Author Archives: Joel Hollingsworth

So far, here’s where the Vols’ units have ranked in the SEC heading into the 2020 season:

• Quarterbacks, No. 4
• Running backs, No. 4
• Wide receivers, No. 10
• Offensive line, No. 2
• Defensive line, No. 2
• Linebackers, No. 8
• Defensive backs, No. 4

Today, we’ll look at special teams.

2020 SEC Special Teams Rankings

Additional comments

The Vols show up at No. 4 on this list thanks mostly to the return of their kickers. Brent Cimaglia made 85.2% of his field goal attempts last year and has never missed an extra point in 69 attempts. The guy is an excellent 77.4% over his three-year career so far and is improving every year. He has a chance to finish his Tennessee career with the best percentage in program history. Punter Paxton Brooks also returns after having averaged 42 yards per punt last season.

The return game is in a bit of a state of flux. Ty Chandler is back to return kicks, for whatever that’s worth in this age of fair catches on kickoffs, but the team will be looking for a full-time replacement for Marquez Callaway to return punts. I’m feeling pretty good about it being Eric Gray and him doing well with it.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?

So far, here’s where the Vols’ units have ranked in the SEC heading into the 2020 season:

• Quarterbacks, No. 4
• Running backs, No. 4
• Wide receivers, No. 10
• Offensive line, No. 2
• Defensive line, No. 2
• Linebackers, No. 8

Today, we’ll look at the defensive backs.

2020 SEC Defensive Back Rankings

Additional comments

A recurring theme for the Vols is that their defense ended up a Top 25 unit in 2019. The DBs were part of that, and although they have to replace Nigel Warrior this fall, he’s the only one. Also, it looks like the Vols better be able to run the ball in the SEC East this year. 🙂

Georgia, again, is at the top, as the Bulldogs return most of their secondary from a stellar defense in 2019. They’re on a level of their own.

The next five — Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU — are all bunched together. LSU may look low, but the Tigers’ defense wasn’t quite as good as some of the others, the pieces they lost are a little more painful (Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton), and their recruiting for the unit was a bit behind the others. But it’s super close among all five of those teams. Tennessee, A&M, and LSU are all only separated by a total of 16 yards of projected defense.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?

So far, here’s where the Vols’ units have ranked in the SEC heading into the 2020 season:

• Quarterbacks, No. 4
• Running backs, No. 4
• Wide receivers, No. 10
• Offensive line, No. 2
• Defensive line, No. 2

Today, we’ll look at the linebackers.

2020 SEC Linebacker Rankings

Additional comments

There’s not much to see here for Vols fans except to note that replacing Daniel Bituli and Darrell Taylor is probably Job One for the defense this season.

You may recall that we have Georgia’s defensive line ranked No. 1, too, adding fuel to our belief that as good as the Bulldogs’ defense was last year, it could be even better this year. It’s also interesting to note that Georgia’s sacks generally come from the ‘backers rather than the linemen.

Oh, and look. There’s Kentucky again.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?

So far, here’s where the Vols’ units have ranked in the SEC heading into the 2020 season:

• Quarterbacks, No. 4
• Running backs, No. 4
• Wide receivers, No. 10
• Offensive line, No. 2

Today, we’ll look at the defensive line.

2020 SEC Defensive Line Rankings

Additional comments

Of all of the unit rankings this year, this one surprised me the most when I first crunched the numbers. Tennessee No. 2? I don’t think so.

But when I went looking under the hood to see what went wrong, I found that what was wrong was me. Apparently, that image of two of Tennessee’s defensive ends lined up on the same side of the line against Georgia State has the shelf life of Twinkies. The feeling associated with that obscures the fact that Tennessee’s defense improved all season long and that the line was a key part of that improvement.

The Vols were a somewhat surprising No. 6 in the league in total defense, 23rd in the nation. They were third in the league in sacks. Beginning with the Mississippi State game, the line started carrying its share of the load on the way to a solid finish for the season. And this year, everybody on the line is back, plus Emmitt Gooden returns. So yeah, Tennessee’s at No. 2.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?

Gameday on Rocky Top 2020 should hit the newsstands all over the state of Tennessee (and select locations in neighboring states) today or tomorrow. You can also order directly from us without having to wear a mask. 🙂

With all of the uncertainty this year, we did print fewer copies, so while the magazine is headed to the newsstands, it could be a teensy bit more difficult to find this summer. So, skip the scavenger hunt and the face mask and order your copy now.

Why should I get this magazine?

As always, our Gameday magazine is More of Your Favorite Team and No Ads. Basically, we don’t try to impress you by adding content you’re probably not going to read. In Gameday on Rocky Top, for instance, we have 48 pages of content devoted exclusively to the 2020 Tennessee Volunteers, and the other 64 pages focus on the Vols’ 2020 opponents, along with their competition in the SEC and the national Top 25.

How can I get the magazine?

Here are the ways you can get a copy:

• Order a physical copy online for $12.99 plus tax and shipping, and get it shipped directly to your door. You’ll also get immediate access to a downloadable PDF while you wait for your physical copy to arrive.
• Order a downloadable PDF for $9.99 plus tax, and start reading immediately after purchase.
• Pick up a physical copy in your grocery or drug store for $12.99 plus tax.

Go Vols.

If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve ranked the Vols quarterbacks and running backs both No. 4 in the SEC and the wide receivers No. 10. Today, we’re ranking the SEC’s offensive lines.

2020 SEC Offensive Line Rankings

Additional comments

The more I look at Alabama, the more I think Alabama’s going to look like Alabama this fall: Stud running back with a head of steam thanks to an excellent line paired with an able quarterback to manage and balance things out.

Much of my infatuation with the Vols this year is pinned on improvement in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This is especially true on offense, where Tennessee could roll out four former 5-star recruits.

But there’s a logjam beginning at Tennessee and going all the way down to Kentucky. The Wildcats are nearly as strong as Tennessee, with an edge in offensive productivity but a disadvantage in incoming players. LSU lacks returning starts, but makes up for it by recruiting well into a super-productive offense from last season.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?

In previous posts, the Vols quarterbacks and running backs have both ranked No. 4 in the SEC. As we’ll see over the next several days, there are three other units that also rank among the Top 4 in the SEC. The wide receiving corps, however, isn’t one of them.

2020 SEC Pass-Catcher Rankings

Additional comments

There’s a lot of symbiosis in college football, and this is especially true among quarterbacks and wide receivers/tight ends. These rankings, for the most part, try to view the respective units without regard to the other positions on which they rely.

When you view them that way, LSU ends up on top, due primarily to the return of Ja’Marr Chase, who’s a monster. He is joined by Terrace Marshall and a bunch of others as well, so the Tigers’ pass-catchers are an able bunch.

Behind LSU, there’s a logjam of teams that look very similar. Alabama gets the edge for No. 2 with the return of Da’Vonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, but A&M and Kentucky aren’t too far behind. Florida’s an interesting study, as the Gators don’t really appear to have a superstar wide receiver, but do have an excellent pass-catcher in tight end Kyle Pitts and a swarm of other productive guys.

Why are the Auburn Tigers No. 5 if they return 1,948 total yards among their pass-catchers (third-most in the league) and tie for fourth in unit recruiting ranking? I have to look this up every time because it looks wonky the way it is presented, but there’s a reason for it. The rankings aren’t just based on returning production, but also on projected production, a number that isn’t (but probably should be) included in the presentation of data. The Auburn receiving corps loses very little from last year, so its returning production numbers are high, but its projected production is low compared to other teams because they weren’t very productive last year. It’s close, though.

The Vols rank a lowly No. 10 on this list. This is, by far, the biggest question in my mind for the team. A little peek behind the curtain, though: As I said, the calculations are largely based on both last year’s production and how much of it returns. There is a flaw in the system, though, in that it fails to account for good, experienced players who, for whatever reason, didn’t play the prior year. Both we and the machines tend to forget those guys. So these numbers don’t know about Tennessee’s Brandon Johnson, who appears to have made a calculated decision to redshirt last season so he could be available this fall when the team needs him more. We’ll see.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?