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Notes and Observations From Tennessee's Make-Shift Spring Game

Notes and Observations From Tennessee Football's Make-Shift Spring Game Scrimmage
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Notes and Observations From Tennessee's Make-Shift Spring Game
Notes and Observations From Tennessee's Make-Shift Spring Game

Tennessee football held a scrimmage open to the media in Haslam Practice Field on Saturday afternoon in place of its annual Spring Game. The Spring Game was altered this year due to on-going construction at Neyland Stadium. 

In the scrimmage, multiple Vols were out, including starters Jabari Small, Cedric Tillman and Cooper Mays. Several members of the secondary joined the inactive list, such as Christian Charles, Doneiko Slaughter and others. The players mentioned were mostly held out for precautionary reasons, while other inactives such as Warren Burrell, Brandon Turnage and Juwan Mitchell, to name a few, work their way back from injuries in hopes to be 100 percent by fall. 

Volunteer Country's notes and observations from the scrimmage are below: 

Jimmy Calloway Makes Play of the Game

A little under halfway through the scrimmage, and after the period in which media could shoot video, Jimmy Calloway caught a bubble screen pass from Joe Milton in his own end zone. Calloway was met by a wall but cut back to the other side of the field, turned on the jets, followed his blockers and scored an 80-yard touchdown (length of the field). 

The play was undoubtedly the play of the scrimmage, as Calloway showed he can make a play, surely helping his case in the punt/kick returner competition on special teams. ]

Back-to-Back...-TO-BACK Defensive Scores

In the back half of the scrimmage, Elijah Simmons burst through the Tennessee offensive line and disrupted a handoff between Tayven Jackson and Justin Williams-Thomas, allowing Omari Thomas to get the football for a scoop n' score. 

On the next drive, Navy Shuler came in at quarterback for his second drive of the afternoon. A couple plays into the drive, Shuler made a bad read on the right side of the field and hit walk-on redshirt sophomore defensive back Will Brooks in the numbers. Brooks then galloped in the end zone for the Tennessee defense's second consecutive touchdown. 

But they weren't done. In his own end zone, Tayven Jackson threw a pass that was immediately batted in the air by freshman linebacker Elijah Herring, who tracked the ball in the air, caught the interception and walked into the end zone for the Vols' third score on the defensive side of the ball. 

All touchdowns sent the defensive sideline into a frenzy, and the entire unit came to celebrate in the end zone all three times, heckling the offense in the process. 

Due to shooting rules, all three defensive scores were not caught on film by media observing from the south end zone. 

Freshmen Tandem Working Through Snap Issues

Other than the turnovers, Tayven Jackson occasionally had a difficult time holding onto the ball on the snap, but the majority of his troubles stemmed from high and low snaps from freshman Addison Nichols. 

Nichols came to Rocky Top having never worked at center, so the adjustment for the freshman is still a work in progress. Josh Heupel noted following the scrimmage that Nichols is going to be a "very good football player." This is something that should improve easily over time. 

Freshmen Flash

Tyre West has continued to receive hard coaching from Rodney Garner this spring, but West flashed his potential at times today. He still had freshmen moments, but his potential is there, which is the reason Garner has likely been hard on him throughout these ten practices. West finished the last drive of the day with two sacks on three plays. Elijah Herring was mentioned above, and he had a nice all around day. He looked comfortable in the defense. His read-react ability was impressive for it being this early in his career. Nichols had snapping struggles, but again, he has barely ever snapped the ball until this spring. However, on the blocking and checking to certain protection standpoint, he looked the part. He worked to the second level on multiple occasions. 

Depth Chart Notes for This Scrimmage

With Jabari Small sidelined, the running back order went Jaylen Wright Len'Neth Whitehead, then Justin Williams-Thomas.

With Tillman sidelined at receiver, Ramel Keyton and Jimmy Holiday got the start on the outside with Jalin Hyatt starting in the slot. 

Jeremiah Crawford got the first reps at left tackle, followed by Gerald Mincey. Dayne Davis did not dress today, as this position battle wages on. Elsewhere on the offensive line, Cooper Mays was out, so Jerome Carvin started at center with Ollie Lane slotting in to left guard, Javontez Spraggins at right guard, and Darnell Wright at right tackle. 

No change at linebacker today. Aaron Beasley and Jeremy Banks got the start. 

On the defensive line, Omari Thomas and Kurott Garland started inside, flanked by Tyler Baron and Byron Young. Elijah Simmons and Da'Jon Terry were the second rotation in the middle. 

The Vols were extremely short-handed in the secondary, but Tamarion McDonald got the start at the star position. He had a solid day overall.

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Photo Credit: Calvin Mattheis, Knoxville News Sentinel

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