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Tennessee football: Five things for Vols to focus on during bye

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee running back Tiyon Evans (8) and Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren (87) celebrate a touchdown by Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) during a football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021.Kns Tennessee Alabama Football Bp
Tennessee running back Tiyon Evans (8) and Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren (87) celebrate a touchdown by Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) during a football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021.Kns Tennessee Alabama Football Bp /
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Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) is injured during a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.Kns Tennessee Florida Football
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) is injured during a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.Kns Tennessee Florida Football /

1. Getting healthy

Lots of the problems we mentioned on previous slides specifically deal with injuries Tennessee football is facing. Pass protection is one of them. The offensive line has been banged up all year. Most notably, Cooper Mays and Cade Mays have both had to miss significant time.

Add in the fact that Tiyon Evans has been banged up, and UT has not only struggled with having the best players to pass protect, but it’s struggled in establishing its rushing attack in recent weeks. All of those guys should get fully healthy during the bye, and there’s a chance that K’Rojhn Calbert can make his way back to the field as well.

Hendon Hooker has also been banged up at quarterback the last two weeks, and his backup, Joe Milton III, has shown himself to not be immune to injury. Those guys need to return to full strength as well. On defense, the Vols need Theo Jackson and Warren Burrell back at 100 percent in the secondary and LaTrell Bumphus back to full strength on the defensive line.

Grading the Vols in 52-24 loss at Alabama. dark. Next

Given all the transfers during the offseason, Tennessee football already entered the season with a limited number of scholarship players. Having all these guys banged up plus Juwan Mitchell going down for the season made it worse. However, with this bye week, they should all be back, and that could make them dangerous down the stretch.

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