Tennessee Football: Vols College Football Playoff Run Will be Based in the Trenches

Amidst all the Tennessee Football weapons and high expectations, a Volunteers College Football Playoff run will be based in the trenches.

For good reason, Tennessee Vols fans are excited about the weapons they have on their football team this year. With an elite backfield that could be the best in the country, a loaded secondary, and the hopes that the elite wide receiver class lives up to its billing this year, Tennessee football should have lots of big plays this year.

But, even with Butch Jones and Mike DeBord’s offense that spreads the field, even with all the weapons, and even with the new secondary-based defensive coordinator in Bob Shoop, a College Football Playoff run for the Vols comes down to one thing: the trenches.

Jones’s first year with the Vols was an issue because the defensive line wasn’t that deep and he didn’t have a mobile quarterback to run his new system. His second year was not much better because he had to replace everybody on the offensive line.

Last year, although both sides of the trenches were shored up, they were still not experienced enough beyond the front line, and it created problems. The Vols lost to the Oklahoma Sooners because the defensive line got tired at the end while the offensive line struggled all game.

Although the secondary collapsed against the Florida Gators, the defensive line continued to struggle to bring down Will Grier.

Against the Arkansas Razorbacks, Bret Bielema’s team dominated the trenches all game. And against the Alabama Crimson Tide, the offensive line was just not ready to handle Nick Saban’s and Kirby Smart’s 3-4 defense.

Simply put, all four losses came down to the trenches last year.

Going all in for 2016, Jones knew that and made sure to bring in two junior college elite defensive linemen. Unfortunately, defensive tackle Alexis Johnson is still suspended indefinitely, but end Jonathan Kongbo looks ready to make a huge impact.

Meanwhile, Derek Barnett is still a playmaker, Kahlil McKenzie appears ready to reach his five-star billing, and veterans like Corey Vereen, LaTroy Lewis, Kendal Vickers, and Danny O’Brien along with Shy Tuttle and Kyle Phillips getting healthy makes for a potentially elite unit.

On the offensive side, the loss of tackle Kyler Kerbyson was rough, but Jones and DeBord appear ready to replace him with elite talents in Chance Hall, Brett Kendrick, and Drew Richmond. The line is much deeper this year, and Coleman Thomas in the middle playing with Jashon Robertson and Dylan Wiesman at guard should have them set.

So while there is a lot of potential, this entire preseason has to be about keeping the trenches in prime shape. The Vols hope to boast the deepest defensive line in the country this year, and if the offensive line is finally where it needs to be, they have a chance to actually win battles in the trenches.

Jones may be a guy who runs a spread, but he has always been unique because his spread is the only spread offense that uses the offensive line to block in a pro-style format as opposed to the quick drop back most spread offenses have them do. That allows for more complex running plays and for the quarterback to have time to find receivers downfield as opposed to always using quick, horizontal routes.

That means Jones still brings things down to the trenches on his team. And it will be key for specific games this year.

It will allow the Vols to change their pace against the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies, both of whom will like to spread things out. They can keep up with their skill players on the outside.

But with their skill players already a huge plus, beating a Kirby Smart-led Georgia Bulldogs team or the Alabama Crimson Tide any year will always require tough line play.

And if they are to make the SEC Championship game, it will be their line that has to be the difference against either the Tide again or likely the LSU Tigers.

So if Tennessee is to make a College Football Playoff run, the skill players are a huge asset. The loaded secondary, elite receivers, dominant backfield, and playmaking abilities of Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. are huge. The special teams could set the Vols apart from everybody.

must read: Tennessee Football 2016 Preview by Position: Vols Offensive Line

But it will be up to those guys up front to make sure they win the big games on the year. Otherwise, this will be just another winning season in Tennessee history with nothing special accomplished.