Tennessee’s football team did not practice Thursday, but Vol coordinators provided an update on the squad’s progress in preseason camp.
"Toughness is one of those things that you're going to talk about from day one until the day a kid leaves the program." – Larry Scott
"It's a testament too to the leadership they're getting from John Kelly through the summer and in camp.
The times that we weren't able to meet with them, he's spent extra time with them to teach them and has taught them our system and how we do things." – Scott on running back Kelly’s leadership.
"On our side (defense) of the ball, I couldn't be more pleased with the staff and the effort that Tommy) Thigpen, Charlton and Brady have put in and the (graduate assistants) and the quality controls and the players for the first 10 or 12 days of camp. We're right on schedule and we just have to keep moving forward." – Bob Shoop
"As good of a player as he is, he's a better person and he just comes to work every day." – Bob Shoop on Kendal Vickers
"If you play consistently and make plays, that creates the energy and the juice and the emotion of that group. For me, it's about consistent productivity. We can have rah-rah guys, which are great, but you really have emotional leaders because they are making plays on the field and they are consistently doing what they need to do." – Charlton Warren
More from offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Larry Scott
(On being pleased with the progress of the offense so far)
"Absolutely. I think the guys have had a great approach, a great mental approach towards everything. We've come out and given great effort out on the field to get better at the things we're constantly challenging to get better at. I like where we are, we're only at practice nine of 26. There's still so much more improvement that need to be made across the board at all positions, and just getting together and making sure we continue to build continuity. We still got a long ways to go but I like where we are. The kids are ending summer school here and we'll be able to get them locked in a little bit more mentally with that, so we're looking to continue to make strides as we keep going."
(On how the quarterbacks are handling the competition)
"They've done really well with it. They're constantly being challenged on everything from scheme to their fundamentals to their leadership to the ways that they handle themselves with body language and everything. Kind of happy with where those guys are right now, but like I said it's still really early, practice nine of 26 that we have before we get ready to go down to Atlanta and play. Happy with where we are, but we know where we need to get to before we're ready to go."
(On if any particular unit has surprised him so far)
"I tell you I think right now it's probably been more the receiver group. Being that there's some young guys in there that played a little last year but now they're in some roles that have picked up for them. The way that they just have responded to everything, some of the things we've been doing a little bit differently than we have in the past and different things like that. I think that group has really kind of been a surprise, yet still has so far to go to be ready to go. But we're definitely encouraged with what's in that position."
(On what he likes about the young running backs)
"(They're) a lot like the receiver group. They've kind of exceeded some expectations a little bit as far as their ability to retain the amount of information that's been thrown at them. A big part about being a running back in our system is you're on special teams. You play a host of special teams as well, so being able to retain the special teams information, the protections, the run reads and all those things, I think those young kids have done a real good job. It's a testament too to the leadership they're getting from John Kelly through the summer and in camp. The times that we weren't able to meet with them, he's spent extra time with them to teach them and has taught them our system and how we do things. I'm very excited about those three young backs and they're going to all have a role and they're going to all find themselves playing for us at some point."
(On if the offense is starting to take on the physical identity he wants)
"That's a process. We're in day nine and we've had some guys out like you hinted at a little bit earlier. Not having that continuity and those types of things is not a setback but it does put a little bit of a stall to the progression of kind of where you would like to be with that aspect. But you know, toughness is one of those things that you're going to talk about from day one until the day a kid leaves the program. Consistently, constantly you're going to talk about that, whether that's physical toughness or whether that's mental toughness. It is a constant process that we go through from day one until the day you leave, and if they're fortunate enough to walk into a life of working 8 to 5, they're butts are going to need to be tough. If they walk into and are fortunate enough to play in the NFL, they're going to continue to develop toughness, it's just a part of it, it's what it is. It's a process that has to be talked about, harped on, and that's what we're going to do here each and every day."
More from defensive coordinator Bob Shoop
(On players saying they're more comfortable with the defense this season)
"It's a just a comfort level. I'm glad they said that. I feel the same way about them. It's about relationships and developing them. On our side of the ball, I couldn't be more pleased with the staff and the effort that Thigpen, Charlton and Brady have put in and the GAs and the quality controls and the players for the first 10 or 12 days of camp. We're right on schedule and we just have to keep moving forward. We still have almost three weeks to get ready for our opening game."
(On nickel players behind Rashaan Gaulden)
"Terrell Bailey is right now running the third nickel. At the nickel, it's been Rashaan who has had an excellent camp. He's probably playing the best football I've seen him play. Baylen Buchanan is behind him. If it were a game situation and something happened, we could put Micah Abernathy there, he's played there in the past, and then Terrell.
"Of the three young corners, they've all done very well. They give great effort. They're as advertised as people. Shamburger is the one guy we think has a chance to make some contributions at corner right now. He's probably a little bit ahead of the other guys."
(On the safeties' progression through camp)
"The four veterans have all had their moments in camp and been very good. Probably most consistent performer has been Micah. Obviously, we didn't have Micah Abernathy or Evan Berry in the spring, so to have those guys back has been great. They're both really good athletes and explosive. Micah was a consistent performer for us last year. Todd Kelly has also been very steady.
"If there's one guy who has probably emerged that I maybe didn't expect to is Theo Jackson. As a freshman, he has a composure about him and he has a high football intellect. The game is just not too fast for him. He asks 200 level questions in meetings and I think Charlton and I are both really pleased with his progress so far."
(On Kahlil McKenzie and the defensive line)
"He's been okay. Of the inside guys, Kahlil has had a solid camp but Kendal Vickers is the leader of that group up front. As good of a player as he is, he's a better person and he just comes to work every day. You know what you're going to get with him and that's what I like about him. Shy continues to improve every day from a health perspective and we're looking forward to hopefully getting Quay back. Alexis Johnson has been pretty good throughout the course of camp too. Those are the veteran guys inside.
"Of the freshman, (Matthew) Butler has swung back and forth between end and tackle and he's done a pretty good job. Kivon Bennett has done a very good job. He's made a little bit of an impression too. These next few days will be really important to see whether those guys are going to end up being redshirt guys or whether they're going to be in the rotation."
(On Will ignont)
"I like our depth at mike (linebacker). (Daniel) Bituli has obviously not been 100 percent, but that's provided Will Ignont an opportunity. (Darrin) Kirkland these last few days has really stepped up to where we would expect him to be and (Colton) Jumper has had a great camp. Ignont has some of that 'it' factor to him. He's highly football intelligent and he's very confident out there. He's making freshman mistakes, but at the same time you can see that it's not too big for him. I'm not sure if it will be in 2017, but I think Tennessee football fans have a pretty good player for the future."
More from special teams coordinator/defensive backs coach Charlton Warren
(On if Justin Martin’s strong spring has carried over into fall camp)
"He has continued to work hard. Justin, like all of them, is just focused and locked in on a day-to-day basis. I am really pleased with his attention to detail, his leadership for some young guys. Justin is getting to the point when another guy is taking a rep, when they come off, he is coaching them on the sideline about what they did wrong or right in a play. I think when players can get the point where they see mistakes of other players, that shows growth in them. So I am pleased in what he has done and every day is a work in process."
(On who are the players who are ready to step up as emotional team leaders)
"Emotional team leaders - I'm more looking for guys who do it day in and day out with consistent level of play. If you play consistently and make plays, that creates the energy and the juice and the emotion of that group. For me, it's about consistent productivity. We can have rah-rah guys, which are great, but you really have emotional leaders because they are making plays on the field and they are consistently doing what they need to do. I get emotional about a guy just playing great technique on a guy and the ball not being thrown his way just as much as a guy making a tackle because that's part of the scheme. I think those older guys like Micah Abernathy, Todd Kelly Jr., Justin Martin and Nigel Warrior. Those guys are going to play with some juice and energy and they are going to create emotion through the things that they do right down in and down out."
(On his impressions of Shaq Wiggins)
"I see a guy that is older, a guy that has been in programs, a guy that is ahead of the curve in fundamentals and technique. But I think, like any transition, he is like a rookie coming in here learning the style of play at Tennessee. I think he is adjusting to our culture here. I think you have a resource in a guy who has seen live bullets. He has been in the fight. Unlike being a freshman trying to learn your culture, you have an older, more-seasoned guy learning your culture."
(On Nigel Warrior)
"I think he has done a great job. He really has taken the mental aspect of his game to another level. He is still a 19-year-old sophomore going into his sophomore year in college. But what he has done from a standpoint of coverage concepts and being able to make the checks, as a coach I look for if a safety can communicate his triangle of defense. That's him, a nickel, a Mike 'backer and a corner. Can he effectively communicate to that guy in his triangle? They'll tell you we always talk about three things to communicate: name, command and volume. Nigel has done a very good job of using those three things to make sure from the corner to the Mike 'backer, we are all on the same page of a coverage check. That's the growth I've seen in Nigel from when I got here to now. I'm very pleased with where he is."
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)