Orange & White Game: What To Watch For

Butch Jones and Team 119 will hold their annual spring game tomorrow, with excitement around the program at heights we haven't felt in a long time.  Here's what to keep an eye on during the festivities tomorrow:

Weather

Everything about these games is inviting:  tickets are free, parking is free, and there's all this newness to see and anticipation to feel.  What's the quickest way to squelch all that?  Thunderstorms.  As I write this late Thursday night the forecast calls for 100% chance of rain on Saturday with the possibility of severe storms.  It will be interesting to see what this unfortunate turn of events does to...

Attendance

Ohio State threw out a 99,391 a couple weeks ago, building on their National Championship excitement.  The Vols certainly have excitement, and while the weather may conspire against them on all fronts (including the ambitious #FillNeyland campaign, which would get Ohio State's record), the first number to beat for Tennessee is 73,801.  That's the Orange & White Game record, set in 1986 in the aftermath of the Sugar Bowl victory over Miami.  Last year Butch and company came close at 68,548 with lots of freshmen to feast your eyes on.  This year there are even more reasons to be excited...

Alvin Kamara

The best unseen player who's currently on campus.  Tennessee's defensive line is paper thin and I'm not sure how much actual 11 on 11 full-contact we're going to see.  But anything UT's shiny new running back can do will certainly be a crowd pleaser so Tennessee fans can spend the next four months dreaming of CobbWebb 2015.

Quinten Dormady & Jauan Jennings

The Vols will get Sheriron Jones on campus this fall, but one of these guys is going to have to be the number two option this fall.  We've seen the Clawfense look great and Tyler Bray look awful in recent Orange & White Game memory, so take anything you see with a heaping dose of salt, but there's nothing that plays to the crowd like a new quarterback.  Thankfully we've advanced to the point where the new guy doesn't have to come in and be The Guy right away.

Wide Receiver U Reunion

I'm not exactly sure who will be making their way to Knoxville for this (Da'Rick Rogers!  Kelley Washington!  Probably not!), but it's wise of Butch to revive this brand.  It's always been appropriate given the guys who have come through here at that position, but it's especially meaningful given the current talent at the position and their chance to make their own history soon.  Joey Kent is scheduled to make an appearance.  So is his quarterback.

What are you looking forward to this weekend?