Tennessee Volunteers Football: Spring Practice News and Notes
By Zach Ragan
Nov 24, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Rajion Neal (20) runs the ball against Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Miles Simpson (32) during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Volunteers football team, well into spring pratice, took part in their fifth pratice under Butch Jones on Tuesday morning.
Butch Jones said the practice was the best the Vols have had so far.
The Volunteers spring practice thus far has revealed team leaders and a closeness that was missing from the Tennessee football program in recent years.
Players like senior defensive back Byron Moore and junior college transfer Riyahd Jones have stepped up as leaders. Moore said the Vols want to be a player led team, and not always rely on the coaches to call meetings.
Riyahd Jones, a junior that transferred from Garden City Community College, has been called upon to be a leader. Jones said of being new on campus but not being a freshmen — “I’m not a freshman, I’m a junior. They drill that into me every single day.”
The player’s excitement about Tennessee football is evident on Twitter.
@Vol_Football hope the offense love wearing white, bcuz they not getting orange no more!! #fistup #117
— maurice couch (@MoCouch) March 19, 2013
Byron Moore told the offense Saturday to "take a picture in the orange jerseys because they weren't getting them back."
— Reed Carringer (@ReedCarringer) March 19, 2013
News and Notes
- There were several former Vols at practice number 5 — James Wilhot, Jayson Swain, Chris Treece and Prentis Waggner all attended.
- Eric Gordon is on campus and taking classes but he has some things he has to do to get back on the field according to Butch Jones
- Running back Rajion Neal says the team is running a lot of single-back out of the shotgun, but they’ll still run some downhill stuff.