Can't even breathe right now...

Had to copy and paste this gem:

ary a mention of a potential walk-on starter on either side of the ball.

At arguably the position amidst the most suspended animation, that of wide receiver, the Vols are toying with plugging in a four-star quarterback who likely would have been a four-star wide receiver or safety prospect all the same.

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Talk about it in The General's Quarters
No, these aren't your hope-challenged Vols.

These aren't Dooley's Vols or Sal's Vols or any other haphazard band of misfits.

These Vols, taking the Haslam Field turf this evening for their first practice of 2015's pre-season camp, are the result of 32 months' worth of work for Butch Jones & Co.

Doesn't seem like all that long until noting that's nearly 975 days; more than 20,000 hours. Well more than a million seconds.

Just to open a camp with this kind of sentiment:

"A strong level of confidence going out on the practice field," Jones said when asked by VolQuest.com during Monday's pre-camp presser. "From our (staff) hideaway (last month in the Smoky Mountains) to we just finished an organizational meeting right now on the structure of practice. Right down to our managers being in official jerseys, to having the chains, to having a full working group of officials on the field, to our players knowing where to go on the practice field. That's all in place, and that's part of the culture.

"The capacity for work, the work volume, the expectations, how we run the minute we hit the field, where they stretch. That's all in place and it's very comforting. You can never assume. That's why we revisit everything. Our support staff has done a tremendous job. Even in educating our students worker, and everyone who associates with our program."

Asked about his offensive line, Jones noted that he had scholarship players at each of the five positions. Times two.

"When you look at our offensive line, we are able to put a two-deep of all scholarship players," Jones said of the front-10. "That's the first time that that's happened since we've been here as a staff. So that should be a position group that has great competition across the board.

"We also have some unproven areas that we need to find out who those playmakers are going to be at those certain positions."

Middle, aka Mike, linebacker for example. The competition there includes a former four-star, Under Armour All-American legacy Vol in Dillon Bates; a four-star U.S. Army All-American in Darrin Kirkland Jr.; three-star Gavin Bryant and others.

Elsewhere, at center. Sure, redshirt-senior and on-field coach Mack Crowder might own 21 career appearances, including 12 starts, but there's a battle brewing with talented sophomore Coleman Thomas.

Jones on Monday stoked the battlefront-flames.

"He'll be one of those individuals that's going to be going through the evaluation of being in the top five," Jones said of Thomas. "So Coleman will play center, but he'll also get reps at tackle as well. And that is another individual who has benefited from the repetitions he gained last year. And he has to become a wiser football player, which he has, but we'll move him around to find the best spot in which he can help.

this football team win."

No longer across the defensive front must Steve Stripling cobble together a group with Kevlar needs out of undersized, overworked, undermanned M.A.S.H. unit characteristics. Kahlil McKenzie, Shy Tuttle and the improved Kendal Vickers weigh in at more than 900 combined pounds.

A year ago, Tennessee's three frequent defensive tackles --- the graduated Jordan Williams as well as returnees Danny O'Brien and Owen Williams --- averaged around 280 pounds apiece, and only Jordan Williams stood taller than 6 feet, 2 inches.

These Vols' four most-decorated newcomers along the defensive trench, McKenzie, Tuttle, Kyle Phillips, Darrell Taylor, all measure 6-3 or taller; McKenzie and Tuttle possess brutish force; Phillips and Taylor freakish athleticism.

There's concern at punter, but Nate Renfro has punted in big-time games during his previous years at Maryland while Trevor Daniel arguably made more strides than any individual throughout spring camp. Meanwhile, true freshman Tommy Townsend enters collegiate play off a Florida prep career capped off with an appearance in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

In fact, all position groups on the Vols' roster feature at least one player with high school All-America credentials. A rash of positional flip-flops as coaches seek help from one another likewise is not expected.

So, no, these aren't the forlorn Vols of recent years' passed. Butch Jones reinforced as much when he discussed game-specific areas for improvement: red-zone offensive touchdown production; red-zone defensive efficiency; fewer offensive three-and-outs; better handling sudden change.

Still, Jones is upbeat; encouraged.

"We've had a very productive summer, we've had a number of individuals have PRs, personal records," Jones said, "and we've really formed some strong leadership.

"We still aren't there, we still need even more leaders to emerge, you can never have enough, but I like our excitement, I like our mentality, and I thought our team really grew together this summer because of that."

That was the first step. There seems to be no reason they cannot continue to stride forward. Because today, Butch Jones' Vols open camp.