Tennessee football: Vols 2018 season preview primer
Tennessee football enters the 2018 season under a new era with head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Here is our list of positional previews surrounding the Volunteers.
The preseason for Tennessee football has begun. With a new head coach, a change in systems on both sides of the ball, and even more new talent coming off a 4-8 season, the Vols enter 2018 with a ton of questions.
Expectations are low again, but nobody really knows what to expect with this team. Coming on the heels of SEC Media Days, they are picked to finish sixth in the SEC East. That suggests they’re only in position for one conference win and that a bowl game is an uphill climb.
However, as we know, anything could happen. And that anything depends on their personnel. So in this post, we preview the Vols at every position ahead of Fall camp. They all have questions, but they all have potential. Let’s start with quarterback.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Quarterbacks
Tennessee football enters the season with uncertainty over who will start at quarterback for the second straight year. It’s a four-man race with two returning players. Here’s analytical breakdown of the roster there.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Running backs
UT had a notorious history of misusing running backs with Butch Jones as head coach. With a new system and new players, the emphasis and the schemes will be different at that position. Here’s a look at how.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Wide receivers
Rocky Top was once Wide Receiver U. With Jeremy Pruitt and Tyson Helton, they will look to return to that title. Here is how that position shakes out heading into the 2018 season so far with the change to a pro-style offense.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Tight ends
Tennessee football replaces both starters at tight end from last year. On top of that, the Vols appear to be employing a system that will utilize the position much more often. Taking all that into account, here is a preview of the team at the position.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Offensive line
Heading into last year, offensive line was a perceived strength for UT. Now, there are numerous questions at the position heading into this season. Here is a look at the unit as a whole and how they could fare this year.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Defensive line
Tennessee football is undergoing a major schematic change on the defensive line. Do they have the personnel to accommodate that? Let’s find out. Here is a preview of the Volunteers in the trenches on that side of the ball for 2018.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Linebackers
Tennessee football linebackers have many more roles in their new system. But they also have a lot of new faces despite not as many recruits at the position. Here is a preview of the Volunteers at linebacker for 2018.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Secondary
Tennessee football defensive backs are a huge question heading into 2018. They were awful in the spring, and the transition to the 3-4 is likely to be very difficult. Here is our preview of the Volunteers cornerbacks and safeties.
Vols 2018 preview by position: Special teams
The Tennessee football kicking game is wide open for 2018. Can Rocky Top continue its tradition of Punter U, elite returning, clutch kicking and living up to Gen. Robert Neyland’s sixth game maxim? Here is a preview of them overall in that area.