Tennessee football: 10 things to watch for in 2021 spring game

2. Use of running backs

Obviously, with Eric Gray and Ty Chandler transferring and all the running backs who will be on the team in the fall competing in the spring, this was an intriguing position for Tennessee football. It also creates for multiple storylines.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

The first storyline, which we addressed early on, is the fact that this is a major position battle. Junior college transfer Tiyon Evans is probably the most complete back, but there are multiple power backs in Dee Beckwith, Len’Neth Whitehead Tee Hodge, and there are also multiple all-purpose backs in Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright.

A misconception of Josh Heupel’s offense may be that he relies on all-purpose backs given his focus on the spread and running tempo. However, his units have been at their best when he could run a two or three-back set and had at least one power back. He’s got options on that front this year, and it could be a big help as he tries to get things going early.

Wright’s speed, Evans’ abilities and Small’s development will all be worth watching Saturday. How Heupel uses them along with which power back among the ones we mentioned plays the most will play a huge role in what we can all expect on the depth chart going into next season.