On Tuesday morning, Tennessee donned the full pads for the first time during fall camp while preparing for its upcoming scrimmage. During the portion of practice that we were allowed to attend, the energy was high as they broke off into groups. However, Tuesday was the start of a week-long period of potential separation for certain football team members.
The QB’s and WR’s were mainly focusing on short routes to the sideline and across the middle. It was an excellent start to practice for Joe Milton, as he was zipping the ball into the receiver’s hands, not making them hesitate on any routes.
I thought Hendon Hooker finally settled down after a few errant passes, while Harrison Bailey was efficient in his passes, especially across the middle. Most of the time, at least. The running backs were getting a little work in with the QB’s as the practice began, working on their swing routes.
The QB competition will start to dwindle on Thursday after the Vols scrimmage. At the moment, this is a battle, and I like what Milton and Hooker bring to the table, especially outside the pocket. Nonetheless, one of these three QB’s will have to separate themselves on Thursday, as the coaching staff would like to narrow this thing down to two guys, especially for next Tuesday’s scrimmage.
On the WR front, Jimmy Holliday and Kaemen Marley were working off to the side, as JaVonta Payton was absent during most of our time out there, sitting out the open periods. I heard today that it’s nothing too serious with Payton.
Alex Golesh spent a lot of time working with Julian Nixon on the TE front, who continues to look the part while learning the techniques needed. The TE’s were getting off the line of scrimmage well, making some nice grabs as well. This group has some potential, even if they lack a lot of depth.
In the return game category, the Vols had a contingent of players working on special teams. Velus Jones Jr., Jalin Hyatt, and Jimmy Calloway were working on kickoffs. The group also included Jabari Small and Tiyon Evans, with DB’s Theo Jackson and Trevon Flowers working as well.
The OL continued to work through different sets, as Dayne Davis worked at the tackle spot, along with Cade Mays. Spraggins and Carvin continue working at guard, with Cooper Mays at the center position.
The RB group continues to impress with their speed, which can be a very big factor for Tennessee this season. Tiyon Evans is impressive, and along with Jabari Small, they could be an exciting duo. In addition, the coaching staff will find ways to get Dee Beckwith and Jaylen Wright on the field, especially in open space.
We will have more on the defense later in the day, so continue following Rocky Top Insider for fall camp coverage.
In the meantime, you can check out video highlights of Tennessee’s sixth practice on Tuesday morning, in which they wore full pads for the first time.
