Josh Heupel has said it before, as have many other coaches: you can't make the club in the tub. Indeed, availability is the best kind of ability in football, where injuries are unfortunately a big part of the game.
Tennessee is no different. The Vols have seen a number of key contributors having to deal with injuries this offseason. Bru McCoy , Donte Thornton , Cam Seldon , Keenan Pili, and Ethan Davis are just some of several who have worked hard this offseason to get their bodies in the best shape possible for the 2024 season.
However, according to Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle on Thursday during his session with the media, the rehabbing sessions and offseason recovery programs are where a number of these Vols have made it a competition among themselves as far as getting back.
"I think it's the culture in the building because you've seen it in the running back room as well with like Cam, who was out for a while this offseason," Halzle responded to a question about how Thornton and McCoy have pushed each other this offseason.
"The guys push each other. You get a date that they think that you can be back, and everyone is just pushing to beat it. So, it becomes a competition, and that's what we tell the guys. 'Ok, you can't go compete on the field right now in spring ball, let's say, but you can go compete in the training room and in the weight room to get yourself back.
"So, there's still that competitive nature that exists inside this building, which is why I think guys like Bru, guys like Donte, guys like Cam, they're all beating their dates back, and they look great when they take the field."
It's impressive that the Tennessee head coaches have instilled this kind of attitude and mentality among these players. It's not easy to be able to handle an injury, particularly on the mental side of it. Bru McCoy talked about that on Thursday as well, the mental challenge of the recovery process.
However, if there's one thing that athletes are, it's competitive, and being able to channel that competitive attitude and direct it towards a productive task, such as hitting recovery timeline benchmarks and get back dates, that's pretty smart. It gives a tangible mark of progress and is something concrete that players can strive for.
The Vols appear to be trending upwards on the injury and recovery front as the season starts, with just about all of their impact players injured in the 2023 season or offseason ready to go. And it sounds like you can thank the coaches' motivation and the players' competitive drive and work ethic for that.
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