Vols Fall Practice #5

[Fingers]

Running back Cam Seldon and walk on receiver Tommy Winton III remained in red non contact jerseys. Mike Matthews went through stretches but wasn’t wearing a helmet and worked off to the side the rest of practice.

Andrej Karic, John Campbell Jr. and Dont’e Thornton were all fully dressed out and went through warmups but were not active participants in practice while we were out on the field. Kaleb Webb was in the same boat on Sunday, but was back on the field going through routes on air, where he had two bad drops, during Monday’s practice.

In fairness, Tennessee was working on more downfield passing including double moves and off script throws from the quarterbacks, but it just wasn’t a sharp period for Nico Iamaleava or the entire offense.

Iamaleava was off on a handful of throws, he had a miscommunication on one rep with Bru McCoy and receivers and tight ends had a few bad drops.

drops have been a somewhat consistent problem for Tulane transfer receiver Chris Brazzell so far this fall during routes on air.

McCoy is a player that continues to look better-and-better. It’s obvious he spent his rehab getting physically stronger in his upper body and I don’t think I’ve been him drop a pass through the first five days of practice.

Of note at the tight end spot, both Notre Dame transfer Holden Staes and Alabama transfer Miles Kitselman worked with Iamaleava during routes on air. It was the first work that Kitselman has gotten with him during that period of practice. Alec Abeln said that Tennessee is going to play three tight ends this season and Kitselman joining Staes and Ethan Davis as players getting reps with Iamaleava seems to prove it.

It was Campbell and Karic who didn’t get any work while we were at practice for the second straight day after Zalance Heard and Javontez Spraggins were in that boat last week.

Heard has been pretty full go in what we’ve been watching the last few days which is a good sign given he looked a little banged up last week.

Jalen McMurray as well as freshman linebackers linebackers Jordan Burns and Grier Short (walk on) were not in pads and worked off to the side after going through stretches.

I continue to like what I see what Rickey Gibson and Jermod McCoy and Jordan Matthews is certainly a capable backup. But with McMurray currently out, things are a bit grim behind them.

Much like the fourth corner spot right now, the fourth inside linebacker spot is a real question. He’s been lackluster in his first two years on campus but I continue to like what I’ve seen from Kalib Perry this camp. He looks more comfortable out there and is playing a bit bigger which should help him become more of an everyday player.

Sophomore edge rusher Caleb Herring got tripped up during a footwork drill which earned him “Coach Chop’s” ire. Still, he continues to look good and like a guy that might earn a role in pass rush packages. Josh Josephs also looks better and a sneaky pick for a potential breakout player.

r.schumpert

Cam Seldon remains in a noncontact red jersey, but the thought is he continues to be ahead of schedule as he’s pushing to be ready for the start of the season.

Looked like wideout Dont’e Thornton appeared to be a full participant today after being limited on Sunday when the media was in attendance. Offensive linemen Andrej Karic and John Campbell appeared to still be observing for the most part today. Both were off stretching to the side while the team was stretching.

Freshman wide receiver Mike Matthews, freshman linebacker Jordan Burns and transfer cornerback Jalen McMurray were once again without a helmet today and remain limited. Kaleb Webb was going through everything on a Monday morning.

The routes on air portion of Monday’s practice looked to be another good session, following a strong period on Sunday as well. Option routes were a focus, as well as out routes. Nico Iamaleava was putting the football on then money during the out routes as the timing with the receiver and their breaks looked good for the most part. Chris Brazzell continues to impress. He’s explosive, runs good routes and rarely drops the football. Ethan Davis also looked smooth today running routes.

Good hands are always a welcomed sight for young guys, such as Peyton Lewis. Again, I don’t think this was a strong suit of the previous running back rooms, so maybe there’s an opportunity here to incorporate the backs in the passing game or even out of the backfield.

Other notes, Kelsey Pope was getting on Chris Brazzell about holding the ball ‘high and tight’ after the catch and JaVontez Spraggins was getting the team pumped up after the stretching period.

Obviously, we kept an eye on the defensive backfield as much as we could today with the absence of Jourdan Thomas creating a void at STAR. Boo Carter was getting plenty of instruction from Tim Banks this morning. Will Brooks was one of the first players to rep at safety and he got some looks at STAR as well. Christian Charles and Christian Harrison did as well. There was a lot of pass-recognition for the defensive backs (and linebackers) too on Monday. So, more mental than physical for the portion we were out there.

Edwin Spillman looks really good out there running around. He will be an instant contributor on special teams and it will be interesting to see where he begins the season on the depth chart.

Holden Steas won his rep while Jalen Smith beat Miles Kitselman. That was about all we could see. Also, a Lions scout was in attendance today.

e.cain

Freshman wide receiver Mike Matthews, transfer cornerback Jalen McMurray and freshman linebacker Jordan Burns continue to be limited and aren’t wearing helmets while going through stretch before working off to the side. Offensive linemen John Campbell Jr. and Andrej Karic didn’t do much other than look on during position drills, and while Kaleb Webb was back with the wideouts, we didn’t see Dont’e Thornton Jr. during routes on air.

We also have heard that linebacker Arion Carter is banged up, but should be back before too long.

Running back Cameron Seldon continues to go through individual drills in a red non-contact jersey.

Wide receiver Bru McCoy continues to do more and more each day as the Vols ease him back into things and it looked like he had a full workload in routes-on-air. The same goes for offensive tackle Lance Heard – not in routes-on-air, of course. The projected starter at left tackle and is showing fewer and fewer lingering effects of the midsummer clean-up on his knee.

The quarterbacks had to throw on the run moving to their left – against the grain for righties Nico Iamaleava, Gaston Moore and Jake Merklinger – and throw a downfield pass. There was a delayed element to what appeared to be a designed rollout. Could be something to store away for the season in case Tennessee breaks it out (hence why they don’t want it in practice highlight videos).

Iamaleava and McCoy appeared to have a mix-up as the quarterback threw one route and receiver ran another. Iamaleava then overthrew Squirrel White and tossed a slight underthrow to Chris Brazzell II to the other side after working in an option-route to tight end Holden Staes.

Moore was on point on his round of downfield throws to Nathan Leacock and Chas Nimrod and the option route to Ethan Davis.

Webb had a couple of drops while we were watching.

Lampley worked at left guard on Monday morning, getting some tandem reps with Heard. Davis was first up at right tackle alongside Javontez Spraggins.

Shamurad Umarov (guard) and Larry Johnson III (tackle) worked together for some left-side reps, followed by the freshman pair of Max Anderson (guard) and Gage Ginther (tackle). Freshman Jeremias Heard also repped at left tackle. The right tackles included redshirt freshman Trevor Duncan and freshmen Bennett Warren and Jesse Perry, and third-year sophomore Brian Grant and redshirt freshman Ayden Bussell got reps at right guard.

If Tennessee made any major moves in its secondary in the wake of the season-ending knee injury to projected starting Star Jourdan Thomas, it happened later in practice. The lineups looked pretty much the same between the safeties/Stars and cornerbacks on Monday morning. This is obviously a big stretch coming up for freshman Boo Carter, and based on what we’ve heard he and Christian Harrison will get the first real crack at nabbing what’s now an open starting job before the Vols explore options or try to build depth at that key spot.

p.brown

 

[BLUTickbusdriver]

Thanks Fingers!

 

[PEPPERJAX]

PHANGERSZZ and football.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

drops have been a somewhat consistent problem for Tulane transfer receiver Chris Brazzell so far this fall during routes on air.

- schumpert

Chris Brazzell continues to impress. He’s explosive, runs good routes and rarely drops the football.

- cain

 

[Volfan76]

Wow...reading the 3 sets of notes, you get 3 completely different assessments on how the practice went. About the only consistents are the injury reports. I guess season will tell the real story.

 

[Adam2014]

- schumpert

- cain

Lmao, I was just about to post this. These guys have no clue

 

[Enki_Amenra]

Thanks

 

[PEPPERJAX]

- schumpert

- cain

I know right? Conflicting reports are always a constant.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

What % of practice are being reported in?

 

[Sara Clark]

Kinda weird, right?! How can QB analysis be so different? It's either a good day or bad day. Not sure it can be both.

 

[white65]

I really feel good about each position group besides the secondary.

 

[barrylee]

Seems like Schumpert tends to be more negative than others..

 

[BLUTickbusdriver]

Not worried about qb at all….we will be fine. DBs worry me. Hopefully we can stay healthy and develop a good group back there! We have to be better than last year if we want to be relevant. GBO!

 

[Go Fight Win]

.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Sounds like Nico is off. Maybe get Gaston some 1st team reps?

 

[TAF]

I realize i might just be "juiced' for the season...but these boys LOOK BIGGER...SEEM FOCUSED...and practice has MUCH MORE INTENSITY, than I've seen over Finger's reports the last 3-4 years...

Meanwhile...at Florida...

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Kinda weird, right?! How can QB analysis be so different? It's either a good day or bad day. Not sure it can be both.

It can be both. Humans are contradictory creatures by nature. One can be a cold and impartial analyst. While the other can be more a fan than an analyst.

 

[KeyVol14]

Talk about contradicting reports lol

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I realize i might just be "juiced' for the season...but these boys LOOK BIGGER...SEEM FOCUSED...and practice has MUCH MORE INTENSITY, than I've seen over Finger's reports the last 3-4 years...

Meanwhile...at Florida...

That guy is coming off of an ACL tear, but we should be better than Florida and we now look the part

 

[Adam2014]

Sounds like Nico is off. Maybe get Gaston some 1st team reps?

Yep, sounds like a bust to me.

 

[WillisWG]

What % of practice are being reported in?

The first three portions of practice were open to the media meaning we were able to watch only approximately 15 minutes of practices. We did get to see some competitive reps between the offensive line and defensive line as well as linebackers, tight ends and running backs. Still, with that limited of a practice viewing time, there are only so many takeaways that one can glean.

Tennessee Football Notes And Observations: Fall Practice No. 5 | Rocky Top Insider

See RTI's Tennessee football practice notes and observations from the Vols' fifth fall practice on Monday morning.

www.rockytopinsider.com

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Sounds like Nico is off. Maybe get Gaston some 1st team reps?

My dog and cracked crystal ball both say this is highly likely to happen. I'm a Nico man, like most of you. But I also recognize the Nikon is a freshman. As a result, our picturesque praise and adoration will get periodically tainted by sloppy rookie, overexposed film. The dog says we will see Gaston more often than currently anticipated. However, as the season wears on, the Nik will strut his more experienced stuff thereafter. I trust my dog, and the crystal ball, especially when it agrees with the dog. The Nik will rise to the occasion because when he sees Moore Gas making his chances count, he knows prying the that foot off the pedal will get Moore and Moore difficult.

 

[WillisWG]

Good hands are always a welcomed sight for young guys, such as Peyton Lewis. Again, I don’t think this was a strong suit of the previous running back rooms, so maybe there’s an opportunity here to incorporate the backs in the passing game or even out of the backfield.

Hands and speed PL could be quite the weapon

 

[KeyVol14]

When is MM gonna return?

 

[AlsaceFreak]

- schumpert

- cain

The sky was yellow and the sun was blue..