Everything Josh Heupel said after Tennessee football's first spring scrimmage

Everything Josh Heupel said after Tennessee held its first scrimmage of spring practice on Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium:

His overall thoughts on what he saw during Tennessee’s first spring scrimmage

“I loved the energy, really from the entire squad. I thought defensively we were relentless, played with energy. Did a really nice job, in particular the (first-team) defense. I thought they had a really good day.”

What he liked from Tennessee’s first-team defense

“The ability to get off the field. I thought they tackled well. They were disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Good pressure on the quarterback. And third-down defense was really good. They found a way to get off the field; alignment, assignment, execution. Energy from the guys on the field, but also the guys on the sideline. That was very noticeable during the scrimmage.”

How encouraging it was to see Tennessee’s young players in the scrimmage

“Great opportunity for every young guy in our program. All the guys, it was their first opportunity to play in here. So your freshmen, 18 guys, the transfers, their first experience in here. It was a great opportunity to learn a lot. We’ve got to continue to grow with all those guys. I do really like just their energy and effort today. Now, the attention to detail, we’ve got to continue to get better. But that’s a really good group.”

What he saw from quarterbacks Joe Milton III and Nico Iamaleava

“I thought all in all, Joe did a really good job of taking care of the football. I thought he slid in the pocket, probably a couple times, and continued to get out of it. It’s a little bit different when the quarterback is not live in some of these situations. All in all, had really good command of what’s going on. We got to some situational football at the end, four-minute situation. There are some things we can learn as far as clock management in that. Nico, great first drive, go put it in the end zone. I thought he responded to everything during the course of it. The command, the control out on the field, things that he’ll learn from. All in all, a really good day for all those guys.”

Which Tennessee wide receivers stood out and why

“Squirrel White did a really good job today. I thought he did a really good job working the middle of the football. He executed from the whistle to the next snap well, efficiently. Chas Nimrod did a couple really nice things. Kaleb (Webb) made some really nice plays. Nathan Leacock did a couple nice things on the back half of the scrimmage. I thought he settled in, too. So there are a lot of positives. There is going to be a lot of things we have to learn from, too.”

What he was expecting from Tennessee’s offensive front 

“We’re going to play ones on ones, twos on twos. Iron sharpens iron. What we do defensively, being multiple, our guys have to be able to execute and adjust during the course of a scrimmage. Try to treat it like a game day. All in all, I thought the line of scrimmage, there were times we ran the ball extremely efficiently and effectively. Created a couple big plays. I thought young running back DeSean Bishop did some really nice things, pressing the hole, coming out the backside. Dylan Sampson too. There are a lot of things we can get a lot better at, too. Continuing to deliver some of the double teams. I thought our pass protection at times was good. There are some things we also have to clean up.”

Tennessee freshman QB Nico Iamaleava ‘did a lot of really good things’ in first scrimmage

Getting to see more offensive linemen get snaps during the scrimmage with Cooper Mays out

“We don’t ever want to miss Coop (Cooper Mays). That’s a guy in the middle that has played a lot of football and a great leader for us, too, inside of our program. At the same time, Addison (Nichols), Vysen (Lang), those guys got to continue to grow and step up. There have been some really positive things from them in the first seven days. Excited to go back and watch the tape. We’re going to need those two guys to really grow on the back half of spring ball.”

What he saw from the Tennessee linebackers during the scrimmage 

“They’re relentless. They play with energy and passion. We’ve done a good job of tackling in some of the small space, but also the open field. That group got a lot of leadership traits. I like how the young guys have grown and fit into the culture. Got to have them continue to grow as we go through spring ball. Excited about that group.”

If he thinks the defense should be ahead of the offense at this point in spring

“I would not say that. You’ve got to come out here and continue to compete and grow. Offensive football is 11 guys playing as one. You’ve got to have great effort. There are a lot of things we’ve got to clean up on both sides of it. All in all, really excited about the way the defense played today.”

Who has brought pressure in the defensive front seven

“There have been times where all of them have. We have great competition on the edges. That’s one defensive end, Tyler Baron, Tyre West, on the edges with our LEOs from Roman (Harrison) to Josh (Jospehs), James (Pearce) to Caleb (Herring), we’ve got great competition there. We can do some unique things with our front. I like how our interior is playing. I feel like we’re playing with pad level, using our hands better, coming off the ball. So excited about the growth and looking forward to the back half of spring.”

What he saw from all three levels on Tennessee’s defense

“Pass defense is all three levels, too. I think it’s important that everybody in our program, but on the outside, understands that too. We’re deeper in the secondary, as long as we stay healthy, we’ve got a chance to grow — fundamentally, technique and then scheme understanding. Which can help make us a lot better as we get to the fall. There is real competition there, which forces these guys to compete everyday. On the field, in the meeting room and in everything they’re doing. Our second level, I feel like, has gotten better. Dropping inc coverage when we’re in our zone principles, playing off the quarterback’s eyes, making plays in the middle of the field. Then you’ve got to be able to rush and affect the quarterback. You’ve got to have rush integrity, keep your lane assignment, not let the quarterback get up or escape out of it. We’ve got to continue to grow in those areas for us to take another step on the defensive side of the ball.”

If there were any turnovers forced by the defense 

“We did. All in all, I thought they were physical, I thought they ran to the football. And in all third downs, they got themselves off the field.”

Defensive lineman Elijah Simmons having a strong start to spring and if that continued in the scrimmage

“We’ll go back and watch the tape. He was certainly on the other side of the line of scrimmage at times. He flashed for sure. When he’s there, you don’t miss him, just by pure size. He’s had a really good first half of spring ball. Excited about his growth, his development. Him controlling his mind, how he’s going to pursue and play every single rep. Excited, again, to see his consistency here on the back half of spring football.”

Up Next: Orange & White Game, April 15, 2:30 p.m. ET, Neyland Stadium

What he wants Nico Iamaleava to build on the next couple weeks

“Nico did a lot of really good things. Having his eyes in the right place, being able to make decisive reads, move in the pocket, push the ball down the field, be accurate in the middle of the field. I thought for his first time being inside the stadium, did a really nice job of controlling everything that happens when you’re playing within the tempo of how we play. I didn’t think he played outside of himself. He never was in a hurry. So a lot of really positive things.”

How efficient the offensive tempo was during the scrimmage

“All relatively pretty efficient with the ones and the twos. Guys that have that experience with it. The threes, at times, could’ve been a little bit better just in our mechanics after the whistle. But for their first time in it, I thought all in all they did a rally nice job.”

If they worked special teams situations during the scrimmage

“We did. Just some punt cover, the back half of the play. And a little bit of punt. And obviously field goal situations, too.”

Where he thinks they are in terms of specialists at this point

“I think the group as a whole, they compete hard with each other but they’re really positive. They push each other. The field goal kicking spot, obviously competition there. Looking forward to seeing how that plays out the back half of spring ball, but also as we get into training camp.”

Individuals that stood out on defense 

“Man, I rattled off a bunch of them earlier. I don’t want to leave anyone out. The secondary, the second level, but also the first-level guys on the edge, in particular. I thought they played with great energy, I thought they were relentless. They pursued the ball, they were physical at the point of contact. Really good day.”