KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel put his Volunteers through their second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday in Neyland Stadium, setting the stage for next week’s Chevrolet Orange & White Game.
Tennessee continues to improve in its up-tempo offensive execution, a hallmark of Heupel’s teams. All three experienced quarterbacks – Hendon Hooker, Harrison Bailey and Brian Maurer – took snaps with the first team throughout the day.
“I think a lot of our mechanics, for being this early in the process, I love where we’re at,” he said. “These scrimmages are critical because it is truly a game. I thought today, really, there were very few things that were noticeable during the course of play that I had an issue with. I think that speaks to those kids’ buy-in and their ability to be coached and learn not just be corrected themselves but learn from a teammate as well.”
Kickoff for next Saturday’s Chevrolet Orange & White Game is 4 p.m. ET. Admission is free. Gates open at 2:30 p.m.
Heupel expressed his excitement in seeing his team compete in live action in front of the Neyland faithful.
“It’s an opportunity for them in a real, live situation to go earn trust from their teammates and their coaching staff as well to go prove that they are able to compete at a championship level. I’m excited that we get to have the state of Tennessee and Vol Nation here inside of this stadium. It’s going to be a great day, and I look forward to seeing everyone there.”
Opening Statement
“It was a great day inside of Neyland Stadium, a ton of back and forth early in the scrimmage and a ton of energy. We got a little bit of special teams work done in the beginning and then we got into full scrimmage mode. We were able to get a two-minute situation in at the end. Great work for all of our players, quarterbacks as well. But, a good day. Just a ton of energy. I thought the first half of the scrimmage there was a ton of back and forth and defensively, I thought their energy and effort in the second half of the scrimmage, that bar was raised and it showed some really good results. I thought, without watching the tape, just defensively as a whole made some strides today. I thought our front four did a great job of playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage, being disruptive and getting after the quarterback as well. Tons of positives on both sides, I just wanted to mention that effort.”
On the defensive backs and his first pitch at baseball …
“Well, it was an 0-2 count, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t give him something good to hit. I like my ball placement down there. I got him swinging. So overall, pretty good on the pitch count, or the pitch performance yesterday. A little disappointed with the one hopper. Today’s scrimmage, from the defensive secondary position, it’s a group that I think is gaining an understanding of technique, gaining an understanding of communication and being in the right spot. They’re starting to play the ball better, vertically down the field on some 50/50 balls. Potentially a group that, as you mentioned, is probably our most mature group on the defensive side of the football as far as experience on the field, time played. Being in those types of situations. I think the thing that I really liked about that group is they are really positive. They push each other, and they’re a highly competitive group. If you walk into our building on an off day or after meetings that group, as much as any, is going to be in the indoor probably catching balls off the jugs, working some technique with each other. It’s a group that puts in a lot of extra effort and time. On the field, there’s a bunch of guys that have had a really good camp. You know, (Warren) Burrell’s doing a really good job on the edge. You know, (Tamarion McDonald) is a young guy that’s really coming on in the middle of the football field for us. But there’s a lot of guys that have made a bunch of plays. One of the things we track is just turnovers early in training camp, early in spring ball. I thought they had some opportunities to make some plays on the ball that they didn’t finish the play on. The last few days here, they’ve done a great job of turning those into turnovers. It’s a physical group as well. Highly competitive, I like what they’re doing on special teams as well. I think a big thing in that group is some versatility where guys can play multiple spots. You know, we’re moving guys into different positions – our nickel position, safety, rotating some guys in at corner too. I think that’ll be beneficial for us as we go into the season.”
On what he’s seen so far in the spring from the quarterbacks …
“I think today I want to go back and watch the tape before I make a comment on the quarterbacks from today, but I think I think as an overall group, they’ve gotten better. It really started start of spring ball with just the fundamentals and technique. Some of the things that we’re doing meshes with the running backs. Our drops from quick game, to drop back to understanding to play action passes to throwing on the run. Some of those things, they’ve continued to really gain an understanding and getting better fundamentally. I think operationally, they’ve come light years from when we first started as a group, understanding the communication process, the tempo that we want to play at. Within that tempo, being able to have control of the game. I think as we finish this next week, they should be able to make another jump. I think they got a chance to take a huge stride in June and July before we get back in training camp. As you get away from it, sit back, watch the video of yourself actually doing it, you’ve got a chance to make some huge strides. All of them have made some big time plays down the field. They’ve taken care of the football for the most part throughout spring ball, but it’s a group that has got to continue to grow and push here as we finish up this week in spring ball and as we compete in that position in June and July before we get back to training camp.”
On the defensive line playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage …
“I think some of the things that we’re asking them to do might be a little bit different than what they had been accustomed to. Getting kids to buy in, see a guy or two guys making some strides that are really buying into the process and in taking the coaching and implementing it into their game. I think that’s really happened here over the last three practices, and they’ve gotten better each and every day. I think as a collective group, they’re starting to really understand what Coach (Rodney) Gardner and Coach (Tim) Banks are asking them to do. Playing with better technique, the communication up front has been better, where they’re able to get themselves in alignment early and be able to come off of the football. You watch those guys in combo drills or team run and some team situations, they’ve made huge strides here over the last three days. And obviously, I want to go back and watch the tape from the day, but I thought it was noticeable that they were playing with great effort and strength.”
On if he is where he wants to be with the speed of the offense …
“No, but we shouldn’t be at this point either. We are going to continue to get more and more efficient in how we operate and how we function. I think a lot of our mechanics, for being this early in the process, I love where we’re at. In the guys’ understanding and being able to operate in it, you’re constantly going to teach off teachable moments. Practice is awesome. These scrimmages are critical because it is truly a game. I thought today, really, there were very few things that were noticeable during the course of play, before we go back and watch it, that I had an issue with. I think that speaks to those kids’ buy-in and their ability to be coached and learn not just be corrected themselves but learn from a teammate as well.”
On the offensive line …
“Adjusted really well. I think it’s a group that has the ability, I said this maybe a week ago, for guys to play different positions. It is a group that has played, really collectively as a group with the same effort and attitude every day on the practice field. There’s training in the meeting room. We’re not where we need to be by the time we get to next fall, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a group that I think we have an opportunity to be a really good group and for that to be a foundational piece of who we are offensively and be able to learn on those guys.”
On the wide receivers …
“I am encouraged, absolutely by the group. There are so many things for them to grab on to in what we are doing besides just the play itself. I thought the first four or five days we probably weren’t where we could be or should be. I feel like the last five, six days we’ve had on the grass, those guys have taken a huge jump not in the operation of what we do between plays but just understanding alignment, assignment, understanding the coverages they’re seeing on the other side, playing with better technique, getting themselves in the right position allowing the quarterback to get rid of the football on time. I like where that group is heading right here. We still have four more big opportunities for them to grow. We’ve had some guys just in and out a little bit in that group but the next guy stepped up. We got to continue to really develop some depth at that position as we finish spring and get into the summer months as well.”
On the skill players who have stepped up during the scrimmages …
“I don’t know that it’s been the same guys. I think you see guys periodically throughout practice or throughout the scrimmage make some plays. I think at the running back position, Jabari Small has done a fantastic job. He understands how we want to play. He understands what we’re doing. He’s been good without the ball in his hands and not just with the ball in his hands at the running back position. I feel like he’s in a really good spot, and he does some really good things. Dee Beckwith has had some flashes at the running back position as well. He’s starting to understand how to play that position. A unique guy in that he’s played multiple positions in a short amount of time coming out of high school having played some quarterback as well. He’s grown into a guy that is understating the running back position, learning how to play with pad leverage. His size is a positive, but he’s also got to learn how to get pad under pad, and he’s starting to do that. The tight ends, that group have all made plays. (Austin) Pope coming back off of injury, he’s done some really good things. Obviously, he’s the most mature guy in the room or has the most experience. Princeton Fant has made plays. (Jacob) Warren has made plays. That’s a group that has great depth and a lot of consistency in it. They are able to play in the box and outside. At the wide receiver position, I’ve talked about those guys before, but I like that group as far as their understanding and competitive nature. Velus Jones Jr., (Cedric) Tillman have made some plays. Jalin Hyatt has made some plays, getting back on the practice field here and done a really good job.”
On how the injured players have picked up the scheme …
“The guys that are coming off of offseason surgery have done a great job of just soaking up, acting like a coach behind. On the defensive side of the football, the guys that have been nicked up off of postseason surgery have done a really great job in the meeting room of trying to grab everything that they can. Obviously, you don’t get a chance to see them out there when bodies are moving, but I believe that they are putting themselves in a great position to have a great summer and ultimately get back to training camp and be ready to go.”
On what he hopes to accomplish in the Orange & White Game …
“Collectively as a staff, this is our greatest dress rehearsal before we get to next fall. The first two scrimmages, we have tried to treat like a game in everything we are doing, for our players to make sure they are prepared and understand how to go play a football game. The communication system, we have tried to do the same thing. You are going to continue to get better, more efficient, more in sync every opportunity you get. Next Saturday’s spring game will be a huge opportunity for our staff to grow and operate efficiently and effectively when we get to next fall and able to kickoff for real inside that stadium. Speaking of next Saturday, what a great opportunity for guys inside of our locker room to go out and compete in front of their fans, go put on a show but also show the improvements that they have made. It’s an opportunity for them in a real, live situation to go earn trust from their teammates and their coaching staff as well to go prove that they are able to compete at a championship level. Find a way to force us to get them on the field. I’m excited that we get to have the state of Tennessee and Vol Nation here inside of this stadium. It’s going to be a great day, and I look forward to seeing everyone there.”
-UT Athletics
