Butch Jones says the Defense is ahead of the Offense, two helmet stripes removed and more|UT Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones spoke to the media on Friday after practice. His biggest statement came when he was asked if one unit was ahead of the other. Jones differed to his defense.

“Right now we’re a little bit ahead of the game defensively,” Jones said. “First of all is just continuity on offense. We have zero continuity on offense. We have to step it up there and I trust that we will.”

Obviously anytime you usher in a new quarterback, there’s going to be an adjustment period. To add to that point, anytime you’re working with two quarterbacks without one emerging, it just complicates things. This is why I and so many others are big proponents of naming a starter instead of a two quarterback system.

Speaking of those quarterbacks, Jarrett Guarantano was not at practice today. Butch said that the redshirt freshman was dealing with a death in the family, but will be back in Knoxville Friday night.

Jones said that the team got Marcus Tatum, Trey Smith and Brett Kendrick. He singled out Drew Richmond, Venzell Boulware, Jack Jones and Coleman Thomas for “taking every rep with the ones and the twos.” Those added reps will undoubtedly benefit those guys, but present a challenge to find the right combination when everyone is healthy.

Freshmen tight end LaTrell Bumphus and freshman safety Theo Jackson had their black stripes removed, Butch Jones told the media. Both Bumphus and Jackson have drawn some hype in camp, so seeing them take the next step and get their stripes removed is hardly a surprise. These were the first two helmet stripes removed in camp to this point.