KNOXVILLE—Welcome to our weekly column, “The State of the Vols.” Here we summarize and analyze the previous week’s action while looking forward to the coming week for the Vols. Check back next Monday for volume 12.

Football: The Vols opened last week’s practices a little sluggish but recovered to turn in the most encouraging scrimmage of the year. Tennessee’s quarterbacks looked sharp and the short-handed offense was quick and efficient. We wrote at length on the performance of the offense, but the defense also stood out in several ways.

1. The defensive line did an excellent job pressuring the passer off the edge. Freshman defensive end Corey Vereen recorded two sacks on the day and several Vol ends spent considerable time in the backfield. For a defense that finished last in the SEC in sacks in 2012, this is a noteworthy development.

2. Tackling has improved drastically. It’s no secret the Vols weren’t a good tackling team last season, and those problems certainly manifested themselves early in the spring. Saturday, however, missed tackles were hard to find. Tackling technique has been a focus of the defense throughout spring and the team is starting to realize some of the fruits of that focus. The defense is also doing a much better job swarming to the ball. That pursuit has certainly cut down on missed tackles as it doesn’t give the offense much open field to work with. It’s a work in progress, but Saturday the defense showed they can consistently be a sound tackling team for the first time this year.

3. Justin Coleman has locked down a starting spot at cornerback. The junior cornerback has played in every game since stepping on campus two years ago. He’s one of Tennessee’s most experienced members of the secondary and is playing like it. Coleman made an unbelievable interception in the end zone after getting beat off the line by sophomore receiver Cody Blanc. He recovered, hung in the air for what seemed like an hour, and pulled it in with one hand. For the rest of the day, Tennessee’s quarterbacks threw away from the side where he lined up. In individual drills he’s received consistent praise from defensive backs coach Willie Martinez. Look for Coleman to have an excellent year.

While the Vols had an excellent week of practice, they had an even better week recruiting. Tennessee’s top tight end target, Ethan Wolf, committed Wednesday. Wolf possesses a versatile skill set and will be an impact player in the passing game the moment he steps on campus. Sunday evening, news broke that one of Tennessee’s weekend visitors committed before leaving campus. Lawrence Lee, a 3-star receiver from Florida, became the ninth member of the 2014 class with his pledge. Lee is a perfect fit for the slot position in Jones’ uptempo offense and could also contribute in the return game. Tennessee’s 2014 class is ranked 4th nationally by Rivals and 247Sports.

The Vols hit the practice field Wednesday and Thursday this week before Saturday’s Orange and White Game. A multitude of the nation’s top recruits will be on campus over the weekend. Look for Tennessee to pick up at least one commitment this week. We have a running list of expected visitors here.

Saturday’s Orange and White Game is set for a 2 p.m. start and is completely free (both parking and admission). You can find more details here.

Basketball: Jordan McRae announced his plans to return to school for his senior year on “The Steven Pearl Show” on Tennessee Sports Radio. You can listen to the audio of McRae’s appearance here. Now, the Vols await word on Jarnell Stokes’ intentions. The sophomore power forward is projected as a middle second round pick at best. Stokes needs to work on his face up game and finishing around the rim in order to be successful at the next level, but may choose to do that in the developmental league or overseas rather than return to school. He has until April 28th to enter the draft or announce his return. If he elects to return for his junior year, the Vols should be ranked in the top 20 when the preseason polls are released; if not, UT will still be in contention for a spot in the top 25.

The Vols picked up a commitment from 6-11 JUCO center Rawane Ndiaye late Tuesday afternoon. Ndiaye visited over the weekend and attended the football team’s scrimmage Saturday morning. Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals, he will be the only true center on the roster next season. Tennessee is the only school to offer Ndiaye at this point, but several other SEC programs have been eyeing him. He averaged 2.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13 games for Indian Hills Community College last season.

As the roster stands currently, the Vols are two scholarships over the limit. Cuonzo Martin will have at least one tough decision on his hands in the coming weeks.

Lady Vols: Kamiko Williams was selected by the New York Liberty with the 15th pick in the WNBA Draft. “I am so proud of Kamiko and just excited about this opportunity for her. She worked extremely hard and showed great maturity as a senior, and that effort helped lead to our team being successful and to her enjoying the best season of her career,” Holly Warlick said in a statement.

We wish Kamiko all the best in her professional pursuits.