Tennessee football concluded its spring with its 15th and final practice as nearly 48,000 fans watched the Volunteers hold their annual Orange & White Game on Saturday afternoon inside Neyland Stadium.
The free admission experience featured individual periods, special teams work, “pressure kicks” and scrimmaging with the first, second and third teams. Quarterbacks George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon each took snaps with the first and second teams, while Colorado transfer Ryan Staub fired a 75-yard touchdown to Carson Whitehead with the third team.
“Each of them (quarterbacks) has to be on their journey of building and mastering their fundamentals, their technique, ownership and the scheme, and that’s what we do and then mastering what’s happening on the other side of the football too,” said sixth-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel.
The day featured appearances by current NFL VFLs Alvin Kamara and Dylan Sampson. Kamara was recognized for his generous philanthropic gift this week.
“I want to say thanks to ‘AK,’ Alvin Kamara, just what he’s done since I got back with this program,” said Heupel. “Coming back, pouring into our entire team, being around every time he gets an opportunity. You look at him stepping up and his commitment to this university, to this athletic department, the gift that he made. I can’t thank him enough for everything that he means to us.”
Much of the spring focus has been the defensive play under new coordinator Jim Knowles. The Vols retooled their secondary with several transfers and returned safety Edrees Farooq and Freshman All-American cornerback Ty Redmond. They also feature a loaded linebacker room with Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander, Edwin Spillman and several new, talented faces.
“You combine that with our players, how attentive and how hard they’ve worked to grow inside the scheme, and I think that’s why I’ve been pleased,” said Heupel. “But where they’re at as we finish out spring ball and obviously still growth inside of it, but I’m really proud of what they’ve done.”
Kicker Cooper Ranvier, a transfer from Louisville, drilled all three of his pressure kicks. Tulane transfer running back Javin Gordon closed out the scrimmage with a 61-yard touchdown run.
The Vols will continue weight room and conditioning workouts to wrap up the semester. Tennessee opens its 130th football season on Sept. 5 against Furman in Neyland Stadium.
