Vol Report: Pruitt Encouraged By Ball Security Heading into Spring Break

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee football team is one-third of the way through spring practice and head coach Jeremy Pruitt is encouraged by the progress the Vols are making heading into spring break.

UT will have all of next week off before returning to practice on March 26.

Pruitt singled out ball security as a major positive through five spring practices following the latest workout at Haslam Field on Friday afternoon.

"We've taken care of the football, which is important," Pruitt said. "Probably the biggest indicator of wins and losses is securing the football. So, our guys have made a conscious effort of that this spring."

Pruitt has made ball security a priority since arriving on Rocky Top. Tennessee tied for the fewest interceptions thrown in the SEC with five in 2018, while quarterback Jarrett Guarantano set a school record with 166 pass attempts without a pick.

Defense Makes Progress
Pruitt said the defense has made progress since the beginning of spring.

"Defensively, it has improved over the last couple of days," Pruitt said. "We've got some guys that are playing new positions, some guys that played a lot of ball for us. So, sometimes the only way you can learn is just to go play ball."

Jahmir Johnson Proving Versatility
While many players are working out at multiple positions in the spring, the offensive line unit in particular will use the 15 practices to experiment at different spots and build versatility heading into fall.

Rising redshirt junior Jahmir Johnson started 11 games at left guard last fall, but he has been practicing at left tackle in addition to guard this spring.

"He's a guy that will be a left guard and left tackle," Pruitt said. "There's other guys that you play on the left side whether its guard or tackle, there's guys that play at guard to guard, there's guys that maybe play center to guard, and every once in a while you'll have a guy that plays center and tackle or a guy that goes left and right. So, we've just tried to pick a lane with all of them and find ways to create depth and start figuring out our best five, six, seven, eight guys coming out of spring and I think that's Jahmir, he's just playing left guard and left tackle."

Johnson received the "Trenches Award" from the coaching staff at the end-of-season banquet after proving to be one the toughest Vols in Pruitt's inaugural season.

Johnson started his career at Rhode Island, where he redshirted, before blossoming into one of the nation's top junior college offensive line prospects at Arizona Western.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Vol Report: Pruitt Encouraged By Ball Security Heading into Spring Break

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