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Tennessee football 2020 preview by position: OL

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Offensive lineman Trey Smith #73 of the Tennessee Volunteers warming up before the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Offensive lineman Trey Smith #73 of the Tennessee Volunteers warming up before the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images /

Here is a look at the Tennessee football Volunteers offensive line for this season.

Back in 2018, Tennessee football had a historically bad offensive line. Poor practice sessions run by Butch Jones and horrible conditioning left that unit completely out of shape and unprepared for the transition back to a pro-style offense. That left Jeremy Pruitt with a lot of work to do.

However, two years later, many members of that line have improved dramatically, and there are lots more bodies in the system. The only departures from 2019 were transfers who left because they weren’t going to play a lot anyway.

Meanwhile, Tennessee football added a key lineman and had the shocking return of two others. As a result, there is lots of excitement surrounding the unit, which is much deeper and much more experienced, heading into the 2020 season.

What does that mean for everybody, though? Well, in this post, we’re going to break it all down. We’ll have a slide for our projected starting interior linemen, our projected starting exterior linemen and then rotational players, who are as good as starters but won’t be penciled into a starting role in the depth chart.

After that, we’ll go to slides for backups and walk-ons before closing things out with our biggest questions and final take. Simply put, we have a lot to cover when it comes to the situation for the Vols up front heading into the year.

With key losses in skills areas, the line will be looked at to help carry Jim Chaney’s offense this year. It is also the only unit that has had the same position coach, Will Friend, since Pruitt’s first season, so there’s at least some continuity.

Could that give the Vols an advantage this year? Is their line finally where Pruitt wants it to be? Let’s break down whether or not that could be the case. Here is our preview of Tennessee football’s offensive line heading into the 2020 season.

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