Vols OL Davis Discusses Culture Change Under Josh Heupel
Dayne Davis was poised to sign with Tusculum College at the end of 2019 before choosing to attend Tennessee as a preferred walk-on after months of communication with Jeremy Pruitt's staff.
The former Sullivan East standout eventually earned a scholarship spot with the Volunteers and is now pushing to earn a starting spot in the fall.
Today, Davis, who was given his Division 1 opportunity by Jeremy Pruitt, discussed the difference in the culture change under Josh Heupel.
"We love him, man," Davis said about Heupel. "It's a complete culture change in the locker room. Everybody's wanting to go to practice now. Before it was kind of, 'Uhh, kind of dreading today.' But practice is fun, now, everything is fun. We're all ready to be here in the mornings."
Davis elaborated by comparing the atmosphere under Heupel to the work week.
"I look at it like a Monday," Davis said. "You go to work on Monday; you don't really go into work, but there's no Mondays here. It's all just get up ready to go, let's go to practice."
Heupel has emphasized the importance of building the Tennessee back with a culture-first mentality, and Davis's statements are just the latest player to have glowing praise for the new staff while not shedding a great light on the previous administration.
"It just wasn't fun being around here under the last staff," he concluded. "Really just was an agonizing kind of feeling, but it's very much changed now."
On Friday, Tyler Baron voiced the same sentiments as Davis by alluding to a "totally different atmosphere in this building." This statement from Baron is another strong statement, as he was a prized recruit during Pruitt's tenure, and his father, Patrick Abernathy, was also hired by Pruitt.
The buy-in from his players has been tremendous for Josh Heupel. He will now look to turn that off-field productivity into on-field success as the Vols work toward their season-opener with Bowling Green on September 2nd.
