Tennessee football: Vols could potentially exploit coaching changes among 2020 opponents

With lots of rumored coaching changes, Tennessee football’s 2020 schedule provides the Volunteers a chance to cash in on lots of potential attrition.

Over the weekend, the Arkansas Razorbacks fired head coach Chad Morris. So chalk 2020 up to another rebuilding year for them. They also just happen to be the team that Tennessee football draws from the SEC West as well.

Talk about a break! And it’s not the only one. The Vols also may benefit from the South Carolina Gamecocks, Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores all undergoing coaching changes as well. Let’s explain.

Vanderbilt and South Carolina should both be putting Derek Mason and Will Muschamp on the hot seat. The Commodores are worse now than they were in 2014, when Mason took over, and with no bowl game in sight, it’s very possible Vandy gets rid of him at the end of the year.

Muschamp likely had bought some good will. But his only good season in Columbia was when he cashed in on Tennessee football and the Florida Gators undergoing significant attrition, and a loss to the Appalachian State Mountaineers this year was one of two non-conference losses that will cost his team a bowl game. So he could be gone as well.

Meanwhile, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, despite being 4-5, has done a superb job in a rebuilding season with the Wildcats given all the injuries. His final three games at Vanderbilt, at home against UT Martin and at home against the Louisville Cardinals could get this team to 7-5.

If that happens and the Deion Sanders hire falls through, the Florida State Seminoles could be calling Stoops at the end of the year. Heck, even if Sanders is hired, there’s a chance Stoops gets a head coaching job at a better program in Kentucky.

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Either way, Tennessee football could cash in on all three schools plus the Hogs undergoing coaching changes. Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Arkansas are clear ones. And then there’s the non-conference schedule.

With Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray both starting in the pros and the chance for Jalen Hurts to do the same, at some point, teams could take a look at Lincoln Riley. If he leaves, that’s the perfect time for Tennessee football to face the Oklahoma Sooners, even if if is on the road. The Charlotte 49ers, Troy Trojans and Furman Paladins at home are the other three non-conference games.

But Oklahoma and Kentucky are wishful thinking. Arkansas has already happened. Vanderbilt is going to happen. South Carolina has a very good chance of happening. Meanwhile, the Missouri Tigers head to Knoxville and will have to start a new quarterback again. And even if Stoops stays, Kentucky heads to Knoxville as well.

So assuming they don’t do what they did this year and collapse against Group of Five teams at home early, that should put seven wins on the table automatically next year and probably eight. Oklahoma, if they do undergo a coaching change, could give the Vols a real shot at nine wins.

Now, they still have to face the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide. And as we mentioned, they failed to cash in on an even easier schedule this year with their early season losses. But Jeremy Pruitt’s third year could provide another chance at dramatic improvement, and the attrition of other opponents could help with that.