Tennessee football: Surprises from Vols season-opening depth chart

4. Jeremy Banks and Quavaris Crouch co-starters at linebacker

We knew that there was open competition for other starting inside linebacker spot alongside Henry To’o To’o. Quavaris Crouch was the favorite, though, so anybody who competed with him for that spot and taking it from him would always be a bit of a surprise. Jeremy Banks winning it, though, is a shocker, despite what the coaches have said this offseason.

Remember, Banks committed to Tennessee football as a running back, so he had to learn the linebacker position on the fly last year as a sophomore. Then he was dismissed from the team, which should have hampered his development. As a result, him being a co-starter at linebacker is a major surprise, especially with Brian Niedermeyer moving over to inside linebackers coach.

Not only should Crouch be ahead of of Banks, but Aaron Beasley, J.J. Peterson and Solon Page III should be ahead of him too. What really stands out is that Beasley is the other one of those three on the two-deep depth chart. Like Banks he is also a convert. Simply put, two of the players in the four-man inside linebacker rotation did not play the position for the Vols after September last year.

Now, it’s likely Crouch still holds onto that position. He was beginning to show himself as a rising superstar last year, and he may have more versatility than anybody at the position. But this first look is still shocking. Banks making such a rapid push is a testament to just how skilled he is. Derrick Ansley may use him a lot this year to make plays.