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Tennessee football: 10 greatest true freshman seasons in Vols history

By Caleb Calhoun

18 Oct 1997: Jamal Lewis of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Tennessee won the game 42-6.
18 Oct 1997: Jamal Lewis of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Tennessee won the game 42-6. /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

Even in the worst season in Tennessee football history, there was a major bright spot with one guy standing out above all others. That guy is Trey Smith, who had the greatest true freshman season an offensive lineman ever had on Rocky Top. He is still on the roster with his status in limbo due to health reasons, but there is no doubt about his greatness.

Smith came in immediately with a ton of hype, as he was considered by some services to be the top offensive lineman in the 2017 recruiting class. Immediately, Butch Jones inserted him in at guard and made him the starter. It was one of the few right decisions Jones made this year.

As the offense became historically bad, injuries wrecked the line and the quarterback situation between Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano collapsed, Smith somehow managed to stand out and be a positive force. He started all 12 games for Rocky Top this year and continued to hold his head high en route to a 4-8 season.

In the end, the Vols used Smith at left guard, right guard, right tackle and left tackle at different times. He finished the year with 55 knockdowns and became the SEC’s top-rated freshman offensive player that year. That resulted in him earning Freshman All-American honors, which had never been more deserved for a UT lineman.

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