Scouting the opponent: An insider's look at Tennessee

Head Coach: Josh Heupel (1st year)

2020 Record: 3-7 overall, 3-7 in SEC

Returning Starters: Offense (2) Defense (5)

Vs Georgia: Nov. 13 in Knoxville

Players to Watch: QB Herndon Hooker, QB Harrison Bailey, RB Jabari Small, LT Cade Mays, DE Matthew Butler, DT Darel Middleton, CB Alontae Taylor, SS Trevon Flowers, FS Jaylen McCollough

Tennessee’s offense during Jeremy Pruitt’s unsuccessful tenure was—well, ugly. That’s actually a polite description.

Enter former Oklahoma offensive coordinator and Central Florida head coach Josh Heupel. He's vowed to put the zing back in the Vols’ offense.

But first, he has to find a quarterback. Marietta native Harrison Bailey will get a long look, but he’s going to have some competition in the form of Virginia Tech transfer Herndon Hooker and Michigan transfer Joe Milton.

You might not recognize the names, but Tennessee’s wide receiving corps has a lot of potential. Jalin Hyatt (20 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns) and Velus Jones Jr. (22-280-3) are names to watch, with Ramel Keyton, Cedric Tillman, and junior college transfer Addison Coby also fitting into the mix.

"Youthful" also describes the running back position. Jabari Small and junior college transfer Tiyon Evans are expected to share the duties.

Up front, Cade Mays and Darnell Wright are the only two offensive linemen returning. They'll carry quite a burden of responsibility.

Defensively, the concerns are substantial.

Of the Vols’ front seven, only two starters return, with the most glaring hole at linebacker where top defensive players Henry To’o To’o and Quavaris Crouch both entered the transfer portal, winding up at Alabama and Michigan State respectively.

Tennessee’s biggest defensive strength is probably the secondary, where three starters—cornerback Alontae Taylor, strong safety Trevon Flowers, and free safety Jaylen McCollough—return.

In what way has the culture under Coach Heupel already changed?

Hubbs: "I think it’s all about family and enjoying the game. They are working hard, so it’s not recess, but there’s been a lot of non-football interaction. Home run derbies, grill-outs, dodgeball, etc. With COVID, nothing like that was even possible a year ago, but Heupel and his staff have invested a lot of time in building relationships with the current roster."

Where is the talent level now from where it ultimately needs to be?

Hubbs: "That’s hard to say, because how good are they offensively if they don't get good quarterback play? It’s a team that led at the half last year in Athens, but quarterback play did them in. So offensively, with quarterback play, I think they can be pretty good. Defensively the roster has work to do to be where it needs to be. That’s why you saw Tennessee so active defensively in the transfer portal."

How do you see the quarterback competition shaking out?

Hubbs: "Biggest unknown since 2004, when Tennessee started two true freshmen who came to town in the summer. It’s a crowded room. How does Joe Milton fit in this offense? Does a change of scenery jumpstart his career? Then you have the returning guys: Can Harrison Bailey drive the ball down the field the way you need to in this offense? Can Brian Maurer show any consistency?

"It might seem like a cop-out to say I don’t know, but I don’t think anyone knows how it’s going to shake out. Bailey is confident and is carrying himself like he’s the guy. Milton has impressed physically since he arrived in May. Should be an intense, interesting battle in August. Heupel will have to pare the competition down to a couple of guys early in fall camp."

What's your take on the defense this year?

Hubbs: "I think this defense is going to give up yards. Key to this defense being successful this fall is in two stats, in my opinion. One is takeaways. Can they be opportunistic? The second is red zone defense. Can they bow their neck and force field goals instead of giving up touchdowns? If they can win in those two categories, then they have a chance to exceed expectations."

How do you see this season playing out?

Hubbs: "I think the Pittsburgh game is a huge one for this team. If they can win that one, then they should be 3-0 heading to Florida. Tennessee’s first three SEC games are at Florida, at Missouri, and South Carolina. Could they go 2-1? Maybe. They have to get one of those in my opinion, because Ole Miss, Alabama, and Georgia are three of the following four weeks.

"Seven wins is not out of the question for this team if they can find quarterback play. If they can’t win at the quarterback position, it’s going to be a tough year, because to exceed expectations, they are going to have to out score some people."

• Who will be the quarterback? The decision should be between Bailey (48 of 68 for 578 yards, four touchdowns) and Hooker, who threw for 2,894 yards and 22 touchdowns with just seven interceptions his last two years at Virginia Tech.

• What will be Tennessee’s biggest problem this year? That figures to be the defense. Pruitt may have been a defensive-minded coach when he led the Vols, but between the transfer portal and an ever-shrinking pool of talent, expectations are meager this fall.

• Who steps up at running back? The Vols hope it’s Smalls, who was able to show a bit of explosiveness last fall when he rushed 26 times for 117 yards.

• What immediate change will Heupel bring? The offense should show more speed; Heupel is a big believer in tempo—quite the shift from last year, when Tennessee averaged just 66 offensive plays per game, ranking them 99th nationally.

• How long will this rebuild be? Heupel obviously hopes for a brief process. But at least a couple of years of solid recruiting will be necessary before the Vols can begin inching back toward the top of the SEC East standings.