Tennessee opens the 2016 season against Appalachian State on Thursday at Neyland Stadium.
Aug. 28, 2016
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Preparations for Thursday’s season opener against Appalachian State continued on Sunday afternoon as Tennessee put in two hours of work on Haslam Field.
UT is now just four days away from the start of its 120th season and the firstThursday night home opener in Knoxville since 1896. The Vols and Mountaineers kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network with Brent Musberger, Jesse Palmer, and Laura Rutledge calling the action.
Prior to Sunday’s practice, senior captains Joshua Dobbs and Cameron Sutton met with the media to discuss the conclusion of fall camp and early assessments of App State.
Joshua Dobbs | Senior | Quarterback | Alpharetta, Ga.
Throughout the spring and summer, and now into the preseason, quarterback Joshua Dobbs has had a firsthand look at the development of Team 120’s defense under first-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop. With Shoop introducing new and exotic blitz packages, Dobbs and the offensive line have been challenged in unique ways to recognize and repel the Orange Swarm onrush.
“It’s been a great opportunity for our offensive line to go up against the best defensive line in the nation in my opinion. You’ve got guys across the board that are solidified pass-rushers and solidified run-stoppers as well. It’s been great for the youth of our offensive line to progress and grow and obviously for our older offensive lineman to continue to hone their skills. It’s a constant battle every day and it’s very competitive. That’s definitely what we need to push each other to be successful.”
Cameron Sutton | Senior | Defensive Back | Jonesboro, Ga.
With less than a week until Team 120 takes the field against Appalachian State in Neyland Stadium, the Vols are wrapping up the final days of fall camp and tuning up the fine details. Tennessee boasts its most experienced roster in years, which has resulted in the best camp that senior cornerback Cam Sutton has been a part of. When speaking to the media Sunday, Sutton summed up how camp went for the Volunteers.
“I think it has gone very well. Guys are flying around on both sides of the ball and special teams. A lot of people have accepted the role that they’ve been put in. We have brought the same mentality each and every every day. We come to work and prepare ourselves in film room and weight room and all the other things that go into it. Our approach and mindset has been consistent day in and day out. That is going to help us throughout the season.”
Sound Bites
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs
(On early preparations for Appalachian State)
“Your trust is really born in the scrimmages and pre-practices in the spring and summer. You don’t really build trust when you step on the field on August 1st. You build trust throughout your preparation and those guys came to campus trying to play and make an impact. That was great to see. They’ve been in the film room studying and improving their craft so they’ll come in making a huge impact for us.”
Defensive back Cameron Sutton
(On what the biggest difference is for this year’s defense compared to years past)
“The level of experience that we have at each level and just how quick the guys who came in or have expanded their roles have picked up on that. We haven’t had a drop off because of our tremendous depth at each and every level. We can rotate multiple guys in and keep everybody fresh as well as remaining productive out on the field. I think our biggest thing is being consistent with what we do on the field.