Tennessee football’s five biggest concerns for 2022
1. Still no set rotation at CB
It’s no secret Tennessee football’s pass defense struggled severely last year. When Alontae Taylor opted out of the Music City Bowl against Purdue, things got even worse. Warren Burrell moved to the No. 1 cornerback spot and didn’t appear able to handle it, so the Vols got torched.
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Now, in addition to Taylor being gone, nickel Theo Jackson is gone. The Vols have both safeties returning in Trevon Flowers and Jaylen McCollough, but McCollough also had a below average regular season PFF grade last year. As a result there are questions everywhere. However, at least McCollough is a playmaker while Flowers is reliable.
Simply put, safety is set. The problem is cornerback without Taylor, and the Vols don’t seem to have an answer there. In a Wednesday media session, defensive coordinator Tim Banks and Flowers were unable to answer the question as to what the cornerback situation would look like.
Ohio State Buckeyes transfer Andre Turrentine and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets transfer Wesley Walker were supposed to help out, but both appear to be working more at safety. That’s where 2022 commitments Christian Harrison and Jourdan Thomas appear locked in too.
Meanwhile, De’Shawn Rucker, Kamal Hadden, Brandon Turnage and Burrell missed spring ball, and there was nobody who really stepped up then. Christian Charles seemed to stand out more due to his athleticism, but the coaches worked him at safety too.
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Who will be Tennessee football’s three starters at the two corner spots? Also, what does the star position look like? Turnage and Doneiko Slaughter appeared to be the favorites there, but Tamarion McDonald has made a push. Not having an answer yet suggests this will be a huge issue in the fall, and it was already the Vols’ weakness last year. That’s a problem.