The Tennessee football team is one-third of the way through spring practice and head coach Jeremy Pruitt is encouraged by the progress the Vols are making heading into spring break.

UT will have all of next week off before returning to practice on March 26.

Pruitt singled out ball security as a major positive through five spring practices following the latest workout at Haslam Field on Friday afternoon.

“We’ve taken care of the football, which is important,” Pruitt said. “Probably the biggest indicator of wins and losses is securing the football. So, our guys have made a conscious effort of that this spring.”

Pruitt has made ball security a priority since arriving on Rocky Top. Tennessee tied for the fewest interceptions thrown in the SEC with five in 2018, while quarterback Jarrett Guarantano set a school record with 166 pass attempts without a pick.

Defense Makes Progress
Pruitt said the defense has made progress since the beginning of spring

“Defensively, it has improved over the last couple of days,” Pruitt said. “We’ve got some guys that are playing new positions, some guys that played a lot of ball for us. So, sometimes the only way you can learn is just to go play ball.”

Jahmir Johnson Proving Versatility
While many players are working out at multiple positions in the spring, the offensive line unit in particular will use the 15 practices to experiment at different spots and build versatility heading into fall.

Rising redshirt junior Jahmir Johnson started 11 games at left guard last fall, but he has been practicing at left tackle in addition to guard this spring.

“He’s a guy that will be a left guard and left tackle,” Pruitt said. “There’s other guys that you play on the left side whether its guard or tackle, there’s guys that play at guard to guard, there’s guys that maybe play center to guard, and every once in a while you’ll have a guy that plays center and tackle or a guy that goes left and right. So, we’ve just tried to pick a lane with all of them and find ways to create depth and start figuring out our best five, six, seven, eight guys coming out of spring and I think that’s Jahmir, he’s just playing left guard and left tackle.”

Johnson received the “Trenches Award” from the coaching staff at the end-of-season banquet after proving to be one the toughest Vols in Pruitt’s inaugural season.

Johnson started his career at Rhode Island, where he redshirted, before blossoming into one of the nation’s top junior college offensive line prospects at Arizona Western.

“With the fifth practice, we’re obviously a third of the way through. I think in five practices; we’ve made lots of improvement in different areas. I thought today, our specialists were much more accurate, they were crisper and had better timing. So, I know with special teams the second year around, it seems like we have more guys that have a better understanding of what we’re trying to get done. Offensively today, there was a couple of issues with quarterback-center exchange, and it’s hard to have success if the quarterback can’t take the ball from the center. So, we definitely have to eliminate those mistakes. It was a pretty physical day out there which is a good thing, that’s what spring ball needs to be. Both sides have made some progress this week. I think I see guys that have a better idea of the strain and the expectations that we’re looking for as far as effort. We’re making strides, and we’re nowhere close to where we need to be, but there are improvements. So, I think that’s positive. It’s spring break, so throughout the season and the offseason, guys have opportunities to do things on their own. We hope to see our guys do a good job of working out and staying in shape this week. We have ten days and then when they come back it’s a good opportunity to self-assess and see where we’re at and where we need to go.”

On positives and negatives through five practices:
“Offensively, we’ve done a good job creating some explosive plays. I thought, with exception to the quarterback-center exchanges, we’ve taken care of the football, which is important. Probably the biggest indicator of wins and losses is securing the football. So, our guys have made a conscious effort of that this spring. We’ve been able to play guys at multiple positions on the offensive front, and that’s good so we can create some depth there. I think there’s good competition at lots of positions. Defensively, it has improved over the last couple of days. We’ve got some guys that are playing new positions, some guys that played a lot of ball for us. So, sometimes the only way you can learn is just to go play ball. It’s good that we can do that, and the more reps that we get, the more live looks, and the longer you do something, the better understanding you have of how to do it. So, we just need to play some ball with some of these guys.”

On the impression so far of Aubrey Solomon:
“Aubrey is a guy that has done a really good job in five practices. He’s improved every day. I think with playing the different techniques and learning the different system, he’s done a good job. I think if he continues to work, the more times he does it, he’ll have a better understanding of our expectations and what we’re looking for. So, he’s just got to continue to work the rest of this spring.”

On the challenge of spring break interrupting practice:
“It’s when we chose to do spring break, so, we got five good practices in, and we’ll go back next week and have four more and then have a scrimmage on Saturday. So, we’ll see what guys retain from having a little bit of time off. I think our guys will do a good job with that, we’ll see next week, and we’ll see where it goes.”

On how the defense has been since Monday’s practice:
“Well, there was nowhere to go but up. So, it’s been a little better, a little more competitive. So, I think if the guys will just continue to study and work and compete, they’ll improve. There’s lots of guys that are getting more opportunities, so it’s good for everybody.”

On Jahmir Johnson playing more left tackle:
“That’s what he’s always played, so, he’s just a guy that will be a left guard and left tackle. There’s other guys that you play on the left side whether its guard or tackle, there’s guys that play at guard to guard, there’s guys that maybe play center to guard, and every once in a while you’ll have a guy that plays center and tackle or a guy that goes left and right. So, we’ve just tried to pick a lane with all of them and find ways to create depth and start figuring out our best five, six, seven, eight guys coming out of spring and I think that’s Jahmir, he’s just playing left guard and left tackle.

On spending more time with the defensive line:
“We have a lot of inexperience on the defensive line, so we are challenging these guys. I do not have to be with the defensive backs all the time. One thing about it when you break up for individual drills with the defensive backs and you are separating corners and safeties you need two coaches. I have made sure that I am down there when it comes to that.”

On transfer Deangelo Gibbs’ move to receiver:
“He played both in high school and he is a guy that when he was recruited, he probably could have played either side of the ball. We started him off at receiver to see where he was at. He has practiced at defensive back for the last two years, so we thought we would start him there. He has improved every day. He plays fast, he is a big man with big hands. We will continue to see how he progresses this spring.”

On LaTrell Bumphus’ move to defensive line:
“He is a guy that played both ways in high school, so we did this a little in the spring last year. I saw some things last spring that he liked. We felt like last year he felt a little better for us on offense. He is a guy that is learning the position, and I see a guy that has some wiggle when it comes to pass rush. He is probably 270 pounds or around there. He is doing a good job, but we probably need him to do some things with different techniques. That is probably not who he his is, but he can help us on that side of the ball.”

On JJ Peterson’s progress:
“The fact that he got here in September was hard for him to catch up. The spring has been good for him, he is not full contact yet because of his shoulder. He is taking every rep with the twos and threes. He is a guy that just needs to play. The more reps he gets, the better he will be. He just has to get out there and go play.”

On evaluating the early enrollees:
“I think all of them have improved every single day, that is why they came here. I think it will enable them to have a chance to contribute this year. They are a good group of guys, they are good students and they are very contentious because they work hard. They should still be seniors in high school, so it is good for them to get exposed to it right now.”