Tennessee football: Five biggest questions for Vols 2020 spring practice

3. What effects will the staff changes have?

There were no offensive or defensive coordinator changes on Rocky Top this year for the first time since the 2014 season. That’s insane. However, Tennessee football still underwent a lot of staff changes, and we can’t ignore the potential effect those may end up having on the players starting in the spring. One of the reasons for last year’s slow start may have been the staff changes.

UT replaced every staff member on defense except for Derrick Ansley, who coaches the secondary and is the defensive coordinator. Shelton Felton replaced Chris Rumph to coach outside linebackers, Brian Niedermeyer moved from tight ends to inside linebackers to replace Kevin Sherrer, and Jimmy Brumbaugh replaced Tracy Rocker to coach the defensive line.

There were changes on offense as well, Joe Osovet was promoted to tight ends coach to replace Niedermeyer. Then Jay Graham was brought back to replace David Johnson as running backs coach. Since Sherrer was also special teams coordinator, that role will also be replaced, although Graham has experience with that side of the ball at other schools.

Either way, Jeremy Pruitt once again has lots of new staff members, and that’s a big deal. How they all adjust to each other and the current staff members will be a big story, and it starts with building chemistry in spring practice. As a result, pay attention to stories that come out on the interaction between them and the interaction they have with the players.