Vols Media Day: Butch Jones, Notes, and Sleep…..

It was media and picture time in Tennessee on Friday as Butch Jones and crew were out in Neyland Stadium.

The usual Butch words were present, as we had a ton of talk about the “individuals” and so on, but we got some “critical” info from Governor Jones.

Getting Healthier 

One confirmed player that will be on the field for Saturday’s practice is sophomore tight end Ethan Wolf. The Ohio native is without question the starting tight end going into the 2015-16 season, and was referred to as a “weapon” by Butch Jones.

Jones also mentioned that 8-10 players could be back for Saturday’s practice, but he would not disclose their names.

Sophomore guard Jashon Robertson is expected to be back in a couple of days as well.

If you have been paying attention as of late, there have been some concerns with the health of this football team. With as many as 18 players out in a single practice, and the brief panic by the fan base concerning the Marquez North injury, this is finally a dose of good news for all of the fans struggling with big orange anxiety.

Confirmation 

One big area of interest this off season has been the back up quarterback position. Freshmen quarterback’s Quinten Dormady and Sheriron Jones have vied for the position during fall camp. Dormady had the advantage of coming in early in the spring, but many thought the Texas native would see a worthy challenger in California’s Sheriron Jones.

Dormady’s advantage is his arm, which is something that is pretty vital to the quarterback position (unless you go to Georgia Tech or Navy). Nobody has questioned his talent to throw the ball since he arrived, but many were concerned that he does not fit the system at Tennessee.

That question was answered, for now, as Butch Jones confirmed to the media that Dormady is the back up quarterback, and they could try to get him some playing time early on (looking at you Bowling Green and Western Carolina) to be prepared in the case that Joshua Dobbs sustains an injury.

Another interesting topic this fall camp has been Jakob Johnson’s position. Early on, he was mentioned as a competitor for the inside linebacker position. That fit never really panned out. Johnson was also briefly listed as a defensive end. Jones confirmed his position on Friday night, and it is on the offensive side of the ball. Johnson has recently seen time in practice at tight end, and it looks like he has finally found a home. The German native is a tremendous athlete that has the physical build to be successful on offense, but will need time to fully learn his new spot.

Other Notes

When someone says “voice of the offense” the thought goes directly towards the quarterback. Joshua Dobbs is without question one of the leaders on the offense, and on team 119, but he is not the only one. Coach Jones said that running back Alvin Kamara has “really become the voice of the offense.” We learned that Kamara is not short on confidence as he called the trio of Dobbs, Jalen Hurd, and himself “scary.” It seems his confident edge is helping him become a legitimate leader for the Volunteers.

Preston Williams accounted for

Freshman wide receiver Preston Williams was present for team pictures. After having his ACT score flagged by the NCAA, Williams has not been able to participate in practice. He has kept busy working on his soccer moves in the indoor facility, but Williams has been carrying himself like a kid who done what he needed to do. However, Coach Jones said in an interview on WNML that they are still uncertain about his status. Sticking with Preston Williams, Jones also mentioned in the press conference there are one or two wide receivers on this team that might punt. Maybe he is trying to tell the punters they need to pick it up  a little, or maybe he would incorporate this for potential trick plays, but the words came out of his mouth. Some signs seem to point to one of these receivers being Preston Williams who as mentioned before, has a tremendous soccer leg. To be determined.

Sleep Competition 

The oddest thing of the night.

Coach Jones said they “have about 25 players right now who have a sleep coach.” Apparently there are systems set up underneath the mattresses that can log the amount of time the players sleep. Coach Jones also said this has promoted more competition among the players. It could expand in the future to more players if it continues to have success.

Next: Four-Star Linebacker Offered By Tennessee