Category Archives: Football

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at the offensive line.

DEFENSIVE LINE

EMMIT GOODEN, 6’3″, 306-pound Junior

Gooden’s long-and-winding road to Tennessee is well-chronicled, but it’s amazing that the former West Tennessee high schooler who committed to the Vols as a junior, backed off that pledge, tried to go to Mississippi State, wound up at JUCO and still circled back around to UT is on Rocky Top and looks poised to contribute.

The Vols certainly need him to.

Gooden is getting a bit of fame right now as one of the featured players on Netflix’s “Last Chance U” but Gooden did get that final opportunity, and now he needs to take advantage of it. It’s unclear whether he’ll wind up playing the nose position or the jumbo defensive end in the 3-4, but the guess is he’ll be able to rotate at either place. He’s battling for a starting job, and though it’s no certainty he’ll get it, he almost definitely will be in the mix for key reps.

The coaching staff is trying to get Gooden to be more consistent, and it’s important that he immediately hops in the mix because the Vols are short on difference-makers up front. They have the ability to go really big up there, though, and if Gooden can work his way in and be a force against the run, that could really shore things up for a unit that has been porous in recent memory in the run game. The Vols need him to be a major pickup.

KINGSTON HARRIS, 6’3″, 316-pound Freshman

Much like receiver Cedric Tillman, it’s crazy Harris played at such a powerhouse high school program and few big teams wanted him, especially considering that he already has flashed at times during camp. He’s probably one of the two first-year players in line to get some reps if the season started today. He’s not ready to start or anything like that, and he isn’t consistent, but Harris looks the part.

He didn’t even start in high school, backing up a future 5-star Ohio State commitment at Florida’s prestigious IMG Academy. Still, once UT coaches saw him in person, they felt like he was worthy of an offer. He’s a huge guy, and the Vols needed an upgrade in size.

He has a great frame and already looks like an SEC defensive lineman. It’s going to be fun to watch him develop with Tracy Rocker coaching him up. Nobody expects Harris to step in and set the league on fire this year. He’s raw, and he has a ways to go, but the path to playing time up front for the Vols isn’t crowded. He could find himself right up there for snaps, and UT needs for him to pick things up quickly.

KUROTT GARLAND, 6’3″, 275-pound Freshman

Another guy who few programs wanted but the Vols believe is a diamond in the rough is Garland, a Conyers, Georgia, native that UT found while scouting, offering (and finally losing to Florida State) wide receiver Jordan Young. Garland had offers from Charlotte and Tulane, but that’s pretty much it.

He’s big and country-strong though, and UT likes him. He may just be ready to get some reps in a thin front for the Vols in 2018. That would be crazy considering the lack of interest and the fact that Garland was the 1,160th-ranked player in the 247Sports Composite. He has been getting some second-team reps along with Mincey early in camp. If that remains the case, Garland almost certainly will play in some big games and probably even the season-opener against West Virginia.

Is part of that an indictment of Tennessee’s depth and talent up front? Possibly, but this is a unit that has guys like Shy Tuttle, Kyle Phillips and Alexis Johnson, so these are some players who were wanted in the recruiting process. Behind them, though, there is little proven depth, and Garland will have every opportunity to make a name for himself right away. Is that an ideal situation? No. True freshmen don’t normally flash on the defensive line in the SEC. But it’s where the Vols are, and Garland will get a baptism by fire.

JOHN MINCEY, 6’3″, 264-pound Freshman

Late in the process when Tennessee was struggling to make a lot of noise in the late signing period, the Vols did win a recruiting battle for a defensive lineman against SEC foes South Carolina and Arkansas. That was for Mincey, who is another prospect from Georgia. He hails from Homerville where he played for Clinch County High School.

Heard of it? Me neither. But his signing was part of a tireless effort for Tennessee’s staff to scramble and find some good players to outfit the class late in the cycle. Mincey looks like a nice find, at least so far. As I said above, he’s earned second-team reps, and though it would behoove him to add 15-20 pounds and some strength, Mincey is the kind of player who must help the Vols right away.

He and Garland almost certainly will work their way onto the field, and it’s vital that they find ways to make plays. Mincey’s film looks like he’s strong at the point of attack, and while he may need to work on his quickness, he does plenty enough well that there’s a good basis there with which to work. He will be fun to monitor as pads go on.

GREG EMERSON 6’3″, 305-pound Freshman

Tennessee’s highest-rated defensive lineman in last year’s class and a major recruiting victory was West Tennessee native Emerson who committed to Butch Jones’ staff and stayed true to the Vols throughout the coaching transition. Part of the reason is UT stuck with him despite a brutal leg injury suffered at The Opening that cost him his senior season.

He was noticeably rusty this spring, and he even moved over to the offensive line for some practices because he lacked a burst, but he’s back on the defensive line and looks a little healthier this fall. Where will he be in the pecking order? That’s uncertain as of now.

Emerson probably needs more time to get back to 100 percent, but he has some upside, and he is versatile enough that he could project at nose or the big defensive end position. He’s not ready yet, but it wouldn’t be right to write him off. After all, he was a universal 4-star prospect, and he’s a big mauler who will find a role down the road. It may just not be in 2018.

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at the offensive line.

OFFENSIVE LINE

This is a big ol’ group filled with big ol’ boys. Part of that is because Jeremy Pruitt was hell-bent on getting Tennessee bigger along the offensive front. When you throw in Freshman All-SEC performer Trey Smith, who is being limited this fall but has been given the green light after blood clots in his lungs kept him from participating in spring drills, it’s like UT got another massive “newcomer”, at least since April.

Smith will be in the starting lineup if he’s healthy, but will any of these other newbies? A couple certainly could be, with a couple more intriguing possibilities.

BRANDON KENNEDY, 6’3″, 301-pound RS Junior Center

There’s no question that one of the biggest pledges of the offseason was Kennedy, a player who received a lot of playing time at Alabama over the past couple of years. He wasn’t going to start for the defending national champions this year, though, so he sought greener pastures for clearer playing time.

He found that in Knoxville with former assistant Pruitt and noted developer of O-line talent Will Friend. Now, it’s just a matter of how and where Kennedy fits in the UT lineup. It’s not a guarantee that he will start, but it’s a near-certainty. He isn’t the biggest lineman, and he certainly doesn’t look 6’3″, but he is strong and has been in some key games. He will give the Vols a veteran presence up front, and he may even be the centerpiece at center.

Kennedy bolsters a group of interior linemen who could surprise after a miserable 2017 season. The best thing is that he has two seasons of eligibility remaining after graduating from UA early. The Wetumpka, Ala., native chose the Vols over Auburn — another team that needs big-time O-line help right away — and they are glad he did.

JEROME CARVIN, 6’5″, 303-pound Freshman Guard

It’s amazing that Butch Jones’ staff didn’t have as much heat on Carvin as some of the other offensive linemen in the state, but at least the Vols recruited him. They ultimately won that sweepstakes when Pruitt closed the deal, giving UT a major victory in the early signing period over plenty of other major SEC programs. Carvin and teammate running back Jeremy Banks look like major pieces of the offensive puzzle for years to come.

Carvin got plenty of starting reps in the spring as a mid-term enrollee, and that experience will make him a factor to start the opening game against West Virginia. Who will trot out there with the first team is a bit of an enigma right now as reporters don’t see a ton of reps in practice, but Carvin will get every shot. He’s a massive Cordova High School native from the Memphis area who is big and strong and already has several months in the weight room.

There’s almost no chance of him redshirting. He can help an offensive line unit that needs a lot of it right away. It looks like he’ll begin his career at guard, and he has more upside than anybody on the line not named Trey Smith.

CHANCE HALL, 6’5″, 328-pound RS Junior Tackle

You may not think Hall qualifies as a newcomer, but I don’t care. When a player is left-for-the-scrap-heap after essentially losing two years to injury, you’ve got to put him on here. Nathan Niehaus may be back in uniform soon, but Hall actually has been an SEC-level difference-maker.

Remember, as a true freshman, he came in against Georgia and Alabama, started and even dominated at times. Chronic knee problems kept him off the field, and now, it appears Hall is getting a second chance. Though there is obvious rust and some serious questions about whether he’ll ever be the kind of player he was pre-injury, there’s the hope that he’ll regain it. If he’s healthy, he’s a big, strong depth-provider who could give key reps.

The Vols don’t have guaranteed starters at tackle, though Drew Richmond looks like a near-sure bet. Players like Marcus Tatum and Jahmir Johnson could help out there, too. But Hall is an intriguing possibility. If he can return to form — and he’s got two years to do it — we may not have heard the last of him in orange and white.

JAHMIR JOHNSON, 6’5″, 285-pound RS Sophomore Tackle

It’s hard to figure out just where Johnson fits in the rotation — or if he’ll fit into the rotation — in 2018. Given the Vols’ lack of depth on the exterior of the offensive line, it’s hard to envision a scenario where he won’t play. But he could stand to add 25-30 pounds to his frame, and he needs to get stronger and learn the playbook.

It would have benefitted him to go through a spring, but that didn’t happen; that’s the bad news. The good news is he has three years to play three, so if he isn’t a world-beater this year, it doesn’t mean he’s a lost cause. Again, it’s hard to gauge where he is in the pecking order because the media doesn’t get to see all of practice. He may be getting a ton of reps for all we know.

The Philadelphia native began his collegiate career at Rhode Island before transferring to Arizona Western, where he helped anchor the line of a 9-1 team that averaged nearly 40 points per game.

OLLIE LANE, 6’4″, 308-pound Freshman Guard/Center

One of Tennessee’s little-known commitments from last year’s class who pledged to Butch Jones and was wanted by Pruitt was Lane, a nearby Corryton native who is big and strong and had offers from several SEC teams. There are probably a lot of folks who’ve written him off already because he doesn’t get the headlines like Carvin, but Lane is expected to take much more of a normal collegiate trajectory toward playing time.

In other words, nobody expects Lane — who can play guard or center — to step on the field in 2018, even though he went through spring drills. Maybe he will surprise, but he looks like an ideal candidate to take a year in the weight room and get bigger and stronger.

Lane will be a good player at UT before all is said and done; it just probably won’t be this year.

TANNER ANTONUTTI, 6’5″, 269-pound Freshman

Antonutti is an intriguing prospect, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of years. Just shy of 270, there’s almost no chance the former Midstate tight end will get in the game as an O-lineman in ’18. But he has a terrific frame that led to several big offers, including LSU.

Antonutti comes from a family of Vols fans, and though he made the mistake of joining Georgia O-lineman in a Tennessee-bashing video that went viral on UT message boards, there was no question where he wanted to spend his college days. There’s something in his projectable frame and strength that led to coaches liking something about him. I’m sure we’ll see what that is once he puts on 30 pounds, but Antonutti can’t do that this year.

His time is the future.

JARIOUS ABERCROMBIE, 6’4″, 322-pound Walk-on Freshman

You won’t see many — if anymore — walk-ons on this list. But I’m putting Abercrombie on here for his sheer size and strength. The Wenonah, Alabama, High School product is absolutely huge, and he stands out in videos.

Nobody expects him to provide depth this year, but Pruitt and Co. wanted him as a preferred walk-on late in the process, and he is turning heads so far in camp. The walk-on program at Alabama yielded guys like Rashad Johnson and Levi Wallace, so Pruitt has been a part of a team that identified talent, developed it and turned them into All-SEC players.

Abercrombie looks like a guy who could fit that mold down the road.

A few days ago, we posted a list ranking the Vols’ offensive players who need to stay healthy for the team to have success this fall. Nobody’s gotten hurt since we posted that on Friday, so today, we’ll do the same for the defense.

Key defensive injuries in 2017

You’ll recall that the whims of fate treated last year’s similar post as sort of a sinister to-do list, starting at the top and checking guys off as they retreated to the sideline for extended absences. Eat That Frog, Fate!

First on our list last year was middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr., who never even suited up for a game due to a season-ending injury in fall camp. Linebacker Cortez McDowell was right behind him in the No. 2 spot, and he was out for the season after the third game with a wrist injury. Safety Todd Kelly Jr. was at No. 4, and he lasted only two games.

It wasn’t a good year for injuries on the defense, is what I’m saying. Or much else, for that matter.

Defensive players whose health is critical to success in 2018

Like Michael Scott, I’m not superstitious, just a little stitious, which is why I can write this post with only the normal preseason jitters. But if you’re medium stitious, think of it this way: We’ve intercepted the villain’s hit list, and our job, should we choose to accept it, is to keep these guys healthy and on the field. This message will never self-destruct because it’s on the internet.

Feel better? Okay, then. Here’s a list of defensive players for the Vols whose health is critical to the team’s success this fall. Knock here. Use both hands.

7. Outside linebackers Darrell Taylor and Jonathan Kongbo

Both Taylor and Kongbo have changed their official position titles from defensive end to outside linebacker, but they’ll both basically be doing the same thing as last year, which is chase the quarterback and/or frighten him into poor decisions. This is an extremely important aspect of Pruitt’s defensive scheme, but there seem to be enough bodies available behind Taylor and Kongbo to worry more about other guys at other positions.

6. Linebackers Daniel Bituli and Quart’e Sapp

If there’s any comfort on the defensive side of the ball, it’s probably at the linebacker position, and that’s largely due to how Bituli and Sapp handled things last year despite some trying circumstances. Each of them started only eight games, but Bituli led the team in tackles with 90, and Sapp added 78. There’s depth here, but having these talented guys on the field is important.

5. Inside linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr.

We’ll never know just how much difference it might have made for the defense last year had Kirkland been available to play. But when really healthy, he’s been really good. As a true freshman in 2015, he started 10 games at middle linebacker and had 66 tackles on his way to Freshman All-SEC honors. He missed much of the 2016 season and all of last year due to injury, so he’ll need to knock off some rust. But he’s been heralded as a talented guy who knows what he’s doing at a critical position. That sounds important.

4. Defensive ends Kyle Phillips and Alexis Johnson

Phillips and Johnson (also an electronics/toothpaste firm) appear to be penciled in as starters at defensive end in Pruitt’s 3-4 scheme. There are some prospects and hopefuls on the depth chart behind them, but not very much experience at all, so having these two guys available to anchor down when things are threatening to drift is vital.

3. Safety Todd Kelly Jr.

Nigel Warrior (see below) pretty much has one of the safety spots locked down, but the other one appears to be a competition between Kelly and Micah Abernathy. Even if Kelly doesn’t win the job, the former Freshman All-SEC player’s continued availability will be extremely important from a depth perspective, especially with all of the questions at cornerback.

2. Nigel Warrior

Warrior was one of only five guys who started all 12 games last season. (Abernathy, Trey Smith, Kendal Vickers, and Ethan Wolf were the others), so he’s proven to be durable. He’s also extremely good at what he does, as he’s the highest-graded player returning from last year’s team, according to Pro Football Focus.

With him at one safety spot and Abernathy and Kelly competing for the other, the defense should be fine at safety. But with questions at cornerback, the safeties are going to be critical, helping the corners when needed without leaving their own responsibilities vulnerable.

1. Nose tackle Shy Tuttle

Tuttle is the presumed starter at the all-important position of nose tackle in the 3-4, and there really doesn’t appear to be anyone seriously challenging him for the spot. As we posted over the summer, our best guess is that Pruitt wants 3-6 nose tackles on the roster, and he wants them to be between 290-340 pounds. There were serious deficiencies in the spring, but Pruitt did a pretty good job of shoring them up in the offseason, getting current players to add weight and adding new players who fit the mold to the roster. Still, most all of the non-walk-on true nose tackles behind Tuttle are fresh off the tree: Greg Emerson (true freshman), Emmit Gooden (new JUCO), and Kingston Harris (true freshman). Alexis Johnson fits the nose tackle blueprint, but is apparently slotted for end for now).

That’s pretty light on numbers and on experience for nose tackles, and with Tuttle having, through no fault of his own, so many problems with injuries in the past, it’s a fragile situation. The good news is that Tuttle is reportedly as healthy as he’s ever been heading into fall camp. If he can stay that way, it will go a long way toward making the team more competitive.

We learned quite a bit about Derek Dooley and, even in one year, Lane Kiffin. But I’m not sure we learned a whole lot from them. Kiffin wasn’t here long enough for that, and even three years for a hire like Dooley tends to play out in a predictable pattern: this probably won’t work –> yep, this isn’t working –> okay, let’s move on. Even as some of us spent lots of time arguing injuries and inheritance meant we needed most of that third year to make an informed decision, the final verdict on Dooley was the same as the quick one.

But with Butch Jones, we had five years. You don’t stick around five years at a place without a tangible hope that it might work. And along the way, you get a chance to learn not only about the head coach, but from them.

It’s easy for many to simplify the final verdict about Butch Jones as some form of lol nope; there are plenty of intern jokes out there. I’m far more interested in what we learned from Butch Jones:  what did the last five years teach us as Tennessee fans?

And how will that impact what we’re getting ready to learn from and about Jeremy Pruitt?

#1: What Will We Learn About Jeremy Pruitt?

When you grow up with the late Majors and Fulmer teams, you learn that Tennessee wins except, for frustrating lengths of time, against Alabama or Florida. When “scoreboard!” is your friend, you value it. A lot.

The last ten years have forced us to look beyond something so simple; the Vols are 62-63 since 2008. With Jones specifically, the scoreboard was just favorable enough, just long enough to allow us to hold on to the idea of something more. The Vols were almost bowl eligible in 2013, almost beat Florida in 2014, almost did far more in 2015, and still almost made the Sugar Bowl in 2016. Almost.

Playing the almost game long enough makes you step back and look at the bigger picture. In this year’s Gameday on Rocky Top preseason magazine, we took a closer look at Butch Jones in close games: 24 of his 55 contests against FBS foes were decided by one possession, and 15 of those were decided on the final play. Those are extraordinary numbers, and even when you win your fair share of them – Jones was 8-11 in one-possession games and 5-6 on the final play before things went south last season, finishing at 10-14 by one-possession and 6-9 on the last snap – too many close games will drive your fan base crazy.

I feel like this is what I learned, more than anything else, from Butch Jones: every play matters. Not so you can make more of them in the fourth quarter to earn an unsustainable winning percentage in close games. But so you can avoid, as much as realistically possible, playing close games altogether.

Don’t Waste Opportunities

In Butch’s first year, with Justin Worley and an all-star offensive line, the Vols were 37th nationally in tackles for loss allowed per game (stats from Sports Source Analytics). The next four years, including two with championship-caliber teams, the Vols were 125th, 108th, 53rd, and 121st. The offense went backwards an awful lot. Wasted plays behind the line of scrimmage became far too normal. Along with infamously freezing in crucial situations – 2014 Florida, 2015 Oklahoma, 2017 Florida – play-for-play, the offense failed to take advantage as much as it should have.

Butch Jones could have won a couple more close games and still been the coach here, or lost a couple more and been fired in 2015. But in the final analysis, it was an inability to take appropriate advantage on every play that cost Jones and his teams.

The temptation will be to measure Jeremy Pruitt by simply the wins and losses: six wins is a job well done, five not so much. But one thing I learned from watching Butch Jones the last five years is how much every play is worth. It’s why I find myself gravitating to things like S&P+ (and KenPom) more and more.

Don’t Waste Memories

This sport is about the outcomes, and the moments they create. Memories remain college football’s most valuable asset, for fans and for a coach seeking to earn another year. We wrote in the aftermath of the Georgia loss last year that Jones’ inability to create memories that lasted hurt him more than anything. His best wins are dragged down by the eventual disappointment of the seasons they came in.

Jeremy Pruitt will have the opportunity to make memories this fall. If one of those six wins is the Gators, we’re going to have a good time. Those memories feel like they get made in dramatic fourth quarter finishes. But the best way to truly make them is to focus on the ol’ process: being as efficient as possible on every snap.

What Will Progress Look Like?

We’ll measure Pruitt by the wins and the memories, but coming off last season there is plenty of progress to be made play-for-play. And especially now, how close the Vols are coming can be a great indicator.

Consider this: in Tennessee’s golden age from 1989-2001, the Vols lost five games by 17 points (three possessions) or more: Alabama in 1989, Florida in 1991, 1994, and 1995, and Nebraska in 1997. All five of those teams were in the Top 10, three in the Top 5.

Then the Vols jarringly lost four times by 17+ points in 2002, but at least all four of those teams were in the Top 20. In the next four years Tennessee lost one game each season by that margin, three to Top 10 teams and to #11 Arkansas in 2006.

In 2007, the Vols lost to #5 Florida and unranked Alabama by 17+. In 2008 it was #4 Florida, #2 Alabama, and unranked South Carolina, and Fulmer was out.

Kiffin had two such losses (unranked Ole Miss and #12 Virginia Tech). Dooley had nine in three years, though six of them came to teams in the Top 10. And Butch Jones had a dozen in five years. The first nine were against Top 10 teams – the schedule wasn’t kind, no doubt – but at the end of last season, the Vols were trounced by Missouri, #20 LSU, and Vanderbilt.

So after only five three-possession losses in 13 years, an aberration in 2002, then one-per-year through 2006, the Vols have lost by 17+ points 28 times in the last 11 years. Seven of those came to unranked teams.

Just being competitive won’t make a whole lot of memories. But in 2018, it would absolutely be progress.

Every play matters. And I think this coaching staff, with its pedigree from the top down, will do a better job understanding that, and calling the game accordingly.

There will be a bunch of little things we learn about Pruitt this fall, and an even longer list he’ll learn himself. It’ll take more time than this season to figure out what Jeremy Pruitt’s teams will teach us as fans. But we learned from Butch Jones’ teams that almost is especially painful and being satisfied with close games and the mysterious “we have a chance to win” is a treadmill in disguise. Every season is relative, telling its own story. But every play matters. I look forward to seeing how much Jeremy Pruitt can make them matter, this fall and beyond.

10 Questions for 2018

10. Which backups on the defensive line will be starters in 2019?

09. Can special teams make the difference in a coach’s first year?

08. What do we know about Tyson Helton’s offense from his time at USC?

07. Who’s the third/fourth wide receiver in an offense that will actually throw them the ball?

06. What about team chemistry with a first-time coach and a hodgepodge of players?

05. How much ground can the Vols gain in year one on the non-UGA SEC East?

04. Could the offensive line actually be a strength now?

03. Who wins the QB battle, and how will Pruitt manage it throughout the year?

02. Could two freshmen start at corner?

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at wide receivers and tight ends.

WIDE RECEIVERS / TIGHT ENDS

The Vols are going to get a major boost when a new old face returns this fall. Though he’s shaking a lot of rust off and reportedly hasn’t looked that much like his old self yet, redshirt junior receiver Jauan Jennings is back from injury, back from suspension, back from expulsion.

He’s back, and he’s expected to start once he gets all the way back and begins to play the way he’s capable. So, you can add him to this list, really. He wants this to be his final season in Knoxville, but in order to do that, he has to perform, produce and show NFL front offices that he can behave while doing it.

This is a huge year for him, and if Jennings has a huge year, the Vols will be a whole lot better because of it. Now, it’s onto the real new faces.

DOMINICK WOOD-ANDERSON, 6’4″, 257-pound Junior TE

Speaking of one-and-done hopefuls, the Vols won a massive recruiting battle in December when the nation’s top-ranked JUCO tight end decided he wanted to close his college days in Knoxville rather than Tuscaloosa.

He may wind up having the biggest impact of any JUCO transfer for UT since Cordarrelle Patterson. Yes, he’s that talented. Wood-Anderson is big and has exceptional hands. It’s almost a guarantee at this point that he is the starting tight end when the Vols open the season against West Virginia. Though he isn’t the most elusive player and won’t outrun a bunch of secondary members, he’s going to be a terror for linebackers.

Wood-Anderson runs great routes, and with the aforementioned hands, he’ll be a major threat for Jarrett Guarantano (or whoever wins the QB battle). There are several guys who could help Wood-Anderson out like Austin Pope, Eli Wolf and LaTrell Bumphus, but this is a guy who looks like he could be the next great Vols tight end.

It’s not out of the question that he could bolt for the NFL if he has a big year, and with the Vols not having any quarterbacks who can guarantee advancing the ball downfield, Wood-Anderson should be a major weapon who is targeted often.

CEDRIC TILLMAN, 6’3″, 212-pound Freshman WR

It looked like the 2018 recruiting cycle could have been a lot cause when you looked at the wide receiver position, especially considering prize recruit Alontae Taylor flipped to defense where he’s showing out as a cornerback early in fall camp. After all, on paper, all we saw was a really late, little-recruited receiver from Bishop Gorman High School who was thinking about walking on at other places.

On 247Sports, Tillman was a very low-ranked 3-star. On Rivals, he was a 2-star prospect. The Vols plucked him from Hawaii, UNLV and Weber State.

All Tillman has done this summer is show out in 7-on-7s, and it’s carried over into fall camp. He’s made some big-time plays, and though he’s raw and isn’t always consistent, it’s obvious the big-bodied first-year player is going to help. If not now, then soon.

He is big and can high-point the ball with the best of them, and Tillman also is getting open and is plenty fast. It’s baffling that a player of his ilk didn’t have a better offer sheet. It looks like he could be a true big find. Of course, he’s got to do it when it really counts, and nobody is anointing him a ’18 breakout star or anything, but there’s a solid foundation with which to work. David Johnson is known for getting the most out of his players, so Tillman could be the latest project.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to see him in the rotation soon. He was quite a late-cycle find that made up for some of the swings-and-misses.

JACQUEZ JONES, 5’10”, 169-pound RS Freshman WR

How well will Jones fit in with this new staff? That’s going to be interesting to see. The Florida product was a little-known player when Butch Jones and his staff took him a season ago. Jones should just be relieved that he was one of the few freshmen who survived the Jones era with all of his eligibility intact. Jordan Murphy (who you can’t remember making a play in 2017) wasn’t as lucky.

Jones is very small, but he is fast. He and Latrell Williams are dynamos who could excel in the open field with the ball in their hand. But how do you get the ball in their hands? He’s still slight, and he looks fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out a season ago. But he’s behind Brandon Johnson and Jordan Murphy in the slot receiver position.

Can he help this year? We’ll see.

JACOB WARREN, 6’6″, 224-pound Freshman TE

Here is another player who needs to add some weight, especially if he’s going to go through the SEC battles at the tight end position. But when you talk about matchup nightmares, Warren could fit the bill.

His 6’6″ frame is exciting to watch develop, and if he can add 25-30 pounds, he’s going to be a force because he’s got great speed for his size and good hands, too. He reportedly made some plays during the Vols’ open practice Sunday and showed some flashes of things to come. Nobody is expecting him to go out and grab 20 balls in his first year, especially with at least three and maybe more tight ends in front of him.

But this is still a big year for Warren developmentally. With Jackson Lowe and possibly Sean Brown (if he doesn’t grow into a defensive end) coming in next year, Warren could get recruited over if he doesn’t prove he belongs. He’s off to a good start in showing coaches that he can do some things. Now, he’s just got to get bigger and stronger.

With his size and speed, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he can be a red-zone weapon this year, but he has a ways to go to do that, too.

JAMES BROWN, 6’3″, 229-pound RS Freshman TE

Taking Brown in last year’s cycle was an even bigger enigma than taking Jones. You haven’t heard much about him at all in his two years, and though former offensive coordinator Larry Scott recruited and liked him, it’s hard to see where he’ll fit in the rotation.

Brown didn’t play last year, and rarely do you hear of him this year, either. How will he fit in a traditional tight end role? You don’t want to ever call a kid a transfer possibility, but Brown has a lot to prove. The good thing for him is he’s got a fresh start and clean slate to prove it to a new staff.

He was never going to be an instant-impact player, but entering Year 2 of his career, he needs to take a big step forward and prove that he belongs in the SEC. We’ve got to hear a little about him to be able to write anything more than that.

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at running backs.

RUNNING BACKS

It’s very easy to overlook some of the “new” guys at the position who could wind up playing a role in the offense in a fullback role. In a scheme that seems to value pass-blocking and power football, the Vols could line up some in — (do you hear angels singing??) — an I-formation. If that’s the case, some of the tight ends or even bigger-bodied runners could play that role.

For now, let’s take a look at one major-impact player who will really help out sophomores Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan, battling those guys for reps. Then, there are also two high-potential players who fit what Jeremy Pruitt wants at the position, especially a true freshman who turned heads this offseason.

MADRE LONDON, 6’1″, 213-pound redshirt senior

When John Kelly left a year early for the NFL, the Vols needed some depth and talent at the position, so Pruitt went out looking for a between-the-tackles, yard-gobbler who could help the Vols bridge the gap from the Butch Jones era.

He found his answer in rugged graduate transfer London, who played his first three years at Michigan State. Though he isn’t the flashiest runner, he’s got a lot of reps in a hard-nosed conference, he has proved he can get tough yards between the tackles and he has a jolt of speed when he gets to the second level.

Though he could never win the Spartans’ full-time job after his freshman year, he’ll battle Chandler for the starting gig in Knoxville and get plenty of meaningful reps as UT tries to sustain possessions and help out their quarterbacks. London’s path is a winding one as he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida before landing in East Lansing.

During his freshman year, he led the team with 500 rushing yards and had 60 on 12 carries in the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa. He saw action in 11 games. Then, as a sophomore, he fell down the depth chart and wound up with just 120 rushing yards before rebounding for 300 a season ago. He just couldn’t re-earn the primary job under Mark Dantonio.

He was a factor in Michigan State’s offense each of the past three seasons, finishing with 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns on 243 touches for the Spartans.

Now, London will try to prove he is worthy of going to the next level, but it’s going to be a tough chore behind a rebuilding UT offensive line that needs to prove it is much better than it was a season ago. Having a bruiser like London who has been in some important games will help a ton.

JEREMY BANKS, 6’1″, 211-pound freshman

It may seem crazy that Butch Jones and Co. didn’t even really give an instate running back who wanted to come to UT a sniff in the recruiting process, but that’s exactly what happened with Memphis product Banks. Once Pruitt came in, he turned up the heat on Banks and teammate Jerome Carvin, an important piece of the puzzle as an interior offensive lineman who could start as a true freshman. Both committed to UT, and the Vols are better because of it.

Banks is a workout freak who can do a lot of things with the ball, and it’s going to be exciting to watch him grow and develop. Is he a big-play threat? It’s going to be interesting to see if he develops that aspect because he’s far from slow, but Banks is going to be a dependable player for the Vols.

Even with guys like London, Chandler, Jordan and maybe even Trey Coleman ahead of him on the depth chart, Banks could surge upward. He will have every opportunity to play an important role, and you know Pruitt would love playing a kid he recruited this early. He chose UT over Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa State and others.

He’s quick and he reportedly flashed in 7-on-7 workouts over the summer. It’s going to be fun to see if he can carve himself a role right away.

PRINCETON FANT, 6’2″, 222-pound redshirt freshman

Fant was recruited with teammate Maleik Gray out of LaVergne High School in the Midstate as a receiver, but neither has been able to find a role on the Vols yet. Last year as Fant battled injuries, he also moved around to different positions.

From receiver, the big-bodied prospect shifted to tight end and has also seen time at linebacker. This past spring, the Vols moved him to running back and saw enough out of him in his new role that they kept him there, and that’s where he is listed on the updated roster.

Can Fant develop into a jumbo runner who can be a force in short-yardage and red-zone situations? Or is he just a player who is going to take up a roster spot over the next few years but maybe flash on special teams?

That’s up to him. He has four seasons left to play, and with a brand new coaching staff in Knoxville, opportunity abounds.

Fant is a good athlete with a good attitude, and he has been a team-first player who has taken every position switch fine. He wants to help the team, and the staff is trying to find the best place he can do that. Thankfully for UT, he’s a good athlete who can at least make plays on special teams, and, if he’s healthy, he may have an offensive role.

Of the many things that went off the rails the last couple of seasons for the Tennessee Volunteers, injuries have to be near the top of the list. No doubt. there were many problems, but one of the biggest was that the Vols led the nation in most starts lost each of the past two years. According to Phil Steele’s compilation, the Vols lost a remarkable 52 starts in 2016 and somehow managed to even exceed that in 2017, losing a total of 58 starts. Injury-U, yo!

You can blame me for last year if you like, as I made the mistake of tempting fate with a series of posts this time last year titled Ranking the Vols Players Who HAVE to Stay Healthy. In my defense, I did knock on wood at every period, but now I’m thinking that that composite material comprising Office Depot desks is not actually wood but just a bunch of sawdust glued together.

Yeah, it didn’t go so well on the injury front last season. Just on the offensive side of the ball, only two of the players on last year’s Injury Uh-Oh list — Trey Smith and Ethan Wolf — actually started every game. John Kelly also didn’t miss any time due to injury. He missed one game because of a suspension, but it probably didn’t have much effect on the outcome of the season.

The rest, though, was a disaster. Jauan Jennings went out during the first game and essentially missed the remainder of the season, and both Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano suffered injuries and missed significant time.

And the o-line was an absolute mess. Jashon Robertson missed two games and three other linemen — Drew Richmond, Brett Kendrick, and Coleman Thomas — missed a combined 14 games. The historically-bad 4-8 season for Tennessee wasn’t entirely attributable to injuries on the offense, but having so many key guys miss so many games certainly didn’t help.

So what about this year?

With apologies once again to the superstitious for tempting fate to hit the trifecta, here’s a list of the most important offensive players to keep healthy this season, in reverse order because we all need some additional drama in our lives. Go find an actual tree and knock the sap out of that sucker.

6. Marquez Callaway

As much as it depended on him, Callaway stepped up in the absence of Jennings last season, grabbing 24 receptions for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns for a struggling offense. He basically took over the Georgia Tech game in the season-opener. If the rest of the offensive units are at least competent enough to get the receivers involved, Callaway’s role will become increasingly important, and his health will as well.

5. Jarrett Guarantano/Keller Chryst

Jeremy Pruitt said at SEC Media Days that the quarterback race would be a four-man competition between Guarantano, Chryst, Will McBride, and JT Shrout, but he also said that he knew he needed to make a quick decision. Most believe that the race will quickly be whittled down to Guarantano and Chryst, but which one of those two guys wins the starting gig is anybody’s guess at this point. Whoever wins, it would be best for the team for him to both do well and stay healthy, but it seems like the team would still be in good hands with the runner-up if it came to that. If both of them go out, though, neither of the two potential replacements will have much experience or practice time due to the presumed early decision.

4. At least two RBs at all times

Pruitt also said last month that he believes a team needs four to six running backs on the roster, presumably due to inevitable injuries and general wear and tear over the course of a grueling season. Coming out of last year, Ty Chandler had the inside track to himself to land the starting gig after the departure of John Kelly, and Tim Jordan, Trey Coleman, and Carlin Fils-aime provided the depth.

It quickly became apparent, though, that Pruitt wants bigger bruisers in his stable, and so this offseason saw a lot of guys moving around and switching positions with the goal of Pruitt finding those four to six guys that comport with his blueprint. In addition to moving a bunch of existing guys around – including Fils-aime to defensive back and former tight end Princeton Fant to running back, Pruitt also went out and recruited Jeremy Banks and secured the transfer of Madre London.

It will be extremely important to have at least two of Chandler, London, Banks, Jordan, Coleman, and Fant healthy at all times.

3. The non-Trey Smith OL starters

As the o-line goes, so goes the offense. Trey Smith is the most important guy there (spoiler: he’s coming up), but no lineman can protect the quarterback or open holes for a running back by himself. As Will pointed out last week, Pruitt has in a very short time somehow dramatically improved the outlook for the offensive line this fall. In addition to just taking good care of Smith, Pruitt signed 4-star Jerome Carvin and added JUCO Jahmir Johnson and Alabama transfer Brandon Kennedy. Chance Hall is back as well, and if he can get himself into playing shape and stay healthy, he’s a candidate to start.

But the unit really only begins to hum once the chemistry kicks in, and that generally only happens when there’s a good bit of consistency. That means, of course, that you need the starters to remain healthy. It’s good to have depth, because it will be needed, but the more often you can play with the same guys at the same positions, the better it is for the team.

So, in addition to keeping Smith healthy and on the field, the team really needs the other presumed starters like Kennedy, Drew Richmond, Ryan Johnson, Riley Locklear, Chance Hall, and Marcus Tatum to play and stay well.

2. Jauan Jennings

As one of the two main guys whose availability for this fall was uncertain for most of the offseason, Jennings now looks like a full-go. With the receiver position so dependent on other units – receivers need a quarterback to get them the ball, and the quarterback needs both an offensive line to provide him time to operate and a complementary running game to keep the defense guessing – it’s hard to put a receiver on a list of most important players to keep healthy and on the field. But the attitude, demeanor, and mentality that tends to keep Jennings just this side of trouble is the very same thing that makes him such a special player and so important to a team that is in need of an infusion of competitive spirit. The guy is important because he’ll make plays if the rest of the offensive units are merely competent, but what makes him crucial is the contagious passion with which he competes, assuming he can keep it dialed to just the right level.

1. Trey Smith

Simply put, offensive lineman Trey Smith is this team’s best player. A Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC player last year, he’s already been named to this year’s preseason All-SEC First Team and added to the 2018 Outland Trophy Watch List. The mystery of the health condition that kept his availability in question most of the offseason has now been resolved, but they’ll be keeping a close eye on him and his health all season. He’ll start, and assuming he remains healthy, he’ll be a huge difference-maker as a player and leader on a unit desperately needing a bounce-back year. If not, there’s a gaping hole to fill and a gigantic vulnerability for defenses to exploit to make Tennessee’s offense look inept.

Practice starts today. The quarterbacks will be the lead story, and the offensive line is moving from weakness to strength. My biggest on-the-field concern for 2018 is at corner.

It’s the one place where playing a true freshman seems like the option with the highest ceiling. And while it’s exciting to see a player like Alontae Taylor in his first action as a Volunteer, the lack of experienced options could create major problems for Tennessee this fall.

#2: Cornerback

Last year Tennessee was 126th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and third in passing yards allowed per game. But neither number foreshadows much in 2018. Phil Steele picked Tennessee to have the most improved run defense this season; the Vols have the personnel up front, if healthy, to be significantly better there. But the Vols were third in passing yards allowed last season because they played Georgia Tech in the opener, then played from behind the rest of the year.

The Vols saw only 279 pass attempts last fall. Only Air Force saw fewer (243) among teams playing 12 games. Tennessee was okay in completion percentage (55.2%) and yards per attempt allowed (7.0), but again, not many teams had to go deep to beat the Vols. Georgia was 7-of-17 for 84 yards and rolled 41-0. Tennessee had just 3.08 passes defended (intercepted or broken up) per game, 117th nationally. Just five interceptions last season was the lowest season total at UT in at least the last 10 years.

And then the Vols graduated Justin Martin, Emmanuel Moseley, the little-used Shaq Wiggins, and saw Rashaan Gaulden turn pro.

The good news in the secondary is at safety, where the talent has been disproportionately skewed for several seasons. Nigel Warrior might be Tennessee’s best defender (and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pruitt finds ways to move him around, just as Monte Kiffin did with Eric Berry, to maximize his usefulness and protect some of the younger guys back there). Todd Kelly Jr. is Tennessee’s veteran presence, the longest-tenured starter. He knows a thing or two about contributing as a freshman after 33 tackles and three interceptions in 2014. Micah Abernathy has recorded 150 tackles in the last two years. Even Maleik Gray was Tennessee’s third-highest rated recruit in 2017 at safety, and Theo Jackson saw limited action last fall.

But at corner, the options are far more unproven. Shawn Shamburger led returning options with 19 tackles last season. Marquill Osborne and Baylen Buchanan had nine between them. Osborne in particular is a name fans hope can flip the switch via the new coaching staff. Cheyenne Labruzza is another option among returning players, but position-switch options like Tyler Byrd and Carlin Fils-aime didn’t generate much noise in the spring.

So the new faces – specifically Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson – will get their chances early and often. They were two of Pruitt’s three highest rated recruits. And we’ve seen previous Vol coaches throw new pieces into the fire in year one secondaries, most notably Cam Sutton in 2013 and Janzen Jackson in 2009.

There are options, young and old, and with Pruitt’s background you have to feel like he can get more out of the pieces to make a better whole.

The bad news: Tennessee opens with West Virginia.

10 Questions for 2018

10. Which backups on the defensive line will be starters in 2019?

09. Can special teams make the difference in a coach’s first year?

08. What do we know about Tyson Helton’s offense from his time at USC?

07. Who’s the third/fourth wide receiver in an offense that will actually throw them the ball?

06. What about team chemistry with a first-time coach and a hodgepodge of players?

05. How much ground can the Vols gain in year one on the non-UGA SEC East?

04. Could the offensive line actually be a strength now?

03. Who wins the QB battle, and how will Pruitt manage it throughout the year?

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s start with quarterbacks

QUARTERBACKS

We’ll give you a glimpse at who’s back as redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano comes off some starting experience last year to battle for the starting gig again in ’18. True sophomore Will McBride will be in the mix for the job, too. Pruitt said on Thursday that, no matter what everybody thinks, it’s going to be a true four-man battle.

That means one of the two below guys could be under center to run Tyson Helton’s offense when the Vols take on the Mountaineers on September 1.

KELLER CHRYST, 6’5″, 239-pound redshirt senior

If the coaching staff is sold on Guarantano being the guy, they sure aren’t letting folks know. This past spring, with Chryst waiting to come to Knoxville after transferring from Stanford, the New Jersey product had the opportunity to get a head start on Chryst. That didn’t happen. So, now, it’s a free-for-all, and the former starting quarterback of the Cardinal will have a say-so in this battle before it’s all said and done.

So, what is UT getting from Chryst in his last year? Well, he’s a big dude who can take the punishment from an offensive line that will be far from elite. You have to love physicality at the QB position, and that’s what he brings. Chryst doesn’t have a big arm, and he wasn’t ever asked to stretch the field too much in a David Shaw offense that stresses ball control and the run game.

He developed a “dink-and-dunk” reputation with the Cardinal, and he’s shown that so far at UT. Other than the physicality and size, you have to like that Chryst is a winner. No, he couldn’t hold off Kevin Hogan or beat out KJ Costello for the job in Palo Alto, but he was 11-2 as a starter.

What doesn’t he do well? Chryst gets the ball out of his hand in time, but he’s not a terribly accurate passer, and though he’s athletic, he’s not real fast. He seems better-suited to run a pro-style offense than Guarantano, but he’s not going to move the pocket a whole lot and make plays outside the tackle box. He needs to be more accurate and more consistent to be a real difference-maker for the Vols.

But there are some aspects of his game that are intriguing, and it’s possible he’ll be better than anything UT has on the roster this season. It would still be a surprise for him to beat out JG.

JT SHROUT, 6’3″, 210-pound freshman

When Pruitt and Co. came on board, the Vols had a pair of good-looking quarterback prospects in the fold with Adrian Martinez and Michael Penix Jr. The staff wanted to keep Martinez, even if he wasn’t the ideal fit for the offense, and Martinez ultimately visited Nebraska when Scott Frost took over and wound up flipping to become the Cornhuskers’ quarterback of the future.

Penix and the Vols parted ways, and at last check, he was battling to be former UT offensive coordinator Mike DeBord’s starting quarterback with the Indiana Hoosiers this spring.

Instead, the Vols zeroed in on long-time California quarterback commitment JT Shrout, a Cali boy who seemed locked in with Justin Wilcox and the home-state Bears. Shrout visited Knoxville and decided to flip to Tennessee.

Now, the Vols are excited about Shrout’s future, even if he’s a long shot to win the job this year. “Long shot” doesn’t mean “no shot,” though. One thing that absolutely must improve his his ball security. It’s an eye-popping number when you see that he threw 25 — TWENTY FIVE!!! — interceptions as a senior against 27 touchdown passes.

Was he trying to do too much, or does he just not see defenders very well?

We’ll get the opportunity to see that before long. But Shrout has a loose, live arm and a great frame. Though he could stand to add 20 pounds of muscle, he has a nice physical basis for a collegiate frame.

Richmond Flowers III talked to Josh Ward (via GoVols247’s Patrick Brown) about how Shrout wowed NFL coaches at a camp before his senior year of high school.

“He came to our camp and the guys that were there as well — the No. 1 player in the country in (current Georgia freshman) Justin Fields and players like (current Ole Miss freshman) Matt Corral — well, some buzz started happening, the coaches started talking and what they saw is what they saw. That’s sort of up to them, and the reality is we had it covered by Yahoo! Sports and the sentiment got out about what they felt about JT Shrout.

“The benefit that JT received is just he was around some very quality folks that saw something that they see on daily basis relative to what they look for in the NFL. If you’ve got that, it’s just sort of taking that and honing it, because JT again only played his senior year. But certainly he has the qualities that coaches look for at the highest level.”

So, there are some moldable tools there. It’s just a matter of whether Helton and Co. can extract that from him and how long it will take.