#VolReport: September Starts

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 25 Tennessee held its first September practice on Tuesday under blue skies at Haslam Field as the Vols remain focused on preparation for Saturday’s game against Bowling Green in Nashville.

Rocky Top is “home sweet home to me,” as the song goes, but Nissan Stadium and Nashville will feel like a home away from home for several Midstate Vols. Murfreesboro native Jauan Jennings is a veteran of sorts when it comes to the Nissan Stadium experience.

“I used to be a ball boy for the Titans when I was really really young,” Jennings said.

For Josh Malone, who grew up 30 miles away from Nashville in Gallatin, playing on the Tennessee Titans’ home field will be a bucket-list item.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Malone said. “It’s always been a dream to play in Nissan Stadium. It’s just a blessing.”

Saturday’s pregame festivities will have the feel of a game at Neyland Stadium as Tennessee will hold its Vol Walk at 12:45 p.m. CT between Lots D & J, at the corner of Shelby Street and South Second Street.

WR Williams Takes The Field

Highly-touted freshman wide receiver Preston Williams was seen practicing out on Haslam Field for the first time during Tuesday’s open media periods. The former five-star product out of Hampton, Georgia, was cleared to return to the team last Thursday and to begin practicing immediately.

At his Monday press conference, Vols coach Butch Jones stated that he expected to see Williams enter Saturday’s contest against Bowling Green at some point, though the extent to which Williams will play is still uncertain.

“It speaks volumes for his ability,” said first-year offensive coordinator Mike DeBord regarding the quick turnaround into game action awaiting the freshman wideout. “It also speaks volumes for Coach [Zach] Azzanni and how much he’s worked with him in getting him ready. Both Preston and Coach Z have really done a great job of getting him ready.”

When Williams takes the field at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, he will be doing so with roughly a week of official, regimented practices under his belt. The speed of such a transition is remarkable, but the plan remains focused on easing him into the fire.

“You’ve got to remember, it’s really his third day … He looks good. He’s a freshman right now, on day two, is what he is,” said wide receivers coach Azzanni. “We’ve got to be smart. We’re pouring him reps right now, but we’re going to give him stuff he can handle right now, so we set him up for success and not failure.”

Backs Ready To Block

While their potential for big plays out of the backfield has Vol Nation excited for the Tennessee rushing attack, Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and the rest of the Tennessee running backs hope to wow the crowd on Saturday with their blocking skills as well.

“The thing we know we need to do this week is to protect the quarterback,” UT running backs coach Robert Gillespie said. “What better way for a running back group to step out and showcase what they can do than showing that they can protect the quarterback.”

Gillespie said that the Vol running backs have studied film and taken notes on pass protection, which should come in handy against a Bowling Green pass rush that averaged two sacks per game in 2014.

Pass protection has been one of Ralph David Abernathy IV’s strengths.

“He’s made me a believer,” Gillespie said of the fifth-year senior transfer from Cincinnati. “He’s a different back now. He’s done a really good job of showing me he can go in there and pass protect.”

Scout Team: Reporting for Duty

You may not see them on the field this year, but the Tennessee scout team plays a vital role in preparing the squad each and every week. The scout team studies and executes the opponent’s plays in practice to prepare the Vols for what they might on game day.

Zac Jancek has had the responsibility of emulating Bowling Green’s starting quarterback Matt Johnson, who threw for 3,467 yards with a 25-7 touchdown-to-INT ratio in 2013 and missed most of 2014 with a season-ending injury in the opener.

“[Zac Jancek has] has does a good job,” UT defensive coordinator John Jancek said of his son’s efforts running the scout team. “He throws a good ball, makes us better each and every single day. I’m real proud of him.”

Coach Jancek has been enjoying himself in this father-son battle of wits.

“It’s been kind of fun,” he said. “He’s actually made a couple good throws. I’m like ‘man you can’t do that, I’m going to have to take your cell phone or something.’ No, it’s been fun, it’s been enjoyable.”

The younger Jancek isn’t the only scout teamer making an impression. Transfer Paul Bain will be sitting out the season, but he’s impressed both his coaches and his teammates. Bain was the ninth Vol to get his stripe removed when it came off his helmet yesterday.

Coach Jancek had praise for Bain’s attitude and work ethic.

“He brings depth to the scout team right now,” Jancek said. “Obviously he can’t play, but he’s got a great attitude. The kids really respect him, he just works hard. I think it was great yesterday when they took his stripe off and the things he had to say about how he loves being part of this team and he’ll do whatever he can to help us win, and he understands his role. It was real refreshing to hear a guy talk like that.”

SOUND BITES

• Defensive Coordinator John Jancek(On LB Colton Jumper)

  “He’s really shown a level of consistency that we are looking for at the MIKE linebacker position. He’s really gotten better every single day he’s been out on the field. He really has the ability to run. He feels comfortable in our package. He’s doing a great job.”

  (On gap closing between first team and second team)

  “I think we’ve seen the young players that are beginning to gain more and more experience as time goes by, start to develop a more consistent performance. They’re becoming more reliable and that’s going to be huge as we work through the season.”

• Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord(On what stood out fromJosh Malone)

  “I just think his mindset has really changed. I think he really competes hard every play. He’s had competition out there and that’s made him better. He’s a better football player right now.”

  (On Coleman Thomas at center)

  “He’s physically strong and athletic. I think he’s just a little bit more natural there than at tackle, but he’s got to be able to play both.”

• WR Coach/Passing Game Coordinator Zach Azzanni(On Josh Smith returning to practice)

  “Having him out there’s huge for us. We’re just kind of gradually getting him back in the action. It was great. It provides us some depth. He’s hungry. He had a lot of reps in camp and it got to him a little bit. He’s back and full-go and ready to roll.”

• RB Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Robert Gillespie(On Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara playing together)

  “To be able to have two guys you can play really fast with and change formations and line these guys up in different positions that’s going to cause some problems for the defense throughout the year. Coach DeBord has a great plan of how he wants to get guys the ball and get different guys in space. It will really help us throughout the season to put both those guys on the field at the same time.”

• Sophomore DB Emmanuel Moseley(On Cameron Sutton’simpact on him)

  “I’ve really learned a lot because Cam is an NFL guy as we all know. Cam shows me stuff in the film room, catches me after practice; teaches me technique and stuff like that. I really learned a lot from him.”

• Sophomore WR Josh Malone(On confidence this season)

  “Im a lot more confident. I had a very solid camp and a camp I was looking forward to having. I’m just happy I’m coming out of camp in one piece and looking forward to this first game.”

• Freshman WR Jauan Jennings(On receivers he has studied through fall camp)

  “I studied Pig Howard a lot, [and] Marquez North. That was the two key [receivers] that I can really just remember. I like looking at Amari Cooper a lot. He’s good at route-running. I try to just look at their feet and just figure out how they run their routes and just to compare them to mine.”