As Tennessee immerses themselves into the first quarter of their off-season program, the message from Josh Heupel to his team has been clear.

It’s about trying to make up inches instead of yards. A year ago, the Vols were a mess. Players were seemingly departing weekly. Stability was non-existent when Heupel and his staff arrived. They culture needed repairing. There were many big picture things that had to be fixed. In other words they had to gain yards. Now with a culture in place. Standards known, expectations established. Year two for Josh Heupel and the Vols are more about inches than yards.

“It’s just a visual for our players,” Heupel said. “Who we are and how we function when I first got in the building to who we are today there’s a huge difference in that. The investment in what we are doing. They know who we are and what our expectations are. They know what’s coming. Now it’s being dialed into the details of what you are doing and being completely invested in it — emotionally, physically and mentally. That’s the strain we have to have this entire off-season to make up the ground we need to make up as a program.”

Tennessee is still far from arriving but there’s energy surrounding the program. A returning quarterback, and playmaker at receiver highlight that energy. There’s also energy from continuity as Heupel’s staff is back from year one.

“I think that continuity allows you to spring board forward. There’s a clear understanding of who we are, how we are going to operate and function inside the building. The roles that we have. As you go back and self scout your players, you now you get a chance to go back and analyze your staff too. How can we be more efficient in what we are doing to make us the best program that we can be. That consistency is important, but at the same time we will have some staff that eventually will leave here because of great opportunities.”

The self scout has been a huge part of the coaching staff’s time outside of recruiting the last month. The self scout is not about what you should have done differently a year ago. It’s about what needs to be better or approached differently in year two.

“A year ago, you were installing as fast as you could with your players digesting what is going on and your staff too. Now you know your personnel. You have to also anticipate where you are going to be. You need development inside your program as guys leave. I’m excited about the guys who were in the senior bowl and the performances they had, but you have to anticipate where you are and understand guys have to grow too. You look at what worked, what didn’t work and why it didn’t work. You are looking at it from a scheme standpoint to a teaching standpoint to does it fit our personnel. There’s a myriad of factors you are trying to anticipate your best movement forward as a program.”

Moving forward as a program will also mean getting help from newcomers. Tennessee welcomed 15 new players in January. Being here for spring is huge for their development and Heupel knows some will have to help sooner rather than later.

“It will be huge physically transforming their body before they get to spring ball,” Heupel said of the newcomers. “Understanding what we do offensively. Being able to struggle with it and grow throughout the 15 practices. I go back to Tillman’s growth. He changed and transformed himself as a player over spring ball. I’m excited for our young guys like Cam Miller and Squirrel (White). I’m excited for all those guys to go out and compete in spring ball.

“The amount of time you get for installs to learn it and go play, make a bunch of mistakes, grow from it. Those reps all at up to who you are as a player.

“These guys are going to have to make an impact for us and grow inside our program quickly. I’m excited about the people we brought in and what they are about. I’m obviously excited about their skill sets as well.”