Practice effort key to Vols' playing time under Jeremy Pruitt

University of Tennessee defensive back Bryce Thompson (20) runs the ball after intercepting a deflected pass during the first half of the UT vs. ETSU football game at Neyland Stadium Saturday, September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
University of Tennessee defensive back Bryce Thompson (20) runs the ball after intercepting a deflected pass during the first half of the UT vs. ETSU football game at Neyland Stadium Saturday, September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE - If game performance was the determining factor in future playing time under Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt, then freshman cornerback Bryce Thompson might have been buried on the depth chart for the Volunteers' 59-3 win over East Tennessee State University on Saturday.

"I think that Bryce would be the first to tell you that he didn't play very well last week," Pruitt said after Saturday, referencing Thompson's collegiate debut in a loss to West Virginia on Sept. 1.

But Thompson practiced well enough after the WVU loss to re-earn his spot in the defensive backfield against ETSU. He turned the strong week of practice into a performance that made him the Southeastern Conference freshman of the week.

"The one thing he did, he came back on Monday and he competed, and he played with an edge and he practiced with an edge," Pruitt said. "If he continues to do that, he's going to get better every week. He was drastically different than some of the other guys."

The practice field is a battlefield under Pruitt, with every position - especially those in the secondary - up for grabs each week. Thompson started over fellow freshman Alontae Taylor on Saturday, even though Taylor started and had a serviceable performance against West Virginia.

Thompson made four tackles against ETSU, including two for loss. He also broke up a pass and ran an interception back 21 yards to set up a second-quarter touchdown for Tennessee.

"Bryce practiced the way you're supposed to practice, and he played well," Pruitt said Monday. "So I think that'll be a good lesson for everybody involved. If you practice the right way, it gives you an opportunity to have success on Saturday."

Sophomore safety Theo Jackson's extended playing time Saturday served as another example of that concept in action. Jackson played numerous series with the Vols' first-team defense after playing scarcely in the season opener.

He finished with two tackles, including one for loss.

"For the most part, Theo knows what to do," Pruitt said. "That's a start. He's learning to communicate and tries to play with toughness. He practiced better than the other guys (last week). If the other guys practice better than him next week, they'll play and he'll watch."

Pruitt's emphasis on practice performances correlating to playing time has been most evident with defensive backs so far as Tennessee (1-1) prepares to host Texas-El Paso (0-2) on Saturday at noon. The secondary is the position group he spends the most time with during practices, and it's the position with the most youth on the roster.

But junior receiver Brandon Johnson said the philosophy applies to all positions.

"That's universal," Johnson said. "With everybody. Just because he's with them (defensive backs) most of the time, he's on us the same way, whether they be receivers, linemen or quarterbacks. That's universal."

The style is emblematic of a culture Pruitt learned as an assistant coach at Alabama. Sports Illustrated writer and former Times Free Press reporter Andy Staples termed the competition for playing time at schools such as Ohio State, Clemson and Alabama as "cutthroat" in a recent article.

"I like that," said senior defensive back Micah Abernathy, who has 24 career starts and is attempting to fend off younger players to maintain a grip on playing time this season. "It creates competition day in and day out throughout the weeks. Weeks get long, but you have to stay on your toes and practice as well as you can.

"Whoever practices the best is going to play. That's how it is. We know how it is."

Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.

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