Marlon Walls (58) congratulates Corey Miller (80) after he sacked the quarterback during the Orange and White game at UT on Saturday April 17, 2010. The White team won 16-7.KNOXVILLE - Tuesday afternoon was a long time coming for Marlon Walls.
Tennessee's sophomore defensive tackle, who missed all of last season after tearing his left Achilles' tendon in the first week of preseason practice, went through difficult rehabilitation that culminated in his return to the practice field for the Volunteers' first spring practice.
"Rehab was stressful," Walls said, "but I must say the positive thing out of it was I got to sit back and watch for a while and learn what I need to do better, what other people are doing better and watch them and critique them and learn how to master my craft and pick up on things I didn't pick up on when I was out here playing."
Walls played in seven games in 2009, and he'll be expected to play a role in the Vols' thin rotation at defensive tackle this season. He said he's currently at 283 pounds and wants to be between 290 and 295 when preseason camp begins in August.
"I know he's been waiting for a long, long time to get back on the field and move around and not worry about [his injury]," said defensive end Jacques Smith, a former Ooltewah star. "I've seen it this whole offseason. Marlon's just ready to get back on the field and play in front of 100,000 again."
Walls went through all of UT's winter program after completing his return.
"That's when I knew was ready," he said, "when we got to pulling sleds and there wasn't any more swelling and I didn't feel any aching. When I got back, I feel like I was in pretty good shape.
"I'm 100 percent; there's no excuses. I feel real good. It's actually stronger than my right one. I've been ready to go I'd say at least two or three months. Got to learn how to put excitement aside and execute on the field, learn the plays and get back in playing shape.
"But today was real exciting, and it's a blessing. Just got to stay healthy and take care of my body."
Bray 'still ... fresh'
The continued development of quarterback Tyler Bray will be worth watching this spring, as he will be expected to take on even more responsibilities than he had as the freshman who last season led the Vols to a bowl game with four November wins.
It's the second spring practice for the 6-foot-6, 195-pound Bray after he enrolled early, which means he's even further along.
"It does help that going through a year of it already, so you come back and it's still a little fresh because it hasn't been that long," he said. "Reading through [the playbook] once or twice, you remember things and get going with it."
Expectations
The Vols have been breaking in new coaching staffs each of the past two spring practices, and the stability of having the same leadership already has them ahead of where they were last year.
"We haven't had a transition this year," linebacker Austin Johnson said. "Coach Dooley had us ready, and he gave us his expectations. I feel like we're out here to meet those, and we have a long ways to go, but it was good day today.
"He just wants us to have a goal. I think we all kind of lost our expectations back when [we] kept switching coaches, and everybody was just thinking about themselves. Coach Dooley is really thinking about us all coming together as a team, and looking toward a single goal, and that's what we are, and that's a championship."