Tag: fall training camp

Fall camp: Walker Merrill ‘plays harder than anyone on the field’

Fall camp: Wide receiver Walker Merrill ‘plays harder than anyone on the field’

Tennessee practiced for the ninth time Thursday during fall training camp at Haslam Field ahead of the 2022 season.

Following Thursday’s practice, first-year wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope met with media.

Pope discussed sophomore wide receiver Walker Merrill during fall training camp.

“Walker has had a really good camp,” Pope said. “Last spring, he had a knee injury that he had to work through, so he was just working back at camp. He has been really good. He plays harder than anyone on the field, so he is always going to give himself a chance to be successful.”

Merrill appeared in 10 games for Tennessee in 2021. He totaled five receptions for 52 yards last season.

Walker Merrill. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

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Bru McCoy ‘has been a pleasant surprise’ for Vols during fall camp

Wide receiver Bru McCoy ‘has been a pleasant surprise’ for Tennessee during fall camp.

Tennessee practiced for the ninth time Thursday during fall training camp at Haslam Field ahead of the 2022 season.

Following Thursday’s practice, first-year wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope met with media.

Pope discussed redshirt junior wide receiver Bru McCoy during fall training camp. McCoy transferred from USC to Tennessee in May.

“Bru has been a pleasant surprise,” Pope said. “He’s been really good. For a guy who hasn’t played in a season, he obviously has had to build stamina back up, but when you talk about just a physical specimen, some things you can coach and some things you can’t. That guy has a lot of things that you just can’t coach.

“For him, it’s just honing in on the details and getting it polished up for him really to become a technician. He’s a big athlete. He’s physical, twitchy and he can run. For us, it’s just about being able to get his stamina up, get him back in shape and then polish up the little things with him.”

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy appeared in six games for USC in 2020. McCoy totaled 21 receptions, 236 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

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Kelsey Pope discusses fall camp following ninth practice

Kelsey Pope discusses fall camp following Tennessee’s ninth practice.

Tennessee practiced for the ninth time during fall training camp Thursday at Haslam Field ahead of the 2022 season.

The Vols will open its season against Ball State at Neyland Stadium Sept. 1. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the season-opening matchup.

The meeting is the first between the two schools.

Tennessee will play in the second Johnny Majors Classic Sept. 10 at Pittsburgh, followed by hosting Akron Sept. 17 and Florida Sept. 24 during the season’s opening month.

Following the Vols’ ninth practice during fall training camp, wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope met with media. Pope’s media availability can be watched below.

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Kelsey Pope discusses Vols’ wide receivers who have stepped up during fall camp

Kelsey Pope discusses which Vols’ wide receivers who have stepped up during fall training camp.

Tennessee practiced for the ninth time Thursday during fall training camp at Haslam Field ahead of the 2022 season.

Tennessee will kick off its 2022 season Sept. 1 against Ball State at Neyland Stadium (7 p.m. EDT, SEC Network).

Roman Harper provides game-by-game predictions for Tennessee in 2022

Following Thursday’s practice, first-year wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope met with media.

Pope served as an offensive analyst for the Vols in 2021. He was promoted as Tennessee’s wide receivers coach in March, replacing Kodi Burns who departed for the New Orleans Saints.

Below are Pope’s analysis of wide receivers who have stepped up during fall training camp.

Fall camp: Tennessee’s pass rush from front four detailed

Fall camp: Tennessee’s pass rush from front four detailed

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

Heupel was asked about Tennessee’s pass rush from the front four.

“I do think we’re further and deeper than we were a year ago,” Heupel said. “We’re not where we need to be or where I want to be. The veterans inside of our program have continued to get better. Byron Young, Tyler Baron, those guys have made significant increases from where they were when we stepped off the football field in the bowl game.

“We have some young guys inside of our program that feel like if they keep growing and competing, have a chance to help us as we get into the season. We need those guys to come on.”

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Fall camp: Josh Heupel discusses Vols’ wide receivers opposite of Cedric Tillman

Fall camp: Josh Heupel discusses Tennessee’s wide receivers opposite of Cedric Tillman

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

Heupel was asked about Tennessee’s wide receivers opposite of redshirt senior Cedric Tillman.

“I feel like Ramel (Keyton) has done some positive things,” Heupel said. “Walker Merrill has been out there and made some plays, operated really efficiently. Bru (McCoy) has done some really good things in some of our practices.

“That’s a point of competition here still on the back half of training camp. We have to have multiple guys step up, and certainly would like to have at least one of them to step up and grab a hold of that position.”

Tillman totaled 64 receptions, 1,081 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last season in Heupel’s offense.

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Fall camp: Josh Heupel discusses Bru McCoy’s eligibility

Fall camp: Josh Heupel discusses wide receiver Bru McCoy’s eligibility

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

Heupel was asked about the eligibility status of redshirt junior transfer wide receiver Bru McCoy.

Heupel mentioned he does not have an update on McCoy.

Tennessee ‘has an offense that’s going to rip through everything in its path’

Ahead of Tennessee’s first practice during fall training camp, Heupel discussed the eligibility status of McCoy for the 2022 season.

“I have been in dialogue with the people that we need to,” Heupel said. “Our administration has been on the other side of the coin. We feel good about where that is going. Bru is healthy and ready to compete this training camp, so he will be involved in everything we are doing.”

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy appeared in six games for USC in 2020. McCoy totaled 21 receptions, 236 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

He committed to the Vols in May.

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Josh Heupel provides update on Lyn-J Dixon’s eligibility

Josh Heupel provides update on transfer running back Lyn-J Dixon’s eligibility.

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

Heupel was asked about Clemson transfer running back Lyn-J Dixon. Dixon debuted with the Vols during Tennessee’s fourth practice during fall training camp Aug. 4.

“Lyn-J will be eligible,” Heupel said.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Dixon appeared in 41 games with the Tigers, totaling 1,420 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 218 attempts. Dixon recorded 20 receptions, 190 receiving yards and one touchdown at Clemson.

Lyn-J Dixon’s career stats versus Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Pittsburgh, South Carolina

Dixon committed to Tennessee in June 2017. Dixon decommitted from the Vols in Oct. 2017. Dixon signed with Clemson on Dec. 20, 2017. He enrolled at Clemson in June 2018 from Taylor County High School in Butler, Georgia.

Heupel was also asked if Dixon had a preexisting relationship with Tennessee’s coaching staff.

“For us as a staff, not really, as far as a previous relationship,” Heupel said. “Obviously, he had a lot of familiarity with Tennessee if you look back at his recruitment.

“He has some experience playing at this level. His skillset, athletic ability, change of direction, his explosive long speed, all of those things are things that we need inside of that room. For those reasons, I felt like he was the right fit to bring in.”

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Hendon Hooker ‘in complete command’ of Tennessee’s offense

Quarterback Hendon Hooker ‘in complete command’ of Tennessee’s offense.

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

Heupel discussed redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker’s performance during the Vols’ scrimmage.

“I thought he was really good,” Heupel said of Hooker. “He was really efficient, effective, handled the operation side of it extremely well. He’s been in really good command of what we’re doing offensively, keeping us out of bad plays, bad situations.

“He’s turning the negatives into zero, been decisive getting the ball out of his hands. He’s in complete command of what we’re doing on the offensive side of the ball. Run game, pass game and protections as well. I’m really pleased with his progress through spring ball, but even after spring ball to where he is now. He did some really great things out there today. Yesterday, he had a great day too. I love where he’s at. Keep fighting, be ready for week one, and go be your best.”

Tennessee ‘has an offense that’s going to rip through everything in its path’

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Josh Heupel recaps Tennessee’s first scrimmage during fall camp

Josh Heupel recaps Tennessee’s first scrimmage during fall camp.

Tennessee scrimmaged for the first time during fall training camp Tuesday ahead of the 2022 season.

Following the Vols’ scrimmage, second-year head coach Josh Heupel met with media.

“Really good day out there, back and forth between both sides of the ball,” Heupel said. “We were able to get a lot of real football, drive for the offense to be able to play with tempo, and see how the communication and efficiency of movement between plays, really good for our young guys.

“Defensively, we were able to get some of that work against tempo. Also, some situational football. Got some third and short, and actually did some overtime work with those guys again today. Overall, pleased with the effort, strain, competitive nature of it, and some back and forth between both sides of the ball.”

Below are Heupel’s additional analysis of Tennessee’s scrimmage and throughout fall training camp.