Tennessee hit the practice field for practice No. 4 of spring practice on Thursday afternoon. The Vols were in full pads for the second time this spring and it was the second time media members were able to view practice in over a year. Here’s a couple of observations from what the media was able to see during the open portion:
- In black non-contact jerseys on Thursday afternoon at practice with defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus, offensive lineman Riley Locklear, running back Len’Neth Whitehead, defensive back Christian Charles, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday and offensive lineman Jerome Carvin.
- Wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Malachi Wideman were limited, as was running back Tiyon Evans. All three were dressed out, but worked off to the side. Walker Merrill was not in attendance.
- Quarterbacks and running backs worked on handoffs and RPOs once again before splitting up. After splitting, the quarterbacks worked on pocket presence and avoiding a pass rush. They also worked on rollouts before moving to routes-versus-air.
- The quarterbacks and receivers worked on slants and deep balls during routes-versus-air. No quarterback stood above the rest from what the media was able to see. Brian Maurer flashes the most potential, but he’s still working to be more consistent. Hendon Hooker was pretty consistent when throwing the deep ball.
- At offensive line, Glenn Elarbee’s group worked on zone-blocking and their footwork when coming out of their stance. The o-line also worked guard-center combos. On the left side of the line, Dayne Davis and K’Rojhn Calbert worked at tackle, while Jerome Carvin and Kingston Harris worked at guard. On the right side, Javontez Spraggins and Chris Akporoghene worked at guard, and Darnell Wright and Cade Mays worked at right tackle. RJ Perry and William Parker also worked at right tackle. Cooper Mays and Parker Ball worked at center.
- I didn’t see much of the defensive side of the ball. The defensive line worked under the schute with an emphasis of staying low. Defensive backs worked on fumble recoveries. Jeremy Banks and Roman Harrison were not in attendance.
The media will be back at practice on Friday morning for another look at the Vols. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel will meet with the media later in the day around lunch.
