Yeah, it's early. Yeah, we didn't get a spring to evaluate the team. Still, the hope is alive for a season and there's reason to think the Vols should be fairly strong, but how will they stack up against themselves and against the conference? There's still likely going to be some roster movement that will have to take place, but the core of each unit should be there, so let's begin looking at what we might expect.
QUARTERBACK
Experience isn't lacking with this group, but given the amount of experience on the roster, you'd expect more production from them over their careers. Talent, however, isn't a concern, and if anything it's getting an upgrade in 2020 with the additions of Harrison Bailey and Jimmy Holiday.
Still, Tennessee's quarterback conversation has to begin with the incumbent, Jarrett Guarantano. Most Tennessee fans have to concede that he's been the best option for the Vols the last several seasons, but they largely do so begrudgingly. That's somewhat fair given his inconsistency and lack of production at times, but he's also been fairly efficient. That efficiency has rarely been flashy or exciting, and it hasn't always come with regular big plays that the fans want to see, but Guarantano is a career 61% completion passer with a 2.5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. Many fans want him to be a 3,000-yard passer, but the fact that he hasn't has more to do with the number of passes in a season rather than an inability. Joe Burrow threw the ball 270 more times than Guarantano on his way to over 5,600 passing yards. He was the only SEC quarterback to throw for over 3,000 last year, and Guarantano was 9th among regular starters in the SEC in passing attempts. Just shy of 20 attempts per game does not lead to big passing numbers. It's simply not practical. As a team, Tennessee was 11th in passing attempts despite using three different quarterbacks throughout the season but 4th in yards per attempt, indicating that had they thrown more they would have easily slipped into the top passing teams in the conference. They finished just 122 yards shy of a 3,000-yard season as a team and 6th in the SEC in passing yards despite just 27.7 attempts per game. Now, Guarantano's career-high season in touchdowns was paired with easily his worst season for interceptions, so obviously, everything was not great at all times. At his best in 2019, he showed himself capable of being one of the better quarterbacks in the country, sporting strong completion percentages and a great touchdown to interception ratio, but when he had bad outings as he did several times last year, he was abysmal. Against Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Indiana, he was a combined 42 of 86 for 517 yards with 1 touchdown to 5 interceptions and a completion percentage of 48.8%. While you could argue the level of competition got the better of him with Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, there is no excusing the pitiful outings against Vanderbilt and Indiana. For comparison, his stronger outings saw him go 110 of 171 for 1,641 yards with 15 touchdowns to 5 interceptions while completing 64.3% of his passes. Talk about a Jekyll and Hyde story.
The freshmen who were forced into action due to some of Guarantano's struggles did little to wrestle the job from him, but neither were expected to. JT Shrout showed off his strong arm and general talents, but he only completed 48% of his passes and at times looked in over his head. He was a project when he joined the Vols and he's not yet a refined product, but that valuable experience should serve him well down the road. Shrout has an arm capable of making all the throws. As he continues to master the other aspects of the quarterback position, he should become a dangerous passer.
Brian Maurer showed a lot of promise but also a tendency toward injuries and the inconsistency one expects of a true freshman. Maurer showed an ability to make plays with his legs, including running for a couple touchdowns, but through the air, it's clear there's still a lot of growing left to do after completing 47% of his passes and throwing 5 interceptions against just 2 touchdowns. He can throw it all over the field and does so without fear, but that lack of fear can lead to poor decisions against this elevated level of competition. He should be a factor down the line in the quarterback competition, but under ideal circumstances, he would have been able to redshirt last season.
Kasim Hill is an interesting story. The former starting quarterback for Maryland joined the Vols last year as a walk-on and ran much of the scout team sessions throughout last season. While he may at some point be awarded a scholarship, it's not likely to happen this season and it's unlikely he will see the field. He has talent, but accuracy and decision-making were an issue at times at Maryland and his work since joining the Vols hasn't suggested he's likely to become one of the top options in Knoxville.
Jimmy Holiday was a nice early signing addition to the class that brings ridiculous speed to the quarterback mix. Electronically timed running a 4.38-forty, he was listed as an athlete by recruiting services due to his incredible running ability, but he has some upside as a passer as well. His arm isn't as strong as some of the others in the mix, but he can throw it long has reasonably decent accuracy. He completed 58.8% in high school while passing for 37 touchdowns to 14 interceptions and throwing for 3,507 yards over three seasons. While he didn't pass for big yardage, he didn't really need to when he was running for 3,568 yards and 51 touchdowns as a strong 7.4 yards per carry. With the growing trend of NFL teams using an athletic quarterback as an offensive weapon, Holiday could fit that bill in the college game if he doesn't win the job outright at some point.
Harrison Bailey was something of the crown jewel of the 2020 recruiting class, earning a 5-star ranking from Rivals. He finished his high school career as one of just five quarterbacks in Georgia high school history to pass for over 10,000 yards, joining the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, and Jake Fromm. He completed 69.8% of his passes as a senior, showing off strong accuracy to go with his big-time arm talent. Throughout his high school career, he kept the interception numbers down and the touchdowns sky high. As a senior, he threw 44 touchdowns to 9 interceptions in his season (excluding some impressive bowl series numbers). While Bailey appears to have NFL written all over him, he's also still a true freshman and high school to the SEC is never an easy transition, and his has been made all the harder by the current coronavirus situation that cost him and Holiday the spring football jumps they had been hoping for.
Grade - B
SEC Ranking - T-4th
Summary - Yeah, I'm being a bit generous here, but Guarantano's experience has become that much more valuable with no spring football, but you still can't overlook his weak outings. They aren't flukes at this point. They're a trend. That said, there aren't many QB rooms with as much experience as Tennessee's. Given the play from Mac Jones at Alabama (and the top QB in the class coming in) and Kyle Trask/Emory Jones at Florida, I'll give them both the edge here right now. For third, I'm picking South Carolina (ducks from rotten produce being thrown). Hear me out. Hilinski has been through the wringer as a true freshman. The Gamecocks added one of the top dual-threat QBs and a former starting quarterback at Colorado State in Colin Hill. Jay Urich has been used as a utility player for the Gamecocks at times, fitting that previously mentioned mold of the offensive weapon quarterback. The Vols are probably tied with Arkansas and Texas A&M at fourth as all three programs have experienced starters, and for Arkansas and Tennessee experienced depth. With the Aggies, Mond is the clear and undisputed starter, but some exciting and talented young QBs in the wings bolster the room significantly. Georgia fans, you're after that, and you can whine all you want but I'm grading the room, not the starter. We don't yet know how Newman will transition to the SEC, but even if he's great most of the rest of that quarterback unit leaves you asking "who?" and that's just not going to get it done. Carson Beck has upside but probably needs a year, and D'Wan Mathis is talented but hasn't played a down in a game yet. It's Newman or bust for 2020 in Athens.
RUNNING BACK
There's no lack of experience or career production with this group, but when you pare it down to the numbers this is a group in need of greater consistency as Tennessee has found it difficult to control the clock with the run at times in the last few seasons. However, this is a collection of backs with a fair amount of career production both on the ground and as receivers.
One of the bigger concerns the last few years has been a lack of size among the running backs, but there's some promising news on that front now. The returning quartet at running back have all added at least five pounds of weight so far this offseason, including senior duo Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan packing on a combined 24 pounds. They also addressed the need for more size in the recruiting class, adding Tee Hodge (6-1, 220) and Len'Neth Whitehead (6-2, 230). Athlete Jabari Small was also a star at the running back position in high school and could factor into that mix as well. There should be no excuses to struggle running between the tackles or pushing the pile on short-yardage situations in 2020.
Ty Chandler is well on his way to finishing his Tennessee career in the top ten in all-purpose yardage, sitting just behind Peerless Price for the #10 spot right now. He has a solid shot to be a 2,000-yard rusher before his time in Knoxville is done, and he has averaged 5.0 yards per carry so far while also adding 8.4 yards per reception. He has home-run speed, as evidenced by his career-long run of 81 yards. He's also an accomplished kick returner, averaging 22.3 yards per return and taking one back for a touchdown. Chandler has NFL speed, but he can struggle on the routine plays, making up for it in the average with his spectacular plays.
Tim Jordan is Mr. Steady. He doesn't show big-play speed, but he has averaged a consistent 4.1 yards per carry and makes the routine plays asked of him. He's also an accomplished receiver, averaging 8.7 yards per catch over his three years in Knoxville. His career-long run is 33 yard and career-long reception is 34 yards, and Jordan has shown himself capable of handling the workload as the starter as evidenced by strong outings against West Virginia, Kentucky, and South Carolina in 2018 as well as Alabama and Missouri in 2019. The added bulk could be a big boon for Jordan given his style of play.
Eric Gray was a freshman last season when he quickly burst on the scene through the first four games of the season, combining for 40 carries and 165 yards on 4.1 yards per carry while adding 9 receptions for 60 yards on 6.7 yards per reception as part of the committee of backs used most of the season, landing as the #2 rusher through those first four games before hitting the wall. The next seven games saw Gray only manage 24 carries for 42 yards (1.8 yards per carry) and 2 receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown (10.5 yards per reception). Then, the Vanderbilt game happened and a brand new Eric Gray emerged, running for 25 carries, 246 yards, and 3 touchdowns against the Commodores in his true coming-out party for the Vols. He followed that up with an MVP performance in the Gator Bowl against Indiana, running for 86 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, 2 receptions for 34 yards, and recovering an onside kick. To finish the season, Gray gained 332 yards and 4 touchdowns on 39 carries, good for an incredible 8.5 yards per carry, and averaged 17.0 yards per reception on his two receptions, making him one of the most exciting players to watch in 2020.
Carlin Fils-aime has quietly been a steady player when he gets the chance, and it's actually strange that he hasn't gotten more carries over his Tennessee career given how effective he's been when given the opportunity. His 52 career carries have amounted to 5.9 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns, and Fils-aime has shown that he's more than just a garbage-time back with his 13 carries for 73 yards against Kentucky in 2017. He redshirted last season and will work to carve out playing time in 2020 before he wraps up his collegiate career.
Len'Neth Whitehead was a top linebacker recruit in the 2020 cycle, but he ultimately decided that he wanted to play running back at the college level. Whitehead is a powerful running back, using his churning legs and natural size and strength to consistently power the ball forward. He lacks the top-end speed of a Chandler or the wiggle of Gray, but he is a punishing downhill runner who can pick up first downs and touchdowns in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He missed the last 7 games of his senior season, but in his fully healthy junior season, he ran for 1,481 yards and 25 touchdowns, showing off his punishing running ability.
Tee Hodge had some injury issues in high school and even as a senior, but despite missing time with an injury he managed 143 carries for 1,006 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final season at Maryville. Hodge has shown nice explosion and slightly better speed than expected of a back at his size, and he might have the best overall mix of talents when he's healthy, but health has been elusive at times and that is the biggest lingering question. Hodge may be a good candidate for a redshirt just to make sure he's 100% before stepping onto the field, and that season of development could be big for him with Chandler, Jordan, and Fils-aime all in their final campaigns in 2020.
Without any clear idea of where he might play, I'm going to list Jabari Small with the running backs. Small is a versatile player who could land at running back, wide receiver, return specialist, or even corner. He almost 3,000 yards rushing, over 800 receiving yards, over 700 yards as a returner on punts and kickoffs, and tacked on six interceptions as a defensive back for a combine 4,554 all-purpose yards and 52 touchdowns. That versatility is why he was announced as an athlete. He has good size at an announced 6-0, 195, so there's no reason he couldn't help the Vols in any number of ways.
Grade - B-
SEC Ranking - T-3rd
Summary - This probably seems high, but some of this is circumstantial. Alabama and Kentucky are the class of the conference, and then things begin to cluster. Mississippi State returns an elite back in Kylin Hill, but the fit in new head coach Mike Leach's offense is going to be odd and it probably doesn't bode well for his rushing totals. Ole Miss has a couple quality backs, but they are going to be overshadowed by the quarterback Plumlee. Rakeem Boyd is a top running back in the conference, but he is held back by a lack of depth behind him and a lack of talent around him at Arkansas. Auburn returns a couple nice backs, but the transfer of Jartavious Whitlow leaves them hoping for immediate impact from Tank Bigsby to round out their committee. Isaiah Spiller is a nice back for Texas A&M, but he had no supporting production last season other than from the quarterback. The bottom line is that Tennessee is fully mired in that best of the rest group bunched up behind Kentucky and Alabama. They could emerge as the next best group in the SEC, but you can't really give them that crown based on the body of work thus far.
WIDE RECEIVER
There's a big hole that needs to be filled left by Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway. Their combined career production was significant, and the reality is that the team will need guys to step up in order to have a chance to maintain or replace that level of productivity. The good news here is that experience isn't necessarily lacking as the five experienced receivers on the roster have a combined 139 games played and 38 starts among them. Also joining the mix is Deangelo Gibbs, a former 5-star defensive back who transferred to Tennessee last season and transitioned to wide receiver, as well as a quartet of talented freshmen.
Josh Palmer is the leader of this group going into next season, and he'll need to live up to that. Palmer has shown an ability to make circus catches and big plays, but consistency has also been an issue at times. He has NFL size and some had referred to him as the best NFL prospect even when he shared the field with new 49er Jauan Jennings and new Saint Marquez Callaway. Palmer has averaged 15.7 yards per reception over his 66 catches and has run for a touchdown on a sweep. Jennings and Callaway did much of the work in the red zone over the past few years, so Palmer will need to add significantly to his 3 career receiving touchdowns. The talent is there, and Palmer could have a huge senior season if he can add that consistency to his arsenal.
At one time looking like a starter to stay, Brandon Johnson found himself slipping into the shadows more and more after his strong junior campaign as Callaway, Jennings, and Palmer emerged to take control of the starting positions. Don't mistake that for a lack of talent though. Johnson will never be the most athletic of the receivers, and at times he's had some issues with securing receptions, but he has also shown himself to be one of the best route runners on the roster over his time in Knoxville. He's averaged 12.3 yards on his 60 career receptions, but once again we're back to the issue of having struggled with finding the end zone with only one career touchdown. The staff sees something there that they like because they opted to have Johnson redshirt so he could return in 2020.
Ramel Keyton was just a true freshman last season, but he played regularly and made big plays over the course of the season, turning his four receptions into 106 yards for a huge 26.0 yards per catch. Had his best outing in the bowl game against Indiana with two catches for 60 yards, providing hope for a big season in 2020. Additionally, he played his high school ball with new Tennessee quarterback Harrison Bailey, so those two already have a report with one another.
Cedric Tillman was a late addition to the 2018 class out of Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas who had played tight end until his senior season when he moved to wide receiver and exploded for 37 receptions, 774 yards, and 7 touchdowns. He's found his way onto the field despite the position being top-heavy the last two seasons, playing in 15 games and catching 5 balls for 57 yards and a touchdown. A big, physical receiver, he may be looked to as part of the solution to replacing the physical play of Jennings.
Deangelo Gibbs was primarily a defensive back in high school, but he also saw time at wide receiver, where he finished his career with 39 receptions for 696 yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging a blistering 17.8 yards per reception in the incomplete stats available. While at Georgia, defense never worked out as well as hoped. Despite getting a look in the secondary, he was moved to receiver and has been worked out in that capacity, where he at times drew praise as one of the most physically gifted receivers in practice. What impact he'll have this coming season for the Vols remains to be seen, but it's fair to assume he will make an impact in some capacity after sitting out a year under transfer rules to prefect his move back to offense.
While at USC, things never quite panned out for grad transfer Velus Jones Jr., but his best season was in 2018 with Tee Martin as his offensive coordinator. For his career, Jones has accumulated 2,322 all-purpose yards and 3 touchdowns on 128 touches, but only 375 of those yards have come on offense as he's done most of his damage on kickoff returns. In his one year under Tee Martin's tutelage, he had 30 touches for 279 yards and two touchdowns on offense, and if he can provide anything close to that in his final season while doing work on special teams the staff will consider his addition as a significant boon to the roster.
Now, those six are some nice pieces to start with, but the issue the Vols faced heading into the 2020 recruiting cycle was the need to round those numbers out more because the six I named are the six scholarship guys on the spring roster. While I won't detail either of them again, Jimmy Holiday and Jabari Small could be options to further bolster the numbers at receiver in order to get them on the field, but more than those two the Vols added four projected wide receivers that bring a nice mix of skill sets to the table.
Malachi Wideman is the big name of this group and for good reason. A 4-star wide receiver and shooting guard/small forward, Wideman plans to play both for the Vols. Oh, he's also a track and field star in high school, finishing with a personal record of 6 feet, 3.5 inches in the high jump, meaning he launched his 6-4 frame almost as high over the bar. He has also performed in the 4x100 meter relay and the long jump. He's an excellent athlete at the receiver position and probably the best overall athlete the Vols have had at that position since Justin Hunter in 2010. Now, the downside sometimes to that versatility is having a bit more to learn than the next guy because of that divided focus, but like Hunter, I can't imagine him not making an impact as a freshman given the opportunities available. For his high school career, Wideman produced an impressive 100 receptions for 1,609 yards and 28 touchdowns in just 28 games played, and he saved his best season for his last (and healthiest).
Jalin Hyatt might be the fastest man to put on pads in Knoxville in quite a while. Hyatt has collegiate track speed that translates to the football field well, as evidenced by his 20.1 career yards per reception on 180 career catches. Oh, don't forget about the 57 touchdowns. Yeah, that's right, a touchdown for every 3.15 catches Hyatt made in high school! Now, it remains to be seen if Hyatt will try to continue both sports in college, but as far as football goes he's already working on bulking up as his announced 164-pound frame just won't cut it in the SEC, even if he does run a 4.31-forty and 10.46 100-meter. Surprisingly, Hyatt rarely returned kicks in high school, but that's at least partially a function of teammate Tyrik McDaniel (Old Dominion signee) being excellent in that capacity and allowing Hyatt to remain fresh on offense.
Jimmy Calloway has been asked to wear many hats during his high school career, including quarterback, wide receiver, safety, and returner. He's excelled in pretty much anything he's been asked to do. As a sophomore wideout, he caught 32 passes for 684 yards and 8 touchdowns, a blistering 21.4 yards per catch, and a solid touchdown for every four receptions on average. He's also shown himself to be a dynamic returner, bringing back three kickoffs for touchdowns and also excelling on punt returns. As a quarterback, he was typically asked to run the football, where he showed off a skill set that could make him a nightmare after the catch in college. As for speed, while he may not be quite as speedy as Jalin Hyatt, he has a career-best of 10.76 in the 100-meter and has been timed at 4.4 in the forty, so speed won't be an issue. A high jumper as well, his career-best in the high jump was his height of 6 feet, so don't worry too much about jump balls. He's coming in with a frame that is ready for the college ranks.
In a recurring theme from the 2020 class, Dee Beckwith is an incredible athlete pressed into service at the quarterback position out of necessity, and he excelled as well. As a senior, Beckwith ran for 1,055 yards, passed for 589 yards, and for good measure tacked on 526 receiving yards on his way to 27 total touchdowns. When Tennessee first got involved, the thinking was that Beckwith might develop into a tight end, but his dynamic playmaking ability will see him getting his first look at wide receiver, where his size and athleticism will no doubt make him an asset. I've heard a few mentions of Beckwith as another Jauan Jennings, but in watching the film I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. It's true that Beckwith doesn't shy away from contact and he can certainly break an arm tackle here and there, but he's much more likely to try and run around and away from a would-be tackler than carry them down the field for 15 extra yards like Jennings. Maybe with another 15-20 pounds on his 6-5 frame, Beckwith could be that guy, but it's not really part of his current arsenal. As for speed, it's probably in the 4.6 to 4.7 range with room to improve within a collegiate strength and conditioning program.
Grade - C+
SEC Ranking - T-3rd
How can Tennessee lose what they lost and still be tied for third in the conference, right? Well, the answer to that is most schools lost a boatload of receiver talent too. Honestly, that tie is probably with Georgia, and receiver is considered a notable weakness of the Dawgs. That said, Georgia is also returning 97 receptions, 1,370 yards, and 16 touchdowns from last year's team, much of that in young receivers George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock, two guys likely to only keep getting better. Tennessee is getting up to third on the strength of their overall career production from the wide receivers as well as the potential of their young newcomers and Gibbs, but Tennessee shares a heavy dose of unknowns with the Dawgs. There is no team with a given top three receivers, but LSU and Alabama can at least confidently point to two sure starters each, and with the general weakness in the SEC at that position, that's more than enough to separate them from the pack. Tennessee will need some young talents to step up while their trio of seniors provides a steady hand to the group. This may not be the weakest spot for the Vols this season, but it's in the conversation given all the unknowns.
TIGHT END
You could probably summarize the tight end position by saying it's Austin Pope followed by a lot of wishful thinking and you really wouldn't be wrong. Pope is the most experienced member of the group, although a fair bit of that experience was gained playing as an H-back. He's yet to find the end zone and his longest reception ended in a soul-crushing fumble against the Gators in 2018. That may be the most memorable moment for many with Pope, but that's far from the full story on the young man.
Pope is tough as nails and will do whatever it takes on the field. He's not afraid of getting dirty and doing to ugly work it takes to succeed. He's one of the best run blockers on the team, and when you had a trio of former 5-stars starting on the offensive line last season, that's no small feat at all. He's started in 14 games over the last three seasons, including 11 last year even with Dominick Wood-Anderson on the roster, so he's an established starter and leader on the team. He's a capable receiver, but it would be generous to call that a strength of his game at this point. It's likely that someone else will need to emerge as a receiving threat from the tight end position, but just who that might be is very much up in the air. What seems certain is that Pope will lead the way in 2020, both at the position and very often as a blocker.
My personal guess for the receiving threat at the tight end position in 2020 is Jordan Allen, but if I'd said that a year ago everyone would have thought I was nuts. Allen was recruited to Tennessee as a 4-star edge rusher from the JUCO ranks, so it's fair to ask why I think a redshirt senior transitioning to tight end would magically pan out. In order to answer that, you have to consider his journey to this point. In high school, Allen was a productive wide receiver/tight end who caught 100 passes and 17 touchdowns over his last two seasons, earning a scholarship to UC Davis at wide receiver before electing to go the JUCO route. In his one season at City College of San Francisco, he had 27 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in his first season on the defensive line. Allen played some as a reserve for the Vols in 2018, and he lost his 2019 season to injury. Now, he's hoping to show off the skills that allowed him to be a dominant force as a receiver in high school. He showed good hands with the ability to shuck off would-be tacklers and sufficient speed to show out as a receiver and kick returner during his senior campaign. As for blocking, although it isn't necessarily something he's been asked to do on a regular basis, there's reason to think the engagement techniques that he learned on defense should at least give him the initial punch to be a capable blocker. Allen won't be the only hope there though.
In 2019, Jacob Warren played in five games after redshirting as a true freshman in order to fill out his skinny frame. Mission accomplished on filling out, and the mission now is to turn a tight end who was used as more or less a big wideout in high school into a complete tight end. Blocking remains the biggest area to develop, but now up to 244-pounds and with some experience under his belt, it's not inconceivable that Warren could carve out a significant role in the offense in 2020.
Princeton Fant has struggled to find a home on the roster in Knoxville. Having been at wide receiver, running back, and tight end, it seems he's found his home at the tight end position, and last season got his first receiving action for the Vols with a pair of catches for 19 yards while appearing in 8 games. If Pope's role is expected to be that of a traditional tight end, Fant may have a good chance to emerge as the primary H-back and thus must be a name to watch.
Then there are the youngsters, who I'm not really sure what to expect of them. As of spring last year, he was expected to be an immediate impact player at the tight end position, but ultimately he wound up redshirting. Lowe is a relatively balanced option at tight end, showing himself to be a capable receiver with 54 receptions for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns over his final two high school seasons. At 6-4, 245-pounds, he has both the size and ability as a blocker and may represent one of the more balanced tight ends in Knoxville since Jason Witten starred in Knoxville. However, last spring he showed a few mistakes and there's no question that until he can clean up those small details he'll struggle to find a permanent spot in the rotation.
Sean Brown didn't come in with quite the same level of expectation. He dealt with some senior season injuries and seemingly got more short-yardage carries out of the backfield than receiving opportunities, also while playing a fair bit on defense, so it was expected that it might take a bit longer for Brown to make the transition. He's a big-bodied blocker who may never be the best receiving option but is capable of making a play if/when called upon. He's very much in the old-school, hard-nosed, take no prisoners offensive lineman light mold of a tight end.
Grade - C-
SEC Ranking - ???
Yeah, this is definitely a weakness for the Vols right now, and there's just no way around that fact. However, it might not be a uniquely Tennessee weakness as Texas A&M and Florida are really the only two teams with a clear starter at the position. Ole Miss and Georgia are planning to turn to graduate transfers for help, and Georgia is hoping for a boost from 5-star Darnell Washington. LSU is hoping 5-star addition Arik Gilbert can help right away. There are just too many unknowns right now to create a real ranking at this spot, especially with no spring football to see how young tight ends were able to perform. Tennessee is somewhere in that bunch, and probably on the low-end there.
OFFENSIVE LINE
If tight end is a weakness, the offensive line is an obvious strength. The offensive line in 2019 was forced to utilize several different starting groups but still managed to average 4.1 yards per carry, limit opponents to 21 sacks despite three starting quarterbacks, and just 69 tackles for loss allowed. That was the best yards per carry average since 2016 and the fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed since 2013 (2013 OL included Ja'Wuan James, Tiny Richardson, Zach Fulton, James Stone, and Alex Bullard, all five of which received camp invites in the NFL). They also managed their best 3rd down conversion rate since 2015, and they managed their most rushing first downs since 2016. The Vols have struggled a fair bit with consistency in the running game since 2016, and the running backs as a whole weren't really any more consistent in 2019. The credit for those improvements belongs, at least in part, to the efforts of the offensive line.
At this point, all conversations regarding the Tennessee offensive line begin and end with Trey Smith, a man on a mission after a series of health struggles due to blood clots who is determined to continue his football career. He's on the road to being the most decorated Tennessee offensive lineman since the departed duo of Tiny Richardson and Ja'Wuan James in 2013, and he has a real shot at earning All-American honors as a senior in order to pass both and place himself among the best to play on the offensive line in Tennessee history. Although there's little doubt that Smith could play tackle if called upon, there's simply no need for him to do so right now as the Vols have a pair of rising sophomores who are both former 5-star recruits in their own right, allowing Smith to be a mauling presence from left guard. It's already been heavily speculated that had he been in the draft and given a clean bill of health, Smith may well have been one of the top offensive linemen drafted last month. With another healthy season of dominating defenders, he should give himself a chance to be the top offensive linemen taken.
Brandon Kennedy was granted a sixth season by the NCAA, and he plans to make the most of it from his spot at center. Injuries have plagued his career, but last season he was as healthy as he's been in a while and he turned that into 13 starts, all at center, proving to be Mr. Consistency. He's provided a steadying force on the offensive line and he's already got his master's degree and will likely be working on another one. He's the coach on the field for the offensive line, and last season the results were clear as the offensive line made significant improvements.
Wanya Morris lived up to the billing as a 5-star offensive tackle as a true freshman, starting 12 of 13 games at left tackle en route to Freshman All-SEC recognition as well as recognition as a Freshman All-American by USA Today, The Athletic, and 247Sports (only true freshmen on 247Sports). Despite all the accolades, he has room to grow still as he could still add bulk and strength, especially in the upper body to pair with a well-developed lower body. Strong athleticism is part of the toolset for Morris, who has locked himself in as the starting left tackle. Same as with Kennedy and Smith, there aren't any questions here.
Darnell Wright had a very up and down freshman campaign, but in spite of some inconsistency along the way, he managed to earn Freshman All-SEC honors. Wright started seven games, 5 at right tackle and 2 at right guard. Health and consistency were issues, but physicality isn't one as he's more than capable of holding his own against anyone lining across from him from a strength-standpoint. One thing that will need a bit of tweaking is his overall athleticism in order to help him better handle quicker pass rushers.
K'Rojhn Calbert might be the only thing to keep Wright from starting in 2020 as he too had himself something of a breakout campaign. A big and physical blocker capable of playing guard or tackle, he started five games at right tackle in 2019 and the Vols went 4-1 during his starts, with only the Florida outing turning out to be a loss. If Wright continues to struggle some, Calbert will look to pounce on it and take the starting job from the former 5-star.
Cade Mays is a big unknown right now for 2020 as he will need a waiver approval in order to be eligible. If he is granted his waiver, it's fair to assume Mays will be a starter, likely at right tackle. Mays is very versatile, having started at four different positions and playing all five on the offensive line during his time at Georgia. Mays is another guy who garnered freshman All-SEC and All-American honors, and he's a big, mauling offensive lineman with good athleticism.
Jahmir Johnson has started in 12 games in two seasons, playing in 18 over that same period while dealing with some health issues, especially in 2019. The majority of his starts have come at left guard, but with Trey Smith locked in there, Johnson is probably looking at being a top reserve at both left guard and left tackle in 2020. He's struggled a bit to add and keep on weight, but he's still reasonably strong and very athletic, allowing him to excel despite often carrying 20-30 fewer pounds than the other offensive linemen. If Mays isn't granted his waiver, Johnson could be an option at right guard.
In all likelihood, if Mays is denied, Jerome Carvin will be the starting right guard, a role he's started in 12 times over the last two seasons. Carvin is a massive human who can absolutely clear the way for a running back or keep the quarterback upright. His development in 2019 was a big part of the equation in stabilizing the Vols as he started the final seven games, including the six-game winning streak to polish the year off.
Riley Locklear started two games in 2019 and playing in 11 games, seeing snaps at both guard and center with his starts coming at right guard. Not the biggest offensive lineman, but he's strong and athletic and plays with good leverage. Locklear has made himself a valued reserve on the offensive line and he will no doubt be a significant part of the rotation again in 2020.
Jackson Lampley could ultimately play guard or center, but look for guard to be his home for the future. A big-bodied former 4-star, he redshirted last year and only saw action in two games, Chattanooga and Georgia. He's a mailing run blocker and capable pass blocker. He doesn't necessarily have the athleticism of some other linemen mentioned up to this point, but he has a good mix of size and strength.
Ollie Lane saw action in three games in 2019 as a reserve offensive lineman, and it's likely that it will be his role again next season. He's a thick, well-built interior offensive lineman who could develop into a bigger contributor down the line at the guard position. For the time being, the position is relatively flooded for depth, and carving out more of a role in 2020 will likely prove difficult.
Chris Akporoghene is still relatively new to football, but he quickly established himself as a possible contributor as he continues to develop, playing as a reserve at both guard and tackle in his two games of action. Despite only being 6-3, he has long arms and good athleticism that enables him to play tackle, although his future is inevitably at guard. Much like with Lane and Lampley, the road to greater playing time will be rough in 2020, but the future is bright for the young man from Nigeria.
Cooper Mays is the younger brother of Cade, and like Cade was a highly-sought-after recruit. That's roughly where the similarities end for the two, however. Cooper is three inches shorter and almost forty pounds lighter, and he's not going to be closing that gap with his bigger and older brother. However, where Cade is a guard/tackle type, Cooper is an elite prospect at the center position who can also use his tenacious playing style at guard. Cooper has never met a defensive lineman he wouldn't take on, and that will help him in the SEC as a somewhat smaller offensive lineman. He has a great grasp on leverage as a young lineman.
James Robinson is massive. He looks like he eats barbells in his spare time, and he carries virtually no bad weight. Given that the staff wanted to add some real beef to the offensive line in the 2020 class, Robinson certainly fit the bill. He's powerful at 340+ pounds, but he's also surprisingly agile and could probably play some right tackle in a pinch. In all likelihood, he'll spend most of his time in Knoxville playing the guard position, but don't discount the possibility of him seeing some playing time at tackle in a couple years.
Javontez Spraggins was another part of the beefing up of the offensive line, but he's also a top 15 center in the 2020 cycle who can easily fit in at guard or center. Will Mays likely to man the center position int he future, look for the massive Spraggins, who checks in at 6-3, 350+, to land at guard. He's a brutal blocker who brings plenty of strength to the table paired with good balance and footwork that allows him to be fairly effective in both run and pass blocking. He may well be the freshman with the best chance to avoid a redshirt, although he'd probably still need a few things to go his way to have that pan out.
Grade: A
SEC Ranking: 2nd
The Vols might be a Cade Mays decision away from me making them #1 in the SEC and a certain top-ten OL group nationally. The Vols return all five starters from an offensive line that was very good despite having to use a number of different starting looks over the course of the season due to injury. They finished the year strong and the addition of Mays, as well as the development of freshmen starters Morris and Wright, should make this group a force to be reckoned with in 2020, and that seems likely to aid the Vols in taking some pressure off the passing game as the line and experienced running backs handle a heavier chunk of the workload.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Again, this is a pretty obvious strength for the Vols in 2020, but it's also a bit of an odd one in that there's no clear star of the group. It's a balanced and deep rotation that only got better overall with the last recruiting class. For many of these guys, it will be their last ride with the Vols in 2020 as there are seven seniors on the DL. Tennessee can probably have three complete rotations on the defensive line without any major dropoff this season, but with a new defensive line coach and co-DC in Jimmy Brumbaugh, it remains to be seen if they rotate as heavily as they did in 2019. While at first blush, the Vol run defense doesn't look that stout, it's a bit misleading when you get deeper into the numbers. Tennessee only allowed 3.7 yards per carry, tied for 30th nationally in yards per carry. They were actually a pretty effective run defense, but opponents had to pound the ball on the ground as that was the most effective option to attack the defense in 2019, a testament to their #16 pass defense nationally.
Who do you start with when the group is this deep? My solution is to go with the guy who lost out on last season due to injury after being the presumed leader of the group. Emmit Gooden is very athletic and disruptive at 6-3, 290, and he can play any of the three spots on the defensive line in the 3-4 front. He did exactly that as a junior, playing at nose and end as needed as the top reserve and only regular piece of the rotation in 2018. He ended that season with 33 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and a sack despite bouncing around spots. Heading into 2019, he was the presumptive nose tackle, but it's a bit harder to pin down where he lands after last season saw so many guys emerge. The only thing that currently seems certain is that he will start somewhere on the line.
Aubrey Solomon transferred to Tennessee from Michigan, where injuries had limited his career up to that point. Solomon became a regular on the defensive line for the Vols, accounting for 28 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks despite once again dealing with some injury limitations. Solomon is long at 6-5 and he carries his 315-pounds well. He's athletic enough to play end, where he saw the majority of his work last season, but he's big enough to play nose if called upon to do so. If Solomon is healthy next season, he will be difficult to rotate out, although the talent is so deep for the Vols it will also be tough to justify not having a regular rotation.
Darel Middleton still has so much untapped potential in his 6-7, 305-pound frame, and that after a season in which he had 28 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, and a blocked kick. A winding journey has finally seen him get to Knoxville, where he's more than capable of doing some serious damage if he takes the next step in 2020. He's very athletic, having formerly played tight end and wide receiver in high school. Last season, strength was an area in need of improvement, and it's one that he should be capable of having addressed going into this season in spite of the strange offseason.
I feel bad for not mentioning him sooner, but Matthew Butler did plenty to introduce himself last season, leading the Vol defensive line in tackles as an active end in the 3-4 look and a regular part of the rotation. 45 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a pair of passes defended signaled that Butler would be a force to reckon with moving forward into his senior season, but Butler has been tough to keep out of the rotation since arriving on campus, playing 17 games through his first two seasons with 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Butler is built for this defensive scheme, and he can play end or tackle as needed. He is another guy who is simply going to be difficult to keep off the field.
Greg Emerson had a difficult freshman season in Knoxville, battling with injuries, weight gain, position changes, etc. that led to him playing in just one game all year. As a redshirt freshman, he reminded everyone why he was a top defensive line recruit, playing in all 13 games at the nose tackle spot and finishing with 30 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 passes defended. He's far from fully-realized yet as well, with room to continue to grow and develop as a player. Emerson won't make it easy for Gooden to slide back into the nose tackle job and that could very well be a strong battle heading into the season.
Kurott Garland was the other regular at nose after dallying with a transfer, but his emergence as a redshirt freshman helped to solidify the rotation at nose last season while he garnered four starts along the way. 19 tackles and 2 tackles for loss later, Garland has pretty much guaranteed himself a future role in the rotation at some spot, even if it isn't nose moving forward.
LaTrell Bumphus, a one-time tight end for the Vols, has found his way to his natural home on the defensive line. How natural is it for him? Well, despite being a bit undersized last season at just over 270, Bumphus led the defensive line in tackles for loss with six and added in 23 tackles and 2 sacks in his first season on the defensive line. The sky is the limit in what he can do as a senior, whether or not he's a rotational guy or a starter. He's got too much speed for most tackles to handle him and now pushing 290 he should be even more of a force physically.
Ja'Quain Blakely has been a presence for the Vols the past three seasons, but last season he made himself a regular in the rotation on his way to 8 tackles on the season. Blakely is a big defensive lineman who can play a bit of any spot but really made his bones as the down lineman for the third-down rush package in 2019. The return of Gooden is probably bad news for Blakely in that capacity as Gooden is a heckuva pass rusher in his own right and is likely to fill that role this season. Blakely may be a young man with a decision to make about whether or not to leave as a graduate transfer before the season begins.
Savion Williams arrived in Knoxville to a lot of fanfare, but things just never quite worked out for him last season as he was relegated to a reserve role, playing in seven games with 7 tackles. If he's willing to do so, he has a redshirt available and it may behoove him to use it in 2020 with an eye on playing a big role in 2021. Otherwise, I'm worried he may get lost in the shuffle and his final season in Knoxville will be a forgettable one.
John Mincey arrived with a ton of promise. After two seasons, it's still mostly just promise. He's struggled a bit to add and keep on weight, and despite playing in 14 games so far he's accounted for 10 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack, half of that coming as a freshman in a reserve role. Mincey will need a big summer to break into the rotation or, as with Williams and Blakely, transfer or redshirting may prove valuable options for him to consider.
Kingston Harris is strong as they come, but there's a lack of explosiveness and agility that has kept him from making a bigger impact in his first two years on campus. He's played in just four games so far, and he's registered just one tackle. It was understood when he signed with the Vols that he would be a project, and that has proven to be the case. Next season is likely to be a wash for him, but as a redshirt junior, he will need to make an impact or consider his options.
6-2, 340-pounds of muscle and bad intentions. Elijah Simmons looks like he was built in a lab to play the nose tackle position, and that size and physicality earned him goal-line work against Missouri and Kentucky last season. It's impossible to ignore his athleticism at his size when he showed off that he could dunk before enrolling in Knoxville last summer. Once again, the same issue pops up though: how to break through on the loaded depth chart? Simmons may have a better chance than some think if he can keep the goal-line work going.
Dominic Bailey was the lone defensive early enrollee for the Vols and he's likely tried to take that jump on strength and conditioning and turn it into early impact. He added about ten pounds before the start of spring practices, and it's reasonable to think he's kept up the work heading into the resumption of strength and conditioning this summer. A quick-twitch interior lineman, he has a lot in common with Gooden in that he's a disruptive player capable of playing any of the three spots. He left high school with good strength, especially in the lower body, and an advanced understanding of leverage. He may not be needed in 2020, but sometimes a guy can be too good to keep off the field.
Reginald "RJ" Perry was a late addition before the early signing period, and he is an intriguing one in that he could ultimately play on the offensive line or defensive line. However, the initial plan for him is on defense. His 2018 season was excellent, piling up 43 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks before a major growth spurt heading into his senior season, where he added about 60 pounds and an inch or so in height. Also a star center for his high school basketball team, Perry has plenty of talent and athleticism, but he needs to adapt to his added bulk on the football field. He was athletic enough to dominate as an offensive tackle and occasional tight end, but his ability to bully offensive linemen to make plays is simply too much to pass up on defense unless he proves it won't be a fit.
Omari Thomas was the crown jewel of early signing as the Vols had been forced to fight to land him. Thomas, like Perry, has a lot of upside on both sides of the ball, but the 2018 All-USA Tennessee Football First Team offensive lineman and 2018 Division II-AAA Mr. Football finalist has taken his talents to the defensive side of the football after a 2019 Division II-AAA Mr. Football win and 2020 All-American Bowl selection for his efforts on defense. While he continued to be a ridiculous talent on the offensive line as a senior, he was unblockable on defense at times. He has a quick first step that keeps offensive linemen off-balance and allows him to beat them, either with surprising speed or his outstanding strength. On the off chance an offensive lineman does manage to get position on him, he has active hands that hit like a grizzly's paw to clear the way in front of him. His ability to play end or nose will help him to see the field early in his career, but 2020 might be a bit much to hope for with the depth.
Grade: B+
SEC Ranking: T-4th
So, I know I just built this group up, but they're going to have to help pick up some of the pass rush work after the departure of Darrell Taylor, the leading pass rusher of the last two seasons. They also need to do a better job of keeping opponents out of the end zone in the run. That said, this is still a deep, productive group that has shown the promise necessary to step up. The biggest issue in the conference ranking is that the rest of the SEC is pretty stout on the defensive line as well, in particular Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. The Vols are part of the group that includes South Carolina and LSU. If this group can be more stout in goalline stands and can boost the pass rush, they will move up the rankings.
LINEBACKER
This is a position that has a ton of questions and the answers are probably fewer and farther between than a lot of fans would like to admit. While guys like Henry To'o To'o, Quavaris Crouch, and Kivon Bennett offer up some clear answers, depth is a concern as is finding a significant pass rush to replace the departed Darrell Taylor. Aside from the loss of Taylor, Bituli was the brain of the defense on the field, and replacing him will not be easy by any stretch. There will be a lot of talent here, and having it all come together will be important in order for the defense and team overall to maximize their potential.
Henry To'o To'o was a major factor for the Vols defense last season, starting 12 games and finishing with 72 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack along with a fumble recovery and a couple passes broken up on his way to Freshman All-American honors. While To'o To'o certainly wasn't the only freshman to see action at linebacker last season, he was obviously the star and is the heir apparent to the legacy left behind by players like Bituli, Alexander Johnson, Jerod Mayo, Kevin Burnett, and Al Wilson. Of those players named, To'o To'o is probably most similar to Jerod Mayo, and like Mayo looks poised for a strong and successful NFL career when his time in Knoxville comes to an end. This season, the big step forward he needs to make is serving as the field general of the defense.
Quavaris Crouch played a lot of football for the Vols last season, playing in all 13 games with one start while seeing time at inside and outside linebacker, as well as a short-yardage running back. On offense, he turned his 7 carries into a couple of touchdowns, although not much in the way of yardage. Defensively, he had 28 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a half-sack along with two passes defended. Figuring out if Crouch is an inside or outside linebacker is an important first step, but in all likelihood, he's going to end up inside along with To'o To'o. Crouch is a downhill, attacking linebacker in the same vein as former Vol Alexander Johnson.
Kivon Bennett is the son of former Alabama and NFL standout Cornelius Bennett, and he started to look the part of a standout linebacker last season with his 27 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks in a backup role. He finished the season very strong, and it's reasonable to think it was just a sample of things to come as he's spent the offseason trimming weight to improve his speed before building back on muscle. Bennett has two years left to play and plenty of room left to grow after a slow start his career for the Vols.
Deandre Johnson has played a part every season he's been in Knoxville, but he needs to make his final season his best. He's been productive as a situational pass rusher with 30 career tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, but the consistency to serve as a starter has been elusive up to this point. There's a major opportunity there for him if he can take the reins, but he should also expect to be challenged for the job.
Roman Harrison was a high school nose tackle turned collegiate outside linebacker, and that transition understandably took some time, but late in the season Harrison began to emerge. He played in 11 games, but his final two outings saw him picking up a couple of sacks, one each against Vanderbilt and Indiana. He also had a four tackle game against Chattanooga. A physical freak, he's going to put himself into the running for the starting job with Johnson and maybe one or two freshmen. Harrison is still learning the position, but his first year there was a strong start.
JJ Peterson joined the Vols with a lot of fanfare, but it hasn't necessarily translated fully to the field yet. However, he certainly took strides last season as he played in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker and special teams performer, making 11 tackles over the course of the season. Peterson is heading into his redshirt sophomore season, and he needs to emerge as a quality #2 at the inside linebacker spots for depth purposes. He certainly has that potential, and I'd expect him to make strides in that regard.
Last season, Solon Page saw his most extensive work as a Vol with seven tackles in five games as a reserve linebacker and special teams performer. Although just a rising redshirt junior, he's probably going to struggle to be more than he's been up to this point in his career due to a lack of bulk. Special teams is probably the most he can hope for at this point along with some garbage time work on defense unless he's able to bulk up north of 225.
Aaron Beasley's first year in Knoxville was interesting as he moved from safety to linebacker due to need at the linebacker position. He played mostly special teams in his first season with a couple of tackles. Beasley has the size to play linebacker, but he's going to need to do more growing to fill out at the position. He's likely to be mainly a special teams performer again in 2020.
Tyler Baron was one of the big in-state recruiting wins after his recruitment became a bit more interesting than most Vol fans would have liked. Despite his father being on the staff, Baron considered all of his options before deciding to stay home. He was very productive last season with 105 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks, and the Vols would love to get even half of that from him this season. A long and physically imposing option at outside linebacker, Baron looks physically like the guy to replace Taylor, who was an imposing 6-4, 255-pounds. However, it took some time to become that guy, and it's probably not reasonable to assume Baron will be able to step in as a freshman to start.
Bryson Eason is a freak athlete. Any conversation about him has to begin with his ridiculous athleticism wrapped up in a 270-pound body. He looks like a defensive lineman but makes plays that some safeties can't make. He doesn't really carry much in the way of bad weight, but it's still likely that he'll see some weight get trimmed off and then replaced with additional muscle. His ideal playing weight at inside linebacker is probably around 260 or so, but he played plenty well at his current 270 and need may force him into action early. Over the last three seasons, he accumulated 243 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 3 interceptions, so he's solid in both coverage and against the run, giving Tennessee a complete linebacker.
Martavius French was one of three linebackers from Whitehave to join the Vols along with Eason and Tamarion McDonald, and he's the one the Vols had to flip to add as he was previously committed to Arkansas. French doesn't have the elite athleticism of Eason, but he's a very good downhill player who has some upside as an outside linebacker as well as against the run. He had 223 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 4 interceptions in his four seasons for Whitehaven, but he did the bulk of that work in his last two seasons. He may need a year or two of development, but look for him to join the rotation at outside linebacker after some development.
Morven Joseph is another freak athlete. He's built like a more seasoned collegiate linebacker with high-end athleticism and the speed to torment opposing quarterbacks, as evidenced by his 24.5 sacks in high school. He's also managed 51.5 tackles for loss to go with his 52 quarterback hurries and 205 tackles from his high school defensive end spot. The move to outside linebacker should be relatively smooth for Joseph, and if the transition goes as well as expected he will almost certainly find himself part of the competition for playing time.
Tamarion McDonald, the third of the Whitehaven trio, could end up at linebacker or safety, having played both in high school, but odds are he probably ends up at linebacker, perhaps as a nickel linebacker given his athleticism. He accounted for 140 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries in two seasons while also serving as the starting punter. He's long and thin with plenty of room to grow, and the Vols are pretty well set in the secondary, making his prospects at safety poor at best. However, the Vols are still in need at linebacker and if they are lucky he will be big enough to help out some. He's also likely to find his way into some special teams units with his athletic ability.
Grade: C+
SEC Ranking: 8th
This is a middle of the pack group in the preseason, but middle to back of the pack was the projection for the defensive line last season too, so don't get too hung up on the preseason outlook. New linebacker coaches Shelton Felton and Brian Niedermeyer will look to get the most out of a group light on depth but high on talent. While To'o To'o is a relatively proven asset, Crouch, Bennett, Harrison, Johnson, etc. will need to step up and produce at a high level for the Vols to have a chance at improving on last season as issues at linebacker will be difficult for the defensive line and secondary to mask.
SECONDARY
Tennessee had one of the best pass defenses in the country in 2019, and they only lost Nigel Warrior from that secondary while adding a couple of gifted freshmen to bolster the group. The 18th pass defense in the nation by yardage allowed per game, 26th in completion percentage allowed, T-28th in yards per attempt allowed, and T-10th in touchdowns given up. For good measure, the Vols defense also tied for 13th nationally in interceptions with 15 on the season while finishing 25th in quarterback rating allowed. Top to bottom, this was one of the nation's best pass defenses. While it remains to be seen if they'll get the same kind of boost from the pass rush that they did last season, they won't be beaten by many opponents in coverage.
The loss of Warrior is a big one, but the Vols have some experienced options at safety, led by senior Theo Jackson, who is coming off a career-best season last year in which he had 53 tackles, 3 passes defended, and an interception. He hasn't piled up the starts, but he's played in 34 games in three seasons with six starts at a loaded position. It's reasonable to think he's probably going to be at least part of the equation in replacing Warrior.
Freshman Jaylen McCollough is the guy who supplanted Jackson to start the last six games of the season while appearing in all 13 games. McCollough is a big safety at 6-0, 205 and he can play strong or free safety roles within the defense. He's likely another strong starting candidate this season after finishing last season with 33 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, a sack, and 2 passes defended. As for his coverage skills, he was able to show those off during last year's spring game when he picked off a pair of passes.
Trevon Flowers has teased fans with his talent, but injuries and inconsistency have kept him from fully realizing that potential. He's had three starts in his 13 games played over two seasons, and his stats aren't bad with 26 tackles, 2 passes defended, and an interception, but health and consistency are going to have to materialize at some point. I'm not sure he'll be a starter in 2020, but I'm quite confident in him being at least a key reserve if he's healthy.
I've been waiting on things to come together for Cheyenne Labruzza, but it just hasn't happened yet through three seasons and 20 games played. He's managed just 4 tackles so far and he has been buried in the safety depth chart up to this point. We'll see if it all comes together for him or not, but at minimum he's a solid special teams performer.
Tyus Fields missed most of spring football after enrolling early, but he's healthy now and this compact, hard-hitting safety will look to make the most of his redshirt freshman campaign and the opportunity presented by Warrior's departure to the NFL. He did play in four games last season, managing a couple of tackles, and it's likely that he will play a bigger role this season in some capacity.
Alontae Taylor has started a good chunk of his two seasons at corner, but last season he only started in six of his twelve games played after starting nine games as a true freshman. Taylor is a talented defensive back, but his skill set may be better suited to safety. The emergence last season of Kenneth George Jr. may open the door for that move, and if Taylor does transition to safety expect him to adapt quickly and find the field early and often. Another factor may be the possible emergence of a true freshman in the mix at corner, which would make moving Taylor less painful on the depth chart.
What a difference a season can make! Shawn Shamburger went from a key reserve to a star at Star in just one offseason as he was forced into the position by a medical issue for Baylen Buchanan. He then proceeded to finish the season with 47 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 passes defended, and an interception as he became a critical part of the defense. Although Buchanan is expected to be back this season, he'll find it difficult to unseat Shamburger after that spectacular junior campaign.
Speaking of Buchanan, prior to being forced into a redshirt last season, he too had a breakout season at Star as he compiled 49 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 2018. As stated before, Shamburger won't be easy to unseat, but Buchanan won't be easy to keep off the field either. A heavy rotation at Star is one possibility, or there could be an uptick in the use of the dime look in order to get these two excellent athletes on the field together.
Bryce Thompson has emerged as a star at corner for the Vols after predominately playing wide receiver in high school. In two seasons, he's accumulated 66 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 15 passes defended, 6 interceptions, and a forced fumble, and that's with a sophomore season that saw him miss three games and have something of a slump relative to his freshman outing. If Thompson can avoid the offseason distractions of last season, he's an All-SEC caliber corner.
Kenneth George Jr. has some offseason distractions of his own before the 2019 season, but he was able to settle in to finish with 6 starts while playing in all 13 games, finishing with 19 tackles, 3 passes defended, and an interception. He was simply better in coverage at times last season than Taylor, although Taylor tended to be better in run support. Last season was an astronomical jump from his first season in Knoxville when he accounted for just three tackles in four games, and it's not a stretch to think another big jump could be ahead of George in 2020.
Warren Burrell was forced into a starting role due to the absence of Thompson, and he responded with 13 tackles over four starts and nine games played. Burrell probably was asked to do too much too soon, but necessity prompted his immediate playing time and he responded about as well as could be asked. If he takes meaningful strides in his second season, he'll be a difficult matchup with his 6-0 frame.
Speaking of potential matchup problems, Kenney Solomon is 6-0 tall with speed to spare. Joining as a walk-on, he was placed on scholarship mid-season. While playing in 11 games, mostly on special teams, he registered one tackle and an interception against Chattanooga in the endzone. Solomon is a developmental guy right now, but the upside is obvious and it's likely that he will see his workload expand down the line.
It's hard to figure out exactly what's going to happen with Brandon Davis. He's got heart, and nobody can question that, but as for making his way into the rotation on defense...that may require more than heart for the 5-10, 160-pound defensive back. He's shown moments of brilliance, like in last year's spring game when he chased down freshman tight end Jackson Lowe and forced a fumble on his long reception. However, he's just a bit too small to find a regular home in the secondary unless he can build upon his frame.
Kwauze Garland likely has a familiar last name since he's the younger brother of Kurott Garland. Checking in at a healthy 6-1, 203, Garland was another mid-season scholarship awardee, playing in three games. He has nice upside on special teams and the potential to become a rotation piece in the secondary as long as he continues to develop after playing mostly outside linebacker in high school.
Grade: B+
SEC Ranking: 4th
Look, this was an excellent secondary nationally. It was also a middle of the pack secondary in the SEC. They generally fell between 4th and 8th in the SEC in every major pass defense category, and their leader in tackles, passes defended, and interceptions in the secondary is off to the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. They may improve, but Alabama, LSU, and Georgia also return a ton of talent in the secondary. Florida and South Carolina are also in that mix to potentially finish 4th, and Kentucky and Auburn are solid groups as well. Consider this a vote for this group to repeat their performance for the most part from 2019 in 2020.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Last year could be categorized as a down year for Tennessee special teams in some categories and an excellent one in others. After an excellent redshirt freshman campaign for punter Joe Doyle that saw him end up as a Ray Guy award finalist, he struggled with consistency in 2019 and eventually gave way to Paxton Brooks, ultimately entering the transfer portal after the season. The return game was a bit less dynamic, but the coverage units were better and the team was stronger in blocking kicks, leading to more scoring on special team. Heading into 2020, the kicker positions are pretty well settled, but long snapper and holder are areas of concern, as is the punt returner duties with Ty Chandler presumably set to resume his kickoff duties (although he could find himself challenged as well).
Brent Cimaglia had himself a season for the record books. Seriously. He had the 3rd best single-season by field goals made and 8th best by field goal percentage for one season, so he's well on his way to further cementing himself in the annals of Tennessee football history in 2020. He'll eyeball an All-American campaign after his All-SEC performance from last season where he became Brent Auto-maglia to fans as the team's sure-fire points in spite of the red zone struggles, hitting 85.2% of his field goals and making all of his PATs. There is zero question of who the placekicker is. The only real question is why will be the next man up in 2021.
Paxton Brooks quickly became the kickoff specialist once he got to campus, and he's only improved in that role, but last season he added punting to his list of duties, pinning just over a third of his punts inside the 20 with just 2 touchbacks and a 42.0 yard per punt average. He needs to work on forcing more fair catches and some distance, but he was good at allowing his coverage to get down the field to make plays. There's still room for improvement here, but Brooks looks likely to be a staple at punter for the next two seasons.
Long snapping duties are going to be interesting this season, but there are really just two unknowns in the mix here: walk-on Matthew Salansky and true freshman Will Albright. Albright was regarded as a top 5 long snapper in the 2020 cycle, so he's probably the odds on favorite to take the job. Albright was also an accomplished linebacker and receiver in high school, and he should be an asset on coverage as well. Salansky will certainly compete here, but Albright may be too good and too athletic not to take the job.
Your guess is as good as mine for who will take on the holding duties after the departure of Doyle, who handled the job last year. The Vols will have a number of walk-on options, but someone will need to emerge in this capacity as there is no collegiate experience being the holder available.
Ty Chandler has handled kickoff returns for most of his time in Knoxville with 25 returns for 780 yards and a touchdown, but grad transfer Velus Jones Jr. is also a very accomplished kick returner, and the Vols have added a lot of speed in the new recruiting class. Chandler will get first crack to keep the job, but he'll have a fight on his hands to keep it.
Marquez Callaway is no longer available to handle punt returns, and someone will need to emerge in this capacity. As far as returning guys who can handle the job, Eric Gray is a solid candidate and he did return a couple last season. This should be a wide-open competition for the job.
Grade: B
SEC Ranking: T-1st
Look, there are some unknowns here, but Tennessee is almost always strong on special teams, have answers in place for the kickers and the kickoff returner, and they have tons of speed and options to help on coverage and punt returns. Unless something goes terribly sideways, there's no reason not to expect this group to among the SEC's best if not the best. Sure, you could argue for Alabama to hold the top spot solo, but I think Tennessee is very much right there with them.
