Tennessee begins spring practice Monday with plenty of hype and plenty of off-field controversy. Yet, this team has the talent to make a run. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect from the Volunteers over the next month and a half.
2015 record: 9-4 (5-3), beat Northwestern in Outback Bowl
Final AP rank: No. 22
2016 Way-too-early rank: No. 12
2016 FPI rank: No. 5
Spring game date: Saturday, April 16
Key losses: WR Von Pearson, OT Kyler Kerbyson, DT Owen Williams, LB Curt Maggitt, DB Brian Randolph, DB LaDarrell McNeil
Key newcomers: WR Jeff George,DE Jonathan Kongbo III, CB Marquill Osborne, CB Tyler Byrd, S Nigel Warrior
Joshua Dobbs take the next step at quarterback?
It’s not like Dobbs has been the problem for Tennessee. He progressively has gotten better since he arrived in Knoxville, and last year, his first full season as the starter, he threw for 2,291 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. If you include his 671 rushing yards, he finished fourth among all SEC quarterbacks in total offense.
But if the Volunteers want to win the SEC and reach the College Football Playoff, Dobbs has to be great. Because the offense just isn’t the same if he’s not.
Take last year’s Oklahoma game for example. Dobbs finished 13 of 31 for 125 yards. As a result, Tennessee’s offense sputtered throughout much of the game and allowed the Sooners to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Then in overtime, Dobbs threw a game-ending interception.
Yet, a month later, the junior quarterback played one of his best games with 312 yards passing, 118 yards rushing and five total touchdowns in a 38-31 win against Georgia. If he can play like that on a more consistent basis then the sky is the limit for this team.
The key for Dobbs this spring will be to improve his accuracy and develop a rapport with some of the younger receivers such as Preston Williams and Jauan Jennings.
2. What will the defense look like under Bob Shoop?
Shoop was hired as the new defensive coordinator in January, and it seemed odd at the time given that Tennessee finished in the top of the half of the SEC in both scoring defense and total defense the year. But if you can make an upgrade, why not? And that’s exactly Butch Jones did by bringing in Shoop from Penn State.
The actual defense might not look all that different from what the Volunteers ran under John Jancek. Both coaches use a base 4-3 formation, though Jancek ran a lot of nickel packages while Shoop likes to keep three linebackers on the field.
That’s why the return of Jalen Reeves-Maybinwas so important for this group. The senior was among the top 10 in the SEC last year in tackles (105) and tackles for loss (14), but at 6-foot, 225 pounds, he’s plenty athletic enough to keep up with a wide receiver or tight end if he’s asked to do so.
Shoop also brings a physical approach to his defense. At Penn State, his philosophy was “We throw the first punch and we make sure it's not the last punch. We keep on punching. That’s who we are.” Excited, yet?
3. How will the Vols handle the expectations?
Tennessee returns nine starters on offense, eight starters on defense, and is coming off a nine-win season that finished with a 45-6 rout over Northwestern in the bowl game. The Volunteers are ranked No. 5 in the preseason FPI rankings, one spot ahead of Alabama. If there was ever a year to take the next step, win the East and make a run at the playoff, this would be it.
And wasn't this the plan laid out by Jones all along? His teams have gotten better each year, and as he heads into Year 4 and some of those early recruiting classes have come to fruition, it’s time to make that jump into one of college football's elites.
The talent is there. The offense features Dobbs, Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and returns four of the five starters up front. On defense, the return of Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton, plus the continuing development of younger stars such as Derek Barnett and Darrin Kirkland Jr. should put this group among the best in the conference.
The only question is how do they handle the hype? Since Jones has been there, Tennessee always has played the underdog role. Not this year. This year, the Vols will be the ones with the target on their back.
Now that spring is here, it’s critical for this team to get back on the practice field, put away all the distractions and go to work.
2015 record: 9-4 (5-3), beat Northwestern in Outback Bowl
Final AP rank: No. 22
2016 Way-too-early rank: No. 12
2016 FPI rank: No. 5
Spring game date: Saturday, April 16
Key losses: WR Von Pearson, OT Kyler Kerbyson, DT Owen Williams, LB Curt Maggitt, DB Brian Randolph, DB LaDarrell McNeil
Key newcomers: WR Jeff George,DE Jonathan Kongbo III, CB Marquill Osborne, CB Tyler Byrd, S Nigel Warrior
Joshua Dobbs take the next step at quarterback?
It’s not like Dobbs has been the problem for Tennessee. He progressively has gotten better since he arrived in Knoxville, and last year, his first full season as the starter, he threw for 2,291 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. If you include his 671 rushing yards, he finished fourth among all SEC quarterbacks in total offense.
But if the Volunteers want to win the SEC and reach the College Football Playoff, Dobbs has to be great. Because the offense just isn’t the same if he’s not.
Take last year’s Oklahoma game for example. Dobbs finished 13 of 31 for 125 yards. As a result, Tennessee’s offense sputtered throughout much of the game and allowed the Sooners to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Then in overtime, Dobbs threw a game-ending interception.
Yet, a month later, the junior quarterback played one of his best games with 312 yards passing, 118 yards rushing and five total touchdowns in a 38-31 win against Georgia. If he can play like that on a more consistent basis then the sky is the limit for this team.
The key for Dobbs this spring will be to improve his accuracy and develop a rapport with some of the younger receivers such as Preston Williams and Jauan Jennings.
2. What will the defense look like under Bob Shoop?
Shoop was hired as the new defensive coordinator in January, and it seemed odd at the time given that Tennessee finished in the top of the half of the SEC in both scoring defense and total defense the year. But if you can make an upgrade, why not? And that’s exactly Butch Jones did by bringing in Shoop from Penn State.
The actual defense might not look all that different from what the Volunteers ran under John Jancek. Both coaches use a base 4-3 formation, though Jancek ran a lot of nickel packages while Shoop likes to keep three linebackers on the field.
That’s why the return of Jalen Reeves-Maybinwas so important for this group. The senior was among the top 10 in the SEC last year in tackles (105) and tackles for loss (14), but at 6-foot, 225 pounds, he’s plenty athletic enough to keep up with a wide receiver or tight end if he’s asked to do so.
Shoop also brings a physical approach to his defense. At Penn State, his philosophy was “We throw the first punch and we make sure it's not the last punch. We keep on punching. That’s who we are.” Excited, yet?
3. How will the Vols handle the expectations?
Tennessee returns nine starters on offense, eight starters on defense, and is coming off a nine-win season that finished with a 45-6 rout over Northwestern in the bowl game. The Volunteers are ranked No. 5 in the preseason FPI rankings, one spot ahead of Alabama. If there was ever a year to take the next step, win the East and make a run at the playoff, this would be it.
And wasn't this the plan laid out by Jones all along? His teams have gotten better each year, and as he heads into Year 4 and some of those early recruiting classes have come to fruition, it’s time to make that jump into one of college football's elites.
The talent is there. The offense features Dobbs, Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and returns four of the five starters up front. On defense, the return of Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton, plus the continuing development of younger stars such as Derek Barnett and Darrin Kirkland Jr. should put this group among the best in the conference.
The only question is how do they handle the hype? Since Jones has been there, Tennessee always has played the underdog role. Not this year. This year, the Vols will be the ones with the target on their back.
Now that spring is here, it’s critical for this team to get back on the practice field, put away all the distractions and go to work.
