JD PicKell: Tennessee feels ready to make major leap in 2022

Year two of the Josh Heupel era in Knoxville is upon us, and the Tennessee Volunteers are expected to solidify themselves as a SEC East contender from here on out. According to On3’s JD PicKell, there’s a rejuvenated feeling within the program as preseason expectations continue to pile as the 2022 college football season rears its head.

“This was really important for me, at least, for us to get this right, so [I] talked to some people close to the program – I just said, ‘what’s the pulse? What is the feel right now at Tennessee inside that locker room?'” PicKell said on a recent episode of the Hard Count. “They said they’re ready to take the next step.

“[Tennessee] feels like 7-6 is great. That’s a good thing for them, especially last year to Josh Heupel, but they’re by no means satisfied.”

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Over the next few seasons – if projections and expectations are correct – Tennessee could find themselves in prime position to sweep the carpet out from under the Georgia Bulldogs as king of the SEC East. If expectations come into fruition for Tennessee, Josh Heupel’s Volunteers have to opportunity to take the crown from the mostly-inexperienced Bulldogs as early as this season.

“They feel like they’re ready to take the next step – that’s kind of the theme there with the pulse inside the locker room,” PicKell said. “Seven wins is good, but [Tennessee] feels like [they’re] capable of much more. So that’s internally with Hendon Hooker coming back with Jabari Small coming back, with Cedric Tillman coming back, they have so many pieces to where they don’t see a reason why they have to have another seven-win year.”

With those three offensive pieces, PicKell believes the Vols can make a run for the SEC East as soon as next season. He later pointed to Hooker and his efficiency in Heupel’s up-tempo style of offense as a main reason behind the heightened expectations.

And rightfully so – last season, Hooker proved to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation, completing 68 percent of his passes for nearly 3,000 yards. He more than doubled his previous career high pass attempts, while throwing the aforementioned near-perfect touchdown-to-interception ratio of 31-3 and PicKell believes will be the catalyst behind Tennessee’s ascent back to SEC relevancy this upcoming season.