(RB Dylan Sampson – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Dylan Sampson, WR Chas Nimrod, WR Squirrel White, OC Cooper Mays, OG Jackson Lampley, OG Javontez Spraggins, OT John Campbell Jr., DE Joshua Josephs, DE James Pearce Jr., DT Bryson Eason, DT Omarr Norman-Lott, NT Omari Thomas, LB Jeremiah Telander, and PT Jackson Ross.
Key Players Departing:
QB Joe Milton III (Patriots R6), RB Jabari Small, RB Jaylen Wright (Dolphins R4), WR Ramel Keyton, TE McCallan Castles, OT Jeremiah Crawford, DE Tyler Baron (Louisville transfer), LB Aaron Beasley, LB Elijah Herring (Memphis transfer), CB Kamal Hadden (Chiefs transfer), CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB Doneiko Slaughter (Arkansas transfer), NB Tamarion McDonald (Louisville transfer), FS Jaylen McCollough, SS Wesley Walker (Louisville transfer), KR/PR Dee Williams, and PK Charles Campbell.
(EDGE Jordan Ross – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: EDGE Jordan Ross (Birmingham, Alabama).
4 Star Recruits: WR Mike Matthews (Lilburn, Georgia), WR Braylon Staley (Johnston, South Carolina), OT Bennett Warren (Sugar Land, Texas), OT Lance Heard (LSU transfer), TE Holden Staes (Notre Dame transfer), DS Boo Carter (Cleveland, Tennessee), RB Peyton Lewis (Salem, Virginia), QB Jake Merklinger (Savannah, Georgia), and CB Kaleb Beasley (Nashville, Tennessee).
2023 Results:
G01 vs. Virginia W 49-13
G02 AUSTIN PEAY W 30-13
G03 @ Florida L 16-29
G04 UTSA W 45-14
G05 SOUTH CAROLINA W 41-20
G06 TEXAS A&M W 20-13
G07 @ #11 Alabama L 20-34
G08 @ Kentucky W 33-27
G09 UCONN W 59-3
G10 @ #14 Missouri L 7-36
G11 #1 GEORGIA L 10-38
G12 VANDERBILT W 48-24
BOWL vs. #17 Iowa W 35-0
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-4 (3rd in SEC East)
Home: 6-1
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 2-0
SEC: 4-4
Non-SEC: 5-0
Head Coach: Josh Heupel
Tennessee: 27-12
Career: 55-20
Bowls: 3-3
(WR Squirrel White – Knoxville News Sentinel)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Nico Iamaleava (28-45, 314 yards, 62.2%, 7.0 avg., 2 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Dylan Sampson (106 car., 604 yards, 5.7 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Squirrel White (67 rec., 803 yards, 12.0 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Dylan Sampson (8)
Sacks: James Pearce Jr. (10)
Tackles: Omari Thomas (35)
Interceptions: James Pearce Jr./Andre Turrentine (1)
Pass Deflections: 8 Tied (1)
Tackles For Loss: James Pearce Jr. (14.5)
Forced Fumbles: James Pearce Jr. (2)
Kick Returns: Cameron Seldon (3 ret., 36 yards, 12.0 avg.,0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Josh Turbyville (1-1 fg/fga., 100%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 4 pts.)
Punting: Jackson Ross (55 punts, 2337 yards, 42.5 avg., 22 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 8 Nico Iamaleava (RS FR)
RB: 6 Dylan Sampson (JR)
WR: 15 Bru McCoy (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Dont’s Thornton Jr. (SR/TR)
WR: 3 Squirrel White (JR)
TE: 87 MIles Kitselman (SR/TR)
LT: 53 Lance Heard (SO/TR)
LG: 70 Andrej Karic (SR/TR)
OC: 63 Cooper Mays (SR)
RG: 76 Javontrez Spraggins (SR)
RT: 74 John Campbell Jr. (RS SR/TR)
KR: 23 Cameron Seldon (SO)
PK: 90 Max Gilbert (RS FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 90 Dominic Bailey (RS SR)
NT: 21 Omari Thomas (SR)
DT: 20 Bryson Eason (RS SR)
DE: 27 James Pearce Jr. (JR)
LB: 11 Keenan Pili (RS SR/TR)
LB: 7 Arion Carter (SO)
NB: 5 Christian Harrison (RS SO)
CB: 3 Jermod McCoy (SO/TR)
CB: 1 Rickey Gibson III (SO)
FS: 35 Will Brooks (RS/SR)
SS: 17 Andre Turrentine (RS JR/TR)
PR: 3 Squirrel White (JR)
PT: 98 Jackson Ross (RS SO)
(DE James Pearce Jr. – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 CHATTANOOGA MOCS | Tennessee leads the series 40-2-2. The Vols won (45-0) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/07 vs. NC State Wolfpack | Tennessee leads the series 2-1. The Vols won (35-21) the last meeting between schools in 2012, and their only series loss (0-16) was at the inaugural meeting in 1911.
09/14 KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES | First meeting between schools.
09/21 @ Oklahoma Sooners | Tennessee trails the series 1-3. The Vols lost (24-31) the last meeting between schools in 2015, and their only series win (17-0) was at the inaugural meeting in 1938.
10/05 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Tennessee leads the series 13-6. The Vols lost (13-24) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/12 FLORIDA GATORS | Tennessee trails the series 21-32. The Vols are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (38-33) was in 2022.
10/19 ALABAMA CROMSON TIDE | Tennessee trails the series 39-59-7. The Vols are 1-9 since 2014, and their last series win (52-49) was in 2022.
11/02 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | Tennessee leads the series 84-26-9. The Vols are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (7-34) was in 2020.
11/09 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | Tennessee leads the series 29-16-1. The Vols won (20-10) the last meeting between schools in 2019, and their last series loss (31-41) was at the prior meeting in 2012.
11/16 @ Georgia Bulldogs | Tennessee trails the series 23-28-2. The Vols are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (34-31) was in 2016.
11/23 UTEP MINERS | Tennessee leads the series 3-0. The Vols won (24-0) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/30 @ Vanderbilt Commodores | Tennessee leads the series 80-33-5. The Vols are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (13-38) was in 2018.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-1
SEC: 2-6
Non-SEC: 3-1
Overall: 5-7 (13th in SEC)
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