Tennessee football will only be as good as its offensive line this season. Between the returning offensive weapons and a strong defense coming back, the Vols' offensive line could make or break their 2025 season.
There are still many questions at quarterback that need to be answered, but Josh Heupel and the Vols' offensive staff should be able to prepare a quarterback to be serviceable for the upcoming season.
The offensive line could be a major determining factor in whether Tennessee's quarterback (or quarterbacks) can lead the Tennessee offense to a successful season.
VolQuest's Brent Hubbs has seen the offensive line up close and personal throughout the offseason, and he believes the offensive line is looking the part so far. He joined 104.5 The Zone to discuss how the Vols are looking upfront.
"I don't want to put any pressure on Glen Elarbee, but this is a good-looking offensive line," Hubbs said. "I mean, getting off the bus, this group looks the part. They've got long arms, big bodies, good frames. Lance Heard's lost a bunch of body fat and trimmed down. They look the part really, really well. Now, they are inexperienced, and they got to go play."
Hubbs also discussed the ensuing position battles we can expect to watch unfold throughout Fall camp, with a lot of attention focused on the center and right guard positions.
"That center and right guard battle is going to be fascinating," Hubbs shared. "And that's where Bennett Warren factors in, even though he's not a guard. Because if Bennett Warren can be the third tackle in the program, then does that allow Jesse Perry to focus more on being a guard and winning the starting job there? Or does Jesse Perry have to focus so much on tackle that it hurts his development and potential to be the starting guard if Sam Pendleton's the center?
"If William Satterwhite is the center, then Pendleton is probably at guard, and then Jesse Perry is probably the swing guy. There's a lot of moving parts there that's going to make for some interesting stuff in fall camp. And you got to start by finding the center. Is that Pendleton, is that Satterwhite, is that Max Anderson?
"Could Jesse Perry work some at center? Once you know where you're going with center, then you probably focus on your right guard spot because it's probably easier to find the right guard than it is to find the center in this offense. So I think first and foremost, they've got to figure out who their best center is and then go from there on the right side."
Tennessee has the pieces in place across the offensive line this season; it's only a matter of putting the pieces together with the right combination.
The Vols have Lance Heard returning to hold down left tackle, while incoming freshman David Sanders Jr is expected to be the man at right tackle. Tennessee's work in the transfer portal could be what puts the offensive line over the top with Arizona transfer Wendell Moe at left guard, paired with Notre Dame transfer Sam Pendleton taking over center or the other guard spot.
It will be exciting to see this group come together as we are about a month and a half away from Tennessee's season kicking off against Syracuse.