Why Tennessee football opening vs West Virginia is not in Vols' best interest

College football coaches often cite a challenging season opener as a great motivator for offseason preparation. So maybe new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt will be thrilled to open the 2018 season with West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C.

As a spectator, I’m all for it. After all, who looks forward to a game in which the outcome is all but predetermined? For example, does anyone have any doubt how the Vols will fare against ETSU, UTEP and Charlotte next fall?

There’s another advantage to an opener against a reasonably difficult Power 5 opponent at a neutral site. It allows you to test yourself before you begin conference play.

More:Jeremy Pruitt: Mind on Vols 'most of the time' while with Alabama 

But given the state of UT’s program and its schedule, the next season opener won’t be in its best interests.

What UT will need more than motivation is a victory. Against anyone.

Nor does it need to play a competitive opener to see how it will stack up against the SEC schedule ahead. No matter what occurs against West Virginia that won’t prepare the Vols for Alabama and Georgia, who played for the national championship Monday.

Adams:Jeremy Pruitt will see UT Vols' quarterback problems firsthand

It's too bad schedules are made so far in advance. Otherwise, teams could shape their schedule to best fit their program and to balance their conference workload.

Given UT’s conference schedule, it could use a non-conference cushion. Don’t expect West Virginia to provide it.

Tennessee will have to play Alabama, Georgia and Auburn — all of whom will be favorites to finish in the top 10. Moreover, the Georgia and Auburn games are on the road, as is its game with South Carolina, which figures to be the second-best team in the East.

If the Vols were legitimate contenders for a championship, they might even want a tougher test than West Virginia. But after losing nine consecutive SEC games, the Vols have different aspirations. A bowl game and a winning season would be nice.

More:Jeremy Pruitt, Vols on recruiting trail to 'build a championship team'

Other conference teams with lesser talent than Tennessee’s have qualified for bowls by scheduling four easy non-conference opponents, meaning they had to win only two SEC games to become bowl eligible.

West Virginia will return 15 starters from a 7-6 season. But it will be a tougher matchup for the Vols than those numbers indicate.

Three of those six losses were by seven points or fewer against nationally ranked teams. Also, don’t put too much stock in the Mountaineers’ 30-14 bowl loss to Utah. They were playing without injured quarterback Will Grier.

Grier already has beaten Tennessee once, before he transferred from Florida. He led Florida past Tennessee in the final minutes in 2015, overcoming a 13-point deficit along the way.

More:Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt hasn't closed door on Jauan Jennings return

In addition to Grier, the West Virginia offense will return four starting linemen and two receivers — Gary Jennings and David Sills — who combined for 157 catches last season. And, in case you have forgotten, pass coverage wasn’t a Tennessee strong point in 2017.

Maybe, the challenge of facing a passing game as competent as West Virginia’s will provide extra incentive.

But the Vols just went 4-8. That should be all the motivation they need.

If not, a new coaching staff should provide it.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: Twitter.com/johnadamskns.