The Tennessee Volunteers had elite players – lots of them – last season. A team which had not won the SEC East Division championship since 2007 had a lot to prove and a lot to play for. However, the season didn’t come together the way it should have. Now the Volunteers are in a very difficult spot with a head coach who has to show something to his new athletic director and chancellor, who both came aboard after the 2016 season ended.
How Did They End 2016
The Vols were only 8-3. They had failed to win the SEC East after Florida picked up a surprise win at LSU. On many levels, the season was already a failure. Yet, with just one win and a modest 9-3 record, they still could have gotten something right. They still could have earned a Sugar Bowl bid and a tidal wave of positive publicity by beating in-state rival Vanderbilt, a team they have consistently defeated over the years. This time, though, the Vols fell short. Their defense was taken apart in an ugly loss which denied them the Sugar Bowl and made the season a total loss. There was nothing for Tennessee to hang its hat on, nothing which could offer the suggestion that a better future lay ahead for head coach Butch Jones. The main reason Jones is still on the job is that the school didn’t have a permanent athletic director or chancellor when the 2016 season ended. Having to resolve those two situations and openings took precedence for the school, which would have had to pay a higher buyout by firing Jones now. The school needed to save money after making two important high-dollar hires elsewhere in its infrastructure.
Offseason Changes
Quarterback Josh Dobbs and stud pass rusher Derek Barnett gone, leaving Tennessee without crucial and central producers on each side of the ball. That’s enough of an offseason of disruption, but that wasn’t all. Mike DeBord, the team’s 2016 offensive coordinator, went to the University of Indiana, replaced by Larry Scott. DeBord was not a very good coordinator, but Scott does not come with gleaming credentials and might not be an improvement. He will have to start with a quarterback who does not have Dobbs’ high-end skills. Tennessee’s offense will be a total mystery this season.
Team X-Factor
Quarterback Quinten Dormady or whoever might unseat him as the team’s starting signal-caller will be essential to the season. Dobbs was the unquestioned starter the past few years, so the Vols will reacquaint themselves with an open quarterback competition. The staff needs to be open-minded and not think one guy is the answer until firmly proven.
What To Expect From The Volunteers This Year
The Vols went 8-4 in the regular season last year, and they had a lot more talent then than they do this year. The Vols’ personnel losses might not have been enormous in terms of quantity, but they are large in terms of significance. Dobbs made a lot of plays with his legs, and Barnett was a dominant pass rusher who made opposing teams’ quarterbacks sweat. Not having those two pieces lowers the Vols’ ceiling.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 9-4
2015: 9-4
2014: 7-6
2013: 5-7
2012: 5-7
Schedule and Outlook
The Vols have a tricky start to the season with two easy games in September and three tough ones. They’ll beat Indiana State at home as well as UMass, but the other three games are a tossup. They’ll start the season with a neutral site affair against Georgia Tech. Two weeks later, they’ll have to visit The Swamp in Florida. Two weeks after that, they’ll host Georgia. Is this team good enough to get through that 3-2 or better? If so, the playoffs and a bowl game could be in the cards. If not, it’s going to be a grind for this team to get to six or seven wins.
Last season was Tennessee’s time to get a lot of work done. The Vols failed. Being able to win eight games last year was a disappointment. This year, eight games would be great… but don’t expect it to happen.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Under 7.5
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