Receivers/Tight Ends
Daniel: Didn’t love what I saw from this group. The nice plays from Ethan Wolf and Josh Malone salvaged the performance a bit, but there’s some growing concern about if this group will be able to live up to its potential. To be fair, they were working without Marquez North and Jason Croom, had Pig Howard limited and they are adjusting to the indefinite absence of Von Pearson. But Jones voiced concern about their ability to make catches and advance the ball after the game, and if you factor in the one-on-one drill near the goal line, overall, I thought the defensive backs really got the best of this group on Saturday. I know it was just a spring game, but botching that double-reverse was the type of play that can get a team beat as well. Grade: C-
Houston: Again, not a great afternoon for this group, but they made a few plays throughout the day that showed what they’re capable of. With so many receivers out with injuries and others playing through bumps and bruises, it was about what I expected from the pass-catchers. Pig Howard looks as explosive as ever and Josh Malone – the spring game hero – again made a huge play down the sidelines for a big score. Ethan Wolf’s touchdown grab was great to see, and should give Vol fans a lot of confidence when this team gets into the red zone. Given the injuries and simplicity of the offense, I’d say it was an average day for this group. Grade: C+
