SEC Kickoff Preview: Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee is coming off an 11-2 record and an impressive 31-14 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. 2022 was also a year that the Volunteers defeated Alabama 52-29 in Knoxville. The victory over the Vols’ traditional rival marked the first win over Bama since 2006. Things appear to be going swimmingly for Josh Heupel. His offense finished the season leading the nation by scoring 46.1 points per game.

Josh Heupel is 18-8 at the University of Tennessee. The 2022 SEC Coach of the Year took his Volunteers to new, old heights a season ago. His teams have defeated seven opponents that were ranked in the Top-25.

The NCAA finally released its list of sanctions and infractions against the Tennessee football program. As expected, the slap on the wrist marks the end of a dark cloud that lingered over Neyland Stadium for quite some time. Now, Heupel and crew can move forward. Let’s get into it.

OFFENSE

I’d like to pose a question. Did Josh Heupel make Hendon Hooker or did Hendon Hooker make Josh Heupel? We will soon get our answer when Joe Milton takes the field in the season opener. Milton is an experienced QB with several starts under his belt at Michigan and Tennessee. He played in nine games including starting the final two of last season. The former Wolverine completed 65% of his passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdown passes. He did not throw an interception.

Milton’s role will be simple: Operate Heupel’s system by completing a high percentage of throws to playmaking receivers in space. Milton has a cannon for an arm. UT’s pass catchers can flat-out go get the football. They are led by All-SEC WR Bru McCoy. You can read about him a little later.

McCoy will be joined by a plethora of WR talent. Squirrel White played in 12 games with 2 starts as a freshman. The 5’10, 165-speedster caught 30 passes for 481 yards and 2 scores. Dont’e Thornton Jr. was a prized and coveted portal acquisition. The 6’5, 205-pound former Oregon Duck averaged 21 yards per catch in Eugene. Ramel Keyton added 31 receptions, 562 yards, and 5 TDs in 2022. Redshirt freshman Kaleb Webb is expected to be in the rotation this fall.

Running back Jabari Small started all 13 games in 2022 despite playing through an injury. The senior rushed for 13 TDs and 734 yards. 2023 will mark his third year as a starter. Jaylen Wright joins Small in the rotation and is also considered to be a starter. Wright led the Volunteers with 875 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. Wright recorded 5 runs of 30+ yards a year ago.

There are going to be new faces on the Volunteer offensive line. Anchoring the front is senior center Cooper Mays. Heupel doesn’t ask his lineman to protect for a long amount of time. The football is intended to get out of the QB’s hand quickly.

Best Offensive Player: Bru McCoy

The 6’3, 221-pound USC transfer quickly acclimated to Knoxville and the SEC in a hurry. Utilizing his large frame, McCoy recorded 52 receptions for 667 yards and caught 4 touchdown passes. He and fellow UT WRs possess excellent size which will give Milton an enlarged target radius.

Most Important Offensive Player: Joe Milton

Can Milton calibrate that cannon? Can he be accurate in the short to intermediate game? Those are questions going into 2023. However, it must be noted that the former Michigan and Tennessee starter is experienced and completed 65% of his passes last season.

DEFENSE

Coordinator Tim Banks is entering year three in Knoxville. Banks has developed an attacking style scheme with the intent to force play across the line of scrimmage. Evidence of this lies in the numbers. Banks’ defenses have led the SEC in tackles for loss on two separate occasions.

Tennessee gave up 23 points and 405 total yards per game in 2022. The Vols were stingy against the run by giving up just 115 yards per game. The forward pass gave UT problems. Banks’ unit surrendered 290 pass yards per outing. That high number ranked 12^th in the SEC. The Volunteers also registered 31 quarterback sacks and 93 tackles for loss a year ago. The TFL total ranked second in the SEC.

Linebacker Aaron Beasley quarterbacks Banks’ defense. He’s active, aggressive, and one heck of a football player. You can read about him below. Same can be said about defensive tackle Omari Thomas. More has been expected from defensive end Tyler Baron. The former 4-star prospect recorded 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 QB sacks, and 6 pass breakups last season A boost in production from Baron would boost the Volunteer defense.

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Banks has an active back third. Free safety Jaylen McCollough finished the 2022 season ranked second on the team with 58 tackles. Doneiko Slaughter had starts at cornerback and safety. He is a physical tackler and led the Vols with 7 pass breakups to go along with 1 interception.

Best Defensive Player: Aaron Beasley

Aaron Beasley is one of the best inside linebackers in the SEC. The Vols’ leading tackler registered 76 stops (39 solo) and a team-high 13 tackles for loss in 2022. The 6’1, 225-pound senior is also one of the most exciting and aggressive defenders in the league.

Most Important Defensive Player: Omari Thomas

Omari Thomas has started 19 career games. He recorded 57 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3 QB sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and forced a fumble in 2022. Thomas’ development into a three-down defensive lineman was a significant development for the Tennessee defense.

Schedule Preview

Non-conference opponents include an opening game matchup against Virginia on September 2. Tennessee should be favored in that one and the other three non-SEC contests on their slate. Those opponents include Austin Peay, UTSA, and UConn.

The Volunteer’s home conference schedule features games against South Carolina, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. UT goes on the road to take on Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, and Missouri

2023 Projection: SEC East – 3

What Does All This Mean?

Josh Heupel has enjoyed more success than I anticipated or projected. I respect the young head coach tremendously. The innovative play caller and 2022 SEC Coach of the Year also caught lightning in a bottle when Hendon Hooker transferred in from Virginia Tech. Hooker was the perfect quarterback to operate Heupel’s fast-paced, up-tempo system that requires rapid processing, confident decision-making, and precise accuracy.

Joe Milton is the obvious key to Tennessee’s season. Can he have the same level of success as Hooker? We’ll see. The NCAA cloud was somewhat lifted off Tennessee after NCAA sanctions and violations were announced. The slap on the wrist was as feeble as expected. Now Heupel can concentrate on going forward and add to a bunch of wins in Knoxville.

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