On3 Roundtable: Analyzing Tennessee's readiness for high expectations

Tennessee’s readiness for high expectations this football season definitely has to come into question. Was last year a fluke or is Josh Heupel onto something great?

From Hendon Hooker to Joe Milton at quarterback, it’ll look a little different. But with Heupel at the controls, Tennessee could be cooking.

VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs joined Andy Staples on the On3 Roundtable to discuss.

“That’s a great question and I don’t think we truly know the answer to that part of this,” Hubbs said. “The expectation stemmed from the fact that the quarterback can throw it up, you know, a country mile as we’ve all seen everywhere. But the other part of it too, is the idea that Josh Heupel’s offense has never failed.

“You go back to his time at Oklahoma when he was a coordinator, quarterbacks coach at Missouri, to when he was at Central Florida and what he did in Tennessee in two short years. It doesn’t seem like he can make whatever out of his quarterback, if he’s a tall guy, he’s a mobile guy, whatever, it seems like guys are always open.”

Hubbs addressed the notion of losing a great quarterback in Heupel’s system with talent returning.

“So there’s a notion that you can withstand losing what was such a vital piece in Hendon Hooker, the question is can you,” Hubbs said. “And the other question too, is, you know, how are you with a label on your back with everybody looking for you? But they’ve had two years to get ready for this offense and people still seem to be running wide open.

“So there’s a thought process out there that they’re gonna be okay. They’re okay. I mean, you know, they gotta answer some questions like everybody else does, but they should be a good football team. (They’ll) be competitive, week in and week out with everybody they play.”

So it’s a matter of if Tennessee is okay with being competitive with everyone every single week or beating everyone. We’re going to opt with the latter statement.

But which Tennessee team will fans get this season? That’s up to Heupel and Milton.

The former Michigan quarterback came to Knoxville and resurrected his college career. After Hooker’s injury last season, Milton was practically flawless as the starter.

Does that translate over the course of a full season? That remains to be seen.

Don’t forget, Tennessee still has to pass Georgia in its own division.