Vols' Successful Winter Drills Spill Into Spring Practice

(Opening Statement )
“In terms of moving forward, all of us are obviously very excited for the start of spring. The thing for us is we have to maintain a high level of consistency throughout the course of spring. We can't have any highs and lows. We just have to have that consistency in performance that we talk about and a workman-like approach that our players have really demonstrated throughout the course of the offseason.

It was a very productive winter. We made tremendous games in the strength and condition arena which we needed to. That was one of the sole purposes of really pushing back the start of spring football. Playing the inordinate amount of true freshmen and having the youth that we have in our football program we felt their overall development in the strength area, had suffered the consequences of playing early, not having the ability to redshirt players, put them through an offseason conditioning program during in season. We were able to bump that back and I think the results speak for themselves.

Just some facts on our offseason, PR's are what we call personal records and we had 115 personal records on squat. 75% of our team set a personal record this offseason. We had 89 PR's on the bench press and 76 personal records on the 225 repetitions on the bench press so on the average just about every person raised their squat by 50 pounds. On bench 25 pounds per person and 225 bench repetitions we increased an average of three reps per person on our football team. When you say the best of the best, our best squatter was Kendal Vickers and you're going to notice they're all young players which is very exciting. In the squat Kendal Vickers had 710 pounds and a 225 rep Jashon Robertson had 33 reps so again we're really excited about that because that was an area that we felt as we continue to progress and move forward with this football team we needed to get bigger and we needed to get stronger and that is a direct correlation to getting physical as well. Being better tacklers, being able to maintain blocks. We thought that we made great strides. Dave Lawson and Michael Szerszen, everyone on our strength and conditioning staff did a tremendous job in preparing our players. It is also a tribute to the work capacity and commitment that our players have made as well.

I know we spoke about it on signing date but I'll review. There are nine individuals that will not go through spring football: Derek Barnett, Jason Croom, Alex Ellis, Marcus Jackson, Jakob Johnson, Darrin Kirkland, Curt Maggitt, Danny O'Brien andKyle Phillips. Dillon Bates and Marquez North continue to progress so each day will be an evaluation process on their health of how much they can go through spring football. Jalen Hurd will be noncontact and Chance Hall will have limited reps so again when you look at those numbers of the quality of players, the quantity, it's going to be a great challenge in how we structure practice. However, it's also exciting because it gives other individuals great opportunities to really prove their football identity, and to really continue to progress and get better.

We'll actually have two practice formats.  On practice days of Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, our injured players will just lift and basically go through an off day. The days that are off days with film and lifting for our players that are going through spring football, they'll do walk-throughs and different things to try to simulate the mental repetitions, the mental effort, the mental intensity in the physical reps that they're allowed to do. So we have to make sure that Darrin Kirkland continues to progress. We have to make sure Jakob Johnson continues to progress and all the individuals that are injured. "

"It is going to be a challenge but that is what we need to do to get better. Everyday is an accumulation of knowledge and we have to make sure we are accumulating that knowledge each and every day.

"When I look for improvements of this football team, we have to take monumental steps in certain areas when you start with situational football. We have to get much better in the area of third down offensively and defensively. Ball disruptions from a defense, we need to create more turnovers, we need more tipped balls. When you look at really the flavor of college football and even in the National Football League is it a line of scrimmage passing game. With all the run adjustments with down field passes, the three step game, tipped balls are now becoming a premium. We take great pride in ball disruptions. We have to take a great step in moving forward from a defensive standpoint with ball disruptions.

"Explosive plays on offense, we have to make sure we become a much more explosive offense and there is a lot that goes to it, it is not just scheme, it may be some different things schematically that we will put in offensively. But it is really second reaction plays as well. You have to rehearse those each and every day to make sure that when you have a second reaction play you can capitalize on that. Whether it is scramble drills or different things that are associated with second reaction plays. It is more than just scheme. It is being able to high point the football, it is the quarterback putting it in the position where only the receiver can come down with it, it is wide receivers blocking on the perimeter, it is our offensive linemen getting off on second level blocks. So a lot of that goes into creating explosive plays.

"And then fundamentals, it is like every day we need reading, writing and arithmetic, as Al Davis used to say. It is the same thing, we need fundamentals every day. We have to make sure that we are focusing on the small details of what it takes to play winning football at each and every position group. All nine position groups. So we have to make sure we are getting the fundamentals down.

"As I talk about, we are building our identity for this team. Everyone has to take pride in executing their assignment and they are responsible for their own self-determination and becoming a better football player each and every day.”

(On Alvin Kamara)
"We have been very limited because we just haven't had a football present at skill development. But I see an individual who is very elusive, very light footed, very quick and explosive. I am really excited to see what he can do when we get the pads on and get the ball in his hands. But I have been very impressed. Not only with his work ethic and his mentality but also the way he has come into our football program. He has been very quiet, he is just gone about his business. And right now he is developing into a leadership role on our football team."

(On reps at running back)
"It is going to be a challenge. Jayson Sparks is on campus, school start walk-on that is going to get some valuable repetitions but we have to pick our spots with Jalen [Hurd], the great thing is, he is going to be available for spring practice. He will just be non-contact. And then Alvin [Kamara]. We have to do a great job with that. Again, when you look at our deficiencies right now of a football program in terms of overall depth they don't balance out because on offense we have worked to where you have depth now on the offensive line, we don't have that luxury at the defensive line and now at the running back position as well."

(On Dimarya Mixon and LaTroy Lewis stepping up with so many defensive linemen out)
"Now is your time. I told them that in our team meeting last night. This is a big, big spring for Dimarya Mixon. We moved him back to defensive end, his natural position. LaTroy Lewis, he has been in our football program now for a number of years, he will never have a better opportunity than what he is presented with this spring. Kendal Vickers is another individual who is about 285 pounds, he has worked exceptionally hard moving to defensive tackle. We are hoping that he can be the Jordan Williams of this football team. And he has worked hard. Now go take advantage of your hard work. So I am excited to see what these guys can do. With Andrew Butcher coming in, is another individual who is going to get premium repetitions. So this is going to be a great opportunity for everyone at the spot."

(On improvements from each spring year)
"Absolutely. Each year I have seen great, great progress. We have some great competition battles going into the spring. And again, every though we only have five healthy defensive linemen, those are valuable repetitions that are going to lend itself to competition when August camp starts. I am excited to see the continued progress of Jalen Reeves-Maybin. I am excited to see Alvin Kamara. We could have two very dynamic running backs in Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara. I am excited about that. I am excited to see the progress of Ethan Wolf and our offensive line, how much better is Jashon Robertson, how much better is Coleman Thomas, the continued progress of Dontavius Blair. Emmanuel Moseley, I want to take a moment too while I am talking about Emmanuel Moseley, of all their thoughts and their prayers for his family and the car wreck they went through going home from spring break. That is a young man that does everything right in our program, high character and I think we have all seen the pictures on Twitter of that car and for him to walk away with no injuries is remarkable. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they continue to heal from that auto accident."

(On the benefit of having a quarterback starter from day one compared to previous seasons)
"Well there is. First of all the repetitions he's been able to gain and that he will gain with our first-team offense. Our players view him as their leader. And he's really grown. He's grown leaps and bounds from being very vocal, from a leadership. But also setting the standard. There's many a nights where I look out and I'm like `What the heck is going on? The lights are on in the indoor.' And it's Josh and a bag of footballs and nets. And I think coach DeBord has really helped him in terms of some throwing mechanics that he's been able to point out on video. And then Josh being to do it on his own. But also I think, maybe not the competition battle for number one, but as we all know the competition battle for number two and number three, and then when Sheriron Jones gets here in June. That's going to be a great battle. I think Quinten has done a very, very good job of all the quarterback intangibles. He's worked exceptionally hard. Jauan has done a great job as well, but I think Jauan is a little bit behind in terms of the quarterback intangibles. He's a great athlete, he's very driven, he's very competitive. So I think he'll continue to progress with the amount of repetitions throughout the course of spring."

(On how this winter has been different for Josh Dobbs compared to previous seasons)
"Confidence. Driven. He's experienced some success. He understands what's out there. And I think it's really confidence. And you know, you have to fight complacency. That's a human condition. And I have not seen any complacency with anyone on this football team."

(On the offensive line competition and the opportunities for Dontavius Blair)
"Tremendous opportunity. And we won't really know until the pads go on. Playing offensive line is like a fist-fight in a phone booth although kids don't know what a phone booth is today, so I had to educate them what a phone booth is. But you know, the fine details, the fundamentals, the quick thinking part of it, the toughness, mentally, physically that goes into it. It's a technique oriented position. But again, Jashon Robertson needs to continue to progress. Coleman Thomas, Dontavius Blair,Ray Raulerson, you know competition but also depth as well. Brett Kendrick, I'm excited to see you know another year in our program and the weight room and being able to translate that on to the football field. And Brett was able to gain some valuable repetitions last season long. You know, having Jack Jones here and Chance Hall here, you know even though Chance will be limited. Again, that's competition. Competition is extremely, extremely healthy - Dylan Weisman, Mack Crowder. So it's going to be a great battle."

(On how much having Coach DeBord will help the offensive line improve)
"Invaluable. He's been a great resource for Coach Mahoney. And I think Coach DeBord has been a great resource for everyone in that offensive room. And when you look at an individual who is a winner, who has the knowledge he has at every level of football, we've really taken advantage of it. But not just our coaching staff but our players. His office has been a revolving door. That office has never seen the traffic it's seeing. And just players coming in and wanting to spend time with him, and pick his brain and talk about all the great players they've coached. But also the standard, the expectations. How he's handled our players from team meetings to individual settings has been very healthy for everyone."

(On how the defensive line practices will change with little depth)
"Well, a lot of individual. A lot of one-on-one repetitions. A lot of half-line. We'll do some half-line team, some half-line work in the run game, pass game - which we've always done, we'll just do a little bit more. And then when we go to team environments or team settings those have to be quality reps. And you know like Heather pointed, we may cut it short a little bit. As long as I feel we walk off that practice field and we gained our number goal that we accomplish that we're a better football team walking off that field than when we started practice, I'll be very satisfied."

(On how likely it is the defensive linemen will receive more technical coaching than usual)
"Absolutely. And they're going to have great coaching because not only do they have Coach Strip and Coach Stewart, but a lot of the individuals that aren't participating will also be coaching them. And a lot of times when you're injured, you can gain as much information of anything of actually coaching the position because you're verbalizing it, you're looking for the technique. So they're going to have a hands on approach with these individuals. But again, it's the toughness, it's the fundamentals, it's the fine details and they're going to be at a premium."

(On managing the hype the team is receiving)
"Well first of all, praise and blame it's all the same. I don't listen to any of that. I know what we have inside. And that's what I like about our players. They've had a consistency in approach each and every day. They have not been entitled. They have not had a bad work day. But also I think it's a compliment when your program has those expectations placed upon them because they see what's going on here at Tennessee. They understand how far we've come from year one to year two to year three. And really the people inside the program know how far we've come. We've come night and day. It's not even a resemblance of the same football program when we walked in. And that's not to take away from anyone on Team 117 or Team 118. I love those kids. But it's night and day, and I think that's respect for what's gone on here. And I also think in the world of recruiting, it places a lot of unfair expectations on these individuals that are 17 to 22 year-olds. But that's where we want to be. The standard and the expectation is always going to be high at Tennessee. That's what we expect and that's why individuals come here. They want to play at the elite level. They want to play at the highest level, and they want those standards and they want those high expectations."

(On tight ends looking to contribute)
"We will see when the pads go on. Neiko (Creamer) has had a very productive off-season. Neiko is very athletic. Now we will see when we put the pads on. A.J. Branisel, will be full go. That is another area we will have great competition with Ethan Wolf and A.J. With Alex (Ellis) being out, that's another opportunity for A.J., and Neiko to really assert themselves on our offense at the tight end position."

(On Dillon Bates' return)
"Dillon continues to progress. Again, he will be day-to-day, but Day 1, he's full go, 100 percent. Dillon is very instinctive, but he is also a very intelligent player. We will mix him around at the MIKE spot and also the WILL spot as well."

(On Dillon Bates' weight)
"He will continue to gain weight, I don't want to mis-speak, he's in the 230-pound range. If we can get Dillon to a bout 240, that's ample to play MIKE backer. Everyone wants to talk about MIKE, and SAM and WILL. But, what you have to look is, `what's our competition, what do our competitors run?' How many 21 personnel teams? How many downhill run teams? How many spread offenses are we playing? Obviously, Arkansas is going to challenge us physically, we all know that, that's their style of play. But, again, its based on the offenses that you are seeing, that dictates where they play defensively, particularly at the linebacker position."

(On still being a young football team)
"It's invigorating, its exciting, more so, is having the right people in your program. That's what matters. It doesn't matter whether they are freshmen or seniors, its having the right make-up. The right make-up of team chemistry. There are a lot of football teams that don't win because of the powerful word called chemistry. It's a brotherhood. It's trust. Trust is earned over time, it's earned by their peers. It's having the right mix.

"There are some positions, being very, very young at the defensive tackle position, having Shy Tuttle, his repetitions are going to be critical. And when Kahlil McKenzie gets here. The thing that is concerning, and again, it’s a snap shot of where we are in the program, it’s at certain spots, having the young people having to perform early. But it’s also invigorating because you get to teach them your style."

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)