Key offensive takeaways as Tennessee shifts attention to season opener

Game preparation has begun for Tennessee as its season opener vs. Virginia in Nashville approaches.

Offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, quarterback Joe Milton III, running back Dylan Sampson and wide receiver Squirrel White met with the media following the Vols' Thursday practice, highlighting balance in the run game, the physicality of the tight ends room and more.

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Here are the key takeaways.

Tennessee has plenty to work with in the run game.

The Vols return much of its production from a year ago with starter Jabari Small, Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson back as well as a pair of freshmen in Cam Seldon and Khalifa Keith hat have impressed in fall camp.

For Halzle, it's a new challenge. After spending last season as the quarterbacks coach, his attention is now over the entire offensive side of the ball, which includes finding a balance between a running backs rotation and making sure the best of the group is getting the most carries in a given game.

"All of three of those guys and the two new freshmen we have are all playing at a high level," Halzle said. "Our job is to find creative ways to get them the ball and utilize their skillset...Hot hand, sometimes a guy gets rolling and you don't take that guy out of the ball game, but the way we play with tempo and the amount of snaps we're going to get, man, just because you're not the first guy on the field doesn't necessarily mean you don't end up getting the most carries that day.

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee football offensive coordinator Joey Halzle meets with media

"It's just rolling guys through and making sure everybody stays fresh and that we always have a guy on the field that's capable and ready of going in that moment and no gassed out."

Sampson has an opportunity to increase his load after an impressive freshman campaign a year ago. He rushed for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns with an average of 6.8 yards per carry and is expected to feature heavily into the rotation this season.

A better grasp of the offense should help.

"Just having knowledge in the system," Sampson said. "Playing more and more. Just everything is starting to mesh together and understanding the whys of what we're doing and everything we're doing, so the time that I've spent in the system developing myself has made me more comfortable."

Spring football was an adjustment for McCallan Castles.

A transfer from UC Davis, Castles brought plenty of playing experience but was moving from a drastically different system to the tempo that Tennessee's offense ran. Through four weeks of fall camp, he has matched his ability as a route runner and pass catcher with a physical blocker eager to make contact.

"It's been great watching them from spring to fall camp," Halzle said. "(Castles) was just learning. He played in a system that wasn't going fast at all, so his whole thing was not playing as fast as he could because he was just learning what to do. Now that he's dialed in on everything, that's a big strong dude that will come off the ball and hit you.

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee football's Joe Milton, Dylan Sampson and Squirrel White meet with the media

"It's fun to watch him. He's strike people like an old school fullback but he can run like a slot and be a matchup issue for safeties."

Freshman Ethan Davis has made a similar transition.

He split time between tight end and wide receiver in high school and made an immediate impression as a down field threat in the spring but like Castles, has improved his physicality.

"Ethan, he lived that world of playing a lot of receiver in high school," Halzle said. "He has no fear of getting in there and mixing it up with people and putting his face on people. So, it's been good watching him. It's very similar to (Castles) where you go from learning what to do—like what's my step? All the sudden defensive ends are running through you to now I know what to do. I'll shoot my hands and put my face in there.

"He's still got some growth to do in that area, but the best thing that you see with a young tight end that hasn't done it a lot is he's not scared."

This time two years ago, Joe Milton III was preparing for the starting job at quarterback. He's back where he started, but with a new outlook.

Milton arrived at Tennessee in the summer of 2021 and hadn't had time to develop relationships, putting all of his attention into learning Josh Heupel's offense.

"I think it comes when you come in midyear like him—he wasn't even here in January, he was here in June," Halzle said. "I think sometimes you have to be a little bit intrinsically focused because you're just trying to learn and give yourself a chance to go get on the field where it almost feels like you don't have time to do that part of it. Playing that position is a huge part of having everyone bought into you as a person as opposed to bought in to you as a player. As he's gotten more comfortable here, more comfortable in his role, it's really his understanding of the offense has grown and grown where he's not worried about that part of it.

"He's been able to put a lot of his energy towards bringing the next group of guys along and making sure he's got a real relationship with them."

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Milton's grasp of the offense was evident when he stepped in for Hendon Hooker late last season and led Tennessee to wins over Vanderbilt and Clemson with strong performances.

That understanding coupled with a stable off-the-field relationship with his teammates has the potential to translate to results in Milton's second stint as the starting quarterback.

"I feel great. I'm still being a server," Milton said. "I may be the leader on the team but I've still been a servant every day. I have to get the guys to understand the game plan, understand how I see it. I feel comfortable with the game plan, feel comfortable with the playbook, feel comfortable playing right now in this offense. I feel great."

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