Tennessee football’s spring practice slate comes to a conclusion on Saturday during the Orange and White Game. While it’s a great opportunity to get eyes on newcomers through the transfer portal and high school ranks, it’s also a chance to see how returners have progressed.
Here’s a list of five returners to watch during the game. This does not include quarterback George MacIntyre, though, because that’s too obvious.
Let me also clarify: This isn’t a list of the top-five returners on the team. Just five players you’ll want to keep an eye on, given their circumstances.
OL – David Sanders Jr.
Once healthy, David Sanders Jr. looked the part of a five-star freshman at right tackle last season. Now, he’s switching back to his natural position at left tackle with Lance Heard transferring to LSU.
There’s little doubt that Sanders will perform well in this new role. The question is more so, how good can he be?
While a spring game won’t give us all the answers of if he’s All-SEC caliber, it does give us a glance at his improvement heading into his sophomore year.
“The technique, the adjustment to left tackle, was super easy,” Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee said. “Just from what you said, he’s done so much of it. I don’t think that was an issue at all. I think he feels way more confident. I was joking with him at lunch the other day. Just like, ‘Man, do you feel like an old guy now?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, ’cause I run out on the field and call a play and I know exactly what to do.’ So I think that’s helped him in spring, just having the full concept. And now it’s cleaning up technique in every facet of it.”
RB – Daune Morris
Tennessee returns running back DeSean Bishop as the unquestioned leader of the running back room. The spots behind him are up in the air, though.
One of the options for the second-string role is sophomore Daune Morris. He saw most of his action as the punt returner late in the year, but his ability to find space as a runner and catch passes out of the backfield makes him a weapon Josh Heupel and company would love to use.
It’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up with Tulane transfer Javin Gordon and fellow sophomore Justin Baker.
“With Daune, like, you see him grow and mature,” Tennessee running backs coach De’Rail Sims said. “That joker now is doing the things necessary in terms of from being a pro in his mindset. You see the way he goes attacks a lot down the field now. You see the way he carries himself in the meeting room and the entire building. Last year with him, he was a guy that was transitioning from being in high school that had been the best player on the field, to now you come in, you’re having to compete. And now you see him rise to the occasion in those situations.”
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DE – Mariyon Dye
Tennessee is losing a good bit on the defensive line this year. At defensive end, Dominic Bailey and Tyre West are both out of eligibility and moving on to start their professional careers.
This means UT is going to rely on two returners to help fill that gap. This includes Tyree Weathersby and sophomore Mariyon Dye. I’m most interested to see how Dye looks. He was highly recruited and has an extremely high ceiling that could be tapped into as early as this season.
Behind those two, it’ll be a lot of freshmen jockeying for position.
S – Edrees Farooq
Tennessee has multiple options at safety. Along with the additions of Michigan’s TJ Metcalf and Penn State’s Dejuan Lane, the Vols return a starter from a year ago in Edrees Farooq.
Now, Farooq is poised to begin his junior season. He doesn’t have a step up in Jim Knowles’ system, but he does have experience playing at UT, which Metcalf and Lane don’t have.
I’m excited to see how he stacks up with that pair and which two emerge as the starters.
“Just as a group overall, I’ve been totally impressed with the group of safeties,” Tennessee co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Anthony Poindexter said. “They’re all smart. They’re all football guys. They all got toughness. Edrees (Farooq) had a great spring. He’s doing fantastic. Obviously, Dejuan (Lane) knew the defense, but his growth of just being a year older is impressive.”
LEO – Christian Gass
Tennessee is bringing in a pair of transfers at the LEO position who are expected to play a bunch. Out of Penn State, Chaz Coleman joins with high expectations, though recent reports and rumors point toward the spring not going as planned so far. Also joining out of Tulane is Jordan Norman, who is projected to play a big role.
Behind that pair would be Christian Gass. After battling injury in his true freshman season a year ago, he’s now expected to be in the fold in the rotation of LEOs. Freshman Kedric Golston is another name to watch in the room.
“Chaz, everything as advertised,” Tennessee LEOs coach Andrew Jackson said. “He’s got the quickness, the speed, and the size. Gass, you know, it’s good to see him out there running around healthy for the first time. He’s gaining confidence in what he’s doing every week. And then for a young guy, Kedric Golston, man, he’s got all the tools. Maybe it’s a little bit fast for him at times, but he’s gonna be great.”
