Vols Wrap Up Second Spring Scrimmage

(utsports.com) Tennessee’s defense set the tone in the first half of its second scrimmage, but the offense responded in the second stanza as the Volunteers wrapped up their third week of spring ball on Thursday in Neyland Stadium.

A reshaped defensive front and secondary has flashed and been consistent. One of those newcomers is Penn State transfer defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam. The redshirt sophomore made his presence known last year and started in the Nittany Lions’ victory over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

“He’s a guy who has played some football and has familiarity with the scheme,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “He had a really good offseason in our winter program, and then as we have continued to go through spring ball, I think he has flashed more and more the deeper we have gotten into it. I have shown him a couple of times in our block destruction drill that we do up front.”

The offense picked up the pace in the second half of the scrimmage that featured a DaSaahn Brame explosive play touchdown. Brame enters his second season with the program healthy and forms a solid returning tight end punch with Ethan Davis.

“He understands space, leverage, being able to go up and high point with a big catch radius,” said Heupel of Brame. “He created a big play today down the middle of the football field. He has definitely grown in becoming a complete tight end, of being able to play in the run game and protection too. I am really excited about what he’s done.”

The Vols will break for Easter and return to practice next Tuesday to kick off the final week of spring ball. The Orange & White Game is set for 2 p.m. ET on April 11. Admission is free, and gates to Neyland Stadium will open at 1 p.m.