SEC Preview: Tennessee’s at Year 1…..again

It seems only five minutes ago that Tennessee fired Butch Jones. Since then, the Vols fired Jeremy Pruitt for alleged recruiting violations (more’s the fact that they didn’t want to pay him any severance pay, and have since been sued), and hired UCF head coach Josh Heupel.

Once a National Championship-winning QB at Oklahoma, Heupel helped to develop one of the fastest-paced offenses in college football, revolutionizing Missouri’s offense before going to UCF and putting together a 28-8 record.

At least that’s what the PR from Knoxville would tell you.

If you look carefully, Heupel’s 12-1 record was riding on the coattails of Scott Frost’s 13-0 ‘National Championship’-winning team, and since then, it’s been a bit more pedestrian (10-3 and 6-4).

So it came as a surprise when Heupel got the shot in Knoxville. Or was UT the poisoned chalice that no-one wanted after what happened to Pruitt after the lunatic fringe – led by some idiot sports commentator who shall remain nameless – ensured Greg Schiano wouldn’t sign?

After Pruitt was fired, Tennessee lost THIRTY players to transfer. THIRTY. That included future NFL first round LB Henry To’o To’o and lead tackler to Alabama, RBs Eric Gray (OU) and Ty Chandler (UNC).

OFFENSE

Who’s transferred

MAJOR LOSSES: Gray (772 yards, 4 TDs), Chandler (456 yards, 4 TDs), WR Brandon Johnson (231 yards, 12.2 average per catch), Jarrett Guarantano (1,112 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTS). OT Jahmir Johnson (Texas A&M), OT Wanya Morris (Oklahoma).

WHO’S ARRIVED: JaVonta Payton (Mississippi State (225 yards, 1 TD on 19 receptions), Joe Milton (Michigan) (1,044 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs + 104 yards rushing, 1 TD), Hendon Hooker (Virginia Tech) (1,339 yards passing, 9 TDs, 5 INTs + 620 yards rushing, 9 TDs).

Before last season, we were very excited about UT’s running pairing of Chandler and Gray. A sort of ‘thunder and lightning’ in the SEC, as it were. This was going to be behind a formidable offensive line, and Tennessee would be much-improved in the SEC. Unfortunately, they had to give the ball to their QB at some point, and Jarrett Guarantano was piss-poor. In fact, everyone who sat behind him wasn’t great either, as the Top 3 QBs threw nine INTs.

Heupel’s passing game shouldn’t be in terrible shape with Hooker or Milton, who have perfectly good arms. While Milton’s been talked about as a frontrunner, we prefer Hooker, because he’s got the experience. And Milton was BAD at Michigan.

Hooker/Milton’s not going to best cupboard at WR, though. Josh Palmer, the dominating receiving force on the team is in the NFL now, and Velus Jones Jr is serviceable, if not eye-opening. They’ve got a burner in Jalin Hyatt, a former four-star high school player who played little for the Vols, but is seen as a player with huge upside. Payton was a back-up at Ole Miss, but has experience of a high-octane offense.

Running backs-wise, I’m unsure about Jabari Small. Yes, he had 117 yards on 26 attempts as a third-stringer, and that was good.

But if Small’s offense line continues not to live up to the hype of 2020 (Remember when Cade Mays was a ‘thing’?). Starters Johnson and Morris are gone to play for OTHER TEAMS IN THE SEC, and there are going to be a sea of back-ups.

It’s OK to be excited by Heupel’s offense, but maybe in 2022.

DEFENSE

KEY LOSSES: Henry To’ To (68 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack), Quavaris Crouch (57 tackles, 2 sacks).

Tim Banks, Penn State’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, is an excellent recruiter, and should help the Vols in the future.

But right now, the cupboard’s again pretty bare.

To’ To and Crouch’s departures takes out 130 tackles from the team. That’s a huge hole at linebacker – especially at a time when offenses are more explosive than ever.

Top safety Trevon Flowers is (thankfully) back. He had 62 tackles and 3 passes defended. CB Alontae Taylor is too. Taylor had one INT and 4 PD last year.

On the defensive line, starting DL Darel Middleton’s transferred to West Virginia. Martavius French and Isaac Washington, who were involved in a Spring drug incident, have both entered the portal. The Vols added Da’John Terry from Kansas, who had 11 tackles and 2 sacks in Lawrence, as well as Caleb Tremblay from USC.

But again, this defense is going to be an unknown until the Vols really get into SEC play, because right now things look fairly bleak.

SCHEDULE

Bowling Green

Pittsburgh

Tennessee Tech

at Florida

at Missouri

South Carolina

Ole Miss

at Alabama

at Kentucky

Georgia

South Alabama

Vanderbilt

Prediction: The Vols will go 3-0, helped by the fact that they are playing two terrible teams in Bowling Green and Tennessee Tech, and a very middling Pittsburgh side. They will then lose at Florida and Missouri, but recover to beat South Carolina in a tight, ugly one. They will then continue on a four-game losing streak against Ole Miss, Bama, Kentucky and Georgia, before recovering to beat South Alabama and Vanderbilt.

VOLS GO 6-6, 2-6 in the SEC. In short, the Vols are BOWLING!