KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — New Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope met with members of the media on Thursday following the Volunteers’ ninth spring practice. In addition, quarterback Hendon Hooker, tight end Jacob Warren and wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Ramel Keyton discussed their progress this spring.
Tennessee will hold a “Fast Friday” practice tomorrow before embarking on its second spring scrimmage at 1 p.m. Saturday. The scrimmage is closed to the public on site.
However, Volunteer Village at Humanities Plaza will welcome fans and feature two big screens that will carry the scrimmage. In addition to live interviews with head coach Josh Heupel, VFLs and other guests on the screen, Volunteer Village will showcase food trucks, music and activities for all ages from noon-3 p.m. Saturday. Fans visiting Vol Village are encouraged to park in Lot G10. The Pride of the Southland Pep Band and Tennessee Spirit Team will perform at approximately 12:40 p.m.
Wide Receivers Coach Kelsey Pope
On what the transition has been like moving up in roles…
“It’s been a really great transition. It’s been smooth. I’ve been really blessed to have a group that has already bought in to me and kind of what I’m about. Those guys knew what my expectations were coming in and they’ve done a good job of taking that, taking it head-on and pushing with it. So, the detail part, me trying to really push them and get to their core, they’ve responded really well. I’ve been super pleased as a position coach to have a group bought in to what I’m about, and they actually have taken that one themselves in their own roles. Preaching amongst their teammates and holding their teammates accountable. It’s been seamless, transition-wise, so far.”
On what the moment was like when he found out he was getting promoted…
“It was good. I feel like I still haven’t come down from it. We kind of have been 90 miles an hour since then. Honestly, the biggest thing I took from that was the kids and their reactions. That gave me a ton of joy knowing that those guys had that confidence in me and they were going to bat for me wanting me to be their guy. That was the most fulfilling part of it all. I still haven’t come down from it. If you talk to me in June once things slow down, I’ll probably have an answer.”
On if he still talks to Coach Kodi Burns…
“I do. I talk to him, one, because he’s a friend. He did a great job helping me be groomed last year. We talk, obviously, about football. We bounce some ideas off. A lot of my conversations with him are life conversations. Who we are at the core, is similar. I think we do a great job staying in touch and pouring into each other that way. I talk to him about once a week.”
On how he makes the wide receiver room his room…
“I think no matter where you are or who you’re around, you’re going to learn something from everybody. I think there is a duality in that, you always have to be yourself also. So, you do pull things that you learn, that you get from other people, but I still always have to be myself and do it in a mode where I’m still me, because the kids recognize that. If you’re not you, it’s kind of hard for them to respond to it. I do learn things and pull things from other people that I see that I like, but I’m always going to do it the way I would do it in my manner and my fashion.”
On how much he was thinking about being in the role that he is now…
“I think you always have to have the mentality that I’m the guy. Coach Heupel does a good job of putting systems in place where everybody is adding value, in recruiting, when we are teaching on the field, when we are building our players personally. You have to be able to add value. In order to do that, you have to take on the role like ‘Hey, I’m the receivers coach.” It’s no different than what we teach the players, next man up. As soon as I’m not preparing like I’m that guy, when that opportunity comes I’m not going to be ready. So, the entire time, I’m not knowing this is going to come, but I’m preparing that way. Now, I’m giving the kids the most that I can, I’m able to add value and help them in any realm that I am able too.”
On taking on more responsibility in recruiting…
“In recruiting it’s obviously a bigger adjustment because it’s SEC, it’s a bigger level than what I’m used to. Recruiting to me is based on relationships and is based on communication. Those two things happen to be two of my strong points. It has been great because again, Coach Heupel has systems in place. It’s kind of like the Heupel way where you’re in here, you’re going to recruit. You’re going to figure out how to get guys here. Figure out how to get guys and build relationships with them. Then it’s just being more intentional with the relationship piece and the communication piece.”
On Jalin Hyatt’s growth from last fall…
“Jalin Hyatt has done a great job of changing his body, for one. He’s about 180 right now. He is doing a great job of embracing physicality. I think he kind of saw himself in high school and at younger years as a speed guy. We talked, even before I got the role, about him embracing physicality and bringing that part of his game out. He’s done a great job of embracing that. I think mentally, off the field he’s taken a huge jump. He’s in the building 24 hours. A lot of times I’m leaving late at night and he’s either pulling off or about to walk out of the building as well. He’s done a great job of buying in and it’s consistent. Right? Regardless of what result he’s getting at practice week-to-week. Whether he’s having a great day or if he’s having an average day, he’s in the building, he’s staying consistent. I think he truly understands the process right now. I like where he is.”
On if Jalin Hyatt is a guy who can play multiple positions…
“Your guys that are able to do things that add value, you’ve got to find ways to put them everywhere. He obviously has played outside before in high school, he’s obviously played slot before with us. So, we’re going to do a good job of getting him in different spots. He’s picked that up well, he’s cross-trained well.”
On adjusting his daily schedule in transition to wide receivers coach…
“Again, I got blessed and really lucky because Coach Heupel had doing a great job of having systems in place so it was almost seamless. He’s got set times aside for us during the day that, this is allotted for recruiting. He’s got set times aside for us to get with players. He’s done a great job of having systems in place already and it’s been seamless. I’m just more intentional with our guys, because it’s a bigger group, I’ve got a bigger responsibility. Those systems have been super helpful.”
On coaches who have been mentors for him…
“Obviously, everybody on staff is great, leaning on Coach Golesh a lot, Coach Heupel a lot, Coach Elerbee and Coach Halze have been great. Their wives have been great. It’s crazy because the day I got it, I go home and I’m getting married next year to my fiancé. She’s talking about all the wives called her. They’re giving her contacts to realtors and I’m like ‘I didn’t know we were moving.’ It goes to show the culture here. Everybody is willing to give a hand, everybody wants to see you be successful. Again, I feel super lucky and super blessed to be around people like that in this position.”
On the young receivers…
“Those guys have been extremely awesome. We’ve created a culture where guys want to be in the building. Those four young guys, Cameron Miller, Chas Nimrod, Marquarius White and Kaleb Webb have been great. They’re always in the building, they always want to learn. The game is starting to slow down. We’re at that point in spring where slowing down is not moving as fast for them and you’re able to see those guys make plays and really who they are. They’ve embraced the culture and really come in here and done the work. You see that, and the older guys see it. They know the competition is real. If I’m not on my p’s and q’s, if I’m not paying attention to detail. We’ve got four young guys in here that are hungry. That just elevates the play in the room. Those young guys have been great, each one of them.”
On what he has learned from coaches that will help him in this new position…
“I can kind of be a drill sergeant. I’m usually screaming a lot. I think one thing that Coach Kodi Burns did well is that he had a great pulse of when to press the gas and when to pull off. A lot of times in a drill it’s been rapid and intense, and you don’t want to be too pushy. You still want guys to be able to hear you. So, the next drill, if we have something similar or a mistake you may see me grab guys and talk to them and be more intentional and intimate with them. I think having that ability to change paces and being able to feel the group is something important I’ve learned from him.”
On the next step for Cedric Tillman…
“Cedric Tillman is a great athlete. He’s a big and strong kid, an uber competitor. His next thing is the detail and the fine detail of becoming a route runner. Before we got here, he didn’t play a bunch and he knows that. Really, coming into the offseason, it’s a lot of detail work at the top of routes and releases for him to become a complete receiver and truly be able to get open and separate against any coverage or leverage.”
On what he sees in Ramel Keyton and Jimmy Holiday…
“Both guys have been really bright, both guys have been bright spots. Both guys are playing outside. Jimmy Holiday was, of course, a special team’s guy, and he’s done a good job of embracing his role on offense. He’s showed up and made a lot of good plays. He’s a guy that played quarterback in high school, so he has the intellect piece and understands what’s going on. Right now, we’re seeing him play fast. Ramel Keyton, I think, is surprising me. The guys always say he’s the surprisingly ones of the better athletes in the room. He comes off the ball, and he’s got long strides, so you don’t know how fast he’s running. He can move. He’s also a big target and a big body. He does a great job down the field with his big catch radius for 50/50 balls. He does a good job of contesting catches. For both guys to be consistent, they have to preach the details and harp on the details. When we’re tired or not tired we need to be harping on those things to build consistency.”
On instinctual for other receivers like Jimmy Holiday, Jimmy Calloway and Jalin Hyatt to take things up one notch…
“Absolutely. I think that’s why you recruit competitive kids. Coach Heupel preaches desperate, hungry guys. We want guys that are hungry. In the call of battle and when bullets are flying that’s what you want to get from a competitive guy. You’re not going to think about it, not bat an eye. They’re going to go try and compete their butts off, add value and go win the rep. I think each of those guys have a tenacious competitive spirit. That’s what we like about those guys. That’s why you recruit those type of guys.”
On Chas Nimrod and Marquarius White…
“Chas Nimrod is an outside guy. He’s got some freaky traits. He can really run and he does a great job of tracking the ball down the field. He’s still getting used to the physicality piece. It’s a different level than high school where he was at. He’s showed some flashes and at times he looks really good. He’s going to continue to come along, continue to work because of who he is. I’ve been really pleased with him. Squirrel can freaking run. He doesn’t bat an eye when things get chaotic. He is flying around and if someone is trying to be physical, he matches that intensity and physicality. He has the smallest statute but the biggest heart in the room. I love that kid. They both have been great additions.”
R-Senior QB Hendon Hooker
On his individual goals this spring and what he wanted to get better on this offseason …
“Really, the mental aspect of the game. Just trying to capitalize on every opportunity I can to get in there with the coaches and go over film, talk through different situations, and just approach the game from a mental standpoint. As a player-coach kind of thing on the field, being in total control of the offense and just being efficient.”
On manipulating the defense in games…
“That’s something that I have been trying to implement into my game from last year transitioning, to this year. So really just studying defenses and studying how they’re thinking and studying their responsibilities helps me in trying to manipulate them or moving them out of spaces, so I can hit guys running in windows or sitting in windows. It’s all just a learning process and getting reps in practice and experimenting here and there has definitely benefitted me.”
On the relationship between him and Joe Milton III…
“Last year, he was a great support system when he went down and I came in and whenever he’s in, I’m the same way. We’re each other’s biggest fans and biggest critics, as well. Whenever I’m coming off the field or I can still be on the field, I can hear Joe in the back being like ‘Hendon move that safety’ or ‘work on your feet.’ It’s just little things that definitely keep us both motivated to get better and push each other to be the best we can be.”
R-Senior TE Jacob Warren
On continuity with the system and how it has helped this spring…
“That’s the biggest thing. There is actually a lot of progress being made. We can see people developing and growing within the system, rather than, the issue we were having last year was just purely mental errors or missed assignments. Now, we can coach things like effort, you know, having your hat on the right side when you’re insert blocking. Having details in the routes rather than telling someone they ran the wrong route. That’s been huge for us to be able to just develop our game. I think you’ll be able to see it in the way we play.”
On his individual goals this spring and what he wants to work on this offseason…
“My individual goal this spring was to become more confident in my ability to do everything to be every down: run blocking, pass blocking, running routes, catching balls. I think me and Princeton Fant have both done a good job in the past, but we both understand that we are nowhere near where we want to be personally, for ourselves, and where the team needs us to be. So, I think just going into it everyday understanding that I’m trying to be the last piece of the puzzle to the offense and just helping it run as smoothly as possible, has been my goal. Also, continuing to grow as a leader. I feel like I have challenged myself a lot recently, in the past few months, of stepping up and I guess just being that guy that will call people out when they are wrong and having the confidence in myself and my abilities that I’m doing the right things, so that when people look at me, look at how I work, and how I show up every day, they will be inspired, and encouraged to follow me and do the same.”
On being the last piece of the puzzle for the offense…
“Obviously, we play on tempo all the time, right? The tight end, as you can see if you pay attention on film and on the TV, you can see we’re generally the last one getting set because we’re moving from … maybe we’ve been out in the slot on one play and now we’re coming back into the core. Maybe we need to change our alignment from the right side of the core to the left side of the core. So, understanding and having the confidence in our preparation is what I’m trying to say. We’re able to go out and be that – ‘You’re not waiting on me, I’m set, I’m ready to go, I know exactly where I need to be, I know exactly where my assignment is.’ Now we can truly play with that tempo. That’s what I mean by last piece of the puzzle. We’re really the deciding factor as to whether we can push the ball, whether we can protect, whether we can hit that seam on a run play, whatever it may be.”
Junior WR Jalin Hyatt
On his consistency and amount of time spent in the facility this offseason…
“I had to look back last season on what I did wrong. That was the biggest thing I had to do. I had to meet with Coach Kelsey Pope and Coach Kodi Burns, when he was here, and just try to change everything that I did last season, because obviously it didn’t work. So, we got back to the planning board. I tried to stay consistent in coming in here 24/7, you know getting on jugs, film, just things like that to better myself and better this team.”
On internal competition amongst wide receivers, specifically the four freshmen…
“You know here it’s Tennessee. We’re going to get the best guys here, that’s just every year. Every time we’re out there its competition. You know, nobody has a spot, nobody’s comfortable. We’re all working to get better and I’m very proud of the freshman. Squirrel (Marquarius White), I try to stay hard on him because he reminds me of myself when I came in, you know. Weight wise and a lot of physicality things he still needs to work on, but he’s going to be a great player. He’s getting used to the offense, fast, quick, you know he’s going to be a very good player.”
Senior WR Ramel Keyton
On how last years’ experience has changed his spring…
“I wouldn’t say simple but we are focusing on details, like what we missed last year in the season. Even though it is kind of like we are doing the same thing, we are focusing on the details. Last year, the losses we had were because we messed up on the details, so we are focusing on them so that when the game happens next year, we won’t make those same mistakes. So, the second season is going to be better.”
On having coach Kelsey Pope working with receivers…
“I think coach Pope is a good coach. I feel like he develops us as a group, as men. Every single day in meetings, we go over a word of the day. It is nothing about football, it is about life personally. So, I feel like that aspect brings everyone in the room closer together and with the football part, he really makes us focus on the details because sometimes we don’t see it, but he can see it. He basically knows all of us in the room. He knows our strengths, our weaknesses and what we need to work on. So it helps a lot.”
On the transition with coach Pope and him being at UT last year…
“It is easy because we aren’t looking at it like ‘Okay, he is just trying to do this and that.’ He really wants us to win and really wants to see us succeed. No matter who you are. You can be a walk-on, starter, whatever it is. He still wants everyone to succeed. I think that is a good aspect of him.”
On his opportunities this season…
“I am very excited. I feel like there are some things I need to work on to actually elevate my game. I feel like once I work on those things, it will be showcased in a way that I would like to be imagined. But, I just want to do anything to help the team. If it is me stepping up to make plays, I can do that.”
-UT Athletics
