When Tennessee's new assistant football coaches began working with their respective position groups this spring, some discovered a cupboard a bit more bare than others.
That hasn't been an issue for secondary coach Willie Martinez, who has inherited sixth-year senior Kenneth George, fifth-year senior Theo Jackson and fourth-year seniors Trevon Flowers and Alontae Taylor. Right behind them on the veteran front are juniors Warren Burrell and Jaylen McCullough.
"That's a really experienced group there, and they've done a great job of tying in the new guys and staying connected," Martinez said Thursday in a news conference. "It doesn't matter the four guys or the five guys or the six guys who are out there. It's been great competition, and I think the confidence level is really high."
Given that the Volunteers will face Matt Corral of Ole Miss and Bryce Young of Alabama on consecutive Saturdays in October, with Georgia's JT Daniels not too far behind after that, a high confidence level certainly would be a plus.
On top of that experience are two promising sophomores - Doneiko Slaughter and Tamarion McDonald - two redshirt sophomore additions through the transfer portal - Kamal Hadden and Brandon Turnage - and two eager freshmen - Christian Charles and De'Shawn Rucker.
Turnage, a 6-foot-1, 186-pounder from Oxford, Mississippi, was a four-star signee in Alabama's 2019 class but wound up playing in only four games for the Crimson Tide before transferring. The 6-1, 190-pound Hadden is from River Rouge, Michigan, and started out at Independence (Kansas) Community College before transferring to Auburn.
Hadden practiced with Bryan Harsin's Tigers this spring before transferring to Knoxville.
"One is obviously ahead of the other having more experience from the standpoint of playing in this conference," Martinez said. "Kamal being at an SEC school this past spring does help a little bit. They are both very competitive. They're older and mature, and I love their skill sets.
"They're a work in progress, but they've done a great job of connecting with everyone else in the room. They've done a great job of that."
As for the freshmen, Charles was a midyear enrollee who benefited from spring practice, Martinez said. The 6-1, 186-pounder from Gainesville, Georgia, played more offense at Chestatee High School but has picked the defense up well this month.
Rucker joined the program this summer and is considered by some players to be the fastest on the team.
"Those guys are locked-in individuals and have been very productive, especially in this last scrimmage," Martinez said. "This last scrimmage was Rucker's best practice."
Maurer leaving
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brian Maurer made his Tennessee departure official Thursday afternoon on Twitter, announcing he will enter the NCAA transfer portal. The 6-3, 205-pounder from Ocala, Florida, has not been spotted at practice for more than a week after having his workload reduced in order for Harrison Bailey, Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton to get more opportunities.
Maurer thanked the staffs of both Jeremy Pruitt and Josh Heupel for the opportunity to compete, and he also thanked Vols fans.
"Playing in front of 102,455 has been the biggest blessing I could have ever asked for," Maurer said.
Hooker, incidentally, was named Thursday to the watch list of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Mitchell pumped
Tennessee senior linebacker Juwan Mitchell, the transfer from Texas who led the Longhorns in tackles last season, held his first news conference Thursday since joining his new program. The 6-1, 226-pounder from Newark, New Jersey, said he picked the Vols "because of the coaching staff and the conference."
Naturally, one of the first questions he encountered regarded the Longhorns joining the Southeastern Conference.
"I'm proud of them," Mitchell said. "They should. They want to come over here just like I did."
Mitchell said his goals are to become the first linebacker selected in the 2022 NFL draft and to develop an "LBU" reputation at Tennessee.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.