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Daily Practice Report: August 11

DAVE HOOKER, hookerd@knews.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2004

  • When: Wednesday Afternoon.
  • Where: Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
  • Gear: Full pads.
  • Scrimmage Time In Tennessee: The Vols held their first scrimmage of the season. Coach Phillip Fulmer said he wanted to judge the young quarterbacks "under fire." It was a nice day for the offense, which turned in several big plays.
  • Play Of The Day: Freshman quarterback Brent Schaeffer hauled in the top play of the game. After rolling out of the pocket, the Florida native juked Jared Hostetter and bolted past the line of scrimmage. Then, Schaeffer put a similar move on linebacker Jon Poe to find his final victim. James Banks barely laid a hand on Schaeffer as he faked left then bounced outside to find the end zone.
  • Trooper’s Team: Running back coach Trooper Taylor has continually demanded a lot from his group throughout pre-season camp. It paid dividends Wednesday. Freshman fullback David Holbert caught a pass with one hand, slid past a defender, and sprinted 45 yards for the score. Junior tailback Gerald Riggs broke two tackles for the day’s best running play, which netted 25 yards.
  • Crash!!!: Senior wide receiver Derrick Tinsley tested the dexterity of the fences at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Tinsley reeled in a 40-yard pass from freshman quarterback Erik Ainge in the back of the end zone just before slamming into the bullpen barrier. Tinsley appeared to hit his head and shin but still held onto the ball. After a check from UT’s training staff, Tinsley was up and participating in the scrimmage.
  • QB Watch: The first scrimmage play of the year didn’t go well for the offense. Junior Jason Mitchell sacked senior quarterback C.J. Leak. Leak went on to have an above average scrimmage. Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said after practice that junior Rick Clausen has a good mental grasp of the position. While Schaeffer’s mobility was on display, Ainge showed some quick feet. Ainge avoided three defenders and picked up a 3-yard gain overcoming poor pass protection. After practice, Sanders said Ainge’s athletic ability is often underestimated because of comparisons to Schaeffer. Sanders called both freshmen "very poised."
  • Welcome Back: Senior center Chuck Prugh was able to participate in 15 scrimmage plays. This was Prugh’s first full contact work since falling ill from a severe viral infection in October.
  • Snag: Sophomore wide receiver Jayson Swain made an unorthodox catch that wowed the practice crowd. Running to his right, Swain grabbed a hard thrown Leak pass with his right, inside, hand. Swain was pushed out of bounds after a seven- yard gain.
  • MIA: Several players were held out of the scrimmage. Fulmer said it was due to the physical nature of fall drills. Junior LB Marvin Mitchell was held out because of a sore knee. Senior TE Victor McClure is nursing a sprained shoulder. Sophomore WR Bret Smith has a sore foot. Sophomore WR Bill Grimes has a sore back. Junior LB Kevin Simon sat out practice with a sore rib muscle. Two senior captains were also limited in the scrimmage to avoid a potential injury: OT Michael Munoz and LB Kevin Burnett. Freshman DE Jared Hostetter suffered a leg injury during the scrimmage and was carted from the practice field.
  • Looking Ahead: The Vols will hold their first of two two-a-day practices today. UT’s first full scale scrimmage is Saturday.

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