KNOXVILLE – Overlooked in the reaction to Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt’s harsh assessment of his team’s performance in the Orange and White Game in April was the praise he issued to two players named most improved on the team that same day.
It became clear Wednesday that those awards, handed to senior defensive lineman Kyle Phillips and redshirt junior tight end Eli Wolf, are a true reflection of the fact the new coaching staff views the two as emerging leaders for the 2018 Volunteers.
Phillips and Wolf will represent the program at the Southeastern Conference’s annual media days event next week in Atlanta, the league announced. Tennessee’s third player representative at the annual preseason frenzy will be junior receiver Marquez Callaway.
Tennessee’s turn in front of the cameras will come next Wednesday at the College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Hotel on the third day of the event, the same day Pruitt’s former employer, Alabama, takes its turn.
Pruitt’s selection of Phillips, a respected senior who had a breakout season in 2017, was expected. There appeared to be several potential candidates for the other two positions.