KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As Tennessee spring football rolls on, the offensive line continues to grow with a solid nucleus and new contributors. Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle, as well as junior offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins, senior offensive lineman Jerome Carvin and freshman offensive lineman Addison Nichols met with the media Wednesday afternoon following the Volunteers’ fifth spring practice.
Tennessee was in full pads on Wednesday and now turns its attention to a “Fast Friday” practice before embarking on its first scrimmage on Saturday.
Offensive Line Coach Glen Elarbee
March 30, 2022
On Addison Nichols working at the center spot…
“I think, one, we wanted to help him learn the offense as fast as he can. When you play center, it is the hardest position initially because it is moving so fast. There’s a lot. You have to make every single call and the speed of the game is faster inside, as well. I think to help him expedite his process, because I am not sure where he will have to fit in and play for us, whether that is going to be at center, guard, or tackle. The thought was let him start at center, learn the offense and then as he gets that down, branch him out.”
On the versatility of players he looks for while recruiting…
“We typically start with guys that are tackles, guys that are more inside guys. I think sometimes there is a unique combination where a guy has the feet or the length, brain, traits, whatever it may be, that he can play inside and can play outside. We typically try to pinpoint ‘man this guy is going to be a tackle’ or ‘this guy is going to be a center or guard.” With Addison (Nichols) through the process, we talked about how he can play a bunch of different positions just because of how smart he is.”
On what he has seen from Jeremiah Crawford and Gerald Mincey…
“I think both of them have done a really good job. They put in a lot of time during the offseason. Those guys would be out there on their own, working their butts off, trying to get better. I think Gerald Mincey has accelerated his process and I think JJ (Jeremiah Crawford) has done a great job not picking up where he left off, he started off ahead of where he ended the season. He is playing a lot faster, does not seem to be as delayed in coming off of the ball and is a lot more sure of himself. They both have done a really good job.”
On what it is like having four starters returning…
“I think they are a little bit different in the fact that when you lose a bunch of guys, you have to figure out who is going to be best at a position initially and you aren’t quite as far ahead as you are. Having four guys returning, especially where JC (Jeremiah Crawford) played some center, Darnell (Wright) has gone back and forth to both sides, there is a little bit more wiggle room. Guys, you feel like know where they played last year well enough that if you have to move them, adjust them, play them in different places in the spring, it is not such a big deal and hopefully, it gives you a chance that guys who haven’t played as much. Where they can just sit still in a position, learn it, and feel a little bit more comfortable.”
On why Gerald Mincey was someone he wanted to recruit…
“When he came out of high school, I thought one, he had unbelievable athletic ability and body control for such a big man, and out of high school I thought we had a good relationship. It was one of those situations where Florida was a little bit of a better situation for him than UCF was. I knew at the core who he was as a human being and that there was an intelligence level there that was unique for his body type and that things he can do athletically. Sometimes, things don’t always start the way you think they will end up and now it has ended up in a better spot.”
On the next step for Cooper Mays…
“I think he is always one to continue to get stronger, continue to build his body. He has taken the step leadership wise. Him and Jerome Carvin have been awesome. They have gotten in front of the room, led meetings and corrected teammates. Cooper Mays is constantly in the meeting room and something happens and, before I can get something out of my mouth, him and Jerome have jumped in there and said, ‘Hey man, we need to do this,’ or, ‘Start coaching this.’ I shouldn’t say this, but sometimes they even correct me a little bit. Their leadership piece of it has been unbelievable with Cooper. I think just continuing to build, get stronger. He got thrown in there as a freshman where he didn’t get a chance to really get a year of solid development in the weight room, especially with COVID. I think he has kind of done that over the offseason and I think he will be an even better version of himself.”
On Cade Mays at Pro Day…
“He’s a highly intelligent player that can play. He bailed us out and played tackle but he can play guard and center. A guy that is physical, unbelievably physical. Loves the game, loves to practice the game of football and doesn’t have a lot of regard for his body, in that sense. A great human being and someone I have really enjoyed having in my room and getting to know. I’m looking forward to know him for hopefully a long time.”
On if short-yardage situations are related to being more physical…
“One hundred percent. You really only get to measure yourself in three different categories: short yardage, sacks and tackles for loss. We have to be better up front, there’s no doubt. We had some situations today where I thought, coming off the field, they tried to be more physical. That is something that has to continue through spring, through fall camp and for sure into the season. 3rd & short has to be our down and distance. We need to move the line of scrimmage.”
Quarterbacks Coach Joey Halzle
On the emphasis with Hendon Hooker this spring…
“Last year you get here and in year one it is a lot about how do I call the play? Where do my eyes go? Now, he has grown to the next step of seeing the second and third reads. He’s also able to play games with the defense by knowing where he wants to go with the ball, knowing what the defensive structure is, what their rules are and how to manipulate that, how to playing the game with the other side of the ball and get the result that he wants. He has made a huge jump in the offseason with defensive understanding. It is really showing out there on the field right now.”
On the early impressions of Tayven Jackson…
“Tayven Jackson has been phenomenal. Being a true freshman getting here early. He has not had a missed call in team yet. He has not called anything backwards, has not missed a protection call. He is completely dialed in to what we are doing, which is a testament to how he trained in this offseason leading into spring. Athletically, it is exactly what we thought with him being a high-level basketball player with extremely quick twitch and he’s extremely smooth and fluid. We’re really, really excited with his development up to this point.”
On where Joe Milton III is at…
“Joe Milton has been an amazing teammate this entire offseason coming back. You are absolutely right, there are opportunities, and I am sure a lot of people would love to take them. He wanted to stay here, he was dedicated to coming here. He has been a great teammate not just to Hendon, where they have a real, legitimate friendship, but also in trying to bring along Tayven, as well. Whenever we come off the field I go to say something to Tayven, and either Hendon or Joe is talking to him, helping him out and helping him learn what to do. He has been really, really high-end as far as his attitude this semester.”
On the practice rotation and how different this spring is from last fall…
“There are a lot less gymnastics that goes into it. Especially on the front end when it was a four-man rotation and you are running three different groups. Then, someone is getting left out, you had to work all of the different rotations and you have to snake it through there. With Hendon coming back, he has taken the lion’s share of the 1s reps, and we are working Joe in some too. Tayven is getting the 3s reps, and then he pushes up and takes some 2 reps. We still move them around a lot, but the guys that have been here and have played a bunch are taking the lion’s share of reps at this point.”
On if there is an edge with Hendon Hooker coming back…
“Absolutely. He is completely rededicated himself. He did not have that identity of, ‘I figured it out. I am here. I know what I’m doing.’ He is going right back from the jump and wants to get better. He is up there in our office all of the time, wanting to talk about protection, defenses and how we are going to pick up this blitz with this protection. ‘What would my call need to be to read direct my (protection) here?’ He is working through it non-stop up in that coach’s office up there whether it is with us, the GA’s, support staff, anybody like that. He is up there learning from everybody the entire day.”
On how much can be added with an experienced QB…
“A lot of it is going to be with the stuff that we do. We are going to continue to do it. He (Hendon Hooker) is going to continue to be operating at an even higher level. We should see jumps in that form our base offense as well. Then, it allows you as a staff to get a little creative as far as, what we can put on them and seeing what else he can handle. You throw some stuff on them and now we can really judge. Do we like this concept versus what we are seeing, or can the quarterback just not handle it? We know the quarterback can handle it, and now we can judge concepts independently with that other thought process from us.”
On incorporating running into Hendon’s game…
“We are not going to run our quarterback just for the sake of running him. If something presents itself in the run game, absolutely we will take advantage of that. That is the skill set that our entire room has. They can all carry the football at a high level. He knows that he is going to make plays when you do not call runs either. When he is dropping back he is going to make plays with his feet all over the field and that factors in as well. He has a good understanding of some of the hits he took last year. How can we prevent that, right? When the time calls for it, put your pads down and go get that first down. But there are also times that, it is over, I’m going to get down and get out here to prolong your own career and keep yourself healthy throughout the entire season.”
On if that is something they talk about…
“Absolutely. We have watched every single broken play that he had from the entire year. Every broken play, scramble, run, whatever it is. Here it is 3rd & 3, go get it. Here is 1st & 10 do not go from 2nd & 5 to 2nd & 6 trying to push it down that hard. Man, get your pads down now and sit down, get out and get the hit out of yourself.”
On how comfortable he (Coach Halzle) is going into year two…
“A lot more. One, the room is now more set than it was. We were trying to learn each other still at this point last year. I am talking about the guys that were in the room. Now, we are trying to bring in a new body in Tayven Jackson, and how does that all fit together. Now, that the room is a little more solidified, that worry of ‘how does this all fit together’ is kind of gone. Now, I can just focus on those guys and how they like to be coached. I know how they need to be coached and need to be spoken to. Joe Milton and Hendon Hooker and Tayven Jackson and Navy Shuler and Gaston Moore are all different. You have to handle guys differently while still treating people the same, if that makes sense. The way you speak to someone is different than how he responds. On the other side of it with recruiting, it is like, okay I have been in the areas and seen the people. Now you can focus, point and shoot a little bit more than trying to meet everybody for the first time as well.”
On how Joe Milton III can benefit being in his second year at Tennessee…
“Yeah, absolutely. I will start again by saying in the base offense of it. We do not have those guys worrying about which way do I take my protection in this one, what is my read on this one? Where do my eyes go on this one? They know all of that and now we are operating within that offense. That has been the biggest thing this spring. We are not throwing a bunch of new stuff on them just because we feel we can. It how we can take what we do for Joe Milton and Hendon Hooker and increase their ability to operate within what we are already doing. That is going to take our offense to another level.”
Junior OL Javontez Spraggins
On how much more comfortable he is this year…
“As far as last year goes, I know those new coaches had a lot to put into us, as far as the things they wanted to see from us going along through the season. At the time we are at right now, we basically already everything we need to get on a roll. Everything from last year has already been installed.”
On the short yardage run game and what can improve it this year…
“If somebody sees it and they are behind us, it’s definitely something that needs to be fixed if its prevalent to them. As far as us at the goal line, it is all about the little things. Making those things more … it’s hard to explain. For the offensive lineman, just being able to get those little things to not have anything on the backend that could mess us up in the long run.”
On if the offensive line can be more physical this year than they were last year…
“Definitely, I feel like there is always room for improvement for any type of player. As far as aggression goes and just putting our pads down and being physical. I feel like we can up that 50-100 times more than we did last year.”
On the confidence level in the offensive line room…
“In the room, the confidence level is 100 percent. It is always high. As far as us being on each other and making sure we do everything right, just the little things, because that is what coach wants to see. I feel like we are doing a good job being on each other at the right times and making sure we coach each other. Just enough to make sure we love each other and know we can get through this together.”
Senior OL Jerome Carvin
On what a freshman offensive lineman must do to get game reps…
“It’s a huge transition from high school to college with everything; school, football. It’s different. When a freshman is trying to get meaningful snaps on the field, it’s mostly just understanding the playbook. Understanding what he has to do, understanding his assignments. Two, lean on guys like me, Cooper (Mays), Darnell (Wright), guys like that. As well as our coach, Coach Elarbee, as well as our GA’s and assistant coaches. Lean on those guys, and they’ll lead you in the right direction.”
On his mindset going into his last spring camp…
“Spring is working the fundamentals. You get better. You go out there and just have fun. Being in my last spring, I’ve had fun out there. Just getting better and trying more consistent, as much as I can. Be more of a leader with the offensive line, as well as the team, and just working on my craft.”
On how much of an inspiration it is to see his former teammates going through their Pro Day today…
“Most definitely. It’s great seeing those guys come back on campus again after they’ve been working hard and training wherever they were. It’s a great feeling. Anytime you see your former teammates go out there and pursue their dream, it’s wonderful. Especially seeing guys like Cade Mays and Matthew Butler, those guys that you really battled with and battled against. It really hits at home. Just can’t wait to watch them and cheer them on.”
Freshman OL Addison Nichols
On thinking about playing time in the fall…
“Right now, my mind is really focused on getting as good as I can in my position and preparing myself for that position. I’m not really thinking about what I’m going to do in-season, right now. I’m just kind of focusing on the moment, getting through spring ball and just getting better in the moment.”
On being an early enrollee…
“It really wasn’t a tough one for me. I’ve kind of been planning for it since freshman year, when I got my first offer. I talked my parents and I was like ‘Alright, this is something I want to do. I want to go early in the spring.’ I had seen the benefit of it. It was definitely a great decision for me. Just being able to get in here and have all this extra time to just adjust to college football. Spring ball has been really good, learning the offense, just acclimating to the tempo, speed, and just the aggression of SEC football. It wasn’t something that I thought of last minute, like ‘Oh, I’m going to go early’. I didn’t really miss too much. My coaches let me go back to prom, and I’m going back for graduation. So, two big things that I needed and I got them.”
On challenges playing center…
“It was definitely extremely difficult to transition, for me. I’m still struggling with it. The biggest thing for me is coming off and punching as you’re snapping. Right now, it’s kind of like I snap, then punch. That’s probably the biggest thing now. Then accurate snaps. Each practice I’ve gotten better and better and seeing that is definitely reassuring. Hopefully in the next few weeks it will be spot on.”
On experience playing in college for the first time…
“I’d probably say … I knew that SEC football was difficult, but I didn’t know – so in high school, you get push on the offensive line – so, I came here thinking ‘Ok, we’ll get some push, even on double teams we’ll get some push’. No, you get no push. That was an eye-opener to me not being able to move someone as easily as it was. That’s definitely been an adjustment for sure. But that is probably it.”
-UT Athletics
