KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Vols began their on-field preparation for the opener vs. Utah State on Thursday.
The scout team donned blue jerseys for the first time as Butch Jones led the Vols in their first practice since classes started in Knoxville on Wednesday.
"The message from Coach is quite clear to me, we are in game week mode," said offensive line coach Don Mahoney, "everything is picked up a whole notch. Officially camp has end, it is kind of different how the weeks fall and so forth, whatever he wants and demands of us is what we see through as a staff and as a team."
The Aggies, coming off a 9-5 season and a Poinsettia Bowl Championship have the respect and attention of Tennessee. Utah State won six of its final seven games in 2014.
"They're very aggressive schematically and very sound," said offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian. "They're a well-coached defense and you can tell, they play hard. You know, we emphasize to our guys about being different with our level of effort and those guys I think buy into the same type of mentality. So, we've challenged our guys with it being our effort and our style of play versus their style of play. I give them credit. They play very hard and play a very physical brand of football and it's evident on video."
Mahoney was happy with the performance after two days away from the practice field to focus on the start of classes.
"Today was a great start," Mahoney said. "Getting the kids acclimated to the start of school, a lot of these kids are going through that process of class and now practice and then study table and bed, trying to get in that routine. So it is here."