Tag: fall training camp

Watch: Josh Heupel discusses Vols’ first scrimmage during fall camp

Watch: Josh Heupel discusses the Vols’ first scrimmage during fall camp

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

The Vols will kick off its 2022 campaign Sept. 1 against Ball State at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the season-opening matchup.

2022 Tennessee football schedule

  • Sept. 1 versus Ball State
  • Sept. 10 at Pittsburgh
  • Sept. 17 versus Akron
  • Sept. 24 versus Florida
  • Oct. 1 OPEN DATE
  • Oct. 8 at LSU
  • Oct. 15 versus Alabama
  • Oct. 22 versus UT Martin (Homecoming)
  • Oct. 29 versus Kentucky
  • Nov. 5 at Georgia
  • Nov. 12 versus Missouri
  • Nov. 19 at South Carolina
  • Nov. 26 at Vanderbilt

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

Heupel’s media availability can be watched below.

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Rodney Garner discusses fall camp following seventh practice

Rodney Garner discusses fall camp following Tennessee’s seventh practice.

Tennessee practiced for the seventh time during fall training camp Monday 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.

PHOTOS: Lyn-J Dixon debuts with Tennessee during fall training camp

Following the Vols’ seventh practice during fall training camp, defensive line coach Rodney Garner met with media. Garner’s media availability can be watched below.

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Rodney Garner details Tyler Baron during fall camp

Rodney Garner details Tyler Baron during Tennessee’s fall camp.

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

Following practice, defensive line coach Rodney Garner discussed junior defensive lineman and linebacker Tyler Baron.

“I do think Tyler has gotten better,” Garner said. “He’s been more consistent. I would say starting this spring, he’s practiced more than he’s ever practiced before, and so, you would think by being out there on the field and working every day, then that you’re going to improve, and we’ve seen improvement from him.

“He has to continue to improve on the little things. When we’re sitting there watching the film, if you’re going to be a true edge rusher, you can’t put two hands on the tackle. I mean, he’s got to learn to rush with one hand, be able to flip his hips and be able to turn the corner. He has to stop making himself short by turning and putting two hands on the guy, now he’s not creating any pass rush, so he has to work on the little things to get better and to take his game to that next level. He is buying into it, he’s being more coachable. I’m looking forward to him continuing to improve.”

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Rodney Garner details Bryson Eason during fall camp

Rodney Garner details Bryson Eason during fall training camp.

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

Following practice, defensive line coach Rodney Garner discussed redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Bryson Eason.

“Eason has a lot of talent,” Garner said. “He’s a very gifted guy. He came here as a linebacker, and then I think they moved him. I don’t know if it was freshman year that they moved him to defensive line or not, but I know last year, we put him at defensive end, and now obviously he’s moved closer to the ball. He’s a big man. He’s an athletic big man, but he has to embrace that role. Obviously the closer you get to the ball, the more physical, demanding it is to play in there. I think he’s adapting to it. It’s something that we just have to keep force feeding him right now, but hopefully he sees that he can be “a guy,” I mean he really could be “a guy.”

“When you start looking at the intangible things that you look at from that position, he has the body type, he has the initial quickness, he has short handed quickness, he has balance and body control, he’s explosive, he has all the tools. Now, he has to embrace it from a mentality standpoint and from a heart standpoint, and be willing to strain to put himself in position to be a great player.”

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Eason has appeared in nine games for the Vols from 2020-21, totaling five tackles and two tackles for a loss.

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Fall camp: Darnell Wright ‘an improved player’ ahead of 2022 season

Fall camp: Tennessee offensive lineman Darnell Wright ‘an improved player’ ahead of 2022 season

Tennessee practiced for the fourth time during fall training camp Thursday.

Following practice, second-year offensive line coach Glen Elarbee met with media. He discussed senior offensive lineman Darnell Wright ahead of the 2022 season.

“I think Darnell’s just growing each day, just so proud of him,” Elarbee said. “The way he practiced yesterday was just unbelievably physical, the questions that he asked in the meeting room, the attention, you can just see him trying to be different in the way that he focuses, and even things he’s trying to work technique wise.

“He wants extra drill work, he wants extra reps, he wants to work. I think that’s something. I’m not sure, he probably did a little last year, but it’s so pronounced this year. He’s just such an improved player, and I’m just excited for him. I hope he keeps it up and just has a phenomenal year.”

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Glen Elarbee details what he looks for in a center

Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee details what he looks for in a center.

Tennessee practiced for the fourth time during fall training camp Thursday.

Following practice, second-year offensive line coach Glen Elarbee met with media. He discussed what he looks for in a center.

“Intelligence has to be up there, just because you’re making decisions so fast,” Elarbee said. “You’re the coach out on the field, because you have to change it on third downs and get us right, and there’s so much involved with that. Obviously, you have to just be unbelievably tough.

“I think that’s kind of got to be the cornerstone of the offensive line. That guy better be the toughest son of a gun on the field, and then the athletic ability, because we do pull that guy, and then, obviously, as much girth, width, anchor ability as you can possibly get.”

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Glen Elarbee details Addison Nichols’ progression during fall camp

Glen Elarbee details freshman offensive lineman Addison Nichols’ progression during fall camp.

Tennessee practiced for the fourth time during fall training camp Thursday.

Following practice, second-year offensive line coach Glen Elarbee met with media. He discussed the progression of freshman offensive lineman Addison Nichols from spring practices to fall training camp.

“I think all of the freshmen are a lot different, him for sure,” Elarbee said of Nichols. “I think the game has slowed down a lot for him. When he makes a mistake, he already knows it versus having to go into the film room, watch it and talk about it. It’s instantaneous. ‘Man, I should have called this or I should have done this.’

“Now, the challenge for him, is he’s taking a few reps with two’s and starting to move and take some reps at different positions. Handling all of that mentally and the physical part of starting to go against better bodies, the technique has to be a little cleaner. The play has to be a little faster. He’s done a great job. It’s a lot on a freshman.”

Addison Nichols. The University of Tennessee’s second scrimmage during spring football practices at Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, Tennessee on April 9, 2022. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

The 6-foot-5, 318-pound Nichols enrolled at Tennessee in January and took part in spring practices.

Elarbee discussed where Nichols is currently playing on the offensive line.

“He took reps everywhere during the summer,” Elarbee said. “In fall camp, it’s been center and guard mainly.”

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Glen Elarbee discusses fall camp following fourth practice

Glen Elarbee discusses Tennessee’s fall camp following fourth practice.

Tennessee kicked off fall training camp Monday ahead of the 2022 season.

The Vols will open its season against Ball State at Neyland Stadium. 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.

PHOTOS: Lyn-J Dixon debuts with Tennessee during fall training camp

Following Tennessee’s fourth practice during fall training camp, second-year offensive line coach Glen Elarbee met with media.

Elarbee’s media availability can be watched below.

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Brian Jean-Mary discusses Jeremy Banks in fall camp

Brian Jean-Mary discusses linebacker Jeremy Banks in fall camp.

Tennessee practiced for the third time during fall training camp Wednesday.

Following practice, second-year linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary met with media.

Jean-Mary discussed redshirt senior linebacker Jeremy Banks.

“I think with his maturity, which I think he’s grown in leaps and bounds since I’ve gotten here, and playing under control, he’s done that in these first three practices,” Jean-Mary said of Banks. “That’s been impressive. Jeremy is not always going to be the most vocal leader, but he does lead by example. He kind of does predict the temperature of the team.

“I think when he comes out and has the right type of energy and juice, the whole team feeds off of that, obviously the defense more than the offense. If he keeps going in that direction, expect for him to have a big year in every aspect as a stack linebacker, a blitzer and a coverage linebacker because he has that kind of ability.”

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PHOTOS: Lyn-J Dixon debuts with Tennessee during fall training camp

PHOTOS: Transfer running back Lyn-J Dixon debuts with Tennessee during fall training camp

Transfer running back Lyn-J Dixon committed to Tennessee Wednesday.

Dixon took part in Tennessee’s fourth fall training camp practice Thursday.

He played at Clemson from 2018-21.

The 5-foot-10, 194-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.

He committed to Tennessee in June 2017. Dixon de-committed from the Vols in Oct. 2017.

Dixon would commit and sign with Clemson on Dec. 20, 2017. He enrolled at Clemson in June 2018 from Taylor County High School in Butler, Georgia.

Below are photos of Dixon during his first practice with the Vols.