Jimmy’s blog: Defense scores 3 touchdowns in UT’s final major scrimmage of spring

By Jimmy Hyams

Neither rain nor sleet nor snow could interrupt Tennessee’s last major scrimmage of spring practice before a bundled up crowd of recruits and their parents Saturday at Haslam Field.

Tennessee went about 70 minutes in what served as a defacto spring game, since Nayland Stadium was unavailable due to renovations.

Rain, sleet and snow contributed to some fumbles and dropped passes along the way, and about a dozen players were held out, including receiver Cedric Tillman, running back Jabari Small, center Cooper Mays and tight end Princeton Fant.

With VFLs like Heath Shuler and Joey Kent watching, coach Josh Heupel seemed pleased with the progress he saw from his team.

The Vols will have two more practices before ending spring drills April 14.

The media was stationed in the West end zone of the practice field, so some of the actual yardage gains are an estimate. Here are some of the highlights.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker only got two series. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Bardon Warren on one lengthy drive.

With the offense backed up near its goal-line, receiver Jimmy Callaway took a flare pass to the left from quarterback Joe Milton, dodged a defender in the end zone, reversed field, and scampered 93 yards for a touchdown, with Milton throwing a block about 60 yards downfield. Heupel said Callaway’s best day of the spring was the scrimmage.

The defense scored three times late in the scrimmage. Defensive tackle Omari Thomas went about 20 yards with a scoop-and-score fumble return. Defensive back Will Brooks sprinted 20 yards for a pick six off walk-on quarterback Navy Shuler. And freshman Elijah Herring returned an interception 20 yards off a tipped pass.

Each defender was mopped by his teammates in the North end zone and Heupel expressed pleasure with the energy displayed by the unit.

The defense also recorded about four safeties, mostly on errant snaps from true freshman center Addison Nichols. Heupel said he wasn’t worried about the high snaps by Nichols, playing center for the first time. Heupel said Nichols will be a “great, not good’’ player for the Vols.

Milton made a couple of terrific throws, hitting Jack Jancek, son of former UT defensive coordinator John Jancek, with about a 50-yard scoring toss, and finding Ramel Keyton in stride on a perfectly thrown route up the left sideline for a gain of about 30 yards.

Len’Neth Whitehead ripped off a 30-yard run.

Running back Justin Williams-Thomas looks like a natural and displayed good balance, vision and power.

Tennessee’s starting offensive line was, front left to right, Jeremiah Crawford, Ollie Lane, Jerome Carvin, Javontez Spraggins and Darnell Wright, who played left tackle last season.

The second team offensive line: Florida transfer Gerald Mincey, James Robinson, Parker Ball, Jackson Lampley and RJ Perry.