Vols Football: Notes From 12-16 Bowl Practice

Vols running backs Jalen Hurd and Devrin Young run drills during Tuesday’s practices at Haslam Field. PHOTO: Nathanael Rutherford

The Tennessee Volunteers took the field Tuesday at noon for another practice in preparation for the Taxslayer Bowl on January 2. This time, the turf was soggy from a late night/early morning rain, but the players didn’t look sloppy despite the less than stellar conditions.

Only one early enrollee commitment could be spotted today, and that was quarterback Quinten Dormady. The four-star quarterback out of Boerne, TX was merely a spectator, however, and did not take part in any drills.

Here are some notes from today’s bowl practice:

• All three running backs in the main rotation were wearing green, non-contact jerseys at practice today. Jalen Hurd, Marlin Lane, and Devrin Young all sported the bright green jerseys. Young is attempting to come back after breaking some ribs against Chattanooga earlier in the season, and Hurd is recovering from an upper body injury he sustained against Vanderbilt. Lane has been banged up virtually all season and also had an ankle taped.
• Center Mack Crowder was a full-go today at practice, handling snaps during drills with the quarterbacks and participating fully with the other offensive linemen.
• Wide receiver Jason Croom and defensive tackle Michael Sawyers neither one were on the practice field today. Croom is allegedly dealing with an injury he sustained Sunday during practice, and Sawyers is currently believed to be considering transferring, although nothing official has been said about either player’s situation.
• Receiver Von Pearson was animated today, encouraging teammates and acting lively on the field. He let his humor out a few times, dancing along to the music while waiting during drills at times and messing around with his teammates.

Observations

With Croom possibly out for the Taxslayer Bowl with an undisclosed injury, Tennessee’s already depleted receiving corps has taken another hit. The Vols will need someone else to step up, and the two most likely candidates look to be Josh Malone and Vic Wharton. Malone didn’t look bad today and is continuing to look better since the season ended. Wharton garnered praise from coaches during some receiver drills for his vision and hands.

Tennessee’s  coaches seem to be protecting the running backs before the bowl game, and with good reason. With Derrell Scott leaving the team, running back depth is one of the biggest issues facing the team heading into the Vols’ match-up with Iowa. Hurd, Lane, and Young are the only scholarship running backs left on the team, so keeping them healthy is a priority. Interestingly, Evan Berry was not practicing with the unit today after doing so on Sunday.