2019 Spring Practice | March 13, 2019

Tennessee Running Back Ty Chandler 

On the offense’s strong start in spring practice:
“It’s been a great start. Everyone is excited. We are ready to strap the pads back on. We are ready to get out there and compete and get better every day.”

On how impressive it is for the offense to be ahead of the defense this early in spring practice:
“It’s just showing that everyone had bought in. We are trying to learn all of the installs. We are trying to get everything that we need to be successful on the field. Everyone is trying to learn their jobs and assignments to go out there and execute.”

On how frustrating it was missing time in the season last year:
“I hate missing time throughout the season, but hopefully that won’t happen again. We are focused on this year and we are ready to start moving forward. We are looking forward to this upcoming season and trying to get better.”

On what he is doing to avoid injury scenarios: 
“I have been in the weight room a lot with Coach Fitzgerald. He has been helping us try to develop our bodies and get bigger, faster and stronger. I feel like that can help prevent injuries.”

On if it is easier to move on from last year while the team is on the field:
“I feel like it does (make it easier). Focus on the next play. We are always focused on what is next to come and who we have ahead of us. We are always learning new things and incorporating them into our practices. I feel like that helps us forget about last season and to keep pushing and moving forward.”

Tennessee Offensive Lineman Marcus Tatum 

On what he has seen out of Wanya Morris so far this spring:
“Wanya has done well. He is a smart kid. He is big, strong and has a whole position group. We love the addition.”

On the offense’s performance yesterday at practice:
“We did well, but it really doesn’t matter because it’s only the third day of spring practice. We just have to continue to get better and to build on it.”

On what position he has worked the most:
“I’m just all over the place. I’m just trusting Coach Friend. He just wants me to be versatile. We are all just switching everywhere so we can all be versatile because injuries happen in the SEC. We just need to continue to stack on it and get better at every position.”

On starting for Trey Smith at South Carolina and his little time to prepare for it:
“It was a good experience, but I was prepared. I prepared the same as I do every week and just came out and need what I needed to do.”

On what stands out to him about the defensive line:
“As a group they are doing really well. They are still learning and coming together. They are learning about developing new leadership, because Kyle Phillips and a few of the guys from last year are gone. It was a very experienced defensive line last year and they are just coming together as one and working together.”

Tennessee Offensive Lineman Brandon Kennedy 

On how he feels physically:
“I feel pretty good. I’ve just been working hard, trusting this staff to get me back to where I want to be.”

On if he could play in a game if the season started today:
“Definitely. I feel pretty healthy. (Senior Associate Director of Sports Medicine for Football) Jeronimo (Boche), the nutrition staff, Coach (Fitzgerald), everybody has been working behind me trying to push me back to where I was.”

On how he felt after the West Virginia game:
“It was a tough week. I was really excited to play the next game and improve the things we didn’t do so well in the West Virginia game. It’s hard. I took the opportunity to work with my teammates and be a better leader once I got hurt.”

On how he kept his mindset right following the injury:
“It’s tough, being an older guy and being injured the previous year. I just worked hard. I knew what to expect going into the injury.”

If he will explore a sixth year of eligibility:
“It is a possibility, it is up in the air. I just want to get back and do everything to help my team.”

Tennessee Wide Receiver Marquez Callaway 

On how he would describe Tee Martin’s coaching personality:
“He’s like a quarterback. He tells us what he is looking for in a receiver. It helps us out a lot when we go with the quarterbacks.”

On Tee Martin’s quarterback mind:
“If we are supposed to go outside on a release and we go inside, he will look off of us because we did the wrong thing and we won’t get open. As soon as we do something that’s not right, in a split second, as soon as we go outside, his quarterback mind will tell us that we are supposed to go outside. If we are supposed to go inside, then he snaps away from us because he knows we aren’t supposed to get the ball.”

On how good the receiving corps can be:
“I think he we can be one of the best in the SEC because we have all of the tools here. We have a great coaching staff. Now it’s just about wanting to believe.”

If the receivers built up chemistry with Jarrett Guarantano in the offseason:
“I believe so. I believe we are all invested more than we were the previous years. I think we all hold each other to a higher standard. We all come to compete and work everyday.”

Why he believes the team is invested more:
“I think it is because we know what is at stake. We have a lot to look up for, but I think we can do it.”

-UT Athletics