University of Tennessee Athletics
#VolReport: Training Camp Day 7
August 11, 2015 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Team 119 held its first morning practice on Tuesday as the program begins two-a-days this week. Despite the early start, Head Coach Butch Jones was pleased with the group's approach and energy, adding that the upperclassmen provided a great example for the freshmen and newcomers this fall.
MORE FROM THE VOLS
The Volunteers were ready for the first two-a-day practice of training camp on Tuesday morning thanks to a long summer of preparation under Lawson and his staff. ...Read more
Check out the full transcript of Head Coach Butch Jones' meeting with the media on Tuesday morning. ...Read more
SOUND BITES
- RS Senior DB Brian Randolph
(On if this is the most talented defense since he's been here)
"Most definitely. I feel like speed is the biggest factor. We all get to the ball every single play, even the defensive lineman. We are all swarming to the ball. There are always 11 helmets in the frame on every single play."
(On using more nickel and dime packages this year)
"Yeah, we have a lot of talented defensive backs, so we are just trying to finds ways to get them all out on the field at once."
- Senior DB LaDarrell McNeil
(On where he has improved since the spring)
"I believe that I am better with the scheme. I am better at the run game. I can determine my fits. Coach Jancek and Coach Martinez always preach that I know my assignment, and that is what I am doing."
(On facing his teammates on offense)
"Our offense is very athletic, especially the wideouts. We have Marquez North and Von Pearson. They are all tremendous athletes, so you have to go out and compete every day."
- Sophomore DB Emmanual Moseley
(On the competition in the secondary)
"It's a lot of competition, but we're just pushing each other. You know the best guys are going to play, but hopefully we get enough to have rotation. That's what we're planning to do. Everyone's doing good."
(On wanting to win for the seniors of the program)
"We really want to win for them ... Coach Jones has turned the program around and I think we're going to get a chance to do that this year."
- Junior RB Alvin Kamara
(On the chemistry at running back with Jalen Hurd)
"Thunder and Lightning! That's what they call us. I feel like we match up good. [With] me and Jalen, he's a bigger guy, a bigger back, powerful, still fast. Same with me, faster guy, but still powerful. I think we'll match up real well, complement each other real well."
(On the collection of playmakers in the Tennessee offense)
"We've got a lot, a lot of playmakers. We talk about it every day. Coach DeBord talks about it, we talk about it as an offensive unit. Guys like Pig Howard, Von Pearson outside on the edge, Marquez North, Jalen Hurd in the backfield. (Joshua) Dobbs is a threat when he has the ball, when he gets out, when he breaks the pocket. We've got a lot of weapons on offense. It's going to be really great to see what we do with it."
"You have to point to your leadership to continue the energy," Jones said. "We talk about collective energy each and every day and again, I liked our approach. We stress it all the time but when you're a young football team, every day is a learning experience and a lot of these individuals have no past knowledge in our football program to rely on. You have to continually be able to teach the small details of what it takes to play winning football but I thought today was very, very productive."
Along with the team's energy and productivity during their first two-a-day practice of the fall, the team also showed progress in reviewing game situations, something Jones believes will be key in playing winning football.
"We did a lot in terms of time management situations, end of the game situations, substitutions that go into winning football games and managing a football game at the end of situations, whether it be overtime or in the fourth quarter," Jones said. "We have a lot of great opportunities to go into the classroom now and teach. I thought it was one of our better practices in training camp."
Moseley Packing On Mass
Sophomore DB Emmanuel Moseley has made great strides in the weight room and is on pace to reach a 185-pound playing weight by the start of the season. From playing at 145 pounds in high school to 170 pounds by the end of last year to about 183 right now, Moseley has noticed that the added muscle has helped his game immensely.
"It's a very big difference," Moseley said. "Physicality-wise, I'm a lot stronger with my press technique and I'm holding guys back from just running past me."
Moseley said that the added strength has been focused more on his lower body.
"When it comes to weight, I've put on probably like 42 pounds since I've been here," he said. "But it's just a grind. I thank Miss Allison (Maurer) and Coach Lawson for really helping me out in putting that on."
Randolph: Defense Has "Got it all"
Fifth-year defensive back Brian Randolph said on Tuesday that he believes Team 119 has the most talented defense he's seen on Rocky Top since he arrived back in 2011.
"We have a chance to put Tennessee back on the map this year and we feel like we definitely have the defense to do it," the former Freshman All-American said on Tuesday.
A big reason for Randolph's optimism comes from the increased size and athleticism he sees up front in the form of defensive ends Derek Barnett and Kyle Phillips, not to mention the large presence occupying the middle in Kahlil McKenzie.
"I feel like we've got it all as a defense," Randolph said. "We've got big boys up front, we've got athletic boys, we've got people that can tackle on the back end. We've got people who can cover. So I feel like we're equipped to handle it all this year."
Randolph also credits the workmanlike culture instilled by head coach Butch Jones and his defensive coaching staff, noting a significant drop off in the number of open-field tackles being recorded this fall.
"What I appreciate most is the effort. We don't tolerate any loafing, any softs on the field. Everyone is 100 percent effort to the ball."
Vols on the Mend
Head coach Butch Jones commented on a handful of Tennessee injuries following practice on Tuesday morning.
"We have a lot of bumps and bruises right now and that's pretty typical in training camp," he said. Jones' individual comments are listed below.
Phillips Second to Have Stripe Removed
As fall camp progresses, more and more newcomers work relentlessly to earn the right of having their black stripe removed from their practice helmets.
For nearly a week, running back Alvin Kamara stood as the lone newcomer to practice without his black stripe, but on Monday night, he was joined freshman defensive end Kyle Phillips.
"Kyle Phillips, he's really working hard outside," said sophomore Emmanuel Moseley, who was part of the first group of players to lose their stripe last season. "He's sprinting to the ball every play. He's really out there grinding."
Phillips, who missed spring due to injury, has quickly recovered from lost ground, impressing players and coaches so far this fall with his skillset and abilities on the gridiron.
"I have been very, very proud of Kyle Phillips," head coach Butch Jones said. "He gets better every single day. He has a motor. He has actually made our training clips about three times during this camp in terms of effort, swarming to the football and running to the football. He is a young man who is getting more and more confident.
"When you look at it, he is coming off of surgery and didn't have spring football. He comes in here and is being mentored by our older players. I have been really, really excited. I know we are all excited about Kyle Phillips. It's his work ethic, his attitude, his demeanor, his style of play. He continues to get better and better."
