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Tennessee football: Ranking 4 Vols in limbo by need for 2019

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Darrin Kirkland Jr. #34 of the Tennessee Volunteers returns an interception for a touchdown during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Darrin Kirkland Jr. #34 of the Tennessee Volunteers returns an interception for a touchdown during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

While Tennessee football has to replace a ton of talent on the defensive line, they need a ton of improvement from their returning talent on the offensive line. This is a unit that was historically bad last year.

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The need became even greater with Drew Richmond transferring and Chance Hall and Eric Crosby having to give up playing. To be fair, Jeremy Pruitt worked on that by bringing in a historically great recruiting class up front.

One of them, Wanya Morris, has already worked his way into the rotation at tackle. Darnell Wright, a five-star recruit, is expected to make an immediate impact when he arrives this summer. And center Brandon Kennedy’s return to health brings back depth on the inside.

But nothing would spike the depth of this offensive line more than Trey Smith returning to health. Smith has been in limbo due to returning blood clots for the second straight year. He’s still able to practice with the team, but his contact is limited.

If things get lifted, Smith’s return will be the best thing for the Vols. When healthy, he may be their best player, and he’s the most versatile on the line, having been a freshman All-American as a guard and then being the top performer last year while playing left tackle.

Smith’s return puts him back at left tackle, while Kennedy is already back at center with his return. That allows Ryan Johnson to move back to guard, where he’s very good. Then K’Rojhn Calbert, Jahmir Johnson and Jerome Carvin could make up the rotation at guard while Morris, Wright, and Tatum make it up at tackle.

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So Tennessee football gets a core group of linemen to work with while Jim Chaney and Will Friend figure out the rest of the rotation. And the depth becomes incredible. That’s a great situation to have, and Smith coming back would be that much of a major boost. So yes, he’s the top player in limbo Vols fans would love to see back.

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