Tennessee’s receivers may have different motivation. However, they all have the same goal, to succeed personally and as a team. 

“You think about the stories in this room,” UT receiver coach Kelsey Pope said following the Vols’ practice on Thursday. “Like Bru (McCoy) could have been done last year. He fought through an injury, but really and truly it is a second chance for him to put things on tape his last year. 

“You got a kid like (Oregon transfer) Dont’e (Thornton, Jr.), who comes from Baltimore. He comes to Knoxville and he embraces everything about this community and his role with his football family. You get Squirrel White who is adding an addition to his family, who is a great kid, but now he is growing into more of a protective role.

“I cannot wait to see these guys and their stories be played out on Saturday. I think that is what gives me an exciting feeling. Football is always fun, but the stories that attach you to these guys and you are going through their journey with them. Then, seeing that play out on Saturday and those guys make plays. That is an awesome feeling. Once the wins come behind that, it is cherries on top.” 

Tennessee isn’t thinking about extra toppings when it comes to McCoy. He’s the main course as he returns from the lower leg/ankle injury he suffered early last season. The key for the Vols’ staff is making sure McCoy doesn’t try to do too much. After all, his athletic prowess is proven. One would expect he would be limited in the Vols’ first scrimmage of the season on Friday. However, he probably won’t like that at all.

“That’s kind of Bru,” Pope said of McCoy’s drive to practice even though he probably doesn’t need nearly as much as he’d like. “If you know him, you know he’s anxious to go play and compete, which is a good thing from my standpoint. I would much rather hold a guy back and tell him to hold up than have to get a guy to be aggressive. So that’s actually a positive for him. 

“For him it’s just giving him the big picture. I plan for him. Our work load planned for him (is) not getting him back in there too soon and putting a bunch of volume on him. He’s done a good job of trusting that. He’s done an amazing job of leading this room. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around – player or coach – in my career. We’re fortunate to have him in that role.”

Thornton’s motivation is different than McCoy. Thornton is trying to come back from a disappointing season as a transfer that seemed to be improving just before he suffered a lower body injury in November as he caught a touchdown pass.

“As transparent as I can be, I think mindset,” Pope said when asked the difference between Thornton’s approach this season as opposed to last year. “I think when he got here, there was a ton of nervousness and a ton of anxiety. He put pressure on himself a lot. 

“I think the biggest thing that kid has done this off season is he’s allowed himself to work as hard as he can and let the chips fall where they may. A lot of times when you do that as an athlete you make more plays because you’re a lot looser when you’re playing. You’re not so wound up and tightened up and putting pressure on yourself. 

“He’s come a very long way as far as his mental makeup. He’s built up a lot of confidence and it’s because of a lot of work that he’s done this offseason to gain that confidence. Dont’e is in a good spot.”

Then there’s the influx of new talent, led by transfer Chris Brazzell II, who transferred from Tulane after being the leading receiver for the Green Wave last season. He was also rated as the No. 11 receiver prospect in the transfer portal.

“He’s dialed in,” Pope said of Brazzell. “When he first got here, I don’t think he had a true expectation of what it took in this building and in this league to be successful. Right now he’s in a really good spot. He’s dialed in. 

“He’s getting extra meetings. He’s getting extra film. He’s doing a great job of preparing. I think as long as he does that and continues to do that, he’ll give himself a shot. We still have to make plays on Saturday, but as long as you prepare the right way, you always give yourself a shot at being successful and he’s doing that right now, I’m pleased with him.”

As for the new father, White has taken this season seriously for good reason now that he has a baby to support. Analysts apparently believe he can be very supportive of his growing family thanks to football. It seems White is named to another award watch list nearly every day.

“All that is great (but) that is more for his family to enjoy than him,” Pope said. “Those watchlists and awards man, those things do not help us get results. So, for him, it is to continue to keep the work ethic (as) the main thing. You don’t get anything for reputation. It is great that he’s kind of got a reputation out there, but he has to continue to work. We don’t live off reputation.

“Squirrel is doing a great job of being in the building. He has got some things that he has done a good job of managing this offseason. He has grown a lot as a man. Football has always been important to him. When he got here to Tennessee, he had some growing up to do. He is light years ahead of where he was when he got on campus. As a human being that guy has grown a ton.”

The Vols’ coaches also seemed pleased with Nathan Leacock, who has flown under the radar a bit during his time at Tennessee. Leacock redshirted last year, but is expected to have an impact for the Vols in his second tour as a freshman.

“I think that guy has done a great job this offseason,” Pope said. “He caught more balls than anyone this offseason. He is anywhere between like 12 to 13 thousand balls, which was a huge area where he had to grow in. He has changed his body. He is healthy and he is playing fast right now.”

When asked about Chas Nimrod, Pope said he had a conversation with the sophomore, who has spent three years as a Vol thanks to a redshirt in 2022. The directive was clear: toughen up.

“His biggest thing is just the rigors and the violence in this league. I want you to play with a tone of physicality. I want you to embrace physicality,” Pope said. “Chas is a good-hearted guy. He is always smiling. He is always in a great mood. 

“There is a switch that has to be flipped when you are on that field. For me to be elite, I have to be able to flip that switch and go compete with anybody in the world. I think, mentally, that is where he has transformed.”

The common theme among all the receivers is that they have improved in the offseason, which is to be expected. Why has that been the case? Simple. Competition. If the Vols’ receivers don’t keep up with their running mates, they won’t be seeing much playing time this fall.

“I think you guys keep asking about growth from everybody,” Pope said. “Man, I think the true equalizer is competition. We have done a great job of putting talent in that room. When there is talent in that room, there is an expectation to make plays.

“As each guy in the room has done that, there is a guy on the side like ‘Man, I got to go make that play because I have to earn playing time.’ That has been the huge thing this offseason that has helped us be successful so far.” 

Depth breeds competition. Competition breeds improvement, which in turn breeds more depth. That’s what Tennessee’s receivers seemingly have mastered during preseason camp and an offseason of improvement. That should bode well for this season.