What we learned from Vols’ open practice
The Tennessee football team played in front of fans on Saturday for an open practice at Neyland Stadium.
Here is what we learned from the Vols' first public appearance under new coach Josh Heupel.
Defensive alignment
Tennessee's defense spent a lot of its time in a 4-2-5 alignment during group practice periods.
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks has a wealth of experience with this formation from previous stops. It's not a guarantee that the Vols will stick to it entirely, as there were a few instances of a 4-3 alignment sprinkled in.
With five defensive backs on the field, senior Theo Jackson, sophomore Doneiko Slaughter — who was in a no-contact jersey, sporting a cast on his left wrist — and junior Romello Edwards all got snaps at nickelback, respectively.
Jackson was the first on the field each time, joined by corners Warren Burrell and Kenneth George Jr. and safeties Trevon Flowers and Jaylen Mccollough. Given the experience there, this could be the starting secondary.
Linebackers thinned out
Morven Joseph and Solon Page III were working with the first team defense at the linebacker position.
The massive amount of attrition at that spot is well-documented. Injuries, suspensions and transfers have decimated the linebackers room for the spring.
Joseph, Page and Will Albright were the only healthy linebackers on scholarship that practiced Saturday. Jeremy Banks was present, but did not dress out.
Roman Harrison, who was also in street clothes, spent his time watching the linebackers during individual drills. He could also factor as a pass rusher in Tennessee's defense.
Quarterbacks focus on mobility
In Heupel's high-tempo offense, quarterbacks need to be able to move.
That was the focus for the group on Saturday, with several drills requiring quarterback to roll out and throw on the run. Brian Maurer was the best looking of the bunch.
Harrison Bailey and Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker both struggled with accuracy, with several of Bailey's passes sailing high. Maurer also stood tall during live periods.
He was comfortable moving around in the pocket, pulling off some tough throws. In one instance, he was able to get off a deep pass to wide receiver Ramel Keyton with a phone booth's amount of space.
Beckwith belongs in the backfield
Tiyon Evans and Jabari Small are expected to get the lion's share of carries for Tennessee's running backs.
However, neither practiced much on Saturday. Evans was in pads, but he remained on the sidelines during any drills requiring contact. Small was nowhere to be seen.
That left some space for the reserves to showcase their talents. Dee Beckwith, a freshman from Florence, Alabama, quite literally stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Beckwith looked like a huge load to handle while carrying the ball, rarely going down on first contact. His arsenal was not limited to just power, as he showcased some shiftiness in open field situations.
At 6-foot-5, Beckwith is one of the most versatile players on Tennessee's roster. He has experience at quarterback, tight end and receiver — the position he started at when he joined the program last season.
But given Tennessee's pass-catching depth, Beckwith's best path to the field is in the backfield.
Special teams update
Without Brent Cimaglia, who has transferred to Georgia Tech, Tennessee's special teams unit is in a state of flux.
Punting is fairly settled, as Paxton Brooks is clearly the best option. He had several booming kicks, with great hang time, on Saturday. Marshall Ware, his primary competition, struggled to get the ball past 30 yards, with several shanks.
The kicking game is where the competition starts. Toby Wilson, who took over for Cimaglia after he stepped away from the team last season, was working with the first team unit.
He looked pretty solid, making all four of his live field goal attempts. Chase Mcgrath, a graduate transfer from USC, is Tennessee's other realistic option. He struggled a bit more than Wilson, just missing on a couple of his tries from distance.