Tennessee football 3-2-1: Countdown to camp
Tennessee football gets started at the end of July. As we begin previewing the season with opponent and position previews we start things with a pre-camp 3-2-1 — three observations, two questions and a prediction as the start of fall camp is now 23 days away.
Three observations
Quiet is good — Knock on wood, but to date it’s been a quiet off-season for the Vols. That is exactly what head coach Josh Heupel and strength coach Kurt Schmidt are all about this time of the year. Just head down and go to work.
Now we all know that there’s been some drama here and there since the end of spring practice, that’s a given in managing 100+ players.
But for a program that doesn’t promote itself in their off-season work, no news is good news with the start of camp just over 3 weeks away.
Heupel and his staff are just hoping it stays that way the rest of the month.
Vols are in better shape at offensive tackle — At one point in spring practice it felt like Tennessee’s possible starter at left guard was Dayne Davis and Davis might be the back up at every position along the offensive line.
Davis is pretty much the Vols 6th offensive lineman heading into fall camp, but the Vols have more options at tackle than anyone really expected back during spring practice. The freshman linemen Jesse Perry and Gage Ginther had nice first springs. Ginther is likely a guard who could slide out to tackle in a pinch. Perry was as big of a surprise as any lineman in the spring as he transitions not only to college but all into pass protections work after playing in a running system in high school.
If Perry was the biggest surprise, Larry Johnson was a close second. No one had Johnson as any kind of possible depth piece heading into spring practice, but after 15 solid days of work, Johnson could need up being the back up at right tackle. Johnson is not a left tackle and is not a swing tackle. He’s a right tackle only. He’s also a guy no one considered as a possible option at right tackle as spring practice started. Throw in Bennett Warren who arrived in pretty good shape in late May and the depth at tackle for 2024 is not as bleak as it appeared to be a couple of months ago.
Keenan Pili is the guy no one is talking about — Tennessee is returning a lot in the defensive front and that group led by James Pearce is getting plenty of accolades and rightfully so. But the reality is that despite losing their starters at linebacker, that group has a chance to be pretty good under first year coach William Inge.
And it starts with the old man Keenan Pili. The coaching staff could not have been more pleased with what they had in Pili a year ago and they believed he was going to be a real difference maker for them defensively helping marry the defensive front to the secondary. Pili got off to a fast start against Virginia before an injury ended his season.
The veteran Pili is well. He again is having a really good off-season showing his athleticism as well as being a quality leader.
A healthy Pili for the 2024 season could have a big impact on Tim Banks’ defense taking another step in it’s development in year four.
Two questions
What do the Vols look like at safety and star? —
It’s the question about this team. I was talking to a lady at our produce stand on Friday. She loves the Vols and knows her football team. Her first question. Are they going to be any better in the secondary?
And that is the defensive question everyone has. What will they look like at safety and at star. Tim Banks’ defensive backfield seems pretty set at corner back with Rickey Gibson and Jermod McCoy with fellow transfer Jalen McMurray the third corner.
The question is at safety. Will it be Andre Turrentine and Jacobe Thomas? Will it be Will Brooks?
At star can Jourdan Thomas stay healthy? Will Boo Carter beat him out?
Tennessee will be more athletic. They will be less experienced and how that unit shakes out in fall camp will go a long way in determining how productive the defense will be in 2024.
How much work will the depth at running back get in August? —
With Cam Seldon and Peyton Lewis coming off injuries and spending the summer rehabbing the question is how much work will they get in fall camp if any. Both are said to be ahead of schedule in their recovery but what does that mean. Will either get any contact at any point in fall camp? Could either or both be ready to play snaps in week one or week two? With those two talented Virginia natives be a factor or will it be all Dylan Sampson and Desean Bishop to open the 2024 season. Getting your first contact in a game is not ideal? It was an issue for Jaylen Wright in 2022 so it would be a big deal if Lewis and Seldon could get hit a little late in August.
One prediction
Defense will be ahead of the offense in fall camp. The Tennessee offense is having a good summer. They are experienced in many places including the offensive line. They had talent at depth at receiver and a quarterback that the country is excited about. But the Vol defense is good on the defensive front and in my 30 years of covering fall camp. The defense always opens fall camp ahead of the offense.
It’s just a camp rite of passage.
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