Watch: Tennessee football's Monday morning practice highlights
As Tennessee started turnover circuit on Monday morning, defensive line coach Rodney Garner ask Elijah Simmons if he was going to be #10 or #51 in a clear indication that the new look Simmons in his new number had been showing signs of a different player. Simmons and the defensive line can be a big part of the defense this fall as Tennessee hopes to shut down the run and pressure the passer.
“That’s obviously what we’re building toward,” Tim Banks said. “We feel very good about the number of guys that we have returning. We feel like we’ve recruited at a high level, and we have some young players that are going to get some opportunities to show what they can do. Just like anything, it’s a work in progress. We’ll obviously know more once we get going during camp this season. Hopefully we develop the way that we think we should. That’ll open up some more opportunities for us to be more creative in terms of getting to the quarterback.”
Leading the way in offense was quarterback Joe Milton as he hopes to wrap up his career on a high note after flashing incredible upside at points in his Tennessee career.
“He’s a completely different guy … not just player, but his attention to detail is elite,” Joey Halzle said. “He came back after that Clemson game and he was hungry to keep learning and keep pushing forward. He didn’t rest on his laurels like, all right, cool, I figured it out. He pushed. I think he saw the success that he had and he knows what his talent can do and now his mentality is matching that as far as how much he wants to learn, how much he’s just consuming the game at all times. It’s fun to be a part of right now. It’s a special mindset that that kid has.”
Tennessee will be back on the practice field Tuesday as they work their way towards the first scrimmage of fall camp on Thursday.
