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Scott expecting and demanding physical play, more notes

The Tennessee football team has had two workouts to open fall camp — both in shorts and helmets. But despite the lack of pads, both practices have focused on Larry Scott's biggest goal.

Since getting the job, UT's first-year offensive coordinator has said that his priority is to make the offense more physical.

But is that possible with no pads on yet? Scott absolutely believes it is.

“Violent feet and violent hands. Everything is done with intention, purpose, and violence. Everything you do whether it's your steps, your hand placement to being 15 minutes early for a meeting. Whether it's for preparations, hydration when we need you to hydrate, be in place when we need you to be there, all of those things speaking to having a hard edge and having some toughness. Having the ability to focus at times when we need you to focus is a part of being physical. All of those things go into play from the field to the meeting room to their approach at home.

“I feel like we are going in the right direction, but it's a process to get 48 young men to buy into that and understand what that's about each and every day and understand how to prioritize their behaviors on and off the field. It's a process. We are mentors as well as coaches. Everyday we are tasked with that to make sure we are doing all we can to instill that into them.”

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BUMPHUS AT HOME

In the recruiting rankings, most had freshman LaTrell Bumphus ranked as on of the top 30 defensive end prospects in the country. But the Vols always saw Bumphus as a tight end. For Scott, it was a personal mission to land the Savannah, Tenn. native.

“There's a lot that goes into the evaluation process. He was a project of mine every time I got my hands on him in a camp situation,” Scott said. “It was enough to make me believe that he could develop and grow into that position being a true wide tight end.

“You are talking about a 6-4, 260-pound freshman that can run and bend like a 220 pound guy. This guys was tracking fly balls in center field for his baseball team. That's pretty athletic for a big man.”

With a thin depth chart at tight end, Bumphus will have plenty of opportunities this fall to prove Scott's evaluation to be true.

PALMER HAS SIZE, FOCUS IS ON GROWING HIS GAME


Physically, wide receiver Josh Palmer, who was a last minute addition to the Vols' 2017 class, has what the Vols want in a big receiver. At 6-2, 200 pounds, Palmer looks physically ready to play early. Scott acknowledges that there's a lot of work for Palmer to do, but he likes the foundation he has to build around.

“Long way to go. Some of that natural instinctive things you want a big wideout to have, he has,” Scott said. “He has strong hands. He's a physical demeanor guy meaning when he runs routes you feel him run them. And it means a lot to him. He has a lot to learn including how to push himself through when times are tough, but he's doing a good job with that through two days. But we are looking forward to him improving everyday.”

Quarterbacks coach Mike Canales believes that Palmer, who arrived in June, has developed a quick trust factor with the quarterbacks.

“He’s done a really good job. I know our quarterbacks are real comfortable with him. He’s really done a good job in the first two days. You can see that. We just hope that he keeps pushing that way and pushing to be a guy in the mix and wants to be in the mix.

"I know he’s competing that way. He wants the ball. He’s running good routes. He’s helping our quarterbacks and our quarterbacks feel comfortable with him.”

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