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Tennessee football: Five Vols who need to improve most during bye week

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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Center. Redshirt Senior. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Brandon Kennedy. 3. 839

Unlike Ty Chandler and Nigel Warrior, Brandon Kennedy has a bit of an excuse. He is coming off a season-ending injury to take over at center and become Tennessee football’s full-time starter there. Kennedy was the main guy Jeremy Pruitt relied on to help boost the interior offensive line with his return.

Sure, there was Trey Smith coming back. Jahmir Johnson, Darnell Wright, Ryan Johnson, Riley Locklear, K’Rojhn Calbert and Jerome Carvin can all also be in the rotation on the interior. But it goes through Kennedy. And the fact of the matter is with Kennedy, interior blocking has been highly inconsistent, especially on obvious running plays on short-yardage down.

Kennedy is the one guy who has started at the same position every game for the Vols. So he needs to be the leader on the interior for them, even beyond Smith, the superstar. Our expectations for him are just higher than they are for the other guys, and that’s why it’s crucial that he make the biggest improvement during the bye.

If Kennedy can reach his elite level of play we expect him to be at, everything else on the inside will fall into place. He’s still getting back into football shape after his injury, so it’s very possible for him to do that. Kennedy just needs to show that. His pass protection has been fine, but he’s got to help be the anchor on short-yardage run blocking.

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