STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee is quickly discovering the frustration and fascination involved in having such a young team.

The Volunteers welcomed in a heralded 32-man recruiting class, and many of them will get substantial playing time this fall.

Tennessee coach Butch Jones has said on more than one occasion that patience was going to be tested this year as the Vols attempt to compete in the Southeastern Conference while relying heavily on newcomers.

“This league is very unforgiving, especially if you play a lot of true freshman,” Jones said. “If you look at a lot of good players that have played in the SEC and you look at their play from their freshman year to their junior year to their senior year, it is remarkably different.”

Jones has said the Vols can’t use their youth “as a crutch, an excuse.” Jones made his point Monday when he cancelled the players’ scheduled post-practice interviews because he wasn’t happy with the team’s practice performance.

“It was eye-opening for a lot of the young guys because we’re not used to that from high school,” freshman receiver Vic Wharton said.

Tennessee’s recruiting class was ranked among the top five in the nation by multiple services. One week into training camp, the new arrivals already have made an impact. The offense has more big-play ability. The defense has more speed, something Jones expects to carry over to special teams as well.

This group knows it’s being counted on to help Tennessee end a string of four straight losing seasons.

“You’ll be maybe walking on ‘The Hill’ and students come up to you and (say), ‘We’re ready for you to bring Tennessee back,'” freshman cornerback Emmanuel Moseley said.

The newcomers who have garnered the most attention are running back Jalen Hurd and wide receiver Josh Malone, who were both rated as five-star prospects by at least one recruiting service. Malone scored three touchdowns and Hurd was Tennessee’s leading rusher in the spring game.

But it isn’t only the elite recruits making an early statement.

Moseley, who arrived at Tennessee as a consensus three-star prospect, had a spot on the first-team defense at the end of spring practice and has maintained that status throughout training camp while dramatically remaking his body. Moseley says he weighed 145 pounds during his January enrollment and now is up to 178.

“He has been extremely consistent each and every day,” Jones said. “You know what you are getting with Emmanuel Moseley every day. There are no bad days for Emmanuel Moseley.”

Coleman Thomas, also a consensus three-star recruit, is Tennessee’s likely starter at right tackle.

“I’m encouraged by where he is at,” offensive line coach Don Mahoney said. “We’ve just got to keep chipping away with him, but he’s a really, really talented and sharp kid.”

As training camp develops, these newcomers likely will get many more lessons similar to the one they received after Monday’s sluggish practice. Jones cautioned last week that “sometimes we’re too quick to anoint and crown individuals when they have a long way to go.”

Tennessee’s program also has a long way to go. The newcomers are eager to help the Vols get there.

“We haven’t touched the field yet,” Moseley said. “We tell each other the media’s going to say we’re great, but we’ve just got to be ready when the chance comes. We’ve got to be ready to attack. I think we’re the class to bring Tennessee back. I think we can do it.”

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