Vols Football: Predicting Top 5 Playmakers in 2014

Marquez North was a playmaker in 2013 for the Vols. Will he be one in 2014 as well? PHOTO: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Vols will kick off the 2014 season against Utah State in less than 50 days now, and the anticipation to see 32 fresh faces in orange and white is starting to overflow in Vol Nation. Some of these new players are expected to make an immediate difference on the field, while others will provide depth at key positions. A good handful of the returning players will be called upon to be leaders this upcoming season, and if the Vols are to be successful, they will need a good mix of both new and familiar players making big plays in 2014.

One thing the Vols lacked last season was big, explosive plays that could turn around a game in an instant. Head coach Butch Jones called these plays “splash plays” and defined them on the offensive side of the ball as “plays of twenty yards or longer.” Jones also stressed the importance of developing playmakers on defense as well, knowing a player who could force turnovers or make disruptive defensive plays was just as important as an offensive player who could take the top off the defense.

Unfortunately for Tennessee, the Vols lacked both last season. The Vols averaged 5.27 yards per play last season, good for 94th out of 125 teams in the FBS and 13th out of 14 teams in the SEC. Tennessee clearly lacked consistent big play ability, and that’s something Butch Jones and his staff addressed in the 2014 recruiting class.

Another tactic Butch Jones and his assistants used involved bringing back pivotal players from 2013 who will provide leadership and the ability to bring consistency to a young, inexperienced team in 2014. These leaders will be relied upon to teach the younger players and provide big plays themselves.

So who will be the biggest difference makers for the Vols in 2014? Here are the five players who need to be the top playmakers for Tennessee in the 2014 season if they hope to make a bowl game and have a successful season.