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Vols kick off spring practice with light session on Monday

On3 imageby:Austin Price•03/20/23•

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For the first time since the Orange bowl, Tennessee was back on the practice field as spring practice kicked off Monday morning.

Tennessee one through a light practice session indoors before having a much longer practice tomorrow.

With so many newcomers, enrolling, early and new additions through the transfer portal, Josh Heupel and his staff look to have their most competitive spring since he arrived in January 2021.

Quarterback Joe Milton looks to assert himself with the Vols now void of a starting quarterback after Hendon Hooker’s graduation. Milton had a very strong showing in Miami with three touchdowns and no interceptions against Clemson.

In his first start of 2022, he led the Vols to victory over Vanderbilt, going 11-of-21 passing for 147 yards and a touchdown to Walker Merrill, while finding Jalin Hyatt on a 61-yard bomb on UT’s opening drive of the game for his longest completion of the night.

One newcomer who looks the part is Dont’e Thornton who comes from Oregon. He watched the Vols last season and was impressed by his recent comments on Vol Club Confidential.

“You look back at last season and they had the number one offense in passing,” Thornton said. “I said I want to come into an offense that’s established with a quarterback coming back that knows the whole offense. I just felt like it was the best fit for me.”

Thornton has spent the last couple of months catching balls from Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava and is impressed by what he has seen.

“I definitely say Joe has the strongest arm I’ve seen,” Thornton said. “And then Nico is a younger up and coming Joe who has a strong arm too.”

Click the video below to see several newcomers like Caleb Herring, Iamaleava and Arion Carter in practice on Monday.

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