Beef back? Tennessee's latest weights gains under new S&C staff
It's officially been GAINZ SZN in Knoxville.
After purposefully not listing heights and weights on the roster during spring practice, Tennessee's fall roster now includes the latest measurements after more than six months working with new strength and conditioning coordinator Craig Fitzgerald.
"We have a small football team," first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt said this spring.
It's certainly bigger now, though.
Aside from a group of converted hybrid outside linebackers, much of the roster made strong weight gains since the 2017 season.
In all, 11 players added at least 10 pounds from last season, with safety Theo Jackson gaining the most weight (+15 pounds), according to the updated roster.
Notably, every tailback at Tennessee now weights north of 200 pounds. In 2017, only John Kelly and Trey Coleman weighed at least 2-bills.
Tennessee's latest roster, including newcomers, already lists more players over 300+ pounds than the Vols did during Butch Jones' final season.
Overhauling Tennessee's neglected S&C program was an immediate emphasis when Pruitt arrived on Rocky Top, quickly poaching Fitzgerald from the Houston Texans. Following spring practice, the Vols renovated the entire weight room, stripping the walls of mirrors and adding new floors and equipment.
“You’re gonna know when you walk in this is where football players train,” Fitzgerald said during the makeover video tour.
“This is where the best players in the country train as they get ready for their NFL careers and become dominant players in the best conference in America and the Southeastern Conference.”
We'll find out this fall how much bigger, stronger and faster Tennessee's players are, but for now, here's updated heights and weights for every scholarship player on the roster...
QUARTERBACKS
Jarrett Guarantano — 6-4, 209 (+9 pounds)
Will McBride — 6-1, 209 (+14 pounds)
RUNNING BACKS
Ty Chandler — 5-11, 200 (+5 pounds)
Tim Jordan — 5-11, 203 (+7 pounds)
Trey Coleman — 6-0, 210 (-4 pounds)
Princeton Fant — 6-2, 222 (+6 pounds)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jauan Jennings — 6-3, 221 (+1 pounds)
Marquez Callaway — 6-2, 200 (+1 pounds)
Josh Palmer — 6-2, 201 (+3 pounds)
Brandon Johnson — 6-2, 189 (-4 pounds)
Latrell Williams — 5-11, 177 lbs (+2 pounds)
Tyler Byrd — 5-11, 200 (+5 pounds)
Jordan Murphy — 6-0, 177 (+7 pounds)
Jacquez Jones — 5-10, 169 (+4 pounds)
TIGHT ENDS
Austin Pope — 6-4, 240 lbs (+10 pounds)
Eli Wolf — 6-4, 236 lbs (+10 pounds)
James Brown — 6-3, 229 lbs (+5 pounds)
Latrell Bumnphus — 6-3, 263 lbs (-5 pounds)
Ja’Quain Blakely — 6-2, 260 lbs (+6 pounds)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Drew Richmond — 6-5, 316 lbs (+7 pounds)
Riley Locklear — 6-4, 295 lbs (-2 pounds)
Marcus Tatum — 6-6, 293 lbs (+12 pounds)
Trey Smith — 6-6, 320 lbs
Ryan Johnson — 6-6, 302 lbs (+2 pounds)
K’rojhn Calbert — 6-5, 327 (+11 pounds)
Chance Hall — 6-5, 328 lbs (+13 pounds)
Devante Brooks — 6-5, 292 (+10 pounds)
Eric Crosby — 6-1, 328 lbs (-8 pounds)
Nathan Niehaus — 6-6, 287 lbs (+2 pounds)
LINEBACKERS
Austin Smith — 6-3, 236 (+10 pounds)
Shanon Reid — 6-0, 218 (+3 pounds)
Will Ignont — 6-1, 239 (+11 pounds)
Darrin Kirkland — 6-1, 234 (-4 pounds)
Daniel Bituli — 6-3, 244 (+7 pounds)
Solon Page — 6-2, 211 (+5 pounds)
Jonathan Kongbo — 6-5, 254 (-10 pounds)
Darrell Taylor — 6-4, 247 (-7 pounds)
Deandre Johnson — 6-4, 244 (-20 pounds)
Ryan Thaxton — 6-3, 236
Quart’e Sapp — 6-2, 223 (+1 pounds)
Dillon Bates — 6-3, 229 (+5 pounds)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Matthew Butler — 6-4, 276 (+2 pounds)
Shy Tuttle — 6-2, 300 (-8 pounds)
Alexis Johnson — 6-3, 314 (+14 pounds)
Kyle Phillips — 6-4, 273 (+10 pounds)
Kivon Bennet — 6-2, 266 (-9 pounds)
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Marquill Osborne — 5-11, 190 (+2 pounds)
Maleik Gray — 6-2, 200 (+9 pounds)
Shawn Shamburger — 5-11, 193 (+2 pounds)
Nigel Warrior — 6-0, 188 (-6 pounds)
Micah Abernathy — 6-0, 195 (+8 pounds)
Todd Kelly Jr. — 5-11, 200
Theo Jackson — 6-2, 193 (+15 pounds)
Baylen Buchanan — 5-11, 193 (+8 pounds)
Terrell Bailey — 5-11, 186 (+8 pounds)
Cheyenne Labruzza — 5-11, 188
Carlin Fils-aime — 5-11, 180 (-3 pounds)
DJ Henderson — 5-11, 179 (-4 pounds)
NEWCOMERS
QB JT Shrout — 6-3, 210 lbs
DB/WR Alontae Taylor — 6-0, 186 lbs
LB Jordan Allen — 6-4, 242 lbs
QB Keller Chryst — 6-5, 239 lbs
DB Trevon Flowers — 5-11, 183 lbs
DL Greg Emerson — 6-3, 305 lbs
OL Brandon Kennedy — 6-3, 301 lbs
RB Jeremy Banks — 6-1, 211 lbs
CB Kenneth George — 5-11, 195 lbs
DL Kingston Harris — 6-3, 316 lbs
OL Jahmir Johnson — 6-5, 285 lbs
TE Dominick Wood-Anderson — 6-4, 257 lbs
TE Jacob Warren — 6-6, 224 lbs
WR Cedric Tillman — 6-3, 212 lbs
DT Emmit Gooden — 6-3, 306 lbs
DL John Mincey — 6-3, 264 lbs
OL Tanner Antonutti — 6-5, 265 lbs
OL Jerome Carvin — 6-5, 303 lbs
OL Ollie Lane — 6-4, 308 lbs
DL Kurott Garland — 6-3, 275 lbs
DB Brandon Davis — 5-10, 170 lbs
P Paxton Brooks — 6-6, 180 lbs
LB JJ Peterson — 6-2, 231 lbs
DB Bryce Thompson — 5-11, 180 lbs
RB Madre London — 6-1, 213 lbs