Josh Heupel noticed it right away.
In Tennessee's first practice in pads more than a year ago, 5-foot-10, 155 pound freshman Squirrel White caught Heupel's attention with his physicality, adjusting almost immediately against SEC-caliber defensive backs.
The speedy White added weight and made an impact during the Vols' 11-win campaign in 2022, catching 30 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns, including a 108-yard performance vs. Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
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"First day on the practice field where we're wearing pads, in helmet and shoulder pads, there's a lot of physical drills that we do out on the perimeter," Heupel said. "Lot of destruction, tackling, perimeters drill, whatever he was when he got here on campus, it was all in the fight, right from day one.
"He's tough, he's physical, he's going to stick his nose on people, he's going to play great fundamentals. He's been that way from the jump."
White used his physicality to set him a part from a young age.
It is what got him on the radar of a number of high profile programs when he played at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama where totaled 1,126 yards and 16 touchdowns his senior season in 2021.
"I just feel like I've always been a physical guy," White said. "Growing up, since my high school career, just taking the hits and stuff like that."
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee coach Josh Heupel recaps win over South Carolina
White now holds down the starting slot position as one of the leaders in the Vols' wide receiving corps.
He was perfect in Tennessee's 41-20 thumping of South Carolina on Saturday night, catching all nine passes thrown his way, posting 104 yards with biggest catch coming off of a 50-yard pass thrown by quarterback Joe Milton III late in the first quarter.
With a Gamecocks' defender draped over him, White hauled in the ball as he fell backwards on to the turf around the 5-yard line. Jabari Small scored two plays later to give Tennessee the lead for good.
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee players recap win over South Carolina
"I don't even know (how I caught the ball)," White said. "I didn't even see it. It just hit my hands and I held on to it."
"The only thing I heard was the crowd," Milton added. "I heard the crowd and I knew he caught it. I was just ready to call the next play."
The physicality that helped White impact Tennessee's offense during its most productive season in program history was on full display, too.
In a week where winning the line of scrimmage was emphasized by the coaching staff, White won the perimeter, providing Tennessee with an edge on the outside.
"(White) is a young player, relatively speaking. Just continues to get better," Heupel said. "Just extremely confident and comfortable out there. He operates extremely efficiently. Joe (Milton) has great confidence in him, made big-time competitive play on the deep ball early in the first quarter. That gets us going. Just an unbelievable job all night...And then out on the perimeter, it's going to be a one-on-one game you got to win.
"We got to be efficient. Throwing it, catching it and winning in those match ups. And Squirrel, obviously nine targets, nine catches. That's a hell of a night by him."
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