Vols conclude first week of spring practice

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - With a strong core of returning leadership, as well as key newcomers looking to take on roles at the skill positions, Tennessee offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh is set to further develop the dynamic Volunteer offense in his second spring on Rocky Top.

Golesh met with the media Saturday afternoon following the Volunteers’ third spring practice and first in pads.

Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Alex Golesh

On evolving the offense…

“I think, being in in this league for a year now and having a really good feel for how people are going to play you, we’re always trying to attack from a multitude of different ways, from a tempo standpoint, a spacing standpoint. Now, how do we grow and change as people have a year on us? There’s going to be four new defensive coordinators that we have to play against. How will they attack us? Just continuing to create variation, whether it’s in tempo, whether it’s formational, but continue to create different ways essentially, at the end of the day, to get our playmakers the ball. As we study people in the offseason, we’re going to continue to grow. What are people like us doing? What’s going on in the NFL? What are they doing that’s been successful? I think we have to continue to evolve and change. We looked different a year ago then we did our last year at the previous place (UCF). At the end of it, who are our guys? There’s a bunch of new guys here. How can we get those guys the football and be successful? I think we’re going to continue to evolve, continue to change, with the core of it staying the same.”

On what he is looking for from the wide receivers…

“I think, being in in this league for a year now and having a really good feel for how people are going to play you, we’re always trying to attack from a multitude of different ways, from a tempo standpoint, a spacing standpoint. Now, how do we grow and change as people have a year on us? There’s going to be four new defensive coordinators that we have to play against. How will they attack us? Just continuing to create variation, whether it’s in tempo, whether it’s formational, but continue to create different ways essentially, at the end of the day, to get our playmakers the ball. As we study people in the offseason, we’re going to continue to grow. What are people like us doing? What’s going on in the NFL? What are they doing that’s been successful? I think we have to continue to evolve and change. We looked different a year ago then we did our last year at the previous place (UCF). At the end of it, who are our guys? There’s a bunch of new guys here. How can we get those guys the football and be successful? I think we’re going to continue to evolve, continue to change, with the core of it staying the same.”

On quarterback Hendon Hooker’s impact on the offense right now…

“You know who the guy is going into it, so it helps you as you game plan. Him and Joe (Milton) really aren’t drastically different in terms of skillset, so we didn’t have to change drastically there when that change happened. In terms of input in the offense, he now has a really good understanding of it. He’ll speak up. He’s not a big ask you for things guy, more of a tell you what he doesn’t want guy. He has the same input he had a year ago. If there’s something he doesn’t like, we won’t do it. Obviously, it’s all about him being comfortable back there.”

On early impressions of freshman quarterback Tayven Jackson…

“Tayven Jackson just had a really, really good day. Tayven is really, really fun to watch. He’s a really good athlete. He’s got a really quick release. He’s really grasped the offense through three days, well. It’ll be interesting to see as things pile up as you go into (days) four, five and six – pads on today – what he actually looks like. It’ll be interesting when we scrimmage next week and coaches are off the field what he looks. (He’s) a superb athlete, has a really good understanding and has a really quick trigger. Everything we kind of hoped he would be, he certainly has been that so far. We’ve got to continue to put more on him and he’s got to continue to grow. We talked with him (about) consistently stringing days together. Can he be better tomorrow than he was today? I know this sounds a little bit cliché but, wipe it clean, play the next play, wipe it clean play the next play. He doesn’t seem to be bothered by a whole lot. He’s just kind of having fun. That kid won a ton of games in high school. He’s a winner, which is exactly what you want to recruit at that spot.”

On the learning curve for the early enrollees…

“It’s huge for them to be here early, obviously. They just went through seven weeks, going into spring ball, of install. That’s been awesome, the NCAA allowing us now, whenever that was four or five years ago, to actually be able to be in a classroom with them in the offseason. They’ve been superb. All those freshmen have been awesome in terms of, they’ve got the base fundamentals down. But similar to what we’re talking about with Tayven, now they’ve got to string days together. This is the first time for them. There’s class, there’s study table and now there’s football on top of that. There’s meetings. It’s just, for them, learning what it is to be a college football player. Being here, being early is awesome because they’ve got a feel for what that’s actually like. Just all of it at the same time – waking up early, eating, going to sleep, going to study. I think those guys – there’s such a level of maturity. I’m so excited about that freshman class we signed on our side of the ball. There’s this level of maturity, level of consistency with that crew. They came in here and they came in here to play, so that’s how they’ve attacked it. There’s a professionalism among that group that’s really, really superb. It’s been really cool to see.”

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