(Photo Credit: Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Joe Milton III, RB Jabari Small, WR Ramel Keyton, WR Bru McCoy, WR Squirrel White, OG Javontez Spraggins, OT Jeremiah Crawford, DE Tyler Baron, DE Roman Harrison, NT Omari Thomas, LB Aaron Beasley, CB Doneiko Slaughter, NB Tamarion McDonald, FS Jaylen McCollough, SS Christian Charles, SS Wesley Walker and KR/PR Dee Williams.
Key Players Departing:
QB Hendon Hooker, WR Jalin Hyatt, WR Cedric Tillman, OC Cooper Mays, OG Jerome Carvin, OT Darnell Wright, DE Byron Young, NT Juwan Mitchell, LB Jeremy Banks, LB Solon Page III, CB Kamal Hadden, DS Trevon Flowers, KR Jimmy Holiday, PK Chase McGrath and PT Paxton Brooks.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: QB Nico Iamaleava (Downey, California).
4 Star Recruits: DL Daevin Hobbs (Concord, North Carolina), WR Cameron Sheldon (Heathsville, Virginia), WR Nathan Leacock (Raleigh, North Carolina), OT Shamurad Umarov (Alpharetta, Georgia), EDGE Caleb Herring (Murfreesboro, Tennessee), TE Ethan Davis (Suwanee, Georgia), EDGE Chandavian Bradley (Smyrna, Tennessee), LB Arion Carter (Smyrna, Tennessee) and CB Jordan Matthews (Baton Rouge, Louisiana).
2022 Results:
G01 BALL STATE W 59-10
G02 @ #17 Pittsburgh W | OT 34-27
G03 AKRON W 63-6
G04 #20 FLORIDA W 38-33
G05 @ #25 LSU W 40-13
G06 #3 ALABAMA W 52-49
G07 UT-MARTIN W 65-24
G08 #19 KENTUCKY W 44-6
G09 @ #3 Georgia L 13-27
G10 MISSOURI W 66-24
G11 @ South Carolina L 38-63
G12 @ Vanderbilt W 56-0
BOWL vs. #7 Clemson W 31-14
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 11-2 (2nd in SEC East)
Home: 7-0
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
SEC: 6-2
Non-SEC: 5-0
Head Coach: Josh Heupel
Tennessee: 18-8
Career: 46-16
Bowls: 2-3
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Joe Milton III (53-82, 971 yards, 64.6%, 11.8 avg., 10 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Jaylen Wright (146 car., 875 yards, 6.0 avg., 10 TD)
Receiving: Bru McCoy (52 rec., 667 yards, 12.8 avg., 4 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jabari Small (15)
Sacks: Aaron Beasley (3)
Tackles: Aaron Beasley (76)
Interceptions: Kamal Hadden/Tamarion McDonald (2)
Pass Deflections: Doneiko Slaughter (7)
Tackles For Loss: Aaron Beasley (13)
Forced Fumbles: Tyler Baron/Kamal Hadden/Omari Thomas (1)
Kick Returns: Dee Williams (1 ret., 17 yards, 17.0 avg.,0 TD)
Punt Returns: Dee Williams (15 ret., 281 yards, 18.7 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Joe Milton III (RS SR/TR)
RB: 2 Jabari Small (SR)
WR: 15 Bru McCoy (RS SR/TR)
WR: 9 Ramel Keyton (SR)
WR: 10 Squirrel White (SO)
TE: 87 Jacob Warren (RS SR)
LT: 74 John Campbell Jr. (RS SR/TR)
LG: 70 Andrej Karic (RS JR/TR)
OC: 78 Ollie Lane (RS SR)
RG: 76 Javontrez Spraggins (SR)
RT: 53 Jeremiah Crawford (SR/TR)
KR: 3 Dee Williams (SR/TR)
PK: 19 Charles Campbell (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 9 Tyler Baron (SR)
NT: 21 Omari Thomas (SR)
DT: 55 Omarr Marman-Lott (RS JR/TR)
DE: 30 Roman Harrison (SR)
LB: 44 Elijah Herring (SO)
LB: 6 Aaron Beasley (SR)
NB: 12 Tamarion McDonald (SR)
CB: 00 Doneiko Slaughter (SR)
CB: 5 Kamal Hadden (RS SR/TR)
FS: 2 Jaylen McCollough (SR)
SS: 13 Wesley Walker (RS SR/TR)
PR: 3 Dee Williams (SR/TR)
PT: 98 Jackson Ross (RS FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/02 vs. Virginia Cavaliers | Tennessee leads the series 3-1. The Vols won (23-22) the last meeting between schools in 1991.
09/09 AUSTIN PEAY GOVERNORS | Tennessee won (45-0) the only prior meeting between schools in 2013.
09/16 @ Florida Gators | Tennessee trails the series 21-31. The Vols are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series loss (14-38) was in 2021.
09/23 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | First meeting between schools.
09/30 SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS | Tennessee leads the series 28-11-2. The Vols are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series win (45-20) was in 2021.
10/14 TEXAS A&M AGGIES | The series is tied 2-2. The Vols lost (13-34) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/21 @ Alabama Crimson Tide | Tennessee trails the series 38-59-8. The Vols are 1-9 since 2013 and their last series loss (24-52) was in 2021.
10/28 @ Kentucky Wildcats | Tennessee leads the series 83-26-9. The Vols are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (7-34) was in 2020.
11/04 UCONN HUSKIES | First meeting between schools.
11/11 @ Missouri Tigers | Tennessee leads the series 6-5. The Vols are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-50) was in 2018.
11/18 GEORGIA BULLDOGS | Tennessee trails the series 23-27-2. The Vols are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series win (34-31) was in 2016.
11/25 VANDERBILT COMMODORES | Tennessee leads the series 79-33-5. The Vols are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (13-38) was in 2018.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 1-0
SEC: 2-6
Non-SEC: 4-0
Overall: 6-6 (5th in SEC East)
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