Jeremy Pruitt discusses preparing for a game with players potentially having to self-quarantine

Jeremy Pruitt discusses preparing for a game with players potentially having to self-quarantine

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee was originally scheduled to kick off the 2020 season Saturday against Charlotte at Neyland Stadium.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the Southeastern Conference to adopt a 10-game league-only schedule that will begin Sept. 26.

KNOXVILLE, TN – AUGUST 19, 2020 – Defensive back Kenney Solomon #31 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics

Jeremy Pruitt met with media following the Vols’ tenth practice of fall training camp Saturday.

The third-year UT head coach discussed how his team has started to prepare “a little bit along the way” during camp for its first opponent, South Carolina.

Pruitt also discussed how Tennessee is taking it one game at a time in preparing for an opponent amid the coronavirus pandemic with players potentially having to self-quarantine throughout the season.

“We’ve got certain positions we’re going to rely on guys that don’t have a whole lot of experience,” Pruitt said on a Zoom call with reporters. “We don’t know when somebody gets hit with a contact tracing and they’re in quarantine for 14 days. They may not be physically anything wrong with them, but they may not be able to come out of quarantine until the Wednesday before the South Carolina game. Trying to give the guys a little bit of a game plan. We’re approaching it one game at a time. That’s the game we’re focused on.”

The Tennessee-South Carolina game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by SEC Network.