KNOXVILLE – There comes a point during August in most college football preseason camps when the head coach finds something that bothers him and uses the issue – real or perceived – to ratchet up the intensity in practice and heighten the sense of urgency.
If first-year Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt is going to follow suit, he hasn’t picked his spot yet.
Through four preseason practices, the narrative emerging from Tennessee’s preseason workouts is that of a team happy for a clean slate as it puts last year’s 4-8 campaign behind it.
“Last season was obviously disappointing, but everybody feels like it is a fresh start,” redshirt sophomore fullback and tight end Austin Pope said Sunday. “It is like a new beginning. This camp has been a confidence booster, and that is when you start playing to your best ability. I definitely think having a new start is going to be a confidence boost.”
The Volunteers’ schedule is brutal, and their first few practices have reflected that in their intensity. They have also brought new opportunity for players such as Pope, who has two career receptions, and others who were used sparingly under the previous coaching staff.