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Freshman wide receivers made a good impression at Tennessee football’s first intrasquad scrimmage of spring practice on Monday night.
Travis Smith caught a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Jake Merklinger on a fade route, and Radarious Jackson was part of a long streak of completions by a hot Vols passing attack.
It’s a good sign for UT’s thin receiving corps, which could rely on freshmen in the 2025 season.
“That’s just the landscape of college football. As your roster turns over, your young guys have got to be ready to learn it, earn it and go take a job,” coach Josh Heupel said. “I saw some big plays down the football field tonight. The young wide receivers did a good job in their first opportunity in a scrimmage environment.”
Returning receivers Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley and Chris Brazzell also contributed to a strong offensive showing, led by starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava. There are only six scholarship receivers on the roster in spring, but Alabama transfer Amari Jefferson is limited as he recovers from a 2024 hip injury.
Heupel said Iamaleava displayed “command and control and a complete understanding” of the offense, which is undergoing tweaks in spring.
Granted, the defense was hampered with about a dozen players sidelined by injuries. But the offense performed well from veterans to freshmen.
The scrimmage was closed to the public and media. But here are other key takeaways from Heupel’s review of the night.
Travis Smith could factor into receiver rotation
Heupel was impressed by how Smith handled the playbook, defensive coverages and the atmosphere of Neyland Stadium.
Smith, a 6-foot-3, 207-pounder, was a four-star recruit who chose UT over Georgia, Alabama and Auburn in a hotly contested recruiting battle. He enrolled early in January to compete for immediate playing time. In this…
Source link : https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2025/03/31/tennessee-football-spring-scrimmage-travis-smith-josh-heupel/82633203007/
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Publish date : 2025-04-01 03:32:00
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