Rocky Top Revival: Why the Tennessee Vols should be optimistic about 2022 and beyond

The Tennessee Volunteers are a blueblood program in name only right now, but their boosters, a newly competent administration and a second-year coaching staff are looking to change that. 

After as many head coaches (six) as winning seasons since their last 10-win year in 2007, the Vols are finally going all-in, looking to ride recent recruiting momentum and a surprising 7-6 season in 2021 to a true Rocky Top revival this fall. 

Last season, Josh Heupel overcame a roster ransacked by the transfer portal, coaching Tennessee to a bowl game with one of the most high-octane offenses in the country. The September switch at quarterback from Joe Milton to Hendon Hooker ignited the Vols with optimism and confidence, as the former Virginia Tech playmaker became a touchdown machine (36 total scores) in Heupel’s modern version of the ‘Run ’N Shoot.’ Tennessee came oh-so-close to its best season in 15 years, going 1-3 in games decided by a single score. 

After multiple seasons of plodding, eye-gouging offenses under the previous two coaching staffs, Heupel — essentially utilizing the same talent only with a new trigger-man — set all sorts of school records in Year 1 in Knoxville. Tennessee’s high-flying attack should remain one of the scariest in the country this fall too, returning 74% of its production, second-most in the SEC per ESPN. The Vols have eight starters back, including Hooker, wideout Cedric Tillman, who is the leading returning wideout in the SEC, tailbacks Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright and tight end Jacob Warren. Expectations are also high surrounding Jalin Hyatt, who had a quiet 2021 season but was a breakout star this spring. 

With Neyland Stadium under renovations, the Vols didn’t hold their traditional Orange & White Game this spring, so for now, the swelling optimism surrounding Tennessee’s future seemingly has less to do with what might happen on the field in 2022 versus what is currently happening on the recruiting trail with the 2023 class. 

It’s been close to a decade since the Vols signed a Top 10 class, but that’s about to change. Tennessee is suddenly relevant in the ‘crootin game again. In March, UT landed a commitment from California quarterback Nico Iamaleava — the program’s first five-star QB commit in 20 years. Iamaleava is the nation’s No. 3 quarterback and No. 4 overall prospect according to the On3 Consensus, and his mere presence on Tennessee’s commit list has been a game-changer.

Iamaleava, and all the Nico-mania that comes with it, has been billed as the Vols’ pied piper — a charismatic personality who finally leads Tennessee out of the wilderness and back into college football relevancy. 

It was just a year ago that many gave the Vols the kiss of death thanks to potential looming NCAA sanctions. Well, not so fast. 

On3’s recruiting expert Chad Simmons noted recently that Iamaleava is “doing some SERIOUS recruiting behind the scenes” for the Vols, with Tennessee among the favorites for five-star wideout Carnell Tate and four-star offensive tackle Brycen Sanders. One cycle removed from signing just two in-state prospects, the Vols just landed the No. 1 player from Tennessee in pass rusher Caleb Herring, a Top-75 prospect, and are in good position for four-star receiver Adarius Redmond, among others. Heupel and his staff were not known for their recruiting chops, and while perhaps they were being shortchanged mostly recruiting at a Group of 5 school, there’s no debate the NIL collectives involved with Tennessee have made the Vols a power player for top talent once again. They have the quarterback, now they need to build a star-studded class around their headliner commit. 

Still, that’s the future, but there’s real opportunity in the now for the Vols. Iamaleava’s time will come on at Tennessee. What’s fun about the Vols this fall is the QB1 already on campus has a chance to emerge as a true hero on Rocky Top. 

Hooker’s decision to return to school completely changed Tennessee’s 2022 ceiling. The defense, which we’ll surely touch on later this offseason, still leaves a lot to be desired, but Hooker is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, which gives the Vols a puncher’s chance against everyone in the league — even Alabama and Georgia. 

Most preseason projections have the Vols’ win total around seven or eight games, but the schedule is navigable, so there’s a legitimate path to a 9 or 10-win regular season, which would immediately vault the Vols back into contender status. Tennessee needs to snap its losing streak to Florida. It should dream big for a potential New Year’s Six bowl game. 

Sure, hope springs eternal for every program in the country this time of year, but for the first time in a decade, there’s deserved enthusiasm and excitement about what just might unfold on and off the field over the next nine months on Rocky Top.