Early look: What to like about No. 18 Tennessee in 2017
Each week, USA TODAY Sports will give a more detailed look at the teams listed on our early top 25 for the 2017 college football season.
Up next: No. 18 Tennessee. Is this the year that Tennessee breaks out under Butch Jones? Expectations are high – as always – but the Volunteers have yet to win the SEC East Division since hiring Jones in 2013, let alone challenge Alabama and others for outright conference supremacy. But say one thing for this year’s team: the talent is there. Is that enough?
COUNTING DOWN THE TOP 25
NO. 19-21:No. 19 Louisville | No. 20 South Florida | No. 21 Utah
NO. 22-25:No. 22 Florida | No. 23 West Virginia | No. 24 Texas | No. 25 UCLA
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Why No. 18?
1. Recruiting. This February marked Jones’ fourth full recruiting class at Tennessee, and given how well he’s recruited during this time – despite this February's obvious and troubling decline in blue-chip signees – it stands to reason that the Volunteers have compiled enough athleticism and depth to match wits with any team on the schedule. Having said that: Tennessee wasn’t lacking for ability in each of the past two seasons – and we know how that turned out. In general, however, this sort of overall talent level remains rare across the Football Bowl Subdivision.
2. Brady Hoke. Jones' offseason overhaul of his coaching staff will be one of the spring's defining storylines for Tennessee. One name stands out above the rest: Hoke, most recently of Oregon, where he struggled terribly in his one season as defensive coordinator, takes over a defensive line that lost its greatest star, end Derek Barnett, but retains enough ability to rank in the top half of the SEC. Could Hoke take this group and improve the Volunteers' overall production even without Barnett on the edge? It's been some time since Hoke focused all of his attention on coaching the line, but he's very much one of the best in football at coaxing the most out of this position group.
3. Last chance. Don't sleep on the motivation that comes from the chopping block. It's no secret that another underwhelming season in 2017 would spell the end for Jones and his coaching staff, with the writing on the wall potentially as early as the end of September, given the teams on UT's opening-month slate. Perhaps having their backs to the wall will provide the Volunteers with the impetus needed to avoid the series of self-inflicted that have come to define the Jones era and discover the sort of consistent approach needed to make waves in and out of the SEC. Hey, we can dream, right?
Why not higher?
1. Leadership void. Last season was an obvious disappointment for UT. But imagine: What if Josh Dobbs hadn't been under center? Barnett hadn't put together an All-America season at end? (On the fllip side, if we're playing this game, what if UT had remained healthy?) Now consider how those losses impact the Volunteers not just in the numbers, in the lost yardage, tackles and sacks, but also in the holes in leadership left as players either exhausted their eligibility or left for the NFL a season ahead of schedule. In other words, this team needs new leaders ... and fast. It's become fairly clear that Jones himself can't set the tone for Tennessee, so it's on the returning upperclassmen and primary contributors to lead by example during the run-up to the opener against Georgia Tech.
2. Improving East Division. Missouri’s going to be better, Kentucky should again be a bowl team and South Carolina sits ahead of schedule under Will Muschamp. But what should be of greater concern to UT are Georgia and Florida – the Gators as the two-time defending division champs and the Bulldogs, fresh off a top-three signing class, set to take a significant step forward under Kirby Smart. Here’s the real problem: UT gets both teams in September, including the Gators on the road, so there’s no time to ease into the season.
3. Inexperienced quarterback. It’ll be one of two options, Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano, with Dormady the more experienced of the two but Guarantano the clear leader in terms of athleticism and long-term potential. Either way, it’s not a great situation – even if Jones and his staff knew they’d be breaking in a new starter after Dobbs completed his eligibility. What’s most concerning is the lack of tune-up games in September.
Biggest games
► Tennessee at Florida, Sept. 16
► Tennessee vs. Georgia, Sept. 30
► Tennessee at Alabama, Oct. 21
Three players to know
1. DE Jonathan Kongbo. After filling a reserve role in 2016, the former five-star JUCO transfer is set to occupy one of the starting end spots left vacant by Barnett and Corey Vereen.
2. RB John Kelly. He'll be the primary ball-carrier for UT this fall after moving into a starting role during the second half of last season, and should crack the 1,000-yard mark with additional touches. But there's very little proven depth in reserve.
3. LB Darrin Kirkland Jr. After he missed nearly half of last season due to injury, this defense needs its middle linebacker to remain upright and healthy.
►At North Carolina, Sept. 9
►Vs. Clemson, Sept. 16
►At Florida State, Oct. 21
Three players to know
1. RB Jeremy Smith. He’s not the only contender for the lead job at running back. But Smith’s experience and past production in a secondary role gives him the inside track for a substantial increase in touches.
2. CB Jaire Alexander. He gets almost zero national recognition, but the ACC knows the score: Alexander can be an elite defender on the outside.
3. DB C.J. Avery. Enrolling early gives the four-star true freshman an outstanding shot at immediate playing time, if not a starting role, along the back end of Louisville’s defense.
PROJECTING THE PRESEASON TOP 25
COUNTING DOWN THE TOP 25