KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football completed its seventh practice of preseason training camp on Thursday at Haslam Field, gearing up for Friday’s closed scrimmage in Neyland Stadium that will conclude the second week of fall camp.
Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope was available to media after Thursday’s practice. The third-year assistant discussed his room’s increased depth and how that has translated to holistic growth on the practice field.
“I think it’s a huge testament to what we’re doing in recruiting, what the personnel department is doing to bring talent in here,” Pope said. “It’s also affecting our room in a positive way. Guys are competitive on and off the field and it’s helped us grow, helped those guys individually grow in a lot so far in camp.”
The Vols will compete under the lights of Neyland Stadium on Friday night in their first scrimmage of fall camp. Pope laid out some expectations and keys he will be watching for as his receivers take the grass at Shields-Watkins Field.
“I want to see those guys compete in every facet,” Pope explained. “I want to see them compete in the run game, get nasty and block their butts off. Obviously, when we have the ability to go make plays down the field, I want to see us do that.
“I think a lot of times, we think about those plays down field as a wideout, but the things that makes receivers good are those details on third down and being able to move those chains. It’s being able to play a game within a game and understand how to influence my opponent in the run game as well as in the pass game or help myself with my split. So, those little things are the things I want to see us compete in, not just the big plays when the ball is in the air. I want to see us compete in those small facets that kind of make up the game.”
Friday’s scrimmage in Neyland Stadium is closed to media and the public.
Full comments from Pope and select quotes from redshirt freshman tight end Ethan Davis, senior tight end Miles Kitselman, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Chas Nimrod and junior tight end Holden Staes can be viewed below.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 8, 2024
Wide Receivers Coach Kelsey Pope
On the depth of this receiving room…
“I absolutely do. I think it’s a huge testament to what we’re doing in recruiting. What the personnel department is doing to bring talent in here and it’s also affecting our room in a positive way. Guys are competitive on and off the field and it’s helped us grow, helped those guys individually grow in a lot so far in camp.”
On how Chas Nimrod’s production during fall camp…
“He’s done a great job–for one–of changing his body. He’s gained a lot of muscle. He looks different on the field because of that. He’s competing his butt off right now. He’s had a really good camp. Today was probably the best practice he’s had since he’s been here, just from a consistency and competitiveness standpoint. I’m looking forward to seeing more out of him as he continues to trend. He’s done an awesome job so far.”
On how he is dividing up playing time…
“All of our guys play multiple spots. On a given day they might be in one spot, but each one of our guys has to play multiple positions. You have to have some position flexibility. So, there are times where Bru (McCoy) has to go to slot, or Mike (Matthews) has to go to slot. They have to know each position. I think the depth has forced those guys to put more on themselves to learn different positions to add value and get on the field – however that may be. Even if on a given day if you see Squirrel (White), Chas or Mike at a spot, those guys can go play anywhere in our system.”
On Bru McCoy’s progress working back from injury…
“That’s kind of Bru. If you know him you know he’s anxious to go play and compete which is a good thing from my standpoint. I would much rather hold a guy back and tell him to hold up than have to get a guy to be aggressive. So that’s actually a positive for him. For him it’s just giving him the big picture. I plan for him, our work load planned for him, not getting him back in there too soon and putting a bunch of volume on him. He’s done a good job of trusting that. He’s done an amazing job of leading this room. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around–player or coach–in my career. We’re fortunate to have him in that role.”
On what it means to have a leader like McCoy in the wide receiver room…
“It’s awesome. It challenges me because I think kids like that you can take for granted as a coach and just assume a lot because they’re always in the right place and they’re always doing extra. So, for me, as a coach it challenges me like how can I do things that are maybe out of the box or unorthodox or put him in situations where he’s uncomfortable so he can continue to grow. I do think also, when young guys see me coach him and challenge him, those guys realize that everyone is getting coached the same way. Everyone is getting challenged and there’s a respect in that room that everybody has to compete to earn their place and create their own value.”
On how Chris Brazzell II has progressed from spring to fall…
“He’s dialed in. When he first got here, I don’t think he had a true expectation of what it took in this building and in this league to be successful. Right now he’s in a really good spot. He’s dialed in. He’s getting extra meetings. He’s getting extra film. He’s doing a great job of preparing. I think as long as he does that and continues to do that. He’ll give himself a shot. We still have to make plays on Saturday, but as long as you prepare the right way you always give yourself a shot at being successful and he’s doing that right now, I’m pleased with him.”
On how Dont’e Thornton Jr. is different now than he was one year ago…
“As transparent as I can be, I think mindset. I think when he got here there was a ton of nervousness and a ton of anxiety. He put pressure on himself a lot. I think the biggest thing that kid has done this off season is he’s allowed himself to work as hard as he can and let the chips fall where they may. A lot of times when you do that as an athlete you make more plays because you’re a lot looser when you’re playing. You’re not so wound up and tightened up and putting pressure on yourself. He’s come a very long way as far as his mental makeup. He’s built up a lot of confidence and it’s because of a lot of work that he’s done this offseason to gain that confidence. Dont’e is in a good spot.”
On what he wants to see from his receivers in tomorrow’s scrimmage…
“I want to see those guys compete in every facet. I want to see them compete in the run game and get nasty and block their butts off. Obviously, when we have the ability to go make plays down the field I want to see us to do. I think a lot of times we think about those plays down field as a wide out, but the things that makes receivers good are those details on third down and being able to move those chains. It’s being able to play a game within a game and understand how to influence my opponent in the run game as well as in the pass game or help myself with my split. So those little things are the things I want to see us compete at and not just the big plays when the ball is in the air. I want to see us compete in those small facets that kind of make up the game.”
On the growth of Nathan Leacock and Dont’e Thornton Jr…
“I think these guys read things and come in with their own expectations. Naturally they put a lot of pressure on themselves, so I think when Dont’e (Don’t’e Thornton Jr.) came in, it was pressure on himself to kind of go make plays and prove people wrong. I have talked to him a lot this off season about proving himself right. I think naturally you get a calmness about that when you just make it about you. You asked about Leacock (Nathan Leacock) – I think that guy has done a great job this offseason. He caught more balls than anyone this offseason. He is anywhere between like 12 to 13 thousand balls. Which was a huge area where he had to grow in. He has changed his body; he is healthy, and he is playing fast right now. I think you guys keep asking about growth from everybody. Man, I think the true equalizer is competition. We have done a great job of putting talent in that room. When there is talent in that room, there is an expectation to make plays. As each guy in the room has done that there is a guy on the side like man I got to go make that play because I have to earn playing time. That has been the huge thing this off season that has helped us be successful so far.”
On Squirrel White improving in the offseason and taking in all the attention…
“All that is great, that is more for his family to enjoy than him. Those watchlists and awards man, those things do not help us get results. So, for him it is to continue to keep the work ethic the main thing. You don’t get anything for reputation. It is great that he kind of got a reputation out there, but he has to continue to work, we don’t live off reputation. Squirrel (Squirrel White) is doing a great job of being in the building. He has got some things that he has done a good job of managing this offseason. He has grown a lot as a man. Football has always been important to him, when he got here to Tennessee he had some growing up to do. He is light years ahead of where he was when he got on campus. As a human being that guy has grown a ton.”
On how the competition in the wide receiver room will improve Squirrel White and how does it affect his snap count…
“I think that depth is always a liberty because you do not have guys having to play 85 to 90 percent of the snaps. We had a ton of injuries last year which is going to happen and really did not have a lot of depth. We were forced to play him (Squirrel White) a lot more and with his frame man you want to make sure that kid holds up. Especially with the 16 to 17-week season this year. So absolutely that depth is going to be a liberty for us. Also, iron sharpens iron, light sharpens light. The way Bru (Bru McCoy0 runs routes is different from Squirrel. The way Chris (Chris Brazzell II) runs routes is different from Squirrel. But you can always take pieces from each guy and help your own game and that is where the competition is helping him a ton.”
On his post-spring conversation with Chas Nimrod…
“So, for me and Chas, his biggest thing is just the riggers and the violence in this league, I want you to play with a tone of physicality, I want you to embrace physicality. Chas is a good-hearted guy. He is always smiling; he is always in a great mood. There is a switch that has to be flipped when you are on that field, for me to be elite I have to be able to flip that switch and go compete with anybody in the world. I think mentally that is where he has transformed. So, it is always little nuggets when I see him. He is really into books; we have talked about the Alchemist. I have given him props and things out of that book. Those are the types of relationships that help guys grow. It won’t always be a football quote or a quote from Coach Lombardi. Sometimes you have to dig deeper and that is where the relationship piece comes into place, and you are able to tap into guys. Man, that has helped so far with him and we plan on continuing to trend with him.”
On what else has this group most developed other than the competition aspect…
“I think just playing football. You think about the stories in this room. Like Bru (McCoy) would have been done last year. Like he fought through an injury, but really and truly it is a second chance for him to put things on tape his last year. You got a kid like Dont’e (Thornton Jr) who comes from Baltimore, he comes to Knoxville, and he embraces everything about this community and his role with his football family. You get Squirrel White who is adding an addition to his family, who is a great kid, but now he is growing into more of a protective role. I cannot wait to see these guys and their stories be played out on Saturday. I think that is what gives me an exciting feeling. Football is always fun, but the stories that attach you to these guys and you are going through their journey with them. Then seeing that play out on Saturday and those guys make plays. That is an awesome feeling. Once the wins come behind that, it is cherries on top.”
RS-Freshman Tight End Ethan Davis
On what his relationship has been like with transfer TE Miles Kitselman…
“I consider Miles like my best friend. Just being able to get to know him more throughout this year, we have grown a very close relationship. We hang out outside of football a lot. He’s one of my best friends up here.”
On what the key for him to put on weight was…
“Honestly, just going into Smokey’s and getting four meals a day instead of three. When I go home, I cook some stuff up. I’m majoring in culinary arts now, so I have been falling in love with cooking and stuff like that, so I just cook at home.”
On how he feels with the new weight he has added…
“I feel like I really haven’t missed a beat, and that’s credit to our strength staff. I mean, I put the weight on and they do the rest. They mold me like, ‘okay, this is your body fat now, so now we are going to get it down to here, if we are going to get this stronger we are going to get this stronger.’ They have done a really good job with taking care of me in that field.”
Senior Tight End Miles Kitselman
On his relationship with quarterback Nico Iamaleava…
“Every day, Nico and I continue to grow, especially outside of the facility. Obviously, as a tight end and a quarterback your connection is everything and the stronger that connection is off the field, the stronger it is on the field. So, getting off the field with him and hanging out all the time has transferred to on to the field, and is really starting to come together.”
On why this offense is a good fit for him…
“I love how loose it is with the ball players. The coaches say, ‘this is what we are looking for’ and then they let us loose like, ‘hey, go be a ball player’ and I really like that. We’ve got some really skilled tight ends that are ball players.”
On the competition at the tight end position…
“I don’t think of it as necessarily winning a job. We’ve got three dudes – me, Holden and Ethan, and we can all play. I’ll just continue to compete and grind. We will continue to push each other because we’re all going to be on the field this year.”
RS-Sophomore Wide Receiver Chas Nimrod
On what went into the number change and why he went with No. 11…
“I thought it would be a good opportunity, like a good year to transition into a number change. (Coach) Heupel gave me the opportunity to change my number, and I’ve always thought it was a good receiver number. It was one of the numbers he had offered me.”
On what he worked on to improve his game this offseason…
“Definitely everything really, from strength to speed, my explosiveness in short spaces, change of direction and things like that.”
On what the energy is like in the wide receiver room…
“It’s good. It’s very competitive there. We have built a really healthy competitive room just because everybody is really talented, so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Junior Tight End Holden Staes
On how Tennessee utilizes the tight end position…
“That was a big part of my decision to come here. All the different ways we get involved in the pass game and all the stuff we do in the run game is very versatile. It puts us in a lot of good positions to makes plays for the offense, so I like what we’re doing.”
On the mindset that his position is critical for the team’s offense…
“That’s what you want as an offensive player. You want to be involved in everything that makes the offense go. It’s definitely been a fun thing for me and something that I have taken pride in, to help our offense be the best that it can be.”
On practicing against James Pearce Jr. …
“He is a great player on the other side of the ball. That is a match that you do not want to turn down because at the end of the day, whether you win or lose, it’s going to make you better and I and take pride in that. Every time I see him across the ball from me and just give him my best shot, if he gets me, he gets me, but I’m going to saddle back up go out there the next play and try to fight again.”
