TEAM
Wide receiver Cody Blanc is out and injured. He was as he left the field Friday night...on crutches. Coach Butch Jones says he has not seen MRI results on Blanc.Defensive tackle Charles Mosley has bee with the team since report date. However, the former Scout four-star will not play in any game in the 2014 season, per Jones.Running back Treyvon Paulk, tight end A.J. Branisel and tight end Brendan Downs all wore braces on their left knee. Defensive end Corey Vereen donned a right-knee brace. Defensive end/linebacker Curt Maggitt and safety Brian Randolph have no braces on either their upper or lower body.Defensive back RaShaan Gaulden worked out in "The Hole." Offensive linemen Dylan Weisman and Dellen Hash accompanied Gaulden and did not stretch with the team.Recruits on campus are Ugo Amadi, Austin Kendall and Joejuan Williams.
OFFENSE
First-team offensive line consistent of Jacob Gilliam, Marcus Jackson, Mack Crowder, Kyler Kerbyson, Coleman Thomas.Senior running back Devrin Young made perhaps the most spectacular catch of camp thus far early in Saturday’s workout. The 5-foot-8, 173-pounder leaped high for a deep pass over the middle, reeled in the ball with one hand, then did two somersaults before coming up with the ball still clutched in his right hand. Instead of congratulations, all he got from head coach Butch Jones was the comment: “Two hands, Devrin. Two hands!” Tough room.Freshman running back Jalen Hurd felt the sting of the head man’s tongue, as well. When Hurd’s energy lagged a bit during a kicking drill, Jones shouted: “Last time I checked both of Alabama’s running backs started on special teams. Did you know that, Jalen Hurd?”Drae Bowles failed to make a catch as a freshman last fall but he recorded a couple of dandy grabs during the media portion of Saturday’s drill. He made a nifty adjustment and an impressive sliding catch of a deep ball thrown to his right by Joshua Dobbs. Moments later he leaped high to pull down a bullet over the middle.Senior Brendan Downs, the 2013 starter at tight end, heard from his teammates after dropping a pass that hit him right in the hands. Downs is trying to fight off mid-term freshmen Ethan Wolf and Daniel Helm after missing spring practiced due to injury.Sophomore quarterback Joshua Dobbs appears to have a quicker release and more velocity than he did as a freshman last fall. That could be significant, since he threw six interceptions and just two touchdowns in 2013.Freshman running back Derrell Scott has bulked up from 180 to 194 pounds since signing in February but he looked plenty nifty in a cutback drill. So did fellow rookie Trayvon Paulk, who is listed as 5-feet-8 and 200 pounds. Both are battling Devrin Young, junior Justus Pickett and senior DeAnthonie Summerhill for the No. 3 running back spot behind senior Marlin Lane and mid-term freshman Jalen Hurd.
DEFENSE
First-team Nickel defense was Devaun Swafford, Brian Randolph, Justin Coleman, Emmanuel Moseley, Cameron Sutton, A.J. Johnson, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Corey Vereen, Curt Maggitt, Danny O'Brien and Jordan Williams.Senior Justin Coleman says freshman Elliott Berry keeps a notebook full of information and is coming along quickly from a mental standpoint.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Field punts were Jacob Carter, Cameron Sutton and Vic Wharton.Fielding kickoffs simultaneously were Alton "Pig" Howard, Josh Malone, Von Pearson and Devrin Young.Returnmen struggled initially before rebounding later in a drill receiving kicks/punts from the JUGS gun with towels under their arms and tennis balls in their hands, working on cradling the ball into their chest.After looking remarkably sure-handed in Friday’s opening practice, Tennessee’s punt-return men had a horrible day on Saturday. Senior Devrin Young, who handled the return duties in 2013, began the drill by dropping the first JUGS gun punt. Alton Howard followed with a second drop, then junior college transfer Von Pearson made it three in a row by also putting the ball on the ground.Freshmen Vic Wharton, Josh Malone and Evan Berry restored order by making routine catches on punts 4, 5 and 6. Berry lost points moments later, however, by allowing a punt to hit the ground in front of him. Given a do-over, Berry then dropped the next punt. Pearson also was guilty of misjudging a punt and allowing it to hit the ground in front of him. Senior Jacob Carter was another Vol to drop a punt. In addition to the rash of muffed punts, Vol return men bobbled another half-dozen or so. Through two days of work freshman Wharton seems the most comfortable fielding the ball, routinely making the catch with his hands and then cradling the ball to his body.