By Tucker Harlin
KNOXVILLE, Tenn– It’s (spring) football time in Tennessee.
The Vols took the field Monday for their first practice of the 2024 spring football season. The practice was a walk through as players were dressed in helmets, practice jerseys, and pants, but no pads.
NON PARTICIPANTS
Three Vols did not participate in any activity the first day of spring practice, all on the offense.
The two offensive linemen that missed the first day of practice were Masai Reddick and Brian Grant.
Grant stood off to the side as everyone else warmed up to start practice. Reddick was in the corner with a sling around his right arm.
The other player that did not participate was running back Peyton Lewis. The four-star signee out of Virginia was standing on the far side of the field as the rest of the team warmed up.
PARTIAL PARTICIPANTS
A handful of players went through warmups without helmets but did not work in drills.
At receiver, super senior Bru McCoy and redshirt freshman Nathan Leacock warmed up but did not participate in individual drills. McCoy is still in the process of recovering from a season-ending ankle injury he suffered in the Vols’ win over South Carolina.
At guard, graduate Javontez Spraggins and senior Andrej Karic warmed up without a helmet to start spring ball. Spraggins did not participate in individual drills as he is rehabbing from a leg injury but was getting work in with a medicine ball.
On the other end, linebackers Will Brooks and Elijah Herring and redshirt junior Christian Charles stayed off to the side.
FULL PARTICIPANTS
Three players on the defensive end did not wear helmets in the first practice but took part in both warmups and drills.
Sophomore linebacker Arion Carter was back going through individual drills Monday. Carter suffered a shoulder injury that ended his 2023 season in early November.
Super senior defensive linemen Omari Thomas and Dominic Bailey were the other two to get work in without a helmet.
OTHER NOTES
In attendance Monday was 2025 quarterback commit George MacIntyre. The Brentwood Academy star had an official visit this weekend along with Jaime Ffrench, a five-star receiver the Vols are targeting out of Florida.
Monday was the first day Kaleb Beasley and Edwin Spillman suited up for the Vols. In fact, both Beasley and Spillman enrolled in classes Monday at the University of Tennessee. Both members of the Lipscomb Academy defensive duo will speak to the media Tuesday.