Forty-six new players got their first Neyland Stadium experience in uniform as Tennessee football held its first spring scrimmage on Thursday morning.
The Volunteers conducted a two-hour scrimmage that featured thud periods, some live tackling and all quarterbacks getting reps with the first team. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' new defense was on display with several new faces, a unit that head coach Josh Heupel said continues to make significant strides.
"I thought defensively, we played extremely well," Heupel said. "(We) created a couple of turnovers, but played assignment sound, fit the run game pretty well and didn't give up a lot of big plays.
"Good day. I thought through the first seven days, those guys have really continued to grow, build and master what we're doing on that side of the football."
Returning cornerback and 2025 Freshman All-American Ty Redmond showed his lockdown capabilities with multiple pass breakups and an interception. Redmond led the entire SEC in passes defended (15) in his first collegiate season last fall.
Tennessee returns to the practice field on Saturday to close its second week of spring ball.
Josh Heupel
"I want to start by wishing Coach (Rick) Barnes and the basketball team good luck as they get ready for a Sweet Sixteen ballgame tomorrow night. Looking forward to watching them.
"Today, scrimmage day. Seven days in. A lot of really good work. I thought defensively, we played extremely well. We created a couple of turnovers, but played assignment sound, fit the run game pretty well and didn't give up a lot of big plays. Good day.
"I thought through the first seven days, those guys have really continued to grow, build and master what we're doing on that side of the football. Offensively, there's some real positives too. A couple penalties that we have to play smarter in as we continue to learn how to play smart football. But all-in-all, a really good day of work, and we got some special teams work in as well."
On his encouragement of the quarterbacks after the first spring scrimmage…"From play-to-play, you have to learn how to play the next one. From a half of football to the next half, and from day-to-day. You have to be able to reset and go play the next play or next day. It is a marathon. You also have to sprint that marathon to become as good as you can as fast as you can.
"But I think being able to reset, recharge and be able to go play the next play or the next day is really important. With all of the learning that's taking place around you – from offensive line, running backs, tight ends, receivers, all of that – it applies a different pressure at the quarterbacks position as guys are learning to target the right guys in pass protection, whatever that might be. But all of those adverse situations are also helping you prepare for what it can be in the fall and how to play smart football.
"Both of those guys (George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon) and (Ryan Staub), they've done good job growing through seven days. There will be a couple things to learn from today, but there were a lot of real positives too."
On MacIntyre's ability to process with a year in the program under his belt…"I think even Day 1 or 2 of spring ball, from where he was at the end of the season, you can see the steps that he's taken. So, really pleased with that. Faizon (Brandon) has done the same thing in learning the offense. Ryan (Staub), those guys continue to progress. There's some fundamental things that they have to continue to grow in, but pleased with that entire group and how they functioned and operated the first seven days."
On Brandon's operation of the offense in Thursday's scrimmage…
"There were a couple mechanical things, just how you're calling it in the huddle or operation-wise, coming off of a penalty or some of those things, that as you get more experience become ingrained in you. But all-in-all, I thought all three of the quarterbacks, including Faizon, did a really good job on that side of it."