KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Back-to-back outdoor padded practice days filled with energy, physicality and attentiveness closed the second week of Tennessee spring football with positive momentum under new head coach Josh Heupel.

The Volunteers held their first full pads practice on Tuesday, while wearing shoulder pads Thursday and finishing off the week in full pads on Friday. The squad reviewed the practices in position meetings and ended Friday’s workout – the fifth of the spring – with a live goal line team period featuring first team offense against first team defense.

“At practice today, they competed really hard,” Heupel said. “We went into a third-and-short situation down on the three-yard line, two plays to get the ball into the end zone. Just compete and nothing matters about what happened during the first 22 or 23 periods of practice. It’s all about how you finish at this point. We’re learning how to have a winning mentality. That’s effort, that’s attitude, that’s learning how to be a tough football team.”

Two months at the helm in Knoxville, Heupel also discussed his program philosophy that continues to be forged daily in the building.

“In what we do, it is going to be fast, it’s going to be fun, and most importantly, there are going to be real relationships that are formed. We’re going to be real in who we are, and as recruits see that, they’ll find out that this is a pretty special place to come play football, grow as a football player and grow as a man, more importantly.”

The Vols will take the Easter weekend off before kicking off the first of three week three practices on Tuesday afternoon.

The Chevrolet Orange & White Spring Game is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on April 24 in Neyland Stadium.

Season tickets for the 100th year of Neyland Stadium and the start of the Heupel era are on sale now at AllVols.com.  Season tickets start as low as $300, with the Vol Pass and payment plan options offered. Fans can experience the Neyland Stadium 3D map to select tickets based on preference. Fans with questions related to seats, views and options can utilize the live “CHAT” feature on AllVols.com.

Head Coach Josh Heupel
April 2, 2021

Opening Statement

“It was an awesome day out there. The sunshine came out. We had a ton of energy and it was fun to get out on the practice field again. We’re five days in, and it’s been awesome just getting around our players. They’ve learned a ton, and we’ve learned a ton about how to compete on the level we want to, how to bring the right amount of energy out to practice and the expectations. Guys are flying around and competing hard, but I think having a tremendous amount of fun too. We’re having to grow and build together as a football team.”

On any wide receivers standing out so far …

“I think we’re going to continue to grow and develop depth out there. Cedric Tillman has done a fantastic job of just being really purposeful in his work habits on the practice field. He’s playing faster as he’s getting more comfortable from day one to day five. Velus Jones (Jr.) has done a tremendous job. He’s a really strong competitor and brings a great amount of leadership to that wide receiver group every day in the meeting rooms, and that’s transitioned onto the practice field as well. Jimmy Calloway is having a good spring and a good start here. He’s a guy that is learning how to play with technique and with what we’re asking him to do. He’s getting better every day, but has the opportunity to extend the field and really make some plays down the field. I would never use the word ‘satisfied’ or ‘completely happy’ with any position when you’re five days into spring ball, but I like the purpose that those guys are playing with, and they’re starting to trust in what we’re doing. They’re starting to play with better technique which will give them the opportunity to go win down the football field. They’ve created some big plays in the passing game.”

On offensive lineman Dayne Davis’ role …

“He’s been rock solid since we’ve gotten here in the way that he competes, his attention to detail and how he competes out on the practice field. Those guys get graded every day, and the rotation up front in practice one was based off of how they graded out in everything that they were doing every day leading up to spring ball. Now, you get graded every day in practice. Based on that, that kind of sets the rotation as far as whether you’re playing with the ones, the twos or threes for the day. These guys compete really hard. Up front we have some flexibility with some of the guys that can play left, play right—they’ve had some experience doing that. The biggest thing to me is just our players learning how to play from snap to the echo of the whistle. There’s a lot of different teams you can use, but at the end of the day it’s about your effort. We use the word ‘attack’ here inside of our program and our kids are learning to do that. He’s been a guy that’s really consistent in the way he plays from snap to whistle.”

On what he has learned about his team physically through five practices …

“I’ll start not with the physical side of it, but with their attentiveness, their ability to be coached. They’re willing to take that coaching and try to implement it into the game, try not to make the same mistake twice. At practice today, they competed really hard. We went into a third-and-short situation down on the three-yard line, two plays to get the ball into the end zone. Just compete, nothing matters about what happened during the first 22 or 23 periods of practice. It’s all about how you finish at this point. We’re learning how to have a winning mentality. That’s effort, that’s attitude, that’s learning how to be a tough football team. There’s a drill that we did in day three, we call it ‘the Vol Drill,” that’s really about putting your face on somebody, getting your face in the right place, being able to run your feet on offense and defensively, shed and make a play. Day three was not anywhere near meeting the level of standard or expectation. Day five, we repeat the drill and there was a whole lot more energy, a whole lot more toughness. Our attitude was in a better spot, and we got a whole lot better. I think you have to gain in the inches every single day and it starts with our guys’ ability to be coachable, to have some of those winning attributes, the way they’re going to communicate with each other. We’re growing in that, learning how to shed some losing habits and gain some winning habits. Along those lines though, the physicality, our guys are growing in that every day. Day one in pads, not anywhere near where we need to be, but today we got out there full pads, second time we have been in that and guys competed and you heard pads popping at a whole different level than the first time we jumped into that.”

On his recruiting pitch on why Tennessee …

“It’s about developing relationships. It’s about pouring into kids. There is no substitute for that. In some ways, we’re a little bit behind schedule with the timing of when we got hired. The nature of that and then some of the questions surrounding our program. Our coaches have been working on that relationship building with those players. At the end of the day, this is one of the greatest traditions in college football, and we get to put a completely new-age approach on it. That’s the way we interact with our players, the energy we have in our building every day and who and what we’re going to be out on the football field. It’s going to be a place that guys can be able compete at the highest level, have a great attitude and are going to have fun inside of our building. I don’t care if that’s in the strength and conditioning area or the way we practice. In what we do, it is going to be fast, it’s going to be fun and most importantly, there are going to be real relationships that are formed. We’re going to be real in who we are, and as recruits see that, they’ll find out that this is a pretty special place to come play football, grow as a football player and grow as a man, more importantly. As we continue to go through this recruiting cycle, I think recruits are going to see that.”

On his offense being a wide receiver’s dream …

“I think for us, the ability to play with tempo, for those guys to be put in a position where we’re going to try to find ways to isolate them in a one-on-one position and then give them the tools to go win. I think at the end of the day, as a wideout, that’s what you’re looking for. The tempo we play, the number of snaps we get, the number of ball in hand opportunities that our skill players have, I think you put all of that together, plus the energy with which we play on game day and even on the practice field, I think it is a really unique offense for skill players and wide receivers to play in, and something they can absolutely flourish in.”

On the health status of Jeremy Banks and Roman Harrison …

“Those two guys are fighting their butt off to get back at 100 percent. They’ve done a tremendous job just in the rehab process and have transitioned more into the strength and conditioning side of it, getting their bodies right and continuing to come back. They’ve done a great job in the meetings, sat in on a couple with the linebackers. Their attentive. They care. They’re pushing hard to get back and be ready to take a bunch of ownership and take a bunch of snaps at the linebacker position. Those guys are going to be allowed to do more and more as we go through spring ball, but don’t think any of them will be in full contact situations.”

On how well the staff is meshing together at this point, since working together for such a short period of time …

“Yeah, some truth in that, what you’re saying for sure. But, I think there is actually more connectedness than people probably realize. We got a group of guys that came with me from Orlando and have great trust in each other and the process and knowing the expectations and standards that I’ve set in how we’re going to operate. You’ve got a few guys that were not together on the defensive side of the football, but there is a connective piece between those guys. They’ve worked with each other at different stops, and Coach (Tim) Banks is a tremendous leader and has a great vision of what he wants to do. I think he’s building defensively, just the communication, the system gives us some flexibility. Building it the right way has a tremendous amount of buy-in and trust from the guys that are in that defensive staff room with him. I think our players have fed off of the energy and chemistry from the staff as well. Everyone’s in sync, communicating the same way and their standards and expectations are clearly defined and are coaching in a positive way. Coach hard, hold our players feet to the fire, hold them accountable, but at the same time we could go out and communicate in a way that’s positive and creates energy as well. I think that’s why the practice field has been the way that it has been.”

On how these quarterbacks are in the process of learning the system …

“Are they perfect in their communication and decision making? No, we don’t expect them to be. They won’t be perfect by the time we get to kickoff next fall. You’re never perfect in that journey. You could be a 12-year NFL Hall of Fame career guy, and you’re still training to get better at something every single day. Our guys are competing really hard, and I think they’ve been phenomenal in the meeting room. Their attentiveness to the details I think has in a sense of urgency within that has really increased over the last two to three practices. You coach some things before you get to the field. Once you get on the field, I think the understanding of the ‘why’ those things are important become even clearer for them. Their urgency in that has gone up. I think they’ve been really good. They’ve made a bunch of plays in the pass game, and they’ve had a bunch of things that haven’t gone their way either. They’ve tried to learn from it. They’ve been able to give great energy to the guys around them. They’re learning how to have winning habits. That’s on the field, that’s in the meeting room, and that’s in what they’re doing every single day. The group together has been really positive with each other while they’re competing with each other, too. We’ve got a long way to go, but the group is pushing to get there and they’ve been good to work with.”

-UT Athletics

Harold “Herky” Payne, a two-sport standout for the Volunteers in the early 1950s, passed away Tuesday in Knoxville. At 92 years old, he was one of Tennessee’s oldest living lettermen.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, Payne lettered three years with the football team (1949-51) and three years with the baseball program (1950-52). He earned two degrees from Tennessee, served two years in the U.S. Army and was selected to the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

As a tailback on Tennessee’s 1951 football national championship team, coached by Gen. Robert R. Neyland, Payne scored 14 touchdowns and led the Southeastern Conference in scoring with 84 points. At that time, he was the second Vol ever to lead the league in scoring, joining 1933 scoring champion Beattie Feathers.

Payne was named third-team All-SEC by both the Associated Press and UPI following that 1951 campaign. His career totals on the gridiron included 23 touchdowns and 1,145 rushing yards.

His 90-yard punt return for a touchdown against Duke on Oct. 1, 1949, stands as the second-longest punt return in school history.

Payne also starred as a second baseman on Tennessee’s 1951 SEC champion baseball squad that posted a 20-3 (16-1 SEC) record and advanced to the College World Series championship game, where it fell to Oklahoma by one run, 3-2. He batted .354 that season and hit for a .333 average in 1952.

Following his multi-sport career at Tennessee, Payne was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round of the 1952 NFL Draft. He ended up playing professional baseball briefly in Florida before returning to East Tennessee.

Payne earned both a bachelor’s (1953) and master’s (1975) degree from UT’s College of Business.

At the time of his passing, Payne was believed to be Tennessee’s sixth-oldest living letterman. He is one of only 32 Vols in the modern era (1933 to present) known to have earned at least six varsity letters.

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – University of Tennessee standout student-athlete Rennia Davis has been selected as the recipient of the 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I women’s basketball coaches, national basketball media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding student-athlete in Division I women’s basketball.  Davis is the first Lady Vol basketball player and only the third UT student-athlete to earn the Senior CLASS Award, joining softball’s Madison Shipman in 2014 and Meghan Gregg in 2018.

She follows in the footsteps of recent women’s hoops winners Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon), Megan Gustafson (Iowa), Breanna Stewart (UConn) and Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), and is just the third SEC woman to be honored in basketball. The others were Seimone Augustus (LSU) and LaToya Thomas (Mississippi State) in 2006 and 2003, respectively.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: classroom, community, character and competition.

“Being a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee has pushed me and required a commitment in so many areas of my life,” Davis said. “I have embraced that challenge as a Lady Vol, and I appreciate the opportunities for growth that I have been given. By nature, I am an introvert, and I have been encouraged and empowered to step outside of my comfort zone, especially in my role as a senior on our team and as a member of the VOLeaders program. I am grateful for those experiences.

“Among my goals are playing in the WNBA and one day owning my own restaurant. My development on the court and my pursuits academically have prepared and positioned me to pursue those dreams. Learning the importance of work ethic, leadership, team building, sacrifice and selflessness, however, are some of the intangibles that will help me reach those goals. I feel prepared to succeed as I begin my next chapter, and I am thankful to everyone who has contributed to that process.”

Second-year Lady Vol head coach Kellie Harper was able to provide an atmosphere of development for Davis and witness her pupil’s growth on the court and off over the past two seasons.

“I am pleased to see Rennia recognized for her combination of impressive achievements on the court, in the classroom, in the community and on our campus,” Harper said. “Not only does she work extremely hard to be a strong student and one of the nation’s top basketball players, she is able to balance her time well and demonstrate a commitment to giving back to others through leadership initiatives and charitable activities. Whether it’s in professional basketball, as a potential business owner/operator or someone engaged in her community, Rennia has a very bright future and we’re all very proud of her.”

Competition
Davis, a 6-foot-2 forward from Jacksonville, Fla., averaged 17.3­ points and 8.8 rebounds per game to pace Tennessee in both categories this season. She shot 48.0 percent from the field and 85.3 percent at the free-throw line. Even better in SEC play, Davis put up 20.0 ppg. and 9.0 rpg. while shooting 52.3 percent from the floor and 85.2 at the charity stripe.

Her worksheet also included 10 double-doubles and 10 games of 20 or more points, leading UT to a 17-8 final record, a third-place mark of 9-4 in SEC play, a No. 13 AP national ranking and advancement to the NCAA Tournament Second Round for the first time since 2018.

Davis earned All-SEC accolades for the third time in her career, including first-team honors the past two seasons. She also was an AP All-America Honorable Mention choice for the second time, a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award and a repeat candidate as well for the Wade Trophy, Naismith Trophy and John R. Wooden Award.

From a career standpoint, the projected first-round pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft concluded her UT tenure fourth all-time among Lady Vols in double-doubles with 39, trailing only Chamique Holdsclaw (57), Mercedes Russell (46) and Candace Parker (45). She was fifth in career 20-point scoring games with 23.

In the Lady Vol record book, Davis wound up ninth in scoring (1,815) and points per game (15.4), 10th in rebounds (947) and sixth in rebounds per game at 8.03 rpg. Additionally, she finished sixth in free-throw percentage (.816), eighth in field goals attempted (1,477) and ninth in field goals made (696).

Classroom
Davis is and has always been a very committed student, completing a college associate of arts degree while still in high school.

She earned a degree at Tennessee in only three years in hotel, restaurant and tourism management with a minor in business administration. After completing that degree in May 2020, Davis began work on a master’s in agricultural leadership, education and communications. She earned 2019-20 Chancellor’s Honors for Extraordinary Academic Achievement for her work in the classroom. Davis is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and is in line for her third such honor this season.

Character
Due to her character and leadership potential, Davis was chosen for the 2019-20 VOLeaders Academy. By using their platform in sport, student-athletes admitted into the VOLeaders Academy learn how to positively impact their team, campus, and local and global communities. The program aims to inspire student-athletes to find ways to use their passion of sport and their influence to enact positive change that transcends their athletic success.

As part of that experience, Davis and her fellow VOLeaders would have had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines and immerse themselves in exercising their leadership and service capabilities. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, that trip was cancelled. Davis, though, continued to impact her team, our university and the local community through her positive actions.

Community
Davis has logged over 50 hours of service in and around the Knoxville community over the last four years. She has spent her free time serving at the Love Kitchen, a local soup kitchen in East Knoxville, visiting sick and injured patients at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and participating with the Lady Vol basketball team at the Hoops for Hope event supporting the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.

She also has volunteered at the annual Community Holiday Meal, where student-athletes serve individuals from the Knoxville Area Rescue Mission a meal. Additionally, Davis has participated in the women’s basketball team’s annual Christmas party, cookie decorating and gift giving for a deserving family in the Knoxville area.

“Rennia Davis has personified the Senior CLASS Award during her four years at Tennessee,” said Erik Miner, Executive Director of the Senior CLASS Award. “She has excelled both on the court and in the classroom, as evidenced by the countless accolades she has received. Rennia has shown tremendous character by dedicating her time to better the Knoxville community. It is our honor to congratulate Rennia Davis and the University of Tennessee for winning this prestigious award.”

For more information on all of the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

-UT Athletics