Tennessee Football: Biggest Storylines Heading into Fall Camp

The wait is almost over, and on Tuesday the Tennessee football team will take the practice field for perhaps the most highly anticipated season in a decade.

After a long offseason of having to deal with intensified media interest—something the Volunteers probably didn't mind much after several seasons far removed from the spotlight—it's finally time to see if the Vols are worthy of the exposure or exposed as a fraud.

With so much talent in place at key positions, UT has a ton of hope. Expectations will be high on Rocky Top, and though the experience isn't yet where it needs to be and depth doesn't exist all over the field, it is time for Tennessee to take a big step forward.

The start of fall camp will bring with it plenty of questions. Position battles will kick off all over the field, and several freshmen like Kahlil McKenzie, Shy Tuttle and Darrin Kirkland will be asked to play huge roles.

Entrenched skill-position players such as Joshua Dobbs, Jalen Hurd and Marquez North need to shed the training wheels and get ready to make big-time plays in vital early-season showdowns.

It's almost time for some fresh material to discuss, new worries to unfold and for the excitement to get stirring. Let's take a look at the top storylines for UT entering fall practice.

Can the Vols Live Up to the Hype?

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It's been written before, and it will all season: Are the Vols for real?

Until they go out and beat a Florida or Oklahoma or Georgia or Arkansas, it's all projections and lip service.  But if you're a Tennessee fan, it's hard not to get excited.

It seems everybody is jumping on the bandwagon.

Just this week, ESPN.com listed its Football Power Index entering the season, which is a "measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of that season."

The Vols were rated 13th. A simulator that uses the FPI predicted UT would win 11 of its 12 games this year. The Vols are just a slight favorite at winning out and have just a 0.3 percent chance of winning out, but that's still just a glimpse at the reason the Vols are excited.

Living up to those kinds of projections puts teams in the College Football Playoff.

While nobody's quite predicting that, it's a testament to the talent coach Butch Jones has stockpiled. Plenty is expected of quarterback Joshua Dobbs, running back duo Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara and a veteran-laden defense.

They need to go out and get a key win against a quality opponent, build some confidence and see if they can keep this train rolling downhill. There's a huge gulf between scraping by for seven wins like they did a season ago and battling for the SEC East.

But it can be done. The Vols need to keep plugging away at that in the month leading up to the season's start.

Mike DeBord's Offense Taking Shape

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Everybody around the football program raved about new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord and how he built an almost instant rapport with players and coaches.

Now, we'll get to see a full installation of his offense this fall followed by a weekly dissection of his play-calling capabilities.

The fact is DeBord hasn't coached at all since heading tight ends for the Chicago Bears in 2012. He hasn't called plays since being offensive coordinator of the Michigan Wolverines way back in 2007. Phillip Fulmer was still roaming the Neyland Stadium sideline then, that's how long ago it was.

So, DeBord could be rusty. Or he could be rejuvenated.

He knows this is a huge chance to prove again that he belongs on a big-time national stage, and he told the Knoxville News-Sentinel's Dustin Dopirak (via the Detroit Free Press) this spring that he's going to enjoy it.

"I told my wife this: I'm going to smell the flowers on this one," he said. "I'm going to enjoy this. Am I going to get tired? Yeah. Am I going to have things come my way that I'm going to have to handle and all of that? Yeah. That's just all part of this. But I'm going to smell the flowers."

With Dobbs at the helm, DeBord has the perfect maestro in place to come up roses. He also has an arsenal of talented receivers and runners and a veteran offensive line who simply has to be better than it was a season ago.

This spring, all the early returns were positive on DeBord replacing Mike Bajakian. But there are about to be 11 defenders in different-colored jerseys doing their best to make DeBord look like he should have stayed behind that desk at Michigan as an athletic administrator.

With all these weapons, it's time to see how innovative DeBord can be.

Will the Offensive Line Be Fine?

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The numbers have been rehashed so many times that you know the Vols' offensive linemen have them etched on the walls of their subconscious.

UT was 92nd in rush offense and 13th in the league with an average of 146.4 per game. The Vols also were tied for 122nd in sacks allowed with 43, and that's with a major improvement once Joshua Dobbs took over for the statuesque Justin Worley.

Nobody expected that Tennessee would have a quality line after it was forced to replace all five starters from 2013. But it was a forgettable year nonetheless.

This year, UT returns six linemen who started at least one game a season ago in Kyler Kerbyson, Marcus Jackson, Mack Crowder, Jashon Robertson, Coleman Thomas and Dylan Wiesman.

They have several other players such as Brett Kendrick who took major steps forward this spring. Kendrick, for instance, secured the starting right tackle job exiting spring drills and looked like a different player entering his redshirt sophomore season.

The Vols also welcome in several highly regarded newcomers such as Jack Jones, Venzell Boulware, Chance Hall and Zach Stewart. The jewel of the class, former Tennessee high school star offensive tackle Drew Richmond, could contend for a starting job right away.

Depth, experience and a good bit of talent now adorn that group. They may not be the best line in the league, but they've had to develop somewhat of a chip on their shoulder after last year's abysmal campaign, so it's probably been fueling them all offseason.

How good the unit is will determine just how good UT's offense can be.

Consistent Targets Need to Emerge

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Another maligned group that has been discussed much this offseason and especially throughout a poor, injury-riddled spring is Tennessee's receiving corps.

Back in March, the Vols were still without Marquez North, Jason Croom and Josh Smith. Others were limited, and the unit struggled because of it.

Though Von Pearson still hasn't been cleared to join the team following an investigation of sexual assault, the others are back. The Vols also have added stud recruits Preston Williams and Vincent Perry.

With the news Wednesday from coach Butch Jones in Nashville that freshman quarterback and star athlete Jauan Jennings would work at "other positions" and "do some different things" this year, according to GoVols247's Ryan Callahan, a possible final destination for him is receiver.

In other words, the Vols have a bunch of talented options to go along with steady senior leader Pig Howard. It's just a matter of getting some consistency from a talented group.

If the guys mentioned above and sophomore Josh Malone can live up to their former high star rankings, the Vols could have one of the best receiving corps in the SEC. Until it happens, it's all just frilly talk that has been rehashed the past couple of seasons.

A definitive rotation has to materialize this fall, and position coach/passing game coordinator Zach Azzanni needs to identify some players who can make plays.

The time has come for the receivers to stay healthy, get better and produce on the field. If they don't, Dobbs' throwing talent may wind up wasted.

Are Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle Instant-Impact Defensive Tackles?

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It's easy to get caught up in the excitement swirling around Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle.

After all, it's been a long time since the Vols got commitments from two of the nation's top defensive tackles.

McKenzie was a 5-star prospect ranked as the nation's second-ranked tackle and Tuttle was a 4-star talent ranked as the ninth-best. While McKenzie just arrived this summer, Tuttle made his mark with a strong spring that turned heads and made everybody realize he can help right away.

But can they star?

Defensive tackle is one of those positions where it's extremely difficult to step right in and make a massive impact. Of course, nobody expected Derek Barnett to have the season he did a year ago, but under the tutelage of legendary D-line coach Steve Stripling, he excelled.

McKenzie and Tuttle have worlds of talent, and there is a major need for them to be really good right away.

Last year, UT struggled against quality running opponents because they didn't have the girth or the depth to keep getting pounded deep into the second half. After all, UT employed just a three-man rotation (Danny O'Brien, Jordan Williams, Owen Williams) for much of the season.

There's no denying that McKenzie and Tuttle will play a lot of meaningful reps, and the Vols need for the wide-bodied first-year players to be impact stars.

Middle linebacker may be the biggest question on the entire team, but not far behind is the depth in the center of the line. If UT is going to produce a championship-caliber defense, McKenzie and Tuttle must be major cogs in the front.

Filling the Middle Linebacker Void

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Tennessee entered spring practice with three players vying for the starting middle linebacker spot. The Vols exited spring the same way.

That's not good news.

Simply put: Nobody seized the job in the 15 practices throughout March. Not talented but ailing redshirt freshman Dillon Bates, who moved from outside in. Not fellow redshirt freshman hard-hitter Gavin Bryant. And not redshirt junior Kenny Bynum, who knows the defense inside and out.

Two more players enter the race this fall in last year's late-season starter Jakob Johnson and true freshman Darrin Kirkland Jr.

The race is wide-open.

While the Vols probably would prefer Kirkland or Bates to win the gig because of their speed, athleticism and SEC middle linebacker-caliber skill set, defensive coordinator John Jancek just wants somebody (anybody) to seize it.

After spring practice, UT coach Butch Jones told the radio show the Nation (per the Knoxville News Sentinel's Dustin Dopirak):

"

If you said right now, 'What are your areas of need or areas of concern going into the summer months?' We still need to find out who our No. 2 linebacker is going to be. Through the 12 practices, we still haven't had anyone really step up and provide us with a high level of consistency right now besides (weak-side linebacker) Jalen Reeves-Maybin.

"

The safety valve is moving Reeves-Maybin in the middle and putting Cortez McDowell at the weak side to start in his place. That may be the best scenario if neither Kirkland nor Bates can seize the job.

Without question, the biggest position battle on the field will unfold at middle linebacker. The race to replace A.J. Johnson is vital to just how good UT's defense can be.

Is This Secondary for Real?

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On paper, Tennessee's secondary looks deep and talented.

It has two senior starting safeties in Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil, and their two backups (Todd Kelly Jr. and Evan Berry) are arguably more talented.

On the edges are slick emerging star cornerback Cameron Sutton, and sophomore Emmanuel Moseley appears primed to line up on the other side. JUCO transfer Justin Martin and the freshman duo of Darrell Miller and Micah Abernathy, among others, back them up.

At nickelback is the super-talented Rashaan Gaulden, and Sutton can shift over there if there are any issues.

That's not even to mention freshman midterm enrollee Stephen Griffin, who has impressed thus far.

Though UT isn't quite as deep as it would like to be at corner, there's so much talent back there for coach Willie Martinez to be able to mix and match personnel. If there happens to be any depth issues, Malik Foreman can move back over from his current receiver experiment.

Couple all that talent with UT's ability to rush the passer, and it could spell special things for the Vols' defense and trouble for opposing quarterbacks.

But just because a unit is talented doesn't mean it is going to perform on Saturdays. The Vols need to continue to develop consistency in the back end of the defense this fall, and it needs to get the freshman corners ready to provide necessary depth.

If the Vols feel strongly about a rotation entering the season, it may wind up being the best defense they've put on the field since 2005.

All statistics gathered from CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information obtained from 247Sports.

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.