Morning gang. With just over a week before the Vols’ season opener against Appalachian State, Butch Jones held a “mock game” at Neyland last night, looking to test Team 120’s “mental intensity” (Peak Jones, that) across 80-90 snaps.
While the depth chart is pretty much sorted out (the post-Chance Hall offensive tackle shuffe aside), there’s still a number of competitions going on for backup and rotation slots, with freshmen Nigel Warrior and Baylen Buchanan in particular standing out in the secondary over the weekend, at least according to JRM. Additionally, sophomore Quinten Dormady will start the season as backup quarterback, per Butch Jones’ post-practice presser last night. Butch:
“Right now it’s Josh and Quinten, and Quinten is obviously one snap away [..] I thought [Dormady] had his best practice yesterday. I thought he was in command, he made all the throws.”
Dormady will be listed ahead of F Jarrett Guarantano, who impressed in open practices but didn’t have the benefit of spring drills. Sheriron Jones remains “a little bit limited.” Jones (and we’re relating this story because it’s news to us) left Tennessee briefly in January for Colorado, but returned after Texas Tech’s Davis Webb also joined the Buffaloes. Webb, incidentally, ended up at Cal, because the Curse of Dan Hawkins is real.
CBS yesterday used Oregon Trail to predict the final SEC standings. (Spoiler Alert) We drown fording the river ten days in.
247 has a nice article about Titans TE (and VFL) Alex Ellis’ strong start in the NFL preseason, and his lifelong battle with diabetes.
Wednesday TWEET BEAT
I mean- he would say that, you’d think:
Butch: Our past two classes had been so-called top-five classes, but this freshman class will be as good as any class we've had.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) August 23, 2016
Same:
Based on what he has seen in practice, Vols DC Bob Shoop is `encouraged' that DT Shy Tuttle might play in the opener Sept. 1. v. Appy State
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) August 19, 2016
Aaron Medley retweeted this, which just makes me assume Kicker Twitter is a thing, somewhere.
Arizona's kicker has some real cajones attempting a FG from that distance
— Someone's An Idiot (@SomeonesAnIdiot) August 20, 2016
(via @jakestar17) pic.twitter.com/6hcTfNTraD
Yup:
Parking is so trash
— Kahlil McKenzie Jr. (@KM1_Era) August 23, 2016
Happy Wednesday!