Pruitt: Jauan Jennings back to ‘full-speed’

Tennessee received some more good news on the injury front on Wednesday. Redshirt junior receiver Jauan Jennings was a full go today during practice for the first time during fall camp. Head coach Jeremy Pruitt said the staff would work him in gradually throughout the month of August. Now all appears to be just fine with Jennings.

Jennings missed all of 2017, minus one quarter of play against Georgia Tech with a wrist issue. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury during fall camp.

“At wide receiver, Jauan is back participating full speed,” Pruitt said. “It’s helping cut down reps for some of the wide receivers, so they can stay a little fresher here towards the end of camp.”

Jennings is working to come back not only from injury, but from being removed from the team late in the 2017 season. Pruitt and athletics director Phillip Fulmer allowed Jennings a chance to return to the program over the winter, which has apparently gone well to this point.

He figures to slide back into his starting spot opposite of Marquez Callaway on the outside of the Tennessee offense this fall.

“He needs to take licks,” Pruitt said of Jennings. “When you’ve got a black jersey on, obviously there’s no contact. If you look, those are the guys traditionally in camp that turn the ball over because they’re not used to getting beat on, thudded on, tackled. It’s good to get him back out there because he needs some of that.”

Jennings emerged as a legitimate redzone threat, grabbing seven touchdowns in 2016. He was set to be the main target for the Vols in 2017, but an injury crushed an opportunity at that. Now in a different offense, Jennings will have a second chance to establish himself as a big time receiver in the SEC.