Knoxville, Tenn. • Tennessee coach Butch
Jones believes holding one open practice each year helps prepare his
team for the Neyland Stadium environment.
Of course, it helps when that workout draws the type of crowd that many programs can't attract during the regular season.
Even without a quarterback competition to lure
curious fans, Tennessee's open practice Saturday at Neyland Stadium drew
an announced attendance of 40,000. Spectators filled the majority of
the lower bowl at the 102,455-seat facility.
"It's a tremendous evaluation tool to see how
our players perform when there are people in the stands," Jones said.
"It was invaluable."
The Vols hope that the large crowd will help
their underclassmen get at least a small taste of what they'll
experience during regular-season home games. Tennessee played the most
true freshmen of any Football Bowl Subdivision program last year and
figures to rely heavily on newcomers again this season after signing a
second straight recruiting class ranked among the nation's top five by
multiple services.
Tennessee begins the season Sept. 5 against
Bowling Green in Nashville's Nissan Stadium before facing Oklahoma in
its home opener Sept. 12.
"It's nowhere near what game days at Neyland
are, but it's definitely a steppingstone, so the first time they walk in
here, they're not star-struck and can't think or do their jobs,"
sophomore tight end Ethan Wolf said.
During the last two open practices, a preseason
quarterback competition garnered much of the attention. That wasn't the
case this year, as junior Joshua Dobbs is the clear-cut starter and
freshman Quinten Dormady was announced Friday as the second-team
quarterback.
Jones still found a way to make things
interesting for the fans who showed up by including some special events
aside from the typical position drills and scrimmaging.
He opened the practice with a one-on-one
matchup between mammoth-sized offensive guard Charles Mosley and
defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie. Tennessee's roster lists Mosley as 350
pounds and McKenzie as 327 pounds.
Late in the practice, Tennessee's quarterbacks
stood at the 30-yard line and threw passes in an attempt to hit the
crossbar at the nearest end zone. As it turned out, the first person to
accomplish that feat wasn't a quarterback but wide receiver Alton "Pig"
Howard, who also had entered the competition.
Fans got to see Tennessee try out different
combinations on the offensive line as the Vols attempt to replace
injured guard Marcus Jackson that likely will knock him out for the
entire season. Jones initially didn't specify the nature of Jackson's
injury this week before later indicating the fifth-year senior hurt his
biceps.
The Vols also worked out Saturday without
guards Jack Jones and Jashon Robertson, who was in uniform but didn't
participate in offensive line drills as he recovers from an ankle
injury. Butch Jones said Jack Jones was held out for precautionary
reasons and that Robertson should return this coming week.
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