5 things to watch as Vols open spring practice

Spring break is over and spring practice is set to begin for the University of Tennessee football team.

UT opens spring practice on Tuesday. The Vols will have 15 practices from March 21-April 22. They are scheduled to practice every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in that span, concluding with the Orange and White Game on April 22 (SEC Network, 4 p.m. ET) at Neyland Stadium.

After losing several significant players to graduation and the NFL draft, UT is entering the spring without the same high expectations as last year when the Vols were predicted to win the SEC East as a preseason top 10 team.

But there remains no shortage of storylines, including a quarterback competition, a staff makeover and finding the right pieces to improve defensively.

Here are five things to watch over the next month of practices:

1) The quarterback competition

The spotlight will be shining the brightest on the quarterbacks as the Vols try to find a successor to Joshua Dobbs. Redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano and junior Quinten Dormady will receive the most attention in the battle. Dormady has the edge in experience having been the backup to Dobbs the last two years. But Guarantano has the edge in hype as a coveted four-star dual-threat out of New Jersey. UT fans have been eager to see Guarantano behind center since the moment he stepped on campus. Although redshirt sophomores Sheriron Jones and Zac Jancek and true freshman Will McBride are in the quarterback room, Guarantano and Dormady are expected to take center stage in the race.

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2) Coaching staff introductions

UT’s staff with have a new look this season with a significant makeover among the assistant coaches. Head coach Butch Jones hired four new coaches and promoted two coaches. Former Michigan, San Diego State and Ball State head coach Brady Hoke is the new defensive line coach. Charlton Warren is the new defensive backs coach, Kevin Beard is the new wide receivers coach and Mike Canales is the new quarterbacks coach. Larry Scott was promoted to offensive coordinator and Walt Wells was promoted to offensive line coach. The Vols also added new strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson, who has spent more time with the players than any coach on staff the last two months. The players will be spending spring adjusting to the changes and the staff will spend it developing on-field chemistry.

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Walt Wells, Kevin Beard coaching on familiar ground at Tennessee

3) Finding replacements for departures

UT lost several major statistical leaders on both sides of the ball to graduation or the NFL draft. Along with Dobbs, the Vols must replace defensive end Derek Barnett, running back Alvin Kamara, defensive back Cameron Sutton, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, wide receiver Josh Malone and offensive lineman Dylan Wiesman among others. No one player can replace Barnett, who passed Reggie White to become UT’s all-time sacks leader in his final game at UT. Sutton, Dobbs, Kamara and Reeves-Maybin were team captains last season and Wiesman’s leadership along the line was vital to the unit.

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4) Time to heal

Injuries plagued UT last season and some players will still be recovering and may miss spring practice. Offensive lineman Brett Kendrick, wide receiver Josh Smith and defensive back Micah Abernathy are among the players known to have had surgery after UT’s bowl victory over Nebraska. Defensive back/kick returner Evan Berry, defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle are among the players who had surgery during the season after suffering injuries. UT will likely play it safe with many players to avoid longer-term problems from rushing back too soon or limit some work to ease players back into a routine. The Vols are hoping the hiring of Gullickson can help some with injury prevention and have players better prepared for the rigors of the season.

5) Early exposure

UT welcomed five mid-year enrollees this year. Offensive linemen Trey Smith and Riley Locklear, linebacker Shanon Reid, defensive end Deandre Johnson and McBride are hoping to use spring practice to contend for playing time in the fall or at least get a jump on adjusting to the intensity of college life. Wells announced that Smith, a highly coveted five-star out of University School of Jackson, will be playing at left tackle for the Vols. The quintet has been working with Gullickson in the weight room, but will get their first taste of life on the field at the Division I level. Smith has already shown big gains, judging by a video UT released on social media of his work in the weight room.