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Tennessee football: 10 things Jim Chaney must do to improve Vols offense

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Ty Chandler #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers takes a hand off from Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Ty Chandler #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers takes a hand off from Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images /

5. Work on blocking from non-offensive linemen.

One of the biggest issues on short-yardage running plays and the sacks was the fact that Tennessee football did not have great blocking from non-offensive linemen. This is a critical part of any offense that you want to open up, and it limited what the Vols could do.

The problem was their best receiver at tight end, Dominick Wood-Anderson, was their worst blocker. That was also true for their best running back, Ty Chandler. As a result, it forced Tyson Helton at times to limit how many touches he may have wanted Chandler or Wood-Anderson to get because when they’re in there, it’s pretty obvious they won’t be used for blocking.

That can’t happen this year. Jim Chaney needs to spend all offseason working with those guys on blocking. Tim Jordan may be a solid running back, but he’s just not the versatile weapon that Chandler is. The same holds true for Eli Wolf and Austin Pope.

Chandler and Wood-Anderson are the potentially explosive guys at running back and wide receiver, and the offense needs to be able to maintain a bit of unpredictability when either or both are in the game.

If it doesn’t, then defenses will once again have an easy time stopping these guys. Also, just in general, you need your tight ends and running backs to be able to block. In the photo above, we’re showing Jarrett Guarantano’s fumble against the Florida Gators. That fumble came because Wood-Anderson missed a critical block, and it began Florida’s onslaught. So Chaney should put a heavy emphasis on that this offseason.

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