Vols Spring Football Practice #6

[Fingers]

Wednesday’s practice is going to be a shorter one and with the team not in pads – only helmets – clearly the practice was more mental and fine tuning some individual technique drills with more physical work coming tomorrow.

Quarterbacks were working through progressions in the pocket while stepping up, back and side to side to avoid simulated pressure. George MacIntyre’s footwork continues to impress.

Defensive line drills took place outside with the normal work on the bags and hand placement exercises. Mariyon Dye has put on some good weight this offseason. Running backs were working the bag drills with coach De’Rail Sims telling his group to finish strong with a ‘+2’ mentality.

The wideouts were repping a drill where they were simulating their breaks in the routes. They would burst off the line and plant their foot in the ground while going around a standup dummy. When they cleared the hurdle, they would catch the football through an assortment of pool noodle (looking) pads waving through the air – simulating contested catches. The group did that for almost the entirety the media was present.

Tennessee’s 2028 quarterback commit Derrick Baker was present and speaking with Joey Halzle.

e.cain

The safeties and nickels were working on pattern-matching at virtually walk-through speed with Anthony Poindexter coaching his guys through how to handle pre-snap motions and other actions the defensive backs would see from the offense. The first two guys up at nickel were Michigan transfer Tevis Metcalf and Kansas State transfer Qua Moss. The first safeties were Edrees Farooq and Penn State transfer Dejuan Lane, though it’s probably not too meaningful at this point.

The linebackers later looked to be doing some run-fit work with the trash cans, and notably Jordan Burns, who is not going through drills this spring and was in a red jersey, joined the linebackers to get some work in that particular drill.

For the quarterbacks, it was all pocket-presence work, the same drill we’ve seen the Vols use over and over again throughout the Josh Heupel Era. The emphasis: Footwork and keeping your eyes downfield. The quarterbacks only threw passes to staffers standing either in the flat or over the middle (where your checkdowns would be).

Tennessee’s defensive line will be without senior defensive tackle Daevin Hobbs for the rest of spring and a little while after. GoVols247 can confirm he is dealing with a foot injury, as VolQuest first reported, but initially it is not expected to cause him to miss any time during the season. It’s unclear if it’s the same foot or the same injury as the one that caused him to miss the first five games of the 2025 season.

At center, the Vols have freshman Ed Baker working alongside Sam Pendleton and Nic Moore. Baker looks every bit of 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds. Tennessee has an impressive freshman trio with Baker and tackles Gabriel Osenda and Kamari Blair, who continue to work at left tackle behind David Sanders Jr. in individual drills.

The guard position, which is without the injured Wendell Moe Jr. this spring, had Shamurad Umarov up first on the left side and Jesse Perry up first on the right side, though it looked like they cross-trained at one point. Next up were sophomore Antoni Ogumoro on the left side and massive West Virginia transfer Donovan Haslam on the right side. Gage Ginther worked at left guard.

LSU transfer Ory Williams worked ahead of Jeremias Heard at right tackle.

p.brown

It was the same order for reps at quarterback, too. George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, Ryan Staub and then Mason Phillips.

Wide receivers were on the far end of the facility, working on catching through distractions. Assistants had pool noodles that they’d wave in between the receiver and the coach throwing the ball, and receivers had to maintain focus to reel it in. I didn’t watch much of that portion, but didn’t notice any drops when I did.

Ed Baker stood out as a true freshman for his sheer size. He’ll play on the interior of the offensive line and certainly has the frame for it. Wendell Moe remains out as he rehabs an injury.

The first group of three out there was Edrees Farooq, Dejuan Lane and Tevis Metcalf. Looked like Farooq and Lane were at safety, and Tevis Metcalf was the nickelback. The next group was Sidney Walton and KJ McClain at safety and Isaiah Hardage at STAR. Then, Joel Wyatt and DJ Burks at safety, and Qua Moss at STAR. Then, Tevis Metcalf and Jowell Combay at safety, and TJ Metcalf at STAR.

r.sylvia

 

[SpringBokVol]

second

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

second

Wait what?!

 

[volum3]

3rd

 

[Vol_guy]

Hope we stay injury free for the rest of spring.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I don't think I saw Heupel in the last Fingers set of videos, nor this one. Is he on the road, perhaps? In that same vein, I've not noticed Seth Littrell either in the few Fingers videos.

It's easily possible I missed them, of course.

 

[WaywardVol]

Hope we stay injury free for the rest of spring.

Well, you jinxed that

 

[Hurley Mooncalf]

Thanks, Fingers!

 

[PEPPERJAX]

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

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

GBO!!!!! Keep Grinding!!!!!!GBO!!!!

 

[ChadwicksFumble]

Football practice looks like fun today. Back in the 70's all we did was hit, run, and scrimmage full speed then run again lol. There was no standing straight up and pushing and holding either.

 

[Orangeburst]

Football practice looks lime fun today. Back in the 70's all we did was hit, run, and scrimmage full speed then run again lol. There was no standing straight up and pushing and holding either.

Like a drive by fruiting.

 

[10seV4L]

 

[UTblood4life]

Ty phangers

 

[Jackcrevol]

e.cain







p.brown





r.sylvia

That pocket presents drill.

 

[tennesseeduke]

e.cain







p.brown





r.sylvia

For the old guys on here, who sees Tony Robinson when you watch Faizon Brandon?

 

[WaywardVol]

For the old guys on here, who sees Tony Robinson when you watch Faizon Brandon?

SMH. Here we go.

 

[Jackcrevol]

For the old guys on here, who sees Tony Robinson when you watch Faizon Brandon?

honestly I see HH

 

[Oldvoldad]

For the old guys on here, who sees Tony Robinson when you watch Faizon Brandon?

Not at all. TRob was tall, lanky and could sling it with absolute ease.

 

[Big Al Orange]

Football practice looks like fun today. Back in the 70's all we did was hit, run, and scrimmage full speed then run again lol. There was no standing straight up and pushing and holding either.

And when we were thirsty they gave us salt tablets. Do you remember that ? Lol

 

[joevol33]

Thanks Fingers!

 

[HooahVol]

It is good to hear something about the defense. Since Knowles runs a more complex defense than Banks with a complex hybrid system and multiple coverage schemes I am a little concerned about getting it all drilled in before the season starts. Considering Knowles pulled 4 experienced guys from Penn State who know the system I am cautiously optimistic however.

 

[Jackcrevol]

It is good to hear something about the defense. Since Knowles runs a more complex defense than Banks with a complex hybrid system and multiple coverage schemes I am a little concerned about getting it all drilled in before the season starts. Considering Knowles pulled 4 experienced guys from Penn State who know the system I am cautiously optimistic however.

DT.

need.