Vols Speedy Wideout Squirrel White Garnering Early Praise in Preseason Camp

Before he ever made it to campus, Squirrel White was a fan-favorite in Knoxville, and not just because of his catchy nickname. Now, with a full spring practice

Before he ever made it to campus, Squirrel White was a fan-favorite in Knoxville, and not just because of his catchy nickname. Now, with a full spring practice in the rearview, White is making the most of his opportunities in preseason camp. 

"(Squirrel) is not slow, that's for sure,'" Josh Heupel said on Monday morning. "Squirrel is competitive, really smart and mature in the way that he handles himself in the building, in the meeting room and physically taking care of his body. His ability for the game not to be moving too fast—really almost from day one—in the way that he has handled what we do offensively. He needs to have a great camp for us and I believe that he will. He is truly fearless. He's not the biggest guy, but he is fearless. He is going to stick his face in any physical situation that he needs to."

White flashed his ability during yesterday's  1v1 setting, when he ran a deep dig, pressing the defender out, then working back inside before running off and leaving him to make the catch. 

One reason for White's ability is his natural speed, and he has already been topped out an impressive number through his catapult vest that tracks this. 

White told reporters on Tuesday that he had topped out at 23.6mph. That speed coupled with a quick release has made it tough for defenders to stay in front of him through two days of fall camp. 

"I think that is my best asset," White said of his ability to press defenders with his speed. "Being able to beat DBs short and deep with that, just going in there and dominating them. That is something I have always worked on with me being little is just trying not to let the defense get their hands on me."

White is also working as a returner for the Vols, as Heupel and staff will look to facilitate touches to the talented freshman in as many ways as possible.