Vols Spring Football Practice #2

[Fingers]

The tight ends coach also had high praise for safety DeJuan Lane during a special teams rep later in practice.

Nic Moore has put on some weight. The staff really likes him and believes he can help them one day. Guard Antoni Ogmuro is another young guy who has benefitted from the program. He has done a lot of work to change his body since arriving this time last year.

Freshman offensive tackle Kamari Blair, on the other hand, will need to keep working to add some weight.

Transfer tailback Javin Gordan made some nice catches and looked comfortable catching the ball in space.

All three quarterbacks threw fairly well in the period. George MacIntyre missed one throw behind the receiver on a hitch, but was really good on the day. He is the most polished of the three quarterbacks and that’s no surprise. The throws were not incredibly difficult and MacIntyre made them with ease.

Freshman Faizon Brandon was also impressive. The rookie’s arm strength stood out to us this morning. He’s got such a strong arm and throws with good accuracy. What the staff will/is needing to work on this spring and summer is his footwork. Brandon appears to be relying more on his arm strength and isn’t using much of his lower body on throws in the short and intermediate range.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles looked to be more hands on this morning. He spent some time with the defensive backs and was coaching up freshman Javontae Smith specifically in one drill.

The final period of the day was for special teams. Heupel praised transfer safety TJ Metcalf during one of the drill. Transfers Iane Duarte, Isaiah Hardge and Kayin Lee, freshmen Jamyan Theodore and Zay Anderson and redshirt-freshman Justin Baker were all back deep returning punts.

e.cain

The only missed throw I saw during this period was from MacIntyre to Radarious Jackson. Just missed right to the extent where Jackson got a hand on it, but not enough room to adjust to make a catch. All of his other throws were completed with no issue. MacIntyre and Brandon certainly have the most arm talent, as well. Staub is accurate, but there’s not as much zip on it as the two younger options.

The first pass catchers in line were Travis Smith Jr. (X), Braylon Staley (Y), Mike Matthews (Z) and Ethan Davis (TE). Second in line were Radarioius Jackson (X), Joakim Dodson (Y), TK Keys (Z) and DaSaahn Brame (TE). Didn’t see any drops while I was watching.

On the offensive line, Ory Williams and Gabriel Osenda stand out, literally. Both are massive. Osenda may need to put on a few pounds this year, but he’ll have time to do that for the remainder of the preseason. Kamari Blair also stands tall, but looks pretty thin.

I went over to take a look at the defensive line today. The tackles, ends and LEOs split into two groups to go through drills. One was Daevin Hobbs, Nathan Robinson, Mariyon Dye, Isaiah Campbell then Ethan Utley, with Xavier Gilliam also in the mix. The other was Tyree Weathersby, Carson Gentle, Christian Gass, Isaiah Inge then Charles House, with Chaz Coleman also in the mix.

Hobbs looked good. Light feet with his large frame. Looks the part of a defensive tackle that could have a breakout season.

r.sylvia

Travis Smith Jr. and Radarious Jackson went in order at one outside receiver position, while Mike Matthews and TK Keys were the first two up at the other outside spot. The order in the slot went Braylon Staley, Joakim Dodson and Ian Duarte, the experienced Idaho State transfer. The order at tight end was Ethan Davis, DaSaahn Brame, Cole Harrison, South Alabama transfer Trent Thomas and freshman Luca Wolf.

Brame made a nice catch on a throw into the flat from Faizon Brandon that took him off his route path and required a catch down by his knees. The freshman quarterback could have had better ball placement on some of those throws behind the line of scrimmage. But Brandon had the best throw of the day, a far-hash deep out to Keys that led his fellow freshman toward the sideline like you want.

MacIntyre was sharp on some of the earlier throws, but did miss Jackson on a little hook route (settling in a zone-coverage window) and wasn’t as good on the deep out as Brandon with Matthews having to turn his body to catch the ball behind him.

Senior Daevin Hobbs and redshirt junior Tyree Weathersby were leading the two lines going through bag drills and the action was fast-paced with a lot of bodies trying to get through drills at full speed.

Three other players passed our eye test:

Sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell, who has continued to fill out and now looks (more) like an SEC defensive tackle.
Freshman LEO Zach Groves, who has dropped some weight and looks like a long, lean edge defender with good athleticism.
Redshirt freshman Christian Gass also has filled out from his freshman year and still has the kind of explosiveness he showed as a high school linebacker.

The first group had Coleman (LEO), Hobbs (tackle), Nathan Robinson (tackle) and Weathersby (end). The second group was Gass (LEO), Campbell (tackle), Ethan Utley (tackle) and Mariyon Dye (end). Then it was Groves (LEO), Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam (tackle), freshman Darryl Rivers (tackle) and Carson Gentle (end).

Also working in the LEO line were freshmen CJ Edwards and Hezekiah Harris, whose length jumps out but whose frame needs to fill out. Freshmen JJ Finch and Carter Gooden and redshirt freshman Charles House III were at tackle. At end were Tulane transfer Jordan Norman, freshman Breeze Carter and Mike Bethea II.

In a punt-team drill, Gass earned praise from the coaches for a good rep. Linebacker Edwin Spillman, who looks like a million bucks, and wide receiver Nathan Roberts were coaching up transfer Blake Howard after his rep. Safety Edrees Farooq was vocal in coaching guys up in another group.

We also got a look at who Tennessee is looking at for its return positions. In one group catching footballs off the jugs were Matthews, Keys and running back Daune Morris. Another group had Duarte, freshmen Jamyan Theodore and Zay Anderson and transfers Isaiah Hardge and Qua Moss.

p.brown

 

[Grappler]

First time for everything

 

[MemphisVol3]

First page, let's go!

 

[MillerTime80]

Your continued effort to assemble these vids and comments is greatly appreciated!

 

[Scvol7906]

First Page thanks so much fingers for these videos

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I hate being an old guy but I like the feeling of practice intensity with no music, everybody focused, no heads bobbing and horseplay among players.

The young men look like they're present and working. I like it.

QBs looking good. I like how Faizon gets it up and out really quickly.

It occurs, just dreaming here, that if Marshall Manning comes to UT, #16 might come out of retirement for a few years.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

GBO!!!! Work toward greatness!!!!!

 

[WillisWG]

matches some depth chart projections

"The first pass catchers in line were Travis Smith Jr. (X), Braylon Staley (Y), Mike Matthews (Z) and Ethan Davis (TE). Second in line were Radarioius Jackson (X), Joakim Dodson (Y), TK Keys (Z) and DaSaahn Brame (TE)."

 

[UTblood4life]

Ty fingers

 

[Orangeblooded615]

Excited to see how the D shapes up. And the WR room has lots of talent.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

PHANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bpalmer28]

How do recruiting services and college coaches miss this badly? Not a 5-star WR. JMO.

 

[GBO2011]

I hate being an old guy but I like the feeling of practice intensity with no music, everybody focused, no heads bobbing and horseplay among players.

The young men look like they're present and working. I like it.

QBs looking good. I like how Faizon gets it up and out really quickly.

It occurs, just dreaming here, that if Marshall Manning comes to UT, #16 might come out of retirement for a few years.

Peyton is gonna give Marshall the treatment he got in Denver with #18

 

[WillisWG]

How much muscle and weight has he gained?

After day two of spring practice for the Vols on Tuesday, the 6-foot-6 quarterback was asked where he’s at. He said since the time he arrived on campus a year ago, he’s gained 20 pounds. He arrived at about 180-182 pounds, and now weighed in at 202 the other day.


The staff is looking to continue to add to his frame, though. He was told the goal is to add as much weight as possible, but 210 was the target heading into fall camp.

How Much Weight George MacIntyre has Gained Heading into Second Year with Tennessee Football | Rocky Top Insider

A look at how much weight Tennessee football quarterback George MacIntyre has said he's put on heading into year two.

www.rockytopinsider.com

 

[WillisWG]

 

[WillisWG]

As Brandon enters spring ball, he stands at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. On the practice field, you couldn’t tell that he’s just 17 years old.

Breakout the "he's only 17" chants

 

[UTodd01]

How do recruiting services and college coaches miss this badly? Not a 5-star WR. JMO.

....and a dumb opinion.

 

[MDsweetT]

How do recruiting services and college coaches miss this badly? Not a 5-star WR. JMO.

He’s not running his route full speed and is probably still trying to get the details down of fine tuning how to run the specific routes our offense requires. I wouldn’t read too much into 1 rep. It’s day 2 of practice

 

[tripplg]

How do recruiting services and college coaches miss this badly? Not a 5-star WR. JMO.

From a 6 second clip of an early enrolling true freshman on the second day of spring practice running a 10 yd out on air? He should be getting ready for prom and you’re already passing this type of judgement on a kid. You are either a troll or just ignorant. JMO

 

[Skooter]

Do people honestly think morning 2 of spring practice they are running full speed routes?

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Damn
Bpalmer is getting effin roasted up in hereuh!

 

[TheVolsFrog]

Faizon looks like he's gonna be real solid frame wise by the time Fall Camp starts, his frame looks good

 

[knoxvol52]

Damn
Bpalmer is getting effin roasted up in hereuh!

Did you expect anything else? This fanbase loves to belittle other Vol fans...

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Did you expect anything else? This fanbase loves to belittle other Vol fans...

I come into the FF with the same expectations everyday to basically expect the unexpected.

 

[VOLstuckinKY2]

Everyone is wearing Nike. When was the the Adidas switch to occur?