re: VOLS Fall Camp Updates

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Hey guys, we've been updating the roster and depth chart the last few days so and everything should be up to date as much as it can be.

As far as the depth chart is concerned, don't ready too much into it right now, especially at receiver and defensive line and even defensive back.

Like at receiver, we've seen Josh Smith, Josh Malone and Jason Croom all run with the first team at the same position. We can't list them all as first team guys obviously so that's just something to keep in mind.

While I think the first team defensive line is pretty firm, the second unit is not. Mixon, Saulsberry, Williams, Hendrix, Barnett, Vickers, Miller, Sawyers and are all getting rotated in so there's not really a 'set' second unit at this point.

Same thing goes for defensive back as we are seeing guys shuffled around. We've seen Malik Foreman at nickel a good bit the last few days, and he even won lockdown player of the day earlier this week. The Berry brothers are trying their hand at different spots and TK Jr has been doing a little nickel as well. Payne has been shuffled around between nickel and true corner.

So, obviously, there's a lot of movement right now at those specific positions.

But, as we've talked to coaches the last few days, they aren't concerned or even really thinking about a depth chart right now. They are trying to find guys at the right spot and get a lot of reps for guys so again, don't read too much into it.

As we move closer to the Utah State week, that's when the depth chart becomes more important, but right now, this staff is worried about reps and finding the right spots.

Also, on the roster. We are still updating it and putting some walk ons on the roster, but we are also associating the guys's rivals recruiting profiles to their profiles. We will be updating the coach's pics this week as well and working on the pics for the players throughout spring.

We obviously know the rosters and depth chart haven't been kept up to par and we are working to change that so that Volquest is your one-stop spot for everything you need about the Vols.

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Walkthrough Lineups: The Vols began their walkthrough on Wednesday in a double tight end set with the quarterbacks taking the snaps from under center. The starting eleven looked like this: QB: Justin Worley
RB: Marlin Lane
FB: Joe Stocstill
TE: Ethan Wolf, Daniel Helm. WR: Marquez North
OL: Jacob Gilliam, Marcus Jackson, Mack Crowder, Kyler Kerbyson, Coleman Thomas.

The starters then worked from a 4-wide formation that saw Von Pearson, Josh Smith, Daniel Helm split out with North. Worley and Lane remained in the backfield with the same offensive line listed above.

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Quarterback Work: I thought the quarterbacks looked a little bit better today. In the seven-on-seven or ‘skeleton’ work, the quarterbacks went 5 for 8 and actually moved the chains a couple of times without making any mistakes. Worley and Josh Dobbs took a series each with the ones and twos, respectively, and Mike Wegzyn took the third team reps (more on him later). In drill work, the quarterbacks finished 22 of 32 on end zone throws against air. That number probably looks worse than it really was as multiple times receivers failed to get their feet down and make plays that they should have made – they are ruled incomplete, but the quarterbacks actually made some nice throws in this portion. As the players get their timing down, this is an area that will prove to be a big strength for this team given their size at WR.

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Wharton Making Moves: Freshman receiver Vic Wharton continues to garner a lot of praise from both Zach Azzanni and Butch Jones. In fact, he is probably the only player to be praised daily by this staff. Today, he got some work the the first team when they went to a 5-wide passing formation and made some guys miss in the ‘Tennessee Tough’ drill. Wharton continues to impress with his route running and effort during drills. He is a quick study when Azzanni teaches technique and always tries to get as many reps in as he can during drill work. At this rate, Wharton looks like he is positioning himself for a lot of playing time in the fall.

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Moving Maggitt: One new look we saw on the defensive field was somewhat of a 4-3 under formation with this front seven: DE: Kendal Vickers, Corey Vereen
DT: Danny O’Brien, Jordan Williams
LB: A.J. Johnson, , Curt Maggitt, Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Maggitt was walked up as a blitzing outside linebacker in that look, so it functioned as almost a 5-2 front. That’s anther example of how they can use the versatile redshirt junior to keep offenses off balance.

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One-on-one defensive back drill: The defensive backs got put on an island as the team circled up to watch one-on-one drills with the WRs and DBs. This is what it looked like from the defensive perspective for those 15 reps, which required the DB to defend a WR or TE one-on-on from about the 3-yard line :

- Justin Coleman made a nice deflection in the corner on a jump ball against Marquez North
- Cam Sutton had good coverage on Von Pearson, but Pearson made a nice twisting grab
- Malik Foreman got beat on a slant route by Josh Smith
- D’Andre Payne had good defense on the much-larger Jason Croom on an overthrown ball
- Emmanuel Moseley got beat to the inside by Ryan Jenkins, but Jenkins dropped a low-thrown ball
- Riyahd Jones had good coverage on Josh Malone, but Malone won the jump ball in the corner
- Michael Williams smothered Johnathon Johnson, who tripped and couldn’t make a catch, likely would’ve been a facemask call on Williams
- Brian Randolph stepped in front of Ethan Wolf and made an interception that easily could’ve been a pick-6 if it were game action
- Devaun Swafford got blown by on a slant route by Alex Ellis
- Todd Kelly Jr. had good coverage on Daniel Helm on an overthrown ball in the corner
- Evan Berry got beaten badly by Brendan Downs on an out route
- A.J. Johnson jammed A.J. Branisel so tough at the line that he couldn’t run the route at all
- LaDarrell McNeil covered Alex Ellis on an overthrown pass
- Curt Maggitt got blown by on a slant by Ethan Wolf
- Lemond Johnson stuck close with Daniel Helm, but Helm made the catch anyhow

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Tackling drills: A few highlights from when the receivers and wide receivers worked on open-field tackling:

• Evan Berry got his welcome to college football when Marquez North lowered his shoulder and went right at him. Berry hung on for the tackle, but it was quite a pop by North
• Riyahd Jones got absolutely trucked by Drae Bowles
• Todd Kelly caused a fumble by Ryan Jenkins
• Emmanuel Moseley got juked out by Josh Smith
• D’Andre Payne took down Josh Malone
• Malik Foreman brought down Von Pearson
• Drae Bowles and Geraldo Orta got in a quick scrap after one rep. It was quickly broken up by teammates, but tensions got a little high for a moment.

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Mike Wegzyn

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Evan Berry got beaten badly by Brendan Downs on an out route

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Who you callin brah, bro?

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I know for a fact you stole that meme from me on this very board

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