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Tennessee football’s five biggest spring practice storylines for 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel greets players at Tennessee Vols football first spring practice, Tuesday, March 22, 2022.Kns Vols Spring Parctice Cm
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel greets players at Tennessee Vols football first spring practice, Tuesday, March 22, 2022.Kns Vols Spring Parctice Cm /
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Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

2. How does Kelsey Pope fit in as the newest on-field staff member?

Continuity on the staff is a big deal, and this is just the second time since 2014 that Tennessee football will have the same offensive and defensive coordinators as the previous year. It’s also the least significant amount of staff turnover since then as well. However, Josh Heupel wasn’t without changes, however minuscule they were.

The Vols did have to move on from wide receivers coach Kodi Burns, who moved onto the NFL to take the same position with the New Orleans Saints. Rather than search for a big name, though, Heupel promoted from within and brought on Kelsey Pope.

As a young, energetic coach who was an off-field assistant last year, Pope has experience working with the wideouts, specifically Cedric Tillman. Now, though, we get to see how well he works with everybody else on the roster and in Heupel’s system.

Pope has a big role to play his first year on the job, as the Vols lost their top slot guy in Velus Jones Jr. and their No. 2 wideout in JaVonta Payton. They still have Tillman back, and there are plenty of receivers on the roster, but spring ball will give us the first glimpse as to how Pope can manage that roster and develop players.

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