KNOXVILLE – Tony Vitello said if he were to divide his first fall practice session as Tennessee’s baseball coach into three parts, the first would be excitement.
“Just the honeymoon effect of everyone wanting to please everybody and getting a fresh start,” Vitello said after a recent practice.
If only the honeymoon lasted forever.
The initial glamour wore off as September’s practice schedule wore on, ushering in what Vitello described as “a lull of that excitement going away and a severe lack of execution.” But as the Volunteers continue working toward the Oct. 24-27 intrasquad Orange and White World Series that will close their fall schedule, they’re now in a third phase, Vitello said.
“Now I think what we’ve gotten is some guys that are jacked up to be out here every day,” he said. “And they’re also doing better about the things we’re trying to teach them out here.”