#VolReport: 11 Days To Go

Micah Abernathy and Venzell Boulware join the list of Vol newcomers to lose their black stripes.

Aug. 25, 2015

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With the 2015 season opener just 11 days away, the excitement continues to build at practice. The Vols remained focused on theSept. 5 season opener against Bowling Green on Tuesday at Haslam Field.

“Everything is about the continuation of improvement,” Jones said on Tuesday, “continuing to be a better football team every time we step out on the football field, and really becoming one percent better.

“It’s all about our mental toughness, our physical toughness, being in football condition, being in football shape, and then execution in everything that we’re doing.”

The Vols will have just one more full practice this week before they head into Bowling Green week on Sunday.

Tennessee had several players return to practice on Tuesday after being limited recently.

“We had Jack Jones, Marquez North practiced some today, Justin Martin a little bit, and LaTroy Lewis as well, so it was great to get them back on the field,” said Jones. “We did hold Alex Ellis again with back spasms, and we held Josh Smith with some muscle spasms as well. We anticipate them getting back here in the next day or two but we held those individuals.”

A year after playing a national-high 23 true freshmen, Jones expects Team 119 to play a similar number of rookies.

“We’re going to have to rely on a very large freshman class, again, to play,” said Jones. “Just about everyone in our class will play.

Abernathy, Boulware Lose Black Stripes

Two more black stripes were loosed on Tuesday as freshmen Micah Abernathy and Venzell Boulware were recognized by their teammates for their stellar efforts in the preseason. The two Georgia natives–and UT roommates–became the sixth and seventh newcomers, respectively, to lose their black stripes.

One of the first players to lose his stripe in 2014, Emmanuel Moseley spoke in glowing terms of fellow defensive back Abernathy.

“He’s done a good job and he’s showed a lot of effort,” he said. “He’s a very smart guy, always in the film room, always calling on us asking us what are we doing this, what are we doing that. He wants it. We like that about him.”

Effort was also the theme of Boulware’s assessment, offered by sophomore Jashon Robertson–another offensive lineman who lost his black stripe last August.

“He’s really stood out in the fact of his demeanor,” Robertson said. “Since I’ve been here I haven’t really seen a young guy like him play with the amount of effort that he plays with. So it’s a great thing he’s doing. It might not show up from the stands, but it’s wowing in the film room. Everybody notices it.”

Abernathy and Boulware join stripe-less newcomers Alvin Kamara (Aug. 8), Kyle Phillips (Aug. 10), Shy Tuttle (Aug. 16), Quinten Dormady (Aug. 17), and Jauan Jennings (Aug. 17).

Jennings Revels With Receivers

Jauan Jennings enrolled early at Tennessee with the hope of playing quarterback, but at the start of fall camp, Butch Jonesannounced Jennings would be moving to wide receiver. So far the freshman is loving his new position.

“I’m feeling great. Just being with this team makes it better. I’m a whole lot more comfortable knowing that they got my back on the field and off the field,” said Jennings. “The hardest part was conditioning. After I knew I could get the conditioning down, I knew I could make plays.

“I was a little unsure going out there at first but having Jonathan Johnson and those guys out there motivating me and keeping my head straight and pushing. It was easy, those guys are great.”

Even though Jennings came in with the intent of playing quarterback, he doesn’t feel he wasted the spring. “Playing quarterback I knew where I had to line up, and I knew what the route was. Now I just had to perform it technique-wise. That helped me because I didn’t have to think too much, I can just go out and play.”

His teammates are noticing, defensive back Emmanuel Moseley, “you can tell that he’s going to adjust really well. He went in there with an open mind and he’s doing a great job. Jauan is very lengthy, so he can go up there and get the ball. He’s very explosive, running his routes, he’s good and sharp. Pretty much all-around he has caught my attention.”

Reeves-Maybin Stresses Special Teams

Junior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin knows the importance of special teams. As a freshman in 2013, he was a special-teams standout with a team-high 11 tackles. He followed that with a breakout sophomore season in 2014, recording 101 tackles, two sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries.

The Clarksville, Tenn., native and some of his teammates put together a Powerpoint presentation to share their personal success stories from embracing special teams roles.

“I was just trying to tell the importance of if you don’t have a role starting on offense or defense, there is a role on special teams, and it’s a big time role,” Reeves-Maybin said. “It’s not like high school, where your starters might come off the field in special teams. In college, you definitely need those special team roles and you need those guys to step up and make plays.”

Even as an established starting linebacker, Reeves-Maybin said that he still enjoys participating on special teams. Jones said that he sees several players like Reeves-Maybin embracing special teams roles with a team-first mentality. He added that the coaching verbiage used for special teams units is the same as those used on offense and defense.

“We keep the verbiage the same,” Jones said. “So once they learn a technique that’s involved, whether it’s reducing your surface, ripping and running, restarting your feet, they understand that and there’s carry-over between every one of your special teams because it’s basically the same teaching.”

SOUND BITES

Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin

(On importance of special teams roles)

“It is definitely a big part. During my freshman year, we didn’t have as many guys who were big time special teams players as we did last year.Cortez McDowell and I were messing with the linebackers, saying you have to keep the tradition alive. Every year, there is going to be a good linebacker that stars on special teams.”

(On Austin Smith and Quart’e Sapp)

“They are both really athletic and really fast guys. They are both still learning a lot and have a long way to go, but they definitely have the athletic ability to make a play.”

Offensive lineman Jashon Robertson

(On the movement along the OL)

“We have a lot of versatile guys in our bunch–guys that can play center, guard, tackle, the whole deal. So we’re really just working right now to see the best five that are going to fit and the best five we are going to go into battle with Week One.”

(On encouraging guys out with injury)

“We talk to him them day in and day out, just try to keep them up in their situations, try to play for them, and just do everything we can to help them whether it’s transportation, bringing them food, whatever it is. Just caring for them like a brother.”

Defensive back Emmanuel Moseley

(On Sutton’s play at nickel)

“He’s an aggressive player, he’s a smart player. You have to be smart to play the nickel and Cam is a very smart player at making plays.”

(On Jauan Jenningsdevelopment)

“It’s been pretty tough. He comes to the outside every now and then, but its mainly he’s been on the inside. He’s been making some great plays on great players so we really see tremendous progress with him.”

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings

(On playmaking ability)

“I’m trying to high point the ball, but a lot of those plays, Josh Dobbs and Quentin Dormady they just have great arms. They are putting the ball in the right spot where me and only me can go get the ball. So it’s a two way street.”

(On grasping how much running was involved with wideout)

“I did and I didn’t. I was just like, ‘Oh receiver, great, let’s go,’ but I get out there and the tempo is a lot faster from that receiver standpoint than standing back there and just clapping. I love it, I am not going to take anything for granted, I’m going to take this and move for it the best I can.”