Tennessee Football: The Biggest Offseason Storylines for the Volunteers
Now that Tennessee's resurrection season is complete following a 45-28 win over Iowa that gave the Volunteers their first winning record since 2009, it's time to turn the attention toward the offseason.
It's going to be an exciting one in Knoxville.
Head coach Butch Jones is locked into a long-term contract, he's recruiting at the highest level in the country and the team has several centerpieces around which to build.
The decisive victory over the Hawkeyes was what everybody on Rocky Top needed as a catalyst. An offense that had struggled at times this year found a few reliable playmakers, and the defense continued to make huge strides under coordinator John Jancek.
The Vols now have to focus on parlaying the successful finish into bigger and better things.
With a more manageable schedule and a more seasoned team, UT is expected to be one of the hottest teams entering the national picture next season. It's possible the Vols even start the season ranked.
But there's a long way to go between now and the start of next season. Here are some things that need to happen in the interim to keep the Vols heading in the right direction.
Adapt to Expectations
1 of 8
A TaxSlayer Bowl victory was a strong conclusion to a steppingstone season, and taking a big step forward in what coach Butch Jones called his "most challenging year in coaching," according to Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Patrick Brown, was vital.
But the natives on Rocky Top aren't normally satisfied with lower-tier bowls and barely scraping .500.
With success comes expectations, and those are going to be much higher for a Tennessee team with the talent, depth and potential to win eight or nine (or perhaps even more) games in 2015.
So, how do the Vols take steps toward that this offseason?
Without sounding too much like a coach, they've got to stay hungry in the weight room, film room and stay out of trouble. They've got to get bigger, faster, stronger and smarter. This program still isn't on enough of a rock-solid-enough foundation to absorb any losses of key personnel, either.
A realistic goal for this season was making a bowl game, something the players stated countless times was discussed among them, dating back to last year. Now, they need to focus on a winnable SEC East and getting to Atlanta.
It's a big step, but the Vols have players in place to do it.
Tailor Offense to Joshua Dobbs
2 of 8
What we saw in the bowl game was just the tip of what this offense can do.
With coordinator Mike Bajakian having a month to tweak his scheme more to the skills of dual-threat quarterback Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee opened things up in a big way against Iowa.
The Vols went for more deep balls, ran designed quarterback sweeps and drew up high-percentage passes to compensate for the loss of Marquez North, Jason Croom and Josh Smith. As Dobbs develops and improves, so will his offensive coordinator's game plan for him.
"It seems pretty clear at this point that Tennessee's offense under Butch Jones and Mike Bajakian looks much more dangerous with a quarterback who can run, and Dobbs certainly can do that," GoVols247's Wes Rucker told Bleacher Report. "What he showed as a sophomore is that he also can throw accurately and produce in big spots.
"Knowing Jones, he'll probably call the quarterback situation an open competition heading into 2015. But everyone knew it was (Justin) Worley's job heading into 2014, and everyone should know it'll be Dobbs' job in 2015. And considering the way Dobbs played most of 2014, that's exciting news for Tennessee."
Dobbs doesn't have the same limitations as Worley. Though his accuracy and decision-making need honing, he has all the tools. An offseason to prepare for having a running quarterback at the helm will be huge.
There have been numerous grumbles about Bajakian's scheme during his first two seasons, but now, the whole offense can be geared toward Dobbs—a player whose skill set better fits this scheme.
It's going to be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Build Quarterback Depth
3 of 8
With apologies to the 1948 Boston Braves' pitching lamentation "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," the Vols could have sung their own tune had Joshua Dobbs gotten injured late in the season.
Justin Worley was out for the season, and Nathan Peterman struggled, so it was "Joshua Dobbs and audible sobs" for UT. Now that Worley is gone, that could still be the case.
That's why it's vital that offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian get his two mid-term enrollee freshmen quarterbacks ready to play. If Peterman sees the writing on the wall and transfers, UT gets even more shallow at the position.
Murfreesboro dual-threat quarterback Jauan Jennings and Texas gunslinger Quinten Dormady are going to be on campus to go through spring drills, which is massive for Tennessee.
Another freshman may be added to the mix as well. Former Florida 4-star quarterback pledge Sheriron Jones told 247Sports' Kipp Adams last week that UT leads for his services. If he signs with UT, it's not out of the realm of possibility that everybody behind Dobbs will be freshmen.
If so, Bajakian will have his work cut out for him having to keep developing Dobbs and getting a trio of first-year players ready to go. There's going to be a ton of talent but not much experience at all.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Strengthen the Exterior of the Offensive Line
4 of 8
Tennessee's offensive line played better in the TaxSlayer Bowl than it had at any point this entire season. That's a major positive going into an offseason full of uncertainty, especially at tackle.
The Vols have enough interior linemen to compete, and it's encouraging that everybody is back at the middle three positions. That, along with the fact that UT has done well recruiting on the inside, bodes well for the future of the unit.
But questions abound at tackle. Again, just like this season when he was unable to help, Dontavius Blair will be depended on to be a big piece of the puzzle on the outside. He was expected to start at left tackle this year, but walk-on Jacob Gilliam beat him out, and Blair redshirted.
Gilliam is gone, so UT will keep the pressure on Blair to take a step forward. Rising redshirt sophomore Brett Kendrick showed flashes of being able to help out there, too.
Coleman Thomas and Kyler Kerbyson started a lot, and though they're better suited to play other positions, they may stick out there out of necessity.
The Vols went out and signed mid-term enrollee Jack Jones and Chance Hall, who are expected to play tackle. Venzell Boulware could, too, though he's likely to be a guard. Redshirt freshman Charles Mosley is a wild card who could play tackle, too.
UT desperately needs to sign another offensive tackle in this class, and Patrick Allen may be the best possibility.
Allen was supposed to announce at Sunday's Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl after decommitting from Georgia, but he delayed his decision, according to 247Sports' Alex Gleitman.
Miami pledge Tyree St. Louis is another potential option, and others could emerge leading up to national signing day.
Regardless, UT would love to throw another talented player in the mix, and it's got to find a steady rotation for the future.
Starting with the Man in the Middle
5 of 8
Replacing one of your school's all-time leading tacklers is never an easy chore, and the Vols had to experience life without A.J. Johnson three games earlier than expected.
Once Johnson was under investigation for a sexual assault, coach Butch Jones suspended him indefinitely.
That left UT to play the remainder of the season with true freshman Jakob Johnson and redshirt sophomore Kenny Bynum, the latter of which had a great building-block performance in the bowl.
But there are going to be multiple possibilities for the Vols inside next season.
Those two will be part of the equation. Also, former star prospect Dillon Bates could project inside after redshirting following a torn labrum this season. His speed, size and coverage skills make him a viable option inside if he adds weight.
Gavin Bryant also redshirted and is a forgotten piece of the puzzle.
A player who figures to be in the conversation is 4-star prospect Darrin Kirkland Jr., who originally chose Michigan but flipped to Tennessee after Brady Hoke was fired.
Kirkland showed out in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, leading the West squad with four tackles. Barton Simmons of 247Sports told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan (subscription required) that Kirkland has "really elite finishing speed."
He's one of the few linebackers who has the ability to step right in and play. The opportunity is certainly there.
Bring on the Big Boys
6 of 8
For much of the year, Tennessee's resurgent defense played with a three-man defensive tackle rotation.
That's a ridiculous stat in the rugged SEC, but senior Jordan Williams, junior Owen Williams and sophomore Danny O'Brien were pretty much it. All but Jordan Williams will return, along with senior Trevarris Saulsberry, Kendall Vickers and Dimarya Mixon, who showed several flashes.
All the eyes are going to be on UT's incoming defensive linemen, however. According to 247Sports' Ryan Bartow (subscription required), the Vols have the nation's top-ranked defensive line haul.
Three of the lynchpins of the group are on the interior, and they figure to get incorporated into the mix right away.
The group is anchored by the nation's second-ranked defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie, a 5-star talent who dominated U.S. Army All-American Bowl practices all week and was double-teamed throughout the game Saturday.
National recruiting analyst Barton Simmons told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan (subscription required) in the article already linked:
"I thought Kahlil was everything that we hoped he would be and suspected he was. He was dominant all week long. He's just so powerful and athletic at his size that he’s just not a guy you’re ever going to be able to block with one player.
He proved to be that mismatch all week long and had definitely one of the most dominant weeks of anybody there and, I think, really validated that he’s one of the most college-ready players in the country.
"
Throw in 4-star Shy Tuttle and 3-star Quay Picou and UT appears set for years to come. They need to get ready to play right away to provide depth at the very least.
Keep the Coaching Staff Intact
7 of 8
One of the main reasons Tennessee is on the way up is continuity. After so much turbulence in the years since Phillip Fulmer was let go, the coach and roster turnover doomed the program.
When that happens, there are personnel changes, philosophy changes and attitude changes. Important positions such as offensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach became revolving doors. So much is lost when that happens that it tears down teams.
Butch Jones has stabilized it, and in his first two seasons at UT, the Vols had the same coaches throughout the program. They need to keep them intact yet again.
The way the Vols are going, there will be suitors come calling eventually for rising coaching stars such as Bajakian and Zach Azzanni. Top-shelf recruiters such as Tommy Thigpen will be wooed by other programs as well.
Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Patrick Brown noted upon word of Jones' raise that the pool of money for assistants also went up. That's good news for UT, which needs to wisely distribute it and do what it can to keep everybody around.
With its players in place, 2015 will be the true beginning of judgment for this staff. Hopefully for the Vols, they're all still around to keep putting their philosophy in place and see if the players they've recruited can get UT back to the top of the league.
Inject Speed in the Skills
8 of 8
Recruiting is going swimmingly for Tennessee so far with very limited space remaining in this class. But the Vols would do well to fill a spot or two with some elite speed.
Butch Jones already has upgraded the overall team speed considerably, but there still isn't enough game-changing wheels at the skill positions.
JUCO running back Alvin Kamara (who is already enrolled in classes) will be a huge upgrade in the speed department at the position. He has elite skills, and the former Alabama player will be a major factor in the running back rotation right away.
A couple of players on UT's radar it would do well to land are 4-star running back Bryce Love and 4-star wide receiver Ryan Newsome.
There are other players in this class with good speed already committed such as Vincent Perry and Kendall Bussey, but landing either Love or Newsome (or both in a pipe dream) would give UT players some Oregon-level jets.
UT has restocked the offensive shelf with size and talent that already is impressive, but recruiting elite speed can really send the unit over the top. The Vols are trying, but they're just one of many programs after those guys.
All statistics gathered from UTSports.com, unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information from 247Sports composite rankings, unless otherwise noted. All quotes obtained firsthand, unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
