These certainly qualify as happening days at the University of Tennessee.
At a time when the men's and women's basketball teams are about to embark on their respective NCAA tournament journeys and at a time when the baseball and softball programs have been ranked among the nation's top 10, Josh Heupel and the football Volunteers are now back at it.
The Vols held their first of 15 spring practices Monday morning, marking the first time they had taken the field since a 35-0 smothering of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl capped their 2023 season.
"It's a different team than it was at the bowl site," Heupel said in a news conference. "There are a lot of guys who were with us, but there are a lot more who are with us now. Rosters turn over more frequently at this time in college football, so it's a process and a journey, and you can't short-change it.
"What I do like about this group is that they do compete extremely hard, they care about one another, and they're willing to get coached. Today is just the beginning of the on-field stuff."
Several of the Vols who starred in the rout of the Hawkeyes -- quarterback Nico Iamaleava, running back Dylan Sampson and edge rusher James Pearce Jr. -- were present Monday, but so were eight players obtained through the transfer portal and 14 midyear enrollees.
One of the transfers competed in the Southeastern Conference last year, with 6-foot-6, 335-pound offensive tackle Lance Heard having played in all 12 regular-season contests for LSU and getting a start in the late October rout of Army.
"He's a really young player who played snaps down there and played well when he had the opportunity," Heupel said. "He's got to grow into being a pro in terms of how he handles himself every single day. He's been awesome inside of our building. The guys we got through the transfer portal have been a great group, and they've really blended in and meshed in with our team culture extremely quickly.
"As a player, he's really just seven or eight months into his college career, so he's just beginning his journey. I expect him to grow a bunch over these next 14 practices."
When asked if the transfers are having to vie with more urgency this spring compared to the early enrollees, Heupel said, "We need to see urgency from everybody who is putting on a helmet. I don't care how long you've been playing, the best in the game are always working on their craft. That's for Hall of Famers and 15-year vets, and it's the same at this level."
The number of midyear players grew by two Monday when the Lipscomb Academy duo of linebacker Edwin Spillman and defensive back Kaleb Beasley joined the program. The former Mustangs did not enroll at Tennessee at the beginning of the semester.
Tennessee also released its spring roster, with some freshman jersey numbers of note including quarterback Jake Merklinger (12), receiver Braylon Staley (14), former Bradley Central defensive backs Boo Carter (23) and Marcus Goree Jr. (34), Beasley (28), Spillman (47) and receiver Mike Matthews (89).
"It was great to start our on-the-field journey for the season," Heupel said. "Our guys have done a great job with the first quarter of our offseason and transitioned here into spring ball. They're in a great spot to go compete and get better every day, and today was the start of it.
"For all of the young guys here in spring ball, it's almost like thirds. The first five days are really tough, and the second five days usually show a dramatic growth. By the time you get to the end of it, you don't resemble the player you were the first five days."
The Vols are scheduled to practice again Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday this week.
Scheming for Pearce
Pearce's stellar sophomore season concluded with a Citrus Bowl showing in which he caused a fumble and returned an interception for a touchdown.
He was already becoming a focal point of opposing offenses before the trip to Orlando, and Heupel is expecting more of the same later this year.
"He did see a bunch of attention, whether it was sliding or chipping or some of the route structures and getting the ball out quickly on the perimeter," Heupel said. "At the end of the day with any unit, it can't just be one guy. James needs to grow as a player, too, and he would stand up here and tell you as well that there are things he is working on for him to become his best and to take his game to another level."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.