Tennessee Football Practice and Post Practice Notes: 8/20

The Volunteer football squad returned to the practice field on Thursday night.

With the fall semester starting on Wednesday, the players received Tuesday and Wednesday off to prepare for their new classes.

Thursday also marked 16 days until kickoff, in other words, a day where pictures of Peyton Manning are posted all over social media in his 16 jersey.

Peyton Manning was not on the practice field, but team 119 made it out, and here are a few notes and observations.

Notes

Coach Butch Jones is amping up the team’s focus for September 5 as he informed the media they “started game preparations for Bowling Green today.”

Multiple players were wearing black jerseys in practice as a part of the scout team.

• Freshman running back John Kelly and defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie were both in green non-contact jerseys.
• Linebacker Dillon Bates, sophomore guard Jack Jones, sophomore lineman Brett Kendrick, and sophomore lineman Jashon Robertson returned to the practice field.

Observations

The media did not get to see in game preparation for Bowling Green, but the players continued to work on their individual skills.

Here are some of the highlights of the periods the media was allowed to view:

The defensive backs were getting tips today. Along with coaching tips, the backs were working on getting the ball at its high point. Nobody really stood out as they defended and jumped against air.

The offensive line got some much needed sled work in tonight. The coaching staff seemed displeased at times with the players as they had to repeat the drill multiple times. It is still unknown who the first five will be.

Most of the attention tonight came with the wide receivers in their second drill receiving throws from the quarterbacks.

The receivers lined up at the five yard line where they were thrown to in the corner of the end zone with a member of the staff waiting to make contact with an arm pad.  Josh Malone looks to be more consistent than last year, and in the drill he demonstrated some physicality. He received more contact than any receiver in the drill, and was able to turn in time and make a text book catch.

The most impressive catches came from Pig Howard and Von Pearson.

Howard was able to pull in an under thrown ball towards the front of the end zone, and he managed to get his one foot down inside of the white line. Von Pearson pulled off a true jump ball in the corner as he caught the ball in full extension fading back in the end zone, and managed to also land his right foot in bounds.

The Vols will wrap up fall camp Friday and Saturday, and then it is on to preseason practices.

What We Learned Post Practice

The offensive line suffered another hit on the depth chart.

Butch Jones told the media that redshirt sophomore guard Austin Sanders is done for the season. Fifth year senior Marcus Jackson was the first season ending causality recently, and with Sanders being out, it makes two guards with experience out for the year.

The mantra for any good team is “next man up.” That is just what Butch Jones alluded to in regards to the Sanders injury.

“We have recruited to have some depth at the offensive line position, but it does set us back. It is another individual’s opportunity for some of the young freshmen to step up in terms of Chance Hall, Jack Jones, and a number of individuals.”

Sanders was not a front runner to be a starter, but it does take a name off of the list as we are still uncertain about who the starting five will be. Coach Jones would like to find that answer soon.  Jones said, “Our goal is by the start of next week to have those individuals identified.”