Despite sitting out Tuesday with a “thigh bruise,” Alvin Kamara has done more than enough to turn a few heads in his first spring practice at Tennessee.
With the graduation of Marlin Lane, the Vols needed somebody to step in and take carries from rising sophomore Jalen Hurd, and so far the junior college transfer has done just that.
Hurd ran for 899 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last year, and he is using that experience to help his new teammate.
“Alvin is doing a great job,” Hurd said after practice Tuesday afternoon. “I’m just trying to be there and give him as much encouragement, and as much tips as I got and just help teach him. But he’s doing an amazing job.
At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Kamara comes in as the quicker of the two, but Hurd more than makes up for the size that Kamara may lack.
Hurd has been limited this spring due to shoulder surgery in the off-season, but that hasn’t stopped him from hitting the weight room. The Hendersonville, Tennessee native says he is up to around 235 pounds which, combined with his 6-foot-3 frame, makes him and Kamara a formidable one-two punch.
“I think we feed off each other,” Hurd said. “He’s more elusive than I am, and I can work on that. He can work on getting a little bit bigger, like I am. We’ll feed off each other, and we’ll get better and help each other.”
Head coach Butch Jones said Kamara will likely return to practice on Thursday, or Saturday at the very latest.
Defensive linemen emerging: Much has been made of the five defensive linemen that will miss spring practice due to injury.
While that is nowhere near an ideal situation for Tennessee, it does give the remaining players an opportunity to make a name for themselves, and one of those players is rising sophomore defensive tackle Kendal Vickers.
“I was very encouraged by the play of Kendal Vickers,” Jones said. “We went live goal-line at the end of practice, and you could feel the presence of Kendal Vickers. Kendal is an individual who continues to get better and better, so we’re very encouraged about his progress.”
After redshirting his first season at Tennessee, Vickers appeared in five games in 2014, mostly in mop-up duty and failed to get in the stat sheet.
Jones referenced Vickers as a player who is using spring football to “transform,” and that hard work is paying off for the Havelock, North Carolina product, something that is being noticed by his teammates.
“Kendal Vickers is doing extremely well,” rising sophomore offensive lineman Austin Sanders said. “He’s coming every day, and that’s what it’s about is coming every day.”
Charles Mosely is another defensive tackle who has managed to take advantage of an increased number of reps.
After breaking his leg in a car accident last August forced him to redshirt his freshman year, this spring is Mosely’s first opportunity to show the coaching staff what he’s capable of, and his toughness is what has stood out to Jones thus far.
“I’ve been encouraged,” Jones said of the 370 pound Mosely. “He’s out on the football field giving everything that he has each and every day. He’s probably about 65-70 percent, but he’s bringing it. He hasn’t missed practice. He hasn’t missed any reps and I give that young man a lot of credit, and I do see him progressing.”
Medley gaining confidence: After being named the starting kicker just before the first game of his true freshman season, Aaron Medley admittedly was a little nervous.
Hitting 20-of-26 field goals, including a game winner in overtime at South Carolina, the rising sophomore is feeling a little more confident this time around.
“I think the biggest change, going from last year to this year, is when we go out for a field goal, I’m expected to make it now,” Medley said. “Last year it was like ‘okay, let’s see what he can do.’ But I think the standard is up there now, and I have to maintain it.”
One of the biggest changes for Medley hasn’t come on his field goal attempts, but on his kick-offs. He’s changed his form some this spring in hopes of increasing his distance.
Last season just 15-of-63 kicks were recorded as touchbacks, and Jones wants to see that number improve heading into Medley’s sophomore season.
“We need him to get the ball in the end zone,” Jones said. “The best kick-off cover team is when they have a touchback. We’ve really challenged him on that, and he’s really responded.”
