Blink quickly, and folks might miss half of Tennessee’s spring practice.
Josh Heupel’s Volunteers scrimmaged Thursday morning for the first time inside Neyland Stadium, with it already representing the seventh of 15 spring workouts allotted by the NCAA. Heupel has 46 new scholarship players, reflecting a very different era compared to when a half-dozen or so early enrollees would comprise the newcomers.
“This time of year, there is so much growth that has to happen,” Heupel said after the scrimmage during a press conference. “Coaches have to apply pressure to the players, and players have to apply pressure to each other to be as good as you can be as fast as you can. I like where we’re trending and where we’re going.
“They’re learning a new system defensively, and I think they’ve operated extremely well within the scope of that. At this point, you’ve just got so far to go, and that’s true every year, but you just continue to apply pressure and take advantage of every moment every day.”
The Vols will take Friday off before conducting their eighth practice Saturday, which will be the the two-week mark until the Orange & White Game on April 11.
Thursday’s scrimmage was closed to the media, with Heupel crediting the defense for creating a couple of turnovers, playing assignment-sound, fitting the run game well and for not giving up many big plays. He added that there were positives offensively, too, but that penalties hurt more on that side of the ball.
This is Heupel’s sixth spring in Knoxville, and Tim Banks was his defensive coordinator for the first five. Jim Knowles is now running the defense, and he has three assistants who have worked under him before and four players who were with him last season at Penn State, including linebacker and leading tackler Amare Campbell and promising edge rusher Chaz Coleman.
“I do like where we’re at for seven practices in,” Heupel said. “That’s with our entire defense. That’s with our young guys and where they’re continuing to trend. Our staff has done a good job in the install process.”
Thursday marked the first scrimmage for the three quarterbacks seeking to replace Joey Aguilar, who led the Southeastern Conference in passing last season. That trio consists of redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, early enrollee Faizon Brandon and redshirt junior Ryan Staub, a Colorado transfer.
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“They’re doing a really good job of growing through seven days,” Heupel said. “From where George was at the end of last season, you can see the steps that he’s taken, so we’re really pleased with that. Faizon and Ryan have done the same thing since day one and day two, and there are some fundamental things that they’ve got to continue to grow in.
“I’m pleased with that entire group and how they’re functioning and operating these first seven days.”
Odds and ends
Heupel said there is good competition among the running backs, adding that junior starter and returning 1,000-yard rusher DeSean Bishop was limited Thursday given what he has already proven to this point. … When asked about Rodney Garner, who has been out following a planned medical procedure, Heupel said he hoped to have the veteran defensive line coach back quickly. … Tennessee is up to five commitments for the 2027 recruiting cycle and three within the state, receiving a nonbinding pledge Thursday from 6-foot-1, 190-pound Brownsville athlete Jaden Butler.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.