmer to build his profile as a potential big-time administrator in college athletics.
HOOPS
It's a quiet time on the hoops front for the moment with the coaches convention running in conjunction with the Final Four in Atlanta this weekend. That will change soon enough as for the second year in a row April contains some evaluation weekends as part of the NCAA's revised recruiting rules.
The highlight of the month will be the last two weekends when NIKE's highly regarded EYBL summer league kicks off with back-to-back tournaments in Los Angeles and Hampton, Va. Among the prospects playing for NIKE teams that Tennessee will be hitting the road to evaluate and simply be seen watching are Jalen Lindsey, Leron Black, Cameron Justice (2015), Ahmed Hill, Jakeenan Gant, Jaquan Lyle, and Kevon Looney to name just a few.
One junior college name to keep in mind for the 2014 class is Rawane Ndiaye originally from Senegal, now at Indian Hills C.C. in Iowa. Cuonzo Martin was by the school a couple of weeks ago to watch him in an open gym setting and in a 2014 class where size will be a priority, he's probably someone worth filing away.
Finally, we're aware of all the speculation regarding Jarnell Stokes that took place on Thursday. While we've said all along that it's our firm belief that Stokes would love to bolt for the draft if he had a realistic chance of being taken in the first round, we haven't heard anyone suggest he's going to get that kind of feedback from anyone associated with the NBA.
We heard from a couple of different sources around the program that Stokes was definitely on campus on Thursday, for whatever that's worth in regards to the rumor mill.
Again, if he gets any kind of indication from league sources that he's going to be drafted, we expect Stokes to jump at it, but that's not a decision that's been reached yet according to everyone we've spoken with.
Martin has meetings scheduled with every returning player on the roster next week, including Stokes, and it's a safe bet his future will be something the two discuss in depth.
We hope everyone has a great weekend !
As for the football Vols, it was back to work quickly this week for the Vols coming off spring break. Tennessee had a team meeting Easter Sunday night then an intense workout on Monday to get ready for Tuesday and Thursday. Thursday was clearly a better practice, particularly on offense. The receivers were much better on Thursday and it was the offensive line's best day of the spring. The search for playmakers on offense is a long ways from over. Marlin Lane has clearly been better than Rajion Neal thus far this spring at the running back position and that's a position that has been getting the ball in a couple of ways. Obviously in the run game, and then they are being used a lot in the passing game --- particularly when it comes to the screen game. This offense has worked a ton this spring on the screen game and it's clearly the biggest reason those guys were asked to lose weight.
The intensity of things was ramped up this week and the tolerance for not going at the proper pace is getting smaller. Head coach Butch Jones was more vocal on Thursday with the microphone and didn't have any trouble calling a player out for loafing or appearing to be tired. Jones was also quick to praise good plays as well, including a chest-bump with linebacker A.J. Johnson after a tackle for loss.
Saturday's challenge to the defense is two-fold, being in the proper run fits and tackle. All defensive coaches are still baffled by just how poor of a tackling team the defense is when it comes to fundamentals, such as proper angles and playing low.
The coaching staff is certainly looking for more from the defensive line in all areas particularly a pass rush. In the defensive interior they are just looking for guys to be active and make plays instead of just occupying a space. One guy who might be able to do that is Mo' Couch, but Couch has been in a green jersey essentially all spring and hasn't done any contact work of note. That is expected to continue to be the case all spring as he tries to get 100-percent after off-season shoulder surgery.
Something else that's interesting is that coming onto the practice field players have to go over and underneath a series of hurdles to set a tone to focus and when practice is over, players hit a series of different weight drills with many designed to strengthen hands and forearms. There are barrels of sand that players have to dig items out of with their hands. Then there is 2-3 inch in diameter piece of PVC pipe that has a 25 pound weight attached to it by a rope and the players have to hope the pipe out in front of them and roll the weight up with their hands. Then there is an old football that has some heavy chains attached to it that the players have to throw back and forth between their right and left hand while the weights dangle from the ball. This is an item of particular focus for the Vols' running backs, and it's an obvious method for teaching ball security.
Whether it's been the open talk from Marlon Walls about the Vols being touched by a young teenager's battle with cancer or the faculty breakfast VolQuest.com reported on Thursday or various other items about Team 117, it seems evident at this point that unity is better than in previous years and the team genuinely, for the most part, gets along with a singular vision. Certainly, there's been some practice-field scuffles --- a sign of a growing team with leadership when certain players are defended --- but mostly this team seems to get along well.
As one football expert told us this week, "I've really been impressed with coach Jones. I like what he's doing. I'm telling you, there's something to that team unity and bonding and togetherness. It may not make up for a lack of talent, but there's something to it. It can make a difference."
Saturday in addition to hosting professors, Jones and his program are holding a meet and greet with various donors. But it's not just donors; the breakfast at the stadium --- separate from the one to honor faculty --- also will recognize those who contribute to the program in various ways, such as area restaurants who take turns providing meals for the players and coaches. Saturday is a big day in terms of simply continuing to build and foster relationships on and off campus as they relate to Tennessee football.
There were some auxiliary staff changes this week on Rocky Top. Both Bill Baker and J.R. Sandlin no longer are with the UT football department. The Vols were in discussions with Pittsburgh's Dann Kabala, according to sources, for an administrative recruiting position, but it's now believed Jones & Co. may perhaps look to the NFL to fill a hybrid form of those vacated roles.
As ETSU works to relaunch its football program, former Tennessee national championship coach Phillip Fulmer has emerged as a key figure in the Bucs' search process. We're told Fulmer could earn between $50,000-$100,000 for his work in the ETSU search; moreover we're told it's another avenue for Fulmer to build his profile as a potential big-time administrator in college athletics.
HOOPS
It's a quiet time on the hoops front for the moment with the coaches convention running in conjunction with the Final Four in Atlanta this weekend. That will change soon enough as for the second year in a row April contains some evaluation weekends as part of the NCAA's revised recruiting rules.
The highlight of the month will be the last two weekends when NIKE's highly regarded EYBL summer league kicks off with back-to-back tournaments in Los Angeles and Hampton, Va. Among the prospects playing for NIKE teams that Tennessee will be hitting the road to evaluate and simply be seen watching are Jalen Lindsey, Leron Black, Cameron Justice (2015), Ahmed Hill, Jakeenan Gant, Jaquan Lyle, and Kevon Looney to name just a few.
One junior college name to keep in mind for the 2014 class is Rawane Ndiaye originally from Senegal, now at Indian Hills C.C. in Iowa. Cuonzo Martin was by the school a couple of weeks ago to watch him in an open gym setting and in a 2014 class where size will be a priority, he's probably someone worth filing away.
Finally, we're aware of all the speculation regarding Jarnell Stokes that took place on Thursday. While we've said all along that it's our firm belief that Stokes would love to bolt for the draft if he had a realistic chance of being taken in the first round, we haven't heard anyone suggest he's going to get that kind of feedback from anyone associated with the NBA.
We heard from a couple of different sources around the program that Stokes was definitely on campus on Thursday, for whatever that's worth in regards to the rumor mill.
Again, if he gets any kind of indication from league sources that he's going to be drafted, we expect Stokes to jump at it, but that's not a decision that's been reached yet according to everyone we've spoken with.
Martin has meetings scheduled with every returning player on the roster next week, including Stokes, and it's a safe bet his future will be something the two discuss in depth.
We hope everyone has a great weekend !
