University of Tennessee Athletics
Vol Report: First Day in Pads
March 10, 2016 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Spring practice gives players a new chance to compete for jobs and to show what they learned in the fall. With a couple of new faces on the coaching staff, many players have the opportunity for a fresh start.
On Thursday, offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop and tight ends coach Larry Scott talked to the media before the team took the field for their first full pads practice of the season. With two new coaches on staff, it is the first opportunity to see the team going at full speed.
Mike DeBord
2nd Year at UT
Mike DeBord | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Now in his second year with the Vols, Mike DeBord is excited about where the team is now vs. where it was at this time last season.
On what he has seen through the first two days of practice: "What I've been really encouraged by is our focus on offense and our effort. One thing I would say is comparing the first couple of practices of spring last year to now is our style of play is better. We're not where we want to be yet, but it's better."
Bob Shoop
1st Year at UT
Bob Shoop | Defensive Coordinator
Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop begins his first spring practice at Tennessee by setting a solid foundation of relationships with each member of the defense. Transitioning from one style of language to another, Shoop leans on veterans of the defense to find common ground and his new identity with the team.
On being one with the team:"When I got on the job I really reached out to every single player on the defense. I spent at least thirty minutes with them just talking about their personal life, family life and how they ended up at Tennessee. I asked them what did their skill set give to the program and the strengths of the unit and themselves. I asked them about the weaknesses of the unit and things that they needed to work on. I asked them for advice and for guys like Derek Barnett, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton I was more of the listener. I listened to what they had to say and they gave me feedback that was really helpful. The younger guys or players who felt like they needed a fresh start, I asked them about their strengths, what they needed to work on, and how I could push them."
Larry Scott
1st Year at UT
Larry Scott | Tight Ends Coach
With spring practice underway, first-year tight ends coach Larry Scott has been impressed with what his players have shown thus far. Scott spoke about the job that rising junior Ethan Wolf has done in preparing for spring practice.
On what he likes about Wolf: "Everything about him. He is a student of the game that works hard. He wants to be really good. He listens and tries to take every piece of coaching that we can offer to him. He is a communicator. These are the things that it takes for a guy who has all the talent to get over the hump to get better. You need that thirst for knowledge, and he has some of those intangible things that takes good players and makes them great players."
SOUND BITES
Mike DeBord
(On improving the fundamentals of the team on offense)
"Well it starts with the techniques and fundamentals. We want to continue to improve upon those every practice. The other thing is we are adding wrinkles to the offense. So, we've already started that process. We will continue to do that in the spring. We've got to become a better football team offensively."
Bob Shoop
(On players that he is excited to see compete this spring)
"I'm excited about Rashaan Gaulden because he's had two excellent days. Todd Kelly probably has the most game experience at safety but Gaulden, Micah Abernathy, and Stephen Griffin have all had really good practices. I feel like safety is a position that may have been perceived as a weakness because of losing Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil, but it could actually be a position of strength because all of those guys are highly-recruited players. They're competing very well and they're very diligent in the film room. That kind of competition is exciting in the spring because they help each other out, but they are also competing for a job. I'm excited about the nickel because in the second half of the year Malik Foreman really stepped up and had the big play against South Carolina and he had a big interception in the bowl game. We've played Marquill Osborne and he had an excellent first day playing a lot of cover one and he looked fast and explosive playing man to man. Yesterday we put more install in and it was a little overwhelming but we're sure that he has a skill set that is really unique. Willie Martinez told me that he is miles ahead of guys who have played that position in the past so that's exciting."
Larry Scott
(On what he was brought to the staff)
"At the end of the day, we all have to be continuous learners. I have learned a lot from the staff here. It is really like a meeting of the minds. Everybody goes back to the experiences that they've had in the past. Some of the things that people come up with are things they did before they ever came to Tennessee. I think it is a staff unity type of thing. It's just a meshing of ideas and thoughts that you can all put on the table, and at the end of the day, we can all walk out and say these are our ideas and not mine or anybody else's. They are ours."
