tOfficial '2015 Tennessee Volunteers' Football Thread

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Can't wait

 

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Game Maxims to be part of 'new tradition'

Jones said he’s hoping to have fans recite Gen. Robert Neyland’s Seven Game Maxims a few minutes before each home game at Neyland Stadium, and Tennessee might try to introduce the new routine before its season opener Sept. 5 against Bowling Green at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.

“We experienced a little of it at the Orange and White Game, but we do have a new tradition that we’re going to start. And I’d like to start it at LP Field,” Jones told the crowd during Tennessee’s Big Orange Caravan stop at Bristol Motor Speedway.

“A couple minutes prior to us running through the ’T,’ we are going to recite — through the loudspeaker and JumboTron — the Seven Game Maxims as a fan base.

“We’re right there reciting the Seven Game Maxims. Y’all will be out there reciting the Seven Game Maxims, as well.”

 

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Tennessee 'still waiting' on DT Saulsberry

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Trevarris Saulsberrystill faces an uncertain future with the Tennessee football team.

But it’s still not out of the question that he could find his way back onto the field this year.

Vols coach Butch Jones told GoVols247 on Monday that no final decision has been made regarding Saulsberry’s status for this season, although lingering knee problems prevented him from participating in spring practice.

“We’re still waiting to see as he goes through rehab, and if the doctors and Trevarris and his family feel that he can help the football team — and he’s worked exceptionally hard — he’ll play,” Jones said Monday during Tennessee’s Big Orange Caravan stop at Bristol Motor Speedway.

With the start of preseason camp still almost three months away, Jones said Saulsberry still has time to determine whether his knees will allow him to play during his final year of eligibility.

“I think we’ll know by August,” Jones said.

The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Saulsberry played in only five games last season because of injury troubles, recording five tackles along the way. A former three-star prospect from Gainesville (Fla.) High School, he has appeared in only 13 games over the past three years since redshirting in 2011.

Jones said earlier this year that Saulsberry “absolutely" will be part of Tennessee's program this season, if only as a “student coach.”

“Trevarris is a great individual, and this football program means a lot to him,” Jones told GoVols247 in February. “Right now he’s taking it day by day. If he’s not able to play, then he’ll be a student coach for us and work on his master’s degree. If he’s able to give us some quality reps, then that would be great, too.

“But, really, it’s about life after football for him. It’s about how his body can heal, how it goes through the rehabilitation process, whether there will be effects after football. Those are all things that we’re going through right now with Trevarris.”

 

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Spring Wrap: Tennessee Vols football defensive ends

Let’s put a wrap on the defensive end position at Tennessee following 2015 spring practice.

Tennessee senior defensive end and outside linebacker Curt Maggitt (Photo: Knoxville News Sentinel)
STARTER(S) IF VOLS PLAYED TODAY: Fifth-year senior Curt Maggittand sophomore Derek Barnett.

UP NEXT FOR NOW: Junior Corey Vereen, fourth-year junior LaTroy Lewis, sophomore Dimarya Mixon, freshman Kyle Phillips, freshmanAndrew Butcher, sophomore Jakob Johnson (unless he stays at middle linebacker), fourth-year junior Charles Folger. It looks like senior Chris Weatherd will play some snaps at defensive end, too, as a speed-rushing specialist.

COMING THIS SUMMER: In addition to January enrollees Phillips and Butcher, Top247 defensive end Darrell Taylor signed with the Vols in February and is scheduled to enroll at Tennessee this summer and start working out with the team.

WHAT TO LIKE: There’s an awful lot to like about Tennessee’s quality and quantity at this position? Star power with Maggitt and Barnett? Check. Strength in numbers — including run-stuffing specialists and speed-rushing specialists — off the bench? Check. Young players with star potential for the future? Check. Guys who play with mean streaks and make plays as a result? Check. Some guys who are big and strong enough to play defensive tackle, and other guys who are athletic enough to play linebacker? Check. In truth, there’s very little the Vols don’t have at this position. They should be as good as any team in the SEC at these two spots, top to bottom.

WHAT TO WORRY ABOUT: You have to nitpick a bit to find cause for pause here, but an injury to either Maggitt and Barnett would change the dynamics of this position a bit. The Vols are incredibly dangerous with Maggitt rushing off of one end and Barnett rushing off the other — it seems like they’re racing each other to get to the quarterback at times — but the situation would change just a bit without either of those stars in the mix. That’s not to suggest things wouldn’t be OK, but they’d be at least a bit different. The Vols are at their best defensively with Maggitt and Barnett on the field together. That’s the nightmare scenario for opposing offenses. It’s tough to block any one of the SEC’s best handful of defensive ends, but trying to block two of them on every snap is an even tougher task.

TIME TO MAKE A MOVE: This one is easy. Vereen and Lewis are currently sandwiched in between Maggitt-Barnett at the top and a flood of Top247 talents working to take their places one day, and the two juniors need to step up big-time in the coming months to solidify their spots for 2015 and 2016. Maggitt and Barnett are going to start if they’re healthy, obviously, but Vereen and Lewis will be challenged to keep their rotation spots ahead of young players like Mixon, Phillips and Butcher — and Johnson, if he moves closer to the line of scrimmage. Vereen and Lewis are good football players. Vereen’s tenacious speed-rushing and Lewis’ all-around game are things that could help the Vols win games this season, but Vereen has to stay healthy and Lewis has to remain consistent with his technique. If those two play up to their ability, this could be an even more elite group in 2015.

BEST OF THE BUNCH: It’s practically impossible to choose only one of the Maggitt-Barnett tandem, so we’ll go with both. You could argue that Barnett was more consistently productive last season, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but you’d be ignoring the fact that Maggitt is the heart and soul of this entire football team and actually had one more sack than Barnett last season. The bottom line is Tennessee has one of the most talented and prolific bookend pass-rushing duos in college football, and it just makes more sense to mention them together rather than picking them apart to see who’s marginally better than the other. They’re different but equally devastating players.

BIGGEST UPSIDE: The easy, write-it-and-be-done answer here would be Barnett, obviously. But Barnett isn’t a true freak from a physical perspective. He’s not freakishly long or athletic, but rather a throwback player who combines brilliant technique with unbelievable effort and a nasty streak to will himself into the backfield. And that’s not at all a knock on Barnett. It makes him even more impressive, when you think about it. Phillips, on the other hand, seems to have a bit more length and a bit more natural quickness than Barnett. Phillips, the nation’s No. 21 overall prospect in the industry-generated 2015 247Sports Composite Recruiting Rankings, is dripping with talent and has the ability to be a star in the coming years. Keep an eye out for that kid in the future — of course, whether that’s the near future or the distant future remains to be seen. He’ll have a tough time working his way through the minefield of talent to get into Tennessee’s main rotation in 2015, but he’s physically capable of doing that.

Tennessee freshman defensive end Kyle Phillips (Photo: 247Sports)
DON’T BE SHOCKED IF: Tennessee collects 30-plus sacks from this position group this season. That really is possible.

POSSIBILITY OF TRUE FRESHMEN HELPING IN 2015: Moderate. Phillips, Taylor and Butcher have enough ability to help at least a little bit in 2015, but the Vols don’t necessarily need to toss them into the mix unless they’re ready. Barring a rash of injuries, it’ll be up to those guys to prove their worth as instant-impact players off the edge.

 

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Spring Wrap: Tennessee Vols football wide receivers

Let’s put a wrap on the wide receiver position at Tennessee following 2015 spring practice.

Tennessee senior wide receiver Pig Howard (Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)
STARTER(S) IF VOLS PLAYED TODAY: This is just a hunch, but assuming everyone at this position is healthy and eligible and all that heading into the season opener, the guess here is that senior Pig Howard, junior Marquez North and sophomore Josh Smith will be the starters. But there are plenty of possibilities there.

UP NEXT FOR NOW: If Howard, North and Smith are the starters, that would leave the following options off the bench from the active spring roster: Junior Jason Croom, sophomore Josh Malone, senior Johnathon Johnson, junior Cody Blanc, sophomore walk-on Jaye Rochelle and redshirt freshman walk-on Logan Fetzner.

COMING THIS SUMMER: Five-star wide receiver prospect Preston Williams from the Atlanta area has enrolled for mini-term classes at Tennessee, so he’s in the house. Three-star athlete prospect Joquez Bruce from Knoxville’s South-Doyle High School is set to enroll as a blue-shirt signee this summer. Senior Von Pearson, a starter for much of last season, is currently suspended from the program but could return at some point this summer if his off-the-field situation is cleared up.

WHAT TO LIKE: If this group could ever get fully healthy, there’s a whole lot to like. This group at its peak has everything you can want in a wide receiver corps. It has tons of talent and tons of diversity — meaning it has big, tall, strong wide receivers and short, quick, shifty wide receivers and all points in between. It’s not the fastest group in the world, but it’s very quick and some of the tall players are faster than you think when they get going and start galloping downfield. This group, at its peak, has no excuse to be anything less than one of the best groups in the SEC — and potentially in all of college football. But … keep reading.

WHAT TO WORRY ABOUT: This is easy. For all the recruiting stars and NFL potential in this group, the fact is that various issues — including and especially an disproportionately large number of injuries — have combined to keep this group falling short of expectations the past couple of years. And there’s an old saying that someone who won’t do something is no better than someone who can’t do something. That probably sounds harsh, and that’s not the intent, in truth. But the fact is this group has to put up or shut up at some point. There’s enough talent in this group to be special.

TIME TO MAKE A MOVE: Aside from Howard and Johnson, you could make an argument that none of Tennessee’s wide receivers have come close to maximizing their potential. Howard battled some personal issues and came through them to become a reliable, SEC-caliber playmaker, and Johnson continues to do about the most he can with the talent he has — and that’s a compliment, by the way. The rest of the roster hasn’t come close to maximizing its talent, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. That means the future could be much better. Let’s not forget that these ultimately are kids.

BEST OF THE BUNCH: This is easy. Until proven otherwise, it’s Howard. He’s been Tennessee’s leading wide receiver the past two seasons, and there’s no reason to think he’ll be anything less than the Vols’ leading receiver in 2015. The pint-sized playmaker is a rock for the Vols, and his versatility makes him one of the most important players on the entire roster. There’s absolutely no way the 2014 Tennessee Volunteers would have made it to a bowl game without Howard, and there’s little reason to think 2015 will be a better season without Howard continuing to do his thing.

BIGGEST UPSIDE: This is a great question, but we’ll go with North, who was a Freshman All-American in 2013 but struggled through myriad injuries — including a shoulder labrum tear — before ultimately sitting out the final few games as a sophomore in 2015. North is expected to be fully healthy to start the 2015 season. If that’s the case, it’ll be the first time in his college career that he’ll be fully healthy. That shoulder has bothered him since high school. North at his best is an absolute freak — a 6-foot-4, 230-pound target with the speed and athleticism of a wide receiver and the strength (and nearly the size) of a tight end. North is a special talent and a future pro. We’ll see how close he gets to maximizing his potential at the college level, but he’ll be a special player if he does that. North is far from the only player who could be named in this category, though. The Vols have plenty of talent at this position.

DON’T BE SHOCKED IF: The Vols put up plenty of yards through the air in 2015 but don’t have a single wide receiver collect 600 receiving yards. With all apologies to late U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, socialism could reign supreme with Tennessee’s wide receivers this season.

POSSIBILITY OF TRUE FRESHMAN HELPING IN 2015: Moderate. Williams certainly has the size and talent to help Tennessee in 2015, but he’ll have to prove he can return in time from a significant knee injury.

 

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Spring Wrap: Tennessee Vols football quarterbacks

Let’s put a wrap on the quarterback position at Tennessee following 2015 spring practice.

Tennessee junior quarterback Joshua Dobbs (Photo: Adam Lau, Knoxville News Sentinel)
STARTER IF VOLS PLAYED TODAY: Junior Joshua Dobbs.

UP NEXT FOR NOW: Freshman Quinten Dormady, freshman Jauan Jennings, redshirt freshman walk-on Devin Smith and, in a pinch, fifth-year senior walk-on (and place-kick holder) Patrick Ashford.

COMING THIS SUMMER: Sheriron Jones, a Top247 prospect from California, is scheduled to arrive in Knoxville this summer, and he’s talented enough to add to the competition from Day One.

WHAT TO LIKE: The Vols haven’t proved to have quality depth, but they do have better depth — or at least should have better depth — at this position than they’ve had in a couple of years. And there is talent behind Dobbs. It’s young talent, but it’s still talent. Those kids can make some plays. And since Dormady is a better thrower and Jennings a better runner at this stage in their careers, it stands to reason that coaches can develop the duo differently and not necessarily have to rely on only one of them if Dobbs goes down. Of course, though, the hope is that Dobbs stays healthy and has an award-contending season. He’s capable of that. And since new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord was brought in to run a system very similar to predecessor Mike Bajakian’s, continuity should be a strength, as well. This should be old hat for Dobbs, at least to some extent.

WHAT TO WORRY ABOUT: That’s easy. The lack of proven depth behind Dobbs is the concern. If he gets injured at any point, Tennessee’s season probably becomes a much different story. That’s one of the reasons DeBord always mentions sliding when asked for the most important things Dobbs needs to master. He can’t take too many hits. He’s a quarterback who can run well, so he’s going to take some hits inside and outside the pocket. That’s inevitable. But he doesn’t need to take too many, and he’s reminded of that on a daily basis.

TIME TO MAKE A MOVE: This is a massive offseason for Dormady and Jennings, and it’s equally massive for Jones as soon as he arrives on the scene. All three of those kids need to be ready to help at a moment’s notice. That’s not optional. That’s mandatory. Any of them could be one play away from Tennessee’s starting quarterback, and they’re reminded of that on a consistent basis. And they’re being prepared for that on a daily basis.

BEST OF THE BUNCH: That’s easy. It’s Dobbs. Do the freshmen have talent? Yes. There’s no question about that. But there’s also no question that the ship sails a lot smoother with Dobbs steering it.

BIGGEST UPSIDE: The natural inclination for this category would be to go with a younger player, because the upside of younger players is part of what makes people so excited about college football. But … the thought on this end is that Dobbs actually might have the most upside of the bunch. Yes, Dobbs is a junior, but he’s started just nine games in his college career and played in just 11 games. This isn’t an “old” player in the classic sense. He’s nowhere near a polished product, but that’s a good thing. Dobbs’ intelligence is off the charts, and he’s certainly a plus athlete for the position, and he’s consistently improving as a passer. His upside is huge, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Tennessee freshman quarterback Quinten Dormady (Photo: Adam Lau, Knoxville News Sentinel)
DON’T BE SHOCKED IF: One of the freshmen has to play for at least one small stretch of the season. Because … well … continue reading.

POSSIBILITY OF TRUE FRESHMAN HELPING IN 2015: Moderate. Dobbs is Batman and doesn’t seem to need a Robin to help him as a thrower or runner, but if anyone knows all about the need for multiple quarterbacks, it’s Tennessee. Only a couple of times in the past decade has Tennessee played one quarterback for nearly every meaningful snap in a season, and injuries have been a big part of the reason for that. It’s tough to count on a dual-threat quarterback like Dobbs starting healthy for 12-14 games, but this team absolutely needs him to do that.

 

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Tennessee OL signee Drew Richmond expects to start for Vols

 

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Pretty funny:

Butch Jones Goes Ballistic When 'Sweet Home Alabama' is Played at Vols Practice | AthlonSports.com

 

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Tennessee finishes 12th in SEC All-Sports Trophy standings - GoVolsXtra Story

 

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Tennessee Volunteers preview - SEC Blog - ESPN

 

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Tennessee Volunteers football: Derek Barnett will be the nation's next breakout star | FOX Sports

Barnett's record-setting season is even more impressive when you consider that he went up against two offensive tackles who were first-round NFL picks (Iowa's Brandon Scherff and Florida's D.J. Humphries), a sixth-rounder (Oklahoma's Tyrus Thompson) and a seventh-rounder (South Carolina's Corey Robinson), as well as two guys who many expect will become first-rounders in future drafts --Alabama's Cam Robinson and Ole Miss' Laremy Tunsil. In those six games, he had 11.5 TFLs and six sacks.

 

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Tennessee Vols' Jalen Hurd named longshot Heisman candidate

 

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John Kelly plans to be 'ready to play' at RB for Tennessee Vols

 

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Post-Spring Power Rankings: SEC East Division - Page 8 of 8 - Today's "U"

 

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When do the Bowling Green tickets go on sale? I can't find anything about it.

 

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Berry completes treatment, awaiting results