KNOXVILLE - East Tennessee and much of the country seemed to stop for an afternoon in observance of Monday's solar eclipse.
The University of Tennessee's preparations for the upcoming football season were unfazed.
Asked on Monday morning if he was excited about the eclipse, Volunteers coach Butch Jones said, "I'm more excited about preparing this football team."
Jones did move Monday's practice to the morning due to the eclipse, but it wasn't so the team could have the afternoon off to enjoy the rare celestial event.
"We need to get in the weight room and be stronger and review this video," Jones said after the morning workout in Neyland Stadium. "So we'll be working a little bit as it's going on. We did (change the practice time) to accommodate it, but also just to get the day going, get practice going and as coaches then we can go back and spend a lot of quality time teaching the situations that came about today."
Another stripe lost
Freshman running back Timothy Jordan became the second offensive newcomer to have his black helmet stripe removed, Jones said after practice. Jones highlighted the toughness of the 5-foot-11, 196-pound player from Winter Haven, Fla.
"I think just Tim has a unique personality," Jones said. "He always smiles and brings levity to the situation. But also, he's intense as well. It's just a respect by his peers."
Freshman running backs Jordan, Trey Coleman and Ty Chandler have impressed the coaching staff during preseason practice.
"All three of them are really doing a good job," Jones said. "Just the overall intensity, and I give these freshman backs credit. They've not missed one practice. It's been a physical training camp, but they've not missed one practice."
Tight end Latrell Bumphus is the other offensive newcomer to earn the honor of having his stripe removed. Freshman defensive backs Theo Jackson, Shawn Shamburger and Cheyenne Labruzza also have had their stripes stripped.
Wiggins working
Graduate transfer cornerback Shaq Wiggins is working through a hip injury, Jones said. If healthy, the former Georgia and Louisville player is expected to compete with seniors Justin Martin and Emmanuel Moseley for playing time this season.
"He's tried to go a number of days, but right now it's a hip," Jones said. "Tomorrow is our players' day off, then Wednesday is the first day of classes and we'll lift and meet. He's been doing a great job with treatments, but we need to get him back out there."
In the polls
Tennessee slipped into the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll for the third straight year. The Vols are ranked No. 25 after starting the 2016 season at No. 9 and the 2015 campaign at No. 25. They concluded both seasons at No. 22.
The Vols went unranked in the AP's preseason Top 25 from 2009 through 2014.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.