Members of the All Vol Call In Show staff were privileged to attend the game between Pearl Cohn and Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) on Friday night, August 24th on the MBA campus in Nashville, Tennessee. While the staff is always thrilled to watch a great football game, high school or college, this game was of particular interest to the staff as it pitted a pair of Volunteer commits squaring off head to head against one another. So, the show went on the road to bring a live look at these teams and interviews with the future Vols involved to our wonderful viewers and readers. Playing for the MBA Big Red, was Jackson Lampley. Lampley is currently rated as a four-star offensive guard by 247 Sports. Although he currently plays left tackle for the Big Red, Lampley is being recruited as an offensive guard by the Vols. At six foot five inches tall and two hundred ninety-five pounds, Lampley certainly looks the part of a big-time offensive lineman for an SEC team. For three quarters, Lampley showed why some services projected him as a guard and others projected him as a tackle. Lampley plays at left tackle for the Big Red, and he consistently showed good lateral movement as he dropped into pass protection. For such a large framed player, Lampley was smooth is his movement and looked very fluid. When he engaged pass rushers, Lampley showed what a technician he was. His fundamentals were not just solid, they showed a tremendous amount of polish. Everything about Jackson’s technique showed polish, from the placement of his hands, the bend of his hips, the way he kept his center of gravity back, and his punch when facing pass rushers. He was a smooth athlete for his size, and, if anything, made a case to prove that he was more than capable of playing tackle at the next level. He continued to showcase his skills out at tackle on the first touchdown of the game. MBA went for a homerun shot off a play action pass, but the Firebirds had sent an overload blitz to the quarterback’s blind side. Lampley moved smoothly out, picked up the blitzer, and brought him to a stone stop. Lampley’s contribution to the stifling of the blitz allowed MBA to complete the long touchdown pass that put the Big Red up 10-0. Over three quarters, Jackson Lampley showed that he was more than capable of playing offensive tackle at the next level. It was during the fourth quarter that the big senior showed why the Volunteers want to have him playing Guard. It wasn’t due to any shortcoming that Jackson showed as a tackle, it was the mean streak he showed with the game on the line that left scouts and fans salivating. Lampley put out plenty of tape in the game sealing drive that showed the force he can be if he were placed in the phonebooth that the Guard position requires. There were seven minutes remaining in the game, and MBA lead the game 10-7. The Big Red had the ball on the Pearl Cohn side of the field after forcing a stop, knowing that a long drive and score would almost seal a win. This situation is the dream of all offensive lineman, an opportunity to fire off the ball, impose your will, drive the opponent back, grind them down, and run the ball to a victory. These are the situations that you see what offensive lineman are all about, and this is where you see if they understand how to step up their game in winning time. Jackson Lampley began the play at left tackle. He ended the first play of that drive on top of his man in front of the right guard. Lampley absolutely crushed his man and pancaked him into the middle of the field. It was a devastating block and an attitude play. That block set the tone MBA as they drove down to score, more often than not, following the trail of destruction Lampley left behind him. The ability to dominate as a run blocker and play clean with a nasty streak to his blocks is what makes Lampley an ideal Guard for the type of line Jeremy Pruitt wants to build in Knoxville. Jackson showcased his talents as a dominant run blocker on that final drive, and while the first play was the tone setter, each play on that game sealing drive will likely appear on his Senior highlight film, and with good reason. Talking with Jackson after the game, he said that his primary goal was to take care of his assignment. He emphasized that crushing the man across from him was nice, but his first goal was to handle his assignment so that he could help his team win. That unselfish attitude will serve him well in his football career, however, no coach will ever mind seeing Jackson handle his assignment by crushing them. Jackson Lampley understands what winning time is all about, and how to rise to that occasion to ensure victory. This young man is going to look great in Orange on Saturdays next fall. If you haven’t already, take a look in our videos for live footage from the Pearl Cohn vs MBA game, as well as our post game interview with Jackson Lampley. Stay on the lookout for the second half of this Recruiting Spotlight, when we feature the other player that brought the All Vol Call In Show to MBA that night, Pearl Cohn Defensive Tackle Elijah Simmons.

The long-awaited start of the 2018 football season for the Tennessee Volunteers is mere days away at this point. Vol fans have been waiting for the start of this season with more anticipation than even in seasons past. The reasons for the additional excitement are manifold, but an opportunity to get the taste of a dismal 4-8 season out of the mouth of the fanbase is a contributing factor. The offseason that followed, one that to a point was even worse than the football season, is also a reason Vol fans are ready to get back to the action on the field. Finally, Big Orange Nation is excited to see the debut of their new Head Coach, Jeremy Pruitt. After all the frustrations and embarrassments of the off season, Tennessee wound up hiring the former Alabama Defensive Coordinator, and brought respectability and optimism to a program that sorely needed both. The hiring of Pruitt has been lauded by current players, former Vol stars, and the national coaching community. The expectations from Volunteer fans are clear. They want a team that they can be proud of, one that is successful on the field, and one that competes for and wins championships. This proud fanbase is never going to be satisfied with anything less in the long term. They expect a team to improve as the individual players are developed by the staff, and to put players proud of their time in Tennessee Orange into the NFL. The expectations of the fans have perhaps never been heard more clearly than they were in Knoxville during this off season. However, what are the expectations of these new coaches for their team and themselves? What is it that Jeremy Pruitt expects not just of his players, but of his program, his staff, and even himself? On Field Expectations Jeremy Pruitt has been perfectly clear about what he expects from his team in terms of wins and losses. There is only one record that is going to satisfy Coach Pruitt: 15-0 and National Champions. That’s it. It seems that is going to be some distance off for the Vols, but Jeremy Pruitt has made it clear that is his stated goal and expectation for the 2018 season to be satisfied. Pruitt is a smart coach, and he knows that the Vols are not ready to compete at that level yet, but he refuses to lower his target or expectations for any reason. Jeremy Pruitt took the job in Knoxville to win games and championships. History tends to remember coaches that demand excellence and success quite well, and those are two things that are central to what makes Jeremy Pruitt who he is. A record of 7-5 or 8-4 would be great seasons for these Vols by the standards of fans, media, and anyone that could observe this team, and though Jeremy Pruitt may enjoy his team taking such large steps forward, he will remain unsatisfied, as those results would fall short of the goal. To use an old adage, as a Vol fan, if that doesn’t light your fire, then your wood’s wet. Assistant Coaches The whole of the coaching staff that Jeremy Pruitt and new Athletic Director and Volunteer Legend Phillip Fulmer assembled sent a clear message to a Tennessee fanbase that has endured a brutal decade in football. The Vols are taking football seriously again, and they are ready to get back to winning. They are prepared to spend the money to ensure it happens as well. Pruitt has assembled one of the most decorated and highly respected coaching staffs in all of America. Make no mistake, these coaches are overwhelmingly considered among the best in the country at what they do. Pruitt and Fulmer went out and brought in coaches that, for the most part, had several things in common. It appears that to coach under Pruitt, you need to be established in player development, with players that blossomed to reach the NFL under your tutelage. Player development has been a focus among these hires, whether it is Former Vol All American Defensive Back and Kick Returner and NFL First Round Pick and Pro Bowler Terry Fair coaching up the Corners, or Tracy Rocker having his Defensive Lineman repeat drills until their execution meets his exacting standards, these coaches are excellent teachers of their positions and are respected for it across the country. Another core component of a Jeremy Pruitt assistant appears to be strong SEC ties and experience, or strong ties to the south at the very least. These Tennessee assistants have these ties, and lots of them, up and down the staff. Whether it was Chris Rumph coaching at Florida for years, Will Friend playing at Alabama and coaching at Georgia, or Chris Wienke playing for Florida State and then serving as the coach at the Florida High School powerhouse IMG Academy, this staff is respected throughout the south for the time they have spent working there and the success they have had in various roles. The last piece of the puzzle that Pruitt seems to be looking for is someone that is an excellent recruiter. Up and down the Tennessee staff are coaches that are recognized as some of the best recruiters in the nation. This shows that Pruitt understands the lifeblood of any college football program is the recruiting, and he is committed to be the best at that as well. Not only are the coaches Pruitt has surrounded himself with excellent at bringing recruits into a program, they are also widely respected for having an eye for talent. Like Pruitt himself, this staff is made up of coaches noted for their excellence with X’s and O’s, finding talent where others may miss it, and determining which prospects fit the schemes they are running. These three pillars of what Pruitt has sought out in his assistants seem to show what Pruitt’s vision for his Vols will shape into. X’s and O’s Jeremy Pruitt is a coach’s coach. Every time he is doing a press conference, you can’t help but feel that he would rather be in his office, breaking down film, or putting his corners through drills on how to properly jam a tall receiver at the line. The man eats, sleeps, and breathes football, and loves the strategy and tactics of the game. This attitude has been sorely lacking at Tennessee for far too long, and the focus slipping from excellence in execution on the field to gimmicks, programs, and slogans has left the program in the state it is currently in. Expect this to change drastically under Pruitt, who has emphasized changing the culture in Knoxville during multiple interviews this off season. Jeremy Pruitt is bringing an old school mentality in how he builds his team, what he expects of them, and how he intends to have them play on Saturdays. Pruitt is one of the best defensive minds in all of college football. He recently announced that he will be calling his own defense this year. Working with Defensive Coordinator Kevin Sherrer, the Vols will have a pair of defensive gurus scheming to shut down opposing offenses each week. Tennessee has some extremely talented players on their defense. Some have been hampered by injury, some by poor coaching, others by poor fit. Expect to see these players utilized to their fullest under Pruitt and Sherrer in their multiple, base three four defense. Versatile players are a hallmark of a Pruitt defense, so expect to see players like Nigel Warrior, Todd Kelly Jr., Darrin Kirkland Jr., Darrel Taylor, and Shawn Shamburger shine as Pruitt and Sherrer work to utilize the chess pieces they have in place on defense. Eventually Pruitt will want to hang his hat on his defensive backs and pass rushers. The Safety duo of Warrior and Kelly may be the best pair to watch to see what could be in time under Pruitt. On offense, Jeremy Pruitt appears to be giving the reigns to his Offensive Coordinator Tyson Helton. Helton was previously the Co-Offensive Coordinator for the USC Trojans, where he helped develop Sam Darnold and send the Trojans to a thrilling Rose Bowl win over Penn State. Before that, Helton spent time working under Jeff Brohm, currently the coach at Purdue, but then the Head Coach at Western Kentucky. Under Brohm and Helton, the Hilltoppers had one of the most statistically successful offenses in college football. Helton arrives with a solid pedigree, experience calling plays at a major program, and excellent player development to his credit. As a play caller, expect to see Helton’s offense mix with some of what Pruitt wants out of his team a whole. This offense should be physical, running the ball downhill, out of the I Formation, and attempting to impose their will on opponents. This physical, bullying running game compliments the aggressive, physical defense Pruitt wants to field, and should also open things up for Helton to use his big, talented receivers on long, play action pass plays down the field. The Vols under Helton will be run first on offense, but when they throw, they will be looking to hit big plays. Pruitt and Helton want a balanced attack for Tennessee, and they appear to have the personnel in place to achieve just that. Recruiting Jeremy Pruitt is one of the best and most decorated recruiters in all of college football. He surrounded himself with coaches similarly decorated and respected in that field. However, now Pruitt is the one deciding who his team, the Vols, will be recruiting. Pruitt must answer what a Tennessee Volunteer should look like to him. After seeing what he targeted as he attempted to salvage the 2018 recruiting class, as well as what he is after in the 2019 class, there is one thing that it is clear Jeremy Pruitt wants his Tennessee Volunteers to be. He wants them to be big. Really big. Huge. And to have that size all over the field. Pruitt is recruiting offensive and defensive lineman that would look comfortable wrestling with tyrannosaurs, but he also wants tall corners that can press, running backs that look like they could play linebacker, and big, physical receivers. Size and Physicality are the words that keep coming up when reviewing the classes Pruitt has had his hands on, and they figure to be some of the biggest differences for these Vols on the field in 2018. Of course, all of these to a point are still speculations. Some are based on fact, some are based on observation, and some on what history tells, however until the Vols take the field against the Mountaineers on Saturday, there is no example of a Jeremy Pruitt Tennessee team to put on tape. The expectations that Jeremy Pruitt has for his team are clear, and Vol Nation is excited to see just how he intends to go about building them to that lofty goal. One more reason that Saturday can’t come fast enough.

As Jeremy Pruitt prepares to fill his first true class, the heat continues to pick up for the vols on the recruiting trail. Sure Pruitt and company technically has had 1 class already, but that was throwing a class together in a couple months coming off a terrible season and a disaster coaching search. He showed his potential when he landed #1 juco tight end Dominick woods-Anderson and 4 star ATH alontae taylor to headline his 2018 class. The 2019 class poses to be the foundation for the Jeremy Pruitt era and its off to a great start. Headlined by 5 star OT Wanya Morris, Tennessee is impressing the nation by pulling in 8 4&5 star players so far with the possibility of even more. With obvious emphasis on the db position, pruitt has went out and put in the work to land some of the top DBs in the country. Harris, McCullough, fields, and Burrell all headline a tremendous class for the vols. I expect the staff to try and add one more db to the class. Offensive line is obviously a need for Tennessee. Last season was devastating for the offensive line which included injury after injury after injury. At one time Tennessee had to start a tight end and a walk on at the same time. Pruitt looks like he’s building a nice wall at OL. 5 star OT Wanya Morris headlines this position group for the vols. Also committed is 4 star OG Jackson lampley and 3 star OT Chris Akporoghene. One spot is left open for this class to add 5 star OT Darnell wright. If the vols were to land him it would be incredible for the future of the trenches. Staying on the offense, Tennessee has 4 star QB Brian maurer committed with 4 star wr Ramel Keyton and 2 tight ends in 3 star TE Sean brown and 4 star TE Jackson lowe. The vols look to add one maybe two more wrs to this class to cap off some nice offensive weapons for the future. Our remaining top targets include 4 star DE/ OLB khris Bogle, 5 star ATH quavaris crouch, 5 star OT Darnell wright, 4 star CB Jaydon hill, 4 star WR Jalen curry and 4 star WR Trey Knox. The odds to land all these guys are long but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility to land 3 maybe 4 of these guys. A lot of this will depend on how well the staff shows these recruits that they’re really changing things in Knoxville. Adding these guys would surely land Tennessee a borderline top 10 recruiting class, something that hasn’t been done since the class of 2015. Although Tennessee is coming off of a 4-8, season which is the worst season in Tennessee history, Pruitt and company are building something special with This class of 2019. Not only are they looking for talent but they’re looking for depth too, and so far it looks like he’s succeeding in all directions. -Laray Jenkins- AVCIS @volrecruiting98

The 2017 season was a complete disaster at the wide receiver position, and it was mostly caused by injury and the lackluster qb play. With only 1 WR eclipsing 450 yards and only 2 getting over 300yds, Tennessee must improve in a hurry this season. A new staff including new wide receiver coach, David Johnson, who came over from Memphis looks to bring UT back. It’s easy to see that the vols have some serious playmakers at the WR position but can they breakout? Here we will break down each wr on the roster and how they will impact this years offense. Marquez callaway At 6’2 200lbs, Marquez will be looked at as the number 1 target. After a breakout season opener against Georgia Tech, callaway led the team with 4 catches for 115 yds and 2 tds. Unfortunately that was about as far as he got. In the remaining 11 games Marquez never eclipsed more than 72 yards in an individual game mostly Hampered by a nagging injury, it didn’t seem that Marquez was ever 100% healthy. This season, the junior wr is now healthy and looks to be a big time target over the top. Look for an elite-esque season from callaway. Jauan Jennings When u mention Jennings, 2 things come to mind. The hailmary catch at uga and the Florida game where he toasted the future NFL defensive back Jalen tabor. Unfortunately that was 2 seasons ago. Last season Jennings played 1 half of football until it was cut short with a wrist injury. The big question is how much of a “dawg” can Jennings be this season? Known to be that go getter, Jennings has to be a playmaker for the vols this year if they want to have any success whatsoever. The next 2 (Brandon Johnson, Josh Palmer) Taking a look at what I would call the next 2 WRs in the chart, Brandon Johnson and josh Palmer are poised to have significant better seasons than last season. Some might even say that Brandon may even be the most reliable guy in the rotation. Leading the team with 482 receiving yards, Johnson proved to break out toward the end of the season. I expect him to do wonders in this Helton offense. Palmer showed tons of flashes by beating players on the deep ball, but he struggled a ton with actually catching the football. Drops were his main casualty last season. We’ll be interesting to see if he can progress into a deep threat in 2018. The unknowns ( Byrd, Murphy, jones, Williams, Tillman) In my opinion, Tennessee has 5 guys that are completely unknown. The first guy I’ll mention is Tyler Byrd. Back in 2016, Byrd seemed to have a breakout game against Florida where he racked up several tough catches. It seemed evident that Tyler’s talent would find away to continue to help the team but that just wasn’t the case. In 2017, he was completely absent. A lot of fans really wanted to see him blossom at defensive back but when the new staff came in and tried that, he wasn’t where he needed to be so he remained at WR. We’ll see if the new offense can help get Byrd the ball in his hands because it’s no secret that he is electric. The next guy is Jordan Murphy. Former #2 wr in the state of Mississippi, we’ve heard a ton about this kid from summer camp and fall camp. You may have seen glimpses of him in a few videos that have surfaced on twitter, Jordan seems to be a “go get the ball” type receiver. Last season we didn’t see to much of Murphy but I fully expect us to see him a lot this season. 3rd guy on this list is Jacquez Jones. Some of you may ask yourself “who?” Jones missed the entire season in 2017 with a knee injury. Questions remain where the Former 3 star WR from Clearwater FL will fit in this team, but I expect us to at least get to see what the kid can do this year. The “fastest guy on the team” according to the previous coaching staff would have been Latrell Williams. Another 3 star wide receiver from Florida, Latrell was slated as the fast kid on the team by former players and coaches. Running a laser times 4.27 40yd at a high school camp, you can understand why a lot of people were excited about this kid. But why haven’t we seen this kid alot? It remains to be seen if sophomore receiver can crack the rotation this season. Can you imagine getting this kid the ball on a jet sweep? The last kid on this list is cedrick Tillman. A late addition to the class of 2018, Jeremy Pruitt went out and grabbed cedrick straight from Las Vegas. 6’3 205lbs, Tillman is a big body wr that can be versatile at his position. Tons of noise has been coming from summer and fall camp raving about Tillman saying he’s one of the biggest surprises of camp. The only true wide receiver that Pruitt brought in this past class I would expect the freshman to get some playing time especially with the new redshirt rule. To close, I think the top two guys in this position are, in no question, jauan Jennings and Marquez callaway. If they can be the two alpha dogs and help the younger kids on this roster, I expect the wide receiver position to back to what we use to be. Can Palmer and Johnson take the next step to put themselves at the same level as Marquez and jauan? And can the next 5 guys (Byrd, Tillman, Williams, jones and Murphy) make themselves known and make an impact on the season? A lot of questions are being asked not only about the wr position but the entire team, but if the receivers can go get the ball out of the air and help move the chains, it will be a much improved offense from last season. Laray Jenkins -AVCIS @Volrecruiting98

The Tennessee Volunteers kick off the 2018 season in less than a week. A long-anticipated date with the seventeenth ranked West Virginia Mountaineers looms large for these Vols who have been considered the underdogs for the tilt in Charlotte since the 2017 season ended. Analysts have been singing the praises of the Mountaineers all off season, while the Vols licked their wounds from a program worst 4-8 season and a debacle of a coaching search that had Tennessee as the punchline for many jokes from the national media. Still, the Vols may end up with the last laugh, as reviews from players and those close to the program would indicate that Tennessee may have landed themselves a quality Head Coach in Jeremy Pruitt. Pruitt has many questions to answer himself going into his first game as a head coach, but many have wondered just how much success Pruitt can have this season with the players off the 2017 roster. However, a surface glance at the 2017 season may not reveal what Pruitt has at his disposal in 2018. There were many things that Tennessee fans will remember about Butch Jones and his time as the head coach in Knoxville. Some of those things will be good, while others still leave Vol fans wondering what might have been. The most defining characteristic of the Jones regime, however, at least the one most impactful on the field, was the insane amount of injuries that Tennessee endured. The Vols had an above average number of injuries during Jones’s first three seasons in Knoxville, with certain position groups like the Wide Receivers in 2014 and 2015, being decimated by injuries. Those first three seasons pale in comparison to what the Vols endured in 2016 and 2017. The Vols lost nearly the entire opening day roster on defense to injury in 2016, and then lost most of the primary backups. Tennessee then played Alabama with an offensive line made up entirely of backups that season, as the entire group had been lost as well. The injuries in 2016 were unprecedented, and then remarkably, appeared to be equaled again in 2017. The injury bug has been a plague of locusts to the Volunteers over the last two seasons. That said, this should be a source of hope for Pruitt and Company in 2018. The 2017 Vols had several of their most established and best players miss most, if not all, of the season. These players are now back, healthy, and ready to contribute to the 2018 season, beginning with the largest contributor of all. Chance Hall When Chance Hall was lost for the entire season before the Georgia Tech game last season, the Vols didn’t just lose their best offensive lineman, they lost one of the best players on the roster. Hall has produced from the day he stepped on campus in Knoxville, and the Vols are simply better with him healthy and on the field. Hall has fought through multiple knee injuries in his time at Tennessee, but he has managed to produce through it all. In 2015, Chance Hall was inserted into the lineup against Georgia due to injury to the starter. The Vols trailed Georgia, but once Hall and fellow true freshman Jack Jones were inserted into the lineup, the comeback was on. The Vols roared back to beat Georgia in Neyland Stadium, and Hall anchoring the offensive line from his Left Tackle spot was a big reason why. Hall was honored in 2015 as a Freshman All-American and was the lock to start the 2016 season at Tackle. Injuries hampered Hall in 2016, but even when he played through them, the Vols were simply better on offense with the big Roanoke, VA native on the field. The loss of Hall before the season began in 2017 left the Vols without their anchor on the left side of the line and the unit in shambles. Hall’s absence was one of the key factors in the struggles that the offense endured in 2017. Now, set to return and participating in full contact drills in practice, it appears that Hall is primed to reclaim a starting spot on the line and help these 2018 Vols surprise people. Hall has had success in the SEC as a Tackle but could see work this fall as a Guard. The Vols have several players that can be quality tackles in Hall, Drew Richmond, and Trey Smith. It is hard to imagine the best five lineman the Vols can put on the field not including all three of those guys, which means someone is moving inside. Hall may be the most likely candidate not due to a lack of skill, but due to recovering from his knee injury. If Hall has any lingering issues with the lateral movement in his knee, they would be far less evident if he were playing inside at Guard rather than out on an island at Tackle. This would also mean that the Vols could put their nastiest lineman, and one of their most ferocious run blockers, in a phone booth where he can excel at what he does best, mauling the man across from him. A left side of the line made up of Trey Smith and Chance Hall would be difficult for Jeremy Pruitt and Tyson Helton to pass up for the health of their run game. Hall is a huge player returning for the Vols figuratively and literally. Darrin Kirkland Jr. Another player that missed the entire 2017 season for the Vols was another of the best players on the roster. Kirkland was the unquestioned leader of the Tennessee defense on and off the field. Kirkland made the calls for the entire defense, has an off the charts football IQ, and has the athletic ability to take full advantage of what his mind processed. A sideline to sideline tackling machine and bona fide playmaker, Kirkland was the heartbeat of the Tennessee defense. Losing him was more than just a loss of a talented player, it was the loss of the soul on that side of the ball. As the season progressed, other young players, Daniel Bituli and Nigel Warrior, began to grow into that leadership void left by Kirkland’s injury, but none ever truly filled the gap. Kirkland choosing to return to the Vols after very nearly leaving as a graduate transfer is a massive boon for the Volunteer defense. Kirkland steps in as a player at Middle Linebacker that has a legitimate chance to end the season as an All SEC player, a huge addition for Pruitt that was completely absent from the 2017 Vols. Jauan Jennings Unlike Hall and Kirkland, Jauan Jennings did at least get to play for the Vols in 2017. Also, like Hall and Kirkland, Jennings was awarded a redshirt for the 2017 season as he played less than a single half against Georgia Tech before sustaining a season ending injury to his arm. The loss of Jennings was a crippling blow to a Tennessee offense that was attempting to replace an enormous amount of production already in 2017. Jennings was the unquestioned number one receiving option for Tennessee coming into 2017 and was a vocal leader on offense. Jennings is a fierce competitor, and while it occasionally got him into trouble, his intensity on the field was unquestioned and pushed his teammates to play at a higher level. His attitude elevated the play of those around him, and the team and fans seemed to feed off his energy, especially after making a big play. Like Kirkland, when the Vols lost Jennings, they not only lost maybe their best player on that side of the ball, they lost their soul. A tumultuous off season saw Jennings kicked off the team by an interim staff, and then given the opportunity to rejoin the team by Jeremy Pruitt. Pruitt himself said that he did not expect Jennings to fulfill what they required of him to rejoin the team. Not only did Jennings do it, he completed the tasks far faster than anyone anticipated. Jauan Jennings wants to be a Volunteer. He wants to run through the T, he wants to compete, and he wants to win. The Vols are going to get an extremely motivated Jennings in 2018, now playing for a coaching staff that will value his intensity, a staff that is capable of teaching him a healthy way to focus it for the best of the team. Jennings had All SEC aspirations in 2017, and those should be firmly in place for 2018. A supremely motivated Jennings is something that no one in the SEC is excited about being forced to contain. Todd Kelly Jr. Todd Kelly Jr. was injured in the Vols win over Indiana State early in the 2017 season with a knee injury that many feared could end his career at the time. However, after undergoing surgery with the famed Dr. James Andrews, the Knoxville native and Webb School product is prepared to return for his fifth year of eligibility with the Vols. Kelly was a five-star recruit at Safety and a Tennessee legacy when he enrolled at Tennessee, and the expectations were through the roof. As a freshman, Kelly was limited in how much he saw the field but made an impact when he was given his opportunities. Once Kelly became the full-time starter for the Vols, he regularly flashed the abilities that had made him such a highly sought-after recruit, showing he could make plays on the ball in coverage, as well as delivering crushing hits across the middle of the field. Kelly entered the 2017 season as one of the Volunteers’ few returning veterans, a leader on the defense on the field an in the locker room. Kelly was not only a talented player, he was well respected and liked by his teammates. While the Vols were fortunate to have depth a Safety, which was another position that was razor thin by season’s end, Kelly was missed for his leadership and experience in the back end of the defense. Returning as a fifth-year senior, with the talent and aspirations to make it to the NFL, Kelly has an enormous amount to prove going into the 2018 season for the scouts at the next level. That said, Kelly’s focus appears to be clearly on the present, and trying to end his UT career on a high note, leading his team, and learning all he can from Jeremy Pruitt. Expect to see Kelly flash his ability to make plays in coverage, as well as delivering devastating hits, regularly in a Jeremy Pruitt scheme that will rely heavily on he and Nigel Warrior at the Safety spot. These are some extremely talented players that were lost essentially for the entire 2017 season that will now be at Jeremy Pruitt’s disposal. These four players were all legitimate All SEC caliber players under Butch Jones and his system. The development that Jeremy Pruitt can bring for these young men, as well as the desire to rebound from injury means that the Vols should expect to have a serious amount of talent that was unavailable for all of 2017 back in the starting lineup for the 2018 season. These are impact players on the field, and four of the unquestioned leaders for the Vols both before and after their injuries. As talented as they are as athletes, their return could be felt in far more than just their skill as athletes. Pruitt is inheriting four All SEC caliber players, but he is also regaining the heart and soul of his new offense and defense.

As the 2018/2019 college football season approaches, one of the biggest questions surrounding Tennessee’s program going into fall camp remains: Who will win the quarterback position? Each candidate vying for the job brings a unique skill set to the table and with new offensive coordinator Tyson Helton in the box, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will emerge as Tennessee's top signal caller. Things we know: First year head coach Jeremy Pruitt has already alluded to his plans for the Vols’ offensive renovations. It’s expected that he will bring in a pro-style package with a solid pocket passer, heavy run attack, and tall receivers on the edges who can drag down the 50/50 ball. However, this is SEC football we are talking about, and the inability to adapt and remain fluid on the offensive side of the ball is what ultimately brought the demise of the last two Tennessee coaches. With that being said, we’ll take a look at each quarterback on the Vols’ roster and try our best to deduce an eventual starter. Quinten Dormady (Noteable Transfer) After a rough start to the 2017/2018 season, Dormady was benched by former head coach Butch Jones. Dormady looked brilliant in the spring game, but ultimately fizzled out after a thrilling opening victory over Georgia Tech in which wide receiver Marquez Callaway’s breakout performance kept the Vols in the game long enough to pull it out in overtime. Over the summer, Dormady announced his transfer out of Knoxville and ended up at the University of Houston under sophomore head coach Major Applewhite. Vol nation wishes Quinten much success in Houston, but must look forward at its current options. Jarrett Guarantano Guarantano (6’4’, 209 lbs, Lodi, NJ) handled the lion’s share of the snaps in Tennessee's abysmal 2017/2018 season as a red-shirt freshman. He had a few bright spots including a break out game vs Kentucky where he went 18 of 23 on pass completions. Surprisingly, Guarantano completed 62% of his passes that season with an overall record of 86 for 139 with just two interceptions. Therein lies the strength of Jarrett Guarantano, his ability to take care of the ball. Although he was touted as the number 1 dual threat QB in his recruiting class, we have yet to see Jarrett truly showcase his running ability. This isn't necessarily an issue for Helton though, as it's expected that the starter will most likely spend a majority of his time in the pocket under the Vols’ new offensive direction. With a new coaching staff in its first season, a new scheme on both sides of the ball, and a grueling schedule, Tennessee's best hope for success is a unified locker room, a change in culture, and the ability to hang on to the ball offensively while creating turnovers defensively. We all know that Guarantano can take care of the ball, and it's being said that the team is behind him in the upcoming season. For these two reasons, we should expect to see Guarantano take the first snap in Charlotte for the Vols on September 1st. He has definitely matured over the summer and appears to be the caliber of player he needs to be for coach Pruitt to put a “C” on his jersey. Keller Chryst Chryst (6’5”, 239 lbs, Charlotte, NC) is an incoming grad transfer from Stanford who's expected to be, as coach Jeremy Pruitt puts it, “the spark this team is needing”. He’s got the pocket presence that Pruitt and Helton are looking for as well as the size. Not to mention, his experience bodes well for him. Chryst went 11-2 as a starter for Stanford with 19 TD passes and just 6 interceptions. He’s played in a pro-style offense his entire career and he’s done it on the west coast in the PAC 12, which is the environment Helton is used to coaching in. These things considered, the stars seem to be perfectly aligned for Chryst to come in and be the poster child of Helton’s new offense. However, there are some questions that need to be answered before Chryst gets the nod of approval from Pruitt. How much of Chryst’s success at Stanford came from having Heisman candidate Bryce Love in his backfield to open up options downfield? Why did he lose his job to an incoming freshman? How will Chryst handle the warp speed at which he will have to integrate himself into his new university, campus, culture, team, and position group? It’s going to be a lot for anyone, no matter how talented, to digest which is why we expect that Guarantano will take the helm in the West Virginia game and it will be his to lose throughout the rest of the season. Don’t rule Chryst out though, the likelihood is high that he will see the field this season, and he’ll have something to play for as he attempts to cement his place in the upcoming NFL draft. At worst case, he makes for a highly motivated backup quarterback with a lot to prove. Will McBride McBride, (6’1”, 209 lbs, League City, TX) showed us flashes of what his capabilities are in the 2017 season, as Tennessee and former coach Butch Jones sifted through injury woes at the quarterback position. As a true sophomore whose redshirt was unexpectedly burned last season, McBride went toe to toe with Missouri QB Drew Lock, and came out with a pretty decent performance. He threw for 139 yards on 32 attempts, completing fifty percent of his passes and even shuffled a little bit on the ground for 69 yards. While McBride isn’t quite ready to lead the Vols through the shark tank that is opposing SEC defenses, he definitely has the attributes to mature into an excellent option for the vols in his senior or graduate seasons. Barring any injuries reminiscent of a Butch Jones team, we shouldn’t see too much of Will this year. If he wants to start in the future, he’ll need to be a sponge on the sidelines and perform well when he’s called upon for mop up duty in blowout games. JT Shrout Shrout, (6’3”, 210 lbs, Newhall CA) rounds out the list of Tennessee field generals. As a true freshman, his redshirt should be guarded by the new coaching staff like Fort Knox. That being said, the NCAA’s new redshirt rule in which players can contribute on the field in up to four games, could allow Shrout a little playing time late this season if the Vols can get up heavily on Kentucky or Vanderbilt. Shrout will also, most likely be embracing his sponge role, much like McBride, for the 2018 season. However, he’s got some skill and by the time he’s ready for his first start, he’ll have had plenty of time to mature, and might even be the future of this team. JT attended the QB Collective Camp in July and was identified as one of the top quarterbacks there by NFL coaches and scouts in a group of QBs that included top 2018 and 2017 prospects. Longtime NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels said of all the quarterbacks at the QB Collective, Shrout would be “the guy who could step in on day one and fundamentally work within an NFL system …. “His drop was smooth. His fundamentals were very efficient and he throws a great ball.” This bodes well for the future of Tennessee football. The Volunteers have a bright future at the QB position, and currently sit comfortably with two very competitive options to lead the offense. It remains to be seen how the new staff will handle and develop quarterbacks, but if their ability to cultivate talent is anything like their ability to recruit, Tennessee football will be back in title contention very soon.

The Vols have opened Fall Camp for the 2018 football season, and today is Fan Day in Knoxville. The excitement is ramping up as the season edges ever closer, and Tennessee fans are getting more and more anxious to get their first, up close look at Jeremy Pruitt’s version of the Vols. There is plenty to be gleaned from camp to hold fans over until the first game against the Mountaineers in Charlotte, when exactly what this team is will be revealed on a big stage. Until then, let’s look at the biggest questions Vol fans can look for answers to during camp, and especially at today’s fan day. Which five guys start on the Offensive Line? This may be the single most important question for these Vols to answer. Tennessee has some talented players on this line, with an interesting mix of returning players, guys coming off injury, JUCO additions, Grad Transfers, and incoming true freshman. This unit underachieved during Butch Jones’s entire tenure in Knoxville, poor scheme, poor development, and rampant injuries all contributed to the struggles that lead to this group being abysmal at times the last two seasons. It may seem strange, but this unit has all the makings, for the first time in seasons, to be a strength of the team. Trey Smith was as good as advertised as a freshman, looking every bit the dominant phenom he was billed as. Drew Richmond, another former five-star tackle, has had his struggles, but developed into a rock-solid left tackle at the end of his redshirt sophomore season. This is in spite of being hampered by all the negatives mentioned in the Jones regime last season. Chance Hall, a former Freshman All-American, returns from a knee injury and looks to contribute to the unit. Before injuries, Hall was one of the best players on the entire Tennessee roster, let alone on the offensive line. Brandon Kennedy arrived this offseason as a Grad Transfer from Alabama, and the former four-star recruit looks to be a lock to start against West Virginia, either at Center or Guard. Jerome Carvin, a four-star recruit from Memphis, looks to potentially start at either Tackle or, more likely, at Right Guard for the Vols as a freshman. Jahmir Johnson arrived as a JUCO addition this fall with every intention of plugging in and taking over one of the Tackle spots for the Vols. Tennessee returns several other players in the mix on the offensive line, but the interesting thing to look for during Fan Day and the remainder of camp will be who makes up the starting five and where they play. As it stands, for the Vols to get the projected, five most talented lineman on the field, at least one will have to be changing positions. Seeing how Jeremy Pruitt and Will Friend sort this line will show some of their priorities in building the team going forward. Just what will Pruitt’s 3-4 Defense look like personnel wise? Jeremy Pruitt wants a big defense. His history shows it, he has stated it, and it has become extremely evident in his current recruiting at Tennessee. These Vols have some talented players on their defense, and several very good players are not going to be starting this season. While the position battles are something to watch, who is in what position should be fascinating. Outside Shy Tuttle, who on this roster fits Pruitt’s vision for a nose tackle? Who does Pruitt have that he feels can play his bigger 3-4 end? Which of the new Outside Linebackers is left out in the cold? Does Pruitt look to want traditional linebacker builds there, or is he converting defensive ends? How do the safeties shake out? What does a Pruitt corner look like? There are so many questions on defense, just seeing how a healthy unit lines up and what it looks like size/strength/speed wise will be an important take away. What does Jauan Jennings look like now that he is back in the fold? Losing Jennings last season was a drastic blow to the Volunteer offense both from a skill and a leadership standpoint. Jennings is a spark plug for this team, a high energy, fiery, intense player that Tennessee sorely missed last season. Jennings must learn to focus that fire for the good of his team, but his competitive attitude and desire for contact makes him appear to be the kind of player Pruitt would love. If Jennings is at one hundred percent, ready to go, he offers the Vol offense far more than just an extremely talented wide receiver. As a bonus point to watch, keep an eye on who makes the most spectacular catches today. The favorites would be a duel between Jennings and the highlight reel that is Marquez Callaway. What do these Volunteers look like up close? Examining the media guide for this year’s version of the Vols and comparing it to the projected starters on both offense and defense, there is something that jumps off the page. The Vols are going to be much, much bigger in 2018 than in 2017. On Offense, this looks, on paper, to be the biggest, strongest offensive line Tennessee has fielded in years, and the skill positions, particularly at receiver, have a marked increase in size as well. Looking at the defense, Tennessee is going to be playing with substantially more beef on the field at one time than in 2017. This is all without factoring in the gains in the weight room the Volunteer coaching staff has continued to comment on of late. This defense is big, they are fast, and they are loaded with guys that can lower devastating shots. Pairings of Daniel Bituli and Darrin Kirkland Jr. side by side at Inside Linebacker and Nigel Warrior and Todd Kelly Jr. at the safety spots illustrate the potential of the defense to land massive hits with big bodies. And, yes, of course, how do the Quarterbacks look? You didn’t think this article was going to miss this, did you? Pruitt insisted earlier this week that this is a four-player battle with Jarret Guarantano, Keller Chryst, Will McBride, and J.T. Shrout all having a shot at the job. That said everyone expects Guarantano and Chryst to separate from the others fairly quickly. Fan Day will be the first opportunity to compare the Stanford Grad Transfer and the Redshirt Sophomore side by side, in the same drills, throwing to the same receivers. There is only so much to gain from watching guys throw against air, but this will allow fans to see what these guys have when every rep counts. There you have it, a quick guide to some important things to look for at Fan Day and throughout Fall Camp. How these questions are answered, and how emphatically, will go a long way in determining what the 2018 season looks like. Keep your eyes open today Big Orange Nation, as the 2018 Vols start to take shape today in Knoxville. And if you are looking for an extra credit question to answer, since school is starting back, seeing who gets on the field to return kickoffs and punts will be intriguing. The Vols have a few young players that could use that role to get on the field early.

Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt and Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer have both emphasized that they want everyone involved with Tennessee football, including the fans, to stop looking back at the 2017 season, and instead, focus on what the future holds, beginning in the upcoming 2018 football season. For many fans, those requests have been difficult, especially as the Vols have yet to play a game under this new regime. At best, in this time bridging the abysmal 2017 campaign and the upcoming one for 2018, there is an opportunity to compare what is behind with what is in the present, and how it translates to the future. While there are many comparisons to make, some of the most intriguing ones involve comparing how Tennessee's old boss did things to the way the new boss handles them. It is no secret that Vol Nation had soured on Butch Jones and the way he ran the program very early into the 2017 season. There had been years of the slogans, the personnel decisions, and the coaching decisions that drove fans mad. Enter Jeremy Pruitt, who in his limited, early impressions, has satisfied many Vol fans by coming across and being hailed nationally as a hugely respected X's and O's coach. Pruitt has also been recognized nationally for his recruiting and his ability to develop players. Add in that, while he doesn't shy away from the limelight, each time Coach Pruitt gives an interview you get the feeling he'd rather be on the field, whistle around his neck, breaking down tape, or deciding who to offer a scholarship, and you can see why the Tennessee faithful feel some optimism about their new coach. He loves coaching. He is just a football guy. He eats, sleeps, lives, and breathes the sport, coaching, and growing his players. His hiring brought immediate respect to a Volunteer program that had endured a historically difficult season and off season, from national media, other coaches, players, and recruits. There is a change in the culture on Rocky Top, and much of it has to do with the fact that Coach Pruitt does thinks differently than the man he is replacing. One of the earliest changes Coach Pruitt made upon being hired was how and where he targeted recruits. Pruitt has long been respected as a man that has an eye for talent in the high school ranks. Part of this comes from the time he spent as a High School Coach in Alabama, honing his craft at that level of the sport, and part comes from his time being one of the most respected defensive coaches in all of college football. Jeremy Pruitt knows what good, SEC football players look like, and that confidence plays a part in one of the major changes he made early in his time at Tennessee: The way he approached Junior College recruits. Tennessee wound up with four JUCO players in the 2018 recruiting class, and most of them had not been seen as viable options at Tennessee, for one reason or another, until Jeremy Pruitt was hired by the Vols. Upon being named head coach, Pruitt began recruiting the top of the JUCO ranks hard. Every day brought another story of an elite JUCO player, previously not even considering Tennessee, suddenly with the Vols as a top choice or finalist. Jeremy Pruitt was trusting both his eye for talent, and the eyes of the highly respected staff he had assembled, to infuse the Tennessee roster with his kind of talent, wherever he could get it. That meant the Vols had made a much greater impact in the JUCO ranks in recruiting than they had even two months before. What's more, Pruitt and Company landed several of the most highly rated JUCO players available this cycle, guys that fit what Pruitt wants to see the Vols become, players that are ready to make an impact on day one. That day one impact is why some coaching staffs tend to shy away from JUCO players. In recruiting, if you offer a scholarship to a JUCO player, you are aware you are not going to have the opportunity as a staff to work with and develop a player for his entire college career. Regardless of the reason a player attended a Junior College, a coaching staff that decides to offer that player a scholarship is trusting that their evaluation of the talent is right. Time is limited with JUCO players, and coaches often can't afford to have them be extended project players, or else they have had much of their eligibility pass them by. Coaches need to feel confident JUCO players can step in and contribute immediately, with a major impact, particularly if they were a major priority in the recruiting cycle. Butch Jones had mixed results with JUCO players, famously landing Alvin Kamara, but also missing on several highly rated players that never made meaningful contributions. While Jones and his staff never shied away from targeting JUCO players, they never went after them as hard as Pruitt and his staff did in their first recruiting class at Tennessee. The Vols signed four very talented JUCO players in the 2018 class that are all expected to make an immediate impact this fall, but they pursued several others very, very hard. This shows the confidence that Pruitt and his staff have in their ability to identify, develop, and maximize talent on the field. This confidence and skill, as well as the ability to recruit the JUCO ranks successfully, is one of the major differences in how Coach Pruitt is running the Tennessee football program versus the way Butch Jones ran it. Keeping that in mind, here is a brief look at the JUCO players Coach Pruitt added in this class, all players Vol fans should get to know, as they are primed and expected to make a difference early. Dominick Wood-Anderson, Four Star Tight End, Arizona Western Dominick Wood-Anderson ticks every box there is for an NFL style, dynamic, pass catching tight end. At six foot five and two hundred fifty-five pounds, Wood-Anderson has the ideal size for a tight end. What will keep opposing defensive coordinators up at night will be the speed that he pairs with that size. This young man not only flashes reliable hands, a player that can be a trusted security blanket for any quarterback, he regularly shows speed far more comparable to a wide receiver. Add in polished route running ability, as well as a natural feel for finding the holes in zone coverages, and it comes into focus why Wood-Anderson was so highly sought after. A young quarterback, like Jarret Guarantano for instance, loves to have a reliable, trusted tight end to get the ball to when they need a big conversion, or a play breaks down. Wood-Anderson not only provides that safety blanket, but the skills to turn the check down throw into a huge play with his speed and strength. Expect to see Wood-Anderson shine in Tyson Helton's offense this season, particularly off play action passes working the deep middle of the field. This young man has the potential to be a game breaker for the Volunteers this fall, and a player the offense is designed to highlight. Expect to hear his name early and often. Jordan Allen, Four Star Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, City College of San Francisco Listed at six foot four, two hundred thirty pounds, Jordan Allen looks to be made for the roll of an outside linebacker in Jeremy Pruitt's 3-4 defensive scheme. However, Allen is not just a pure linebacker. At the JUCO level, he regularly lined up with his hand in the dirt as an end in a 4-3 alignment. Coach Pruitt has already talked about the Vols using multiple defensive fronts this season, 3-4, 4-3, and at times four down lineman when they run a nickel or dime defense. All of that means that Jeremy Pruitt has a piece in Jordan Allen that he can move all over the field to cause chaos for opposing offenses. Allen has an impressive first step, and shows multiple pass rushing moves allowing him to not only get to the quarterback, but to play well against the run also. One of the challenges for Allen will be how he adjusts to his coverage responsibilities when asked to drop as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Given the various fronts Tennessee looks to utilize this season, expect to see Allen moved around regularly for the Tennessee defense, his versatility and pass rushing skills getting him on the field early and often. While Allen may not be a starter for Tennessee on defense, he should be expected to be on the field and contributing a great deal, particularly on passing downs. This is a young man opposing quarterbacks will want to have their offensive lineman always know the location of. Emmit Gooden, Four Star Defensive Tackle, Independence Community College If Emmit Gooden doesn't do anything else for the Vols this season, he will at least provide them with a new source of shade. At six foot four, three hundred five pounds, Gooden casts an imposing shadow on those unfortunate enough to line up across from him. Unfortunate because the Brownsville Tennessee native is much more than big, he is strong and startlingly quick off the ball for a man of his size. Gooden is a disruptive defensive tackle that, much like Allen, Coach Pruitt and Defensive Coordinator Kevin Sherrer will have the ability to move all over their multiple defensive fronts. The lynchpin of the 3-4 scheme Pruitt wants to run at Tennessee is the nose tackle in the base alignment. A good nose tackle must, above all else, command and handle a double team from the offensive line on every play. That ability is what the rest of the defense is built around, and even in the SEC, guys that can fill that role don't grow on trees. Emmit Gooden will be an option for the Vols at nose tackle, because of his size and strength, he can fill the role, made more dangerous by the quickness he shows for his size. In fact, Gooden's first step is so quick, don't be stunned to see him line up not only as a defensive tackle in a four-man front, but potentially as an end in Tennessee's base three-man base front. Gooden has tremendous talent, but his ability to fill multiple roles for Tennessee will make him very interesting to watch this fall. Jahmir Johnson, Three Star Offensive Tackle, Arizona Western It was no secret that Tennessee needed help along the offensive line going into the 2018 season, and Coach Pruitt and Offensive Line Coach Will Friend found several players to help the unit in the 2018 class. One of the most exciting came in the form of the six foot five, two hundred seventy-pound Jahmir Johnson. Johnson looks very lean for an SEC tackle, but the staff feels comfortable with him as they feel his frame can carry more weight, and because he is an outstanding athlete. Johnson shows himself to be plenty strong on tape, but he really shines when he can get out in space as a lead blocker or leading the way on a screen pass. This young man is an impressive athlete at his size, with surprising strength. Johnson may be a bit light right now, but he shows good drive when run blocking on tape, showing sufficient strength. Pruitt offered the young man a scholarship for a reason, and it wasn't to come warm the bench in Knoxville. Expect Johnson to fight for and likely win a starting tackle job by the time the season opens against West Virginia. It is difficult to see Johnson not ending up as part of the Vols' combination of five best offensive lineman in Charlotte. These four JUCO players represented a different way of doing things for the Vols under Jeremy Pruitt, as well as serving to infuse the team with some of the type of players Pruitt wanted on his squad. That said, many expected Pruitt to push the JUCO ranks heavily in his first class, then back off in subsequent years. If the early appearance of the 2019 class is anything to go by, that may not be the case, as it appears Coach Pruitt intends to stay active in JUCO recruiting when his eyes show him talented players he trusts to fit his system and make his team immediately better. So, let's look at one of Tennessee's early commitments in the 2019 class, that just happens to be a highly touted JUCO player. Lakia Henry, Four Star Inside Linebacker, Dodge City Community College Henry is an absolute monster of a middle linebacker. He is listed at six foot one, two hundred twenty-seven pounds, but he looks and plays much larger than that. The Vidalia, Georgia native is a sideline to sideline machine, perfect for what Pruitt and Sherrer want to build in the Vols’ new 3-4 scheme. However, Henry is more than just a fast player, he is a vicious tackler who consistently delivers extraordinary blows to ball carriers. Henry isn’t an eraser in the middle, he’s an absolute destroyer. He is the kind of linebacker that delivers a blow, and an opponent stays hit for a few minutes after the initial contact. He has speed that allows him to cover tight ends and backs well in pass coverage and allows him to wreak havoc when he comes up the middle of the offensive line as a blitzer. Watching tape, there are similarities to AJ Johnson in the demeanor and style of play. While Henry has a smaller frame than Johnson, he is certainly capable of adding muscle mass, and is likely a bit faster than the former Vol. Henry looks to be a factor for Tennessee on defense the day he arrives on campus. As the recruiting cycle wears on, we will see the Vols target other impact JUCO players that Coach Pruitt feels can make an immediate impact for the program. Tennessee is still competing for some of the most highly prized JUCO players in this cycle, as Jeremy Pruitt seeks out the players that will fit his way of doing things at Tennessee.

The Vols are banking on Jeremy Pruitt to be able to change the results on the field for the football program this season. To become more competitive, Pruitt has been changing the way the Vols practice, the culture around and within the program, and even the uniforms, making some changes to have Tennessee in more traditional uniforms. That said, arguably the biggest changes that Pruitt and his staff are making at Tennessee are to the schemes that the Vols will be operating out of come September. Defensively, the Vols will be moving to at least a hybrid 3-4 defense, while the offense appears primed to move to a pro style attack with an emphasis on a power running game. That emphasis on the running game will be a key for the Vols this season, as success from the running backs will likely translate to wins of the field for Tennessee. Fortunately for these Vols, the running back room at Tennessee appears to be up to the task of setting the tone for the team. Football is the ultimate team game, a fact that makes the strategy and depth of the sport so intriguing. A great player without support from the other units around him will struggle, however, in the ultimate team game, teams still need stars. They need excellent players capable of rising to the challenge to define the identity of a team. Players that can become where a team hangs their hat, someone that the coaches and players trust to make the big plays when they absolutely must make them. For the 2019 Tennessee Volunteers, the most likely player to step into that role is Ty Chandler. Chandler was a prized commit for the Vols from the 2017 recruiting class when they landed him out of Nashville’s Montgomery Bell Academy. Chandler is a bit light for what the new Tennessee staff wants out of their running backs, but make no mistake, Ty Chandler had offers from programs across the country because he is capable of playing every down in any style of offense. Chandler was underutilized during his true freshman season in Knoxville, as Butch Jones and his staff seemed to prefer running John Kelly into the ground rather than rolling Chandler in regularly or putting the pair of talented backs on the field together. Despite his limited use, Chandler still showed flashes during his freshman campaign, one of the most electrifying was running the opening kickoff of the Indiana State game back for a touchdown. Though he wasn’t on the field enough, when the previous coaching staff did get Chandler on the field, they used him in a multitude of ways, from running back, to kick and punt returner, to splitting him out to the slot as a receiver. The versatility Chandler showed demonstrated why he has the potential to be the tone setter for the 2019 Vols, and no game demonstrates it more than the Kentucky game. A John Kelly suspension for marijuana possession opened the door for Chandler to see the field as a feature back for the first time last season in Lexington. Chandler made the most of his opportunity and put on a show, flashing all the parts of his game that made him such a highly sought-after recruit. While not as large as and ideal Pruitt-system back, Chandler runs bigger than his size. Against the Wildcats, he regularly broke through tackles and delivered some crushing hits himself as a ball carrier. Chandler does not shy away from contact, and consistently delivers a blow to the defenders trying to tackle him. He runs angry, with bad intentions, a physicality that will endear him to Pruitt and Tyson Helton, especially when you add in Chandler’s greatest strength, the thing that differentiates him from ever other back in the running back group: His speed. Chandler set the Tennessee State Record in the 100 meters as a senior in high school, and that speed translates to the football field. Chandler is a threat to turn a six-yard carry into a sixty-yard touchdown every time he touches the ball. Add into the equation that Chandler is also an outstanding receiver, and you begin to see the kind of weapon he can be for Helton and the Vols. If Tennessee has success on offense this season, expect number three to be the player the offense is built around. While Chandler can do it all as a back, Tennessee having the ability to compliment him and effectively use change of pace backs to spell him and on the field with him to add an additional threat will be key to real success for the Vols. The Vols have two options for trying to compliment Chandler, and the first is another member of the 2017 recruiting class. Tim Jordan arrived at Tennessee as a three-star back that was distinguished from the other Tennessee ball carriers by his larger size. Now, Jordan’s bigger frame has made him an asset to Pruitt in the system he wants to run. Jordan saw very limited opportunities in 2017, but he made an impressive showing during the 2018 Orange and White Game. Pairing with Chandler as a one-two punch for the first-string offense, Jordan not only showed good power on multiple run, particularly inside the ten yard line, he also demonstrated smooth, fluid footwork running behind a lead blocker. Jordan showed good acceleration and made smooth cuts allowing holes to open for him, making a compelling case to be a larger part of the 2018 offense. Another option for the Vols to pair with Chandler comes in the form of graduate transfer running back Madre London from Michigan State. At six foot one, two hundred thirteen pounds, London possesses the size that Pruitt and Helton covet. London is a well-rounded back that had his best season with the Spartans as a freshman. Injuries and the emergence of other backs saw London’s touches dip in East Lansing, but when he got carries he made an impact. The Vols are hoping that a change of scenery will spark London to reach the potential he showed while in the Big Ten. London looks to figure prominently in the equation for the Volunteers offense, a sturdy, one cut back that is capable of bouncing off defenders and rolling on, he looks to be an ideal pairing with Chandler. With what was shown in the Orange and White Game, expect the Vols to be willing to use different backs down near the goal line, a role that a strong back like London could excel in. Beyond these three backs, the Vols running back group gets a little murky for several reasons. Carlin Fils-Aime showed promise at running back when given touches but spent spring camp and was listed at Media Days as a defensive back. Fils-Aime was a highly rated back when he arrived at Tennessee, and he showed flashes as a ball carrier and receiver out of the backfield. Perhaps his future is at defensive back, but it would be hard to imagine him staying on defense were injuries to become an issue for the Vols. Trey Coleman is a bit of an unknown at this point. Skilled, but he has a body type that doesn’t seem to fit what Pruitt and Helton want from the running back position. He appears to have the talent to contribute, but whether he gets that opportunity or not, or perhaps is maybe asked to redshirt, remains to be seen. Princeton Fant is listed as a running back for the moment, although he has been listed at tight end and wide receiver as well. The staff seems to like Fant, but he is very raw, without a true home right now. Fant is best looked at as a developmental player for the time being. The remaining player in the running back group for the Vols, and one with a clearer picture, is incoming freshman Jeremy Banks. Banks and his high school teammate Jerome Carvin committed to Tennessee together as they came out of Cordova High School in Memphis. Banks was rated as a three star by some recruiting services and a four star by others, but regardless of his ratings, he produced on the field week in and week out Cordova. At six foot one, two hundred eleven pounds as an incoming freshman, he has the size and style as a ball carrier that Pruitt wants for his type of back at Tennessee. Banks is a balanced, complete back. He runs with power, shows good cuts, is solid is pass protection, is a solid receiver, and has enough speed to break away. The question for Banks is what role will he fill in 2018? He could do as much as being the primary pairing with Chandler to potentially being redshirted. A strong fall camp is going to be particularly important for Banks. Tennessee is working to become the team that Jeremy Pruitt wants, and that certainly appears to be a team that can control the tempo of the game with multiple big backs that can pound an opposing defense into submission. There is talent in this Tennessee running back room for first year running back coach Chris Weinke. Behind a re-tooled offensive line, these backs may be the group that sees their success most directly correlate to the success of the team as a whole. A stable of hard running backs that set the offensive tone is a tradition for the Vols, particularly in their most successful seasons. It is going to be interesting to see Jeremy Pruitt get back to that, and see how this group performs, maybe even shines, this fall.

That the shot of the day involved Chris Lofton will surprise no one, but just exactly what that shot involved might. The SEC’s All Time Leader in made Three Pointers didn’t hit some half-court shot with fifty kids watching. He didn’t throw the ball over his shoulder and swish the net without looking. In fact, the shot of the day was on a shot that didn’t even go in. The coaches at Lofton’s Rocky Top Skills Camp had been working the fifty young women and men that had showed up for the camp’s third day hard in the Saint Joseph's Middle School Gym. Goals had been set up on the sides of the gym, with the younger kids playing side to side on the far end of the gym and the older ones playing side to side on the other, and both groups had coaches showing them new skills to utilize. Both sides also had coaches chirping in their ears as they went up and down the floor, playing hard with some team selections that were intended to challenge the kids. So, when the pizza showed up for lunch, things went as you might expect. Over all the talking, laughter, and kids inhaling a substantial stack of pizzas, you couldn’t hear anything from the day’s best shot. While everyone else was eating, one of the smallest boys at the camp, a young man who was an impressive ball handler for his size and age, was jumping for the goal on the far end of the floor. As he jumped, reaching for the goal, Lofton quietly came up behind him and asked him something. The young man nodded his head up and down with enthusiasm, and Lofton scooped him up and stood him on his shoulders. The young man did his best for a dunk, but wasn’t quite accustomed to operating above four feet, let alone nearly seven from atop the former Vol star’s shoulders. The ball didn’t go in, but no shot or scene from the day more summed up Lofton and his interaction with Knoxville than quietly lifting the last and smallest child on the floor to his shoulders for a dunk attempt. Chris Lofton is a Volunteer legend, one of the best basketball players to ever don the Orange and White. The man was fearless on the floor, a leader for his team, and one of the most gifted shooters in the history of the SEC. He also drained one of the most cold-blooded shots in Tennessee history, right over Kevin Durant, to lead the Vols to victory over Texas and then Longhorn coach Rick Barnes. There have been multiple conversations about whether or not the university should retire Lofton’s number five, a move that would cement his well-deserved legacy as Volunteer Royalty. Lofton faced some health trials while at Tennessee, something that he kept very quiet until after his senior season. He has also played basketball professionally all over the world, from Turkey, to the D-League, to France most recently, where he and his team are fresh off a league championship, and Lofton turned in some masterful performances. And aside from a couple questions about how playing internationally worked with teammates and coaches that may or may not speak English, none of that seemed to come into play. Chris answered questions as he tried to get down enough pizza to keep up with the kids for the rest of the day, and happily responded that, “All his teammates in France spoke English, but in Turkey, an assistant had to translate everything from the head coach.” While he answered this with his typical good nature and a smile, it was the next few questions that made him light up like a Christmas tree. When asked why he did the camp in Knoxville, Chris just grinned and responded quickly, “This is my second home, man.” One of the assistants reminded as well, “Folks were good to him here, it is important to him.” Chris nodded again, adding, “I love it here.” Home, and the value of it to Lofton, of the people and places he loves, became more and more evident as the day went on. Chris talked about the other locations he offers his camps, one in France where he plays now, one in Knoxville, and one in his hometown of Maysville, Kentucky. That connection to Maysville was also evident as several of the assistant coaches hailed from the area, with Chris introducing several as, “And this is one of my boys from back up in Kentucky.” Another assistant tried to expound on that relationship, “Those guys from up there, we’re family.” Home and family. If there are two words to describe why Chris Lofton does what he does, there may not be a better pair to choose than home and family. He wants to give back to the communities he cares about, to communities that he feels were good to him. He wants to help those that helped him, because that is what families do. Watching him and talking with him in the gym that day, it was also clear there was one other, major component to the equation as well. The fastest answer Chris gave all day, the one that made for the biggest smile, was when he was asked what was most important about his camps. Without a moment’s hesitation, he immediately responded, “That the kids have fun! That is what it is all about, that they have a good time.” Here, the same young man that had been on Lofton’s shoulders minutes before walked by, and Chris called him by name. “Hey,” Lofton said, “Are you having a good time today?” The young man nodded, giving an enthusiastic, “Yeah!” Lofton, still smiling, reached out to give the young man a high five, “Good. That’s what I want to hear.” It would have been interesting to see if it could be quantified to determine who was smiling more, the elementary student who had a Vol Legend know his name, of Lofton at getting to interact with and bring happiness to these kids. Home and family, those two things resonated more and more the longer the day went on. Chris Lofton has left Maysville and Knoxville far behind in his playing days, but he gave so much to them during his time there. He shaped the history of both, but they both loved and shaped him as well. For that he continues to give back with his time, talents, money, and effort. Some days that may be teaching kids how to use a ball screen, and others it may be about making sure the guys he loves, and trusts have a place to use their skills with him. On this day, it was truly about making the kids in his second home smile. Home and family were the over arching themes for this camp, and that left me thinking of the words to a song. “Rocky Top, you’ll always be, home sweet home to me.” Knoxville may be a second home to Chris Lofton, but it will always be home sweet home. He will always be a favorite son, not just for his skill with a ball, but for the size of his heart and his determination to give back to his home and family. 

“What did he do? All he did was score. Joey Kent! TOUCHDOWN ON PLAY. NUMBER. ONE!” As a seven-year-old kid sitting in my grandparent’s den, those words came out of the radio speakers as my Papaw threw his hands up clapping, and I jumped up and down because Tennessee had scored. I didn’t understand all the history yet. I didn’t know how long the Vols had gone without beating Alabama. To be honest, I didn’t even know that Alabama was that much more important than anyone else. I was just a kid, sharing something my Papaw loved, that was taking the first steps on journey that has led me across the country following my team. I didn’t know much then, but I had picked up on one thing. I’d never heard anyone like that voice on the radio. The founder of The All Vol Call In Show regularly reminds us of ways we can improve as writers, pushing us to always be as professional as possible. He wants us to grow as a respected source of news and information for Tennessee fans, and I couldn’t agree with him more. I try my best to take all the, “I’s,” out of the articles and be a writer first. Today is a bit different though. Today is a piece for a man that, though he never knew it, shaped my life. A man that did that same thing for folks all over Vol Nation. Frankly, he was as much a part of Saturdays in the Fall as Orange and White, Checkerboard Endzones, and Rocky Top. He was the Voice, he was ours, and he was a friend to those of us that listened intently. Today, through teary eyes, I want to write a small something to say goodbye. So, there are going to be plenty of personal stories, and more than a few, “I’s.” Sorry, boss. God made exactly one John Ward. Throughout the history of broadcasting, there have been many people that were outstanding at what they did. Many announcers are beloved by their fan bases and showed excellence in broadcast journalism every time they came to do their job. That is just fine. John Ward was the best there has ever been at what he did. We all know it. Vol fans were quietly proud, gave a knowing nod and smile to those that ever mentioned their guy, and tried to be civil. We never made a fuss because we knew that John was as good as it got. We weren’t going to budge on that, and there was no need to have any conflict. So, we smiled nicely and went on our way, knowing that the perfect gentleman with the blue towel around his neck, our guy, was the best there was. He’s gone now, and it is just time to make sure what everyone that had the opportunity to listen to him call a game already knows, is said. He was the best, and we’ll brook no argument on the matter. I sat in that den at my grandparent’s house for most of the football Saturdays I have seen in my life. Every week we did something that I found odd as a child. When the lead up to the game started, my Papaw would mute the TV, and we would turn on the radio to listen to the Vol Network. For years, I had always wondered why Papaw would put headphones on to watch Tennessee play on television. It was after just a few drives that I understood. That meant Papaw now scrapped the headphones and just turned up the stereo. (My Mamaw is saint, for those of you wondering. She has listened to quite a lot of Mr. Ward over the years as well, often quite loud and quite late. I still laugh when I think of all she has put up with over the years.) It wasn’t until I was older and made friends across the state that I realized something: What Papaw and I did with the radio every Saturday happened in a lot of homes across Vol country. John Ward and Bill Anderson had that perfect combination of professionalism, information, and passion. Those broadcasts were just superior to whatever would be on the television. I’ve even complained that the only bad thing about going to Neyland Stadium was that you couldn’t listen to John Ward on the radio during the game. Imagine my surprise when, as a child, I saw people in every section wearing AM/FM headphones just to get around that. That didn’t happen at other schools. I’ve been in most of the stadiums in the SEC and several more besides. Nowhere did such a significant percentage of fans in the stadium wear headsets to hear their radio announcer. Then again, nowhere else had John Ward. Growing as a fan, I did what so many of us have done. I started to investigate the history of the program. I asked Papaw a few million questions, (probably a saint as well, now that I think about it) scoured record books, and read all the articles I could get my hands on. Then my parents got me some of the VHS tapes that the Vol Network produced chronicling the best plays, players, and teams in Tennessee history. I memorized them from seeing them so many times. And the voice narrating that history to me? The person that made all those calls that still make the hairs on my arm stand up? John Ward. The more I listened, the more I was transfixed. All the talented players I had read about, the great games from program history, I knew all of that. I had even seen most of the video footage at one time or another. What none of those could convey though, was the feeling of the moment. The excitement, despair, angst, or elation that everyone in Orange felt as it happened was lost even in reviewing the old tapes. That is, until you listened to Mr. Ward call the plays. You felt every emotion that Tennessee fans had as the plays unfolded. For an instant, you were present as the Sugar Vols upset Miami or Condredge Holloway made a miraculous escape to score, despite not having been born when those games were played. Mr. Ward could pour emotion into his words with an unrivaled gift, and his words became a living link to Tennessee history. He could put those that had been at the games back there in a breath and recreate the moment for those of us that had never seen it. You see, John Ward had a gift. Ask any fan of any other team if they want to hurry home to watch the game or take a little more time but have the game on the radio. The answer will almost surely contain a comment along the lines of, “I want to get home as quick as I can because I will miss something if I am just listening to it.” Tennessee fans were different, though. Sure, we all wanted to watch the game, but if we had the radio we were just fine. I remember my Papaw telling people that we were going to, “Watch the game on the radio.” In a room full of Vol fans, no one corrected him. John Ward could paint with his words. It was like having the screen just behind your eyes, each scene playing out as the brush strokes of his words illustrated it. Yeah, with John Ward calling a game, you could watch it on the radio. I did many times, and sometimes, I preferred it that way. Again, even as a kid, I knew that something was special about that man on the radio, and I wanted to take the time to enjoy it in a way I knew was unique. At times as young, Tennessee fans, we all wanted to be our favorite players, the coach, or the drum major as they opened the T. Most schools have something like that. At Tennessee though, I think most of us wanted to be John Ward at some point. We all, in quiet moments when no one was looking, called out a long run in our minds, “He’s to the twenty, to the fifteen, ten, five, four, three, two, one…..GIVE. HIM. SIX!” As a matter of fact, re-read that last sentence, think of a play it applied to, and try not to smile. Mr. Ward brought so much joy to so many Tennessee fans with his words for so long. He created so many memories, became a part of so many moments, and became a piece of the Tennessee Tradition himself along the way. I think that is perhaps because he was one of us. John Ward was a Tennessee fan, doing a job that he loved, and he was never hesitant to let it show. His passion and excitement were infectious, and his creativity with his words only furthered the experience. He had all the skills to be excellent at his chosen profession, one of the very best, and then let those skills soak in a passion for Tennessee sports, his team, that ran as deep as any Vol fan out there. That combination was special. See, that is what made John Ward so special, at least to me. Tennessee football, it is a love that I shared with my Papaw. As I have gotten older, it has been something I have shared with many of the dearest friends I’ve known. John Ward wasn’t only employed by UT, he was a part of UT. He became part of that aura and tradition himself. Many of my fondest memories, some of the clearest moments in my life, happened against the backdrop of words by John Ward. I had the privilege to meet Mr. Ward one time. I was still a kid, but older and thoroughly steeped in Tennessee history and lore at this point. Mr. Ward was eating at a restaurant in the town where I grew up and I recognized him from across the room. The waitresses knew that I bled Orange, and that meeting John Ward would be like meeting a super hero to me, so they told him about me, and they had me come over. He shook my hand over his dinner, smiled, and signed a picture for me after we talked for a few moments. I’m sure now that what must have been an inconvenience for him was one of the highlights of my young life. That picture still hangs in my old room in my parents’ home. It felt right to me that it should stay there. It was my time spent with a piece of Tennessee tradition that had been a hero to me, a piece of that unexplainable magic that hangs over Neyland Stadium on an October Saturday that I had been able to touch. John Ward was a friend to many Tennessee fans over the years. I did not have the opportunity to know him as a man. I only knew him as a legend in his own right, and as a part of what made my team special. He became a part of many of my most dearly held memories, pouring the passion we all felt into his words while we were still clapping and cheering. His voice, The Voice of the Vols, played a part in shaping who I am today, and his loss hurts. My prayers and condolences reach out to his family, friends, and those that knew him best. We thank you for sharing him with us for all those years. I only hope Mr. Ward comes through Heaven’s Gates as fast as Joey Kent ran on that night in Birmingham. Rest easy and enjoy a well-earned reward to the best that there ever was. Thank you, John, from the bottom of our hearts.

The University of Tennessee has long been known as Wide Receiver U. That is a moniker that both the school and the fan base have been extremely proud of for many years now. While the Vols have had some ups and downs over the last few years, the wide receiver position has remained a strength. Last season, as the entire offense struggled, the wide receiver group was hampered by injuries, scheme, three starting quarterbacks, and offensive line play that saw all those quarterbacks pressured regularly. The passing game was one of the worst in the nation in 2017, but those numbers don't show what could be a strength for the Vols this fall. The primary reason for this evaluation comes in the form of two players, Marquez Callaway and Jauan Jennings. These two may provide Tennessee with one of the most potent receiving duos in America when they are on the field together. Jennings and Callaway are both dynamic playmakers that bring different skill sets to the table for the Vols. Those skill sets complement each other well, however, giving Tennessee a pair of guys that can do everything well, as well as threatening a defense in any way you could imagine. As good as the individual players are, the different strengths they bring make this combination so potent. Let's begin with a look at the better know of the two commodities. Jauan Jennings arrived at Tennessee as a four-star quarterback from Murfreesboro, TN. He was a big, strong athlete that was expected to factor in to the quarterback competition. As his first off season progressed, it became evident that the way Jennings would get to the field the fastest was at receiver, where the Vols desperately needed athletes and healthy bodies. As a freshman, Jennings showed flashes of his potential, but also had to battle the growing pains of learning a new position as well as injuries. After a promising start, Jennings began his sophomore campaign behind Preston Williams on the depth chart. He began there, but he didn't stay there long. Jennings moved ahead of Williams after the Battle at Bristol, ready to make his presence truly felt two weeks later against Florida. Jennings caught the go-ahead touchdown pass from Josh Dobbs after leaving Florida's best corner and biggest mouth, Jalen Tabor, in the dirt on a hitch and go that Tabor bit on hook, line, and sinker. Jennings leapt further into Volunteer legend shortly after, leaping to catch the Dobb Nail Boot in Athens, Georgia, as Tennessee won Between the Hedges in miraculous fashion. Having a pair of catches that will remain in the minds of Vol fans for decades, as well as an overall strong Sophomore campaign as Tennessee's number two receiver behind Josh Malone in 2016, Jennings looked poised to burst onto the national stage in 2017. Unfortunately, Jennings was injured in the first half of the opening game of the season in 2018, leaving before halftime against Georgia Tech and never returning. The loss of Jennings stung the Vols through the entire season.  His leadership, experience, and physicality were sorely missed in what was an exceptionally young receiving group. After a tumultuous off season that saw Jennings dismissed from the program and then reinstated, the Vols look to have a large role for the redshirt junior in 2018. A player with proven SEC success, expect Jennings to be a focus of the offense under Tyson Helton this fall. Jennings will likely be listed at the top receiver for Tennessee, but the young man that filled the void left by him in 2017 may have something to say about that. All seemed lost for Tennessee when Jauan Jennings was injured in last season's opener against Georgia Tech. The Vols had no real proven production outside, and no idea where they would find a spark to replace Jennings. At least, they didn't until Marquez Callaway exploded on the Yellow Jackets. Callaway showed it all that Labor Day night in Atlanta, the speed to turn a seven yard pass into a fifty yard score, the ability to leap for a jump ball and make a sensational catch, and the body control to make a brilliant grab in the end zone while ensuring his feet were in. Callaway's showing caught the attention of everyone watching, showing the nation he could live up to the four-star rating he carried as a senior coming out of Georgia. The trouble for Callaway as the season went on though, was his struggle to capture that breakout magic again. Despite showing a knack for making incredible catches, Callaway labored to reproduce his initial success. This was no doubt impacted by the aforementioned play of the offensive line and multiple quarterbacks, as well as a high ankle sprain that hampered Callaway through much of the later season. Still, despite some struggles, Callaway proved to be Tennessee's most dangerous offensive weapons outside of John Kelly, and one of the only players opposing defensive coordinators had to game plan around containing.  Now healthy, and off a spring game where he made more incredible grabs, Marquez Callaway figures to be a key component for the Vols on offense in Jeremy Pruitt's first season on Rocky Top. So, what do the Vols have in this pair? Well, for starters, they have a pair of big, strong targets. Jennings stands six foot three and Callaway is six foot two, giving Tennessee quarterbacks a pair of guys that will be bigger than most every corner they face, both able to go up and get jump balls, and two guys that present a wide strike zone for a quarterback to throw into. Both Jennings and Callaway also excel at leaping for a football, each displaying exceptional ball skills when climbing the ladder to make a reception. Both are sound blockers in the running game, and both consistently break tackles once they have the ball in their hands. For all those similarities, however, the differences are what make the pair so dangerous. Jauan Jennings is an extremely strong receiver. He fights through press coverage, and has shown an ability to go make catches with defenders draped all over him. In the 2016 season, blatant pass interference was often insufficient to prevent number fifteen from coming up with a catch. Beyond the strength of his body, Jennings showed very strong hands, able to wrestle balls away from defenders. It became clear that if Jennings got his hands on a ball, he was coming down with it. From his background as a running quarterback, the physicality with which Jennings plays receiver makes him stand out. He is not the fastest straight line receiver on the roster, but he is one of the most difficult to tackle. Jennings often initiates contact, excited to run through smaller defenders, able to toss them aside or fight for extra yardage. That strength means that it is very difficult for Jennings to be jammed at the line, which, paired with his exceptional route running, means any corner that presses him risks giving up a monster play. Many defenders will struggle to cover Jennings one on one, because letting him get off a jam means a corner is already behind, off footed, working to catch up to one of the better route runners in college football. Jennings unique skill set means that defenses are limited in how they can cover him, something he shares with the man playing opposite him. Like Jennings, Marquez Callaway is a big receiver, and, like Jennings, Callaway proves difficult for corners to cover one on one. The difference comes in why he is so difficult to stop for a single defender. Where Jennings is defined at receiver by his strength, Callaway is distinguished by his speed. Callaway has speed to burn, and any play in which he gets s step on a corner could turn into a touchdown. For that matter, any time Callaway gets his hands on the ball he is a threat to score. Callaway shows excellent vision as a runner once the ball is in his hands, both at receiver and when he is returning punts. He shows a knack for breaking tackles, though he uses his quickness to off balance and escape defenders where Jennings often runs through them. Callaway may show his greatest strength in the passes he manages to reel in. Regularly, he finds ways to come up with passes he barely has any right to even get to. Coupled with his excellent leaping ability, Volunteer quarterbacks often just need to get the ball near Callaway for him to come up with the ball. While his routes need polish, and he seems a bit raw as a receiver, Callaway more than makes up for his lack of seasoning by making eye popping catches and possessing the blistering speed that defensive coordinators must scheme to respect. That is where this duo is going to work so well together. They attack defenses and forces coaches to game plan for them in totally different ways. While Callaway struggled against press coverage last season, Jennings excelled at beating it. Where Jennings is fast, but demands a double team because of his strength and routes, Callaway requires a safety over him every play, or else the defense risks giving up a bomb touchdown. These two complement one another well, and if the offensive line can pass protected at a higher level this year, they could be key components in an offense capable of surprising many in the SEC. So, Vol Nation, who do you and our staff think will have a better year in 2018, Callaway or Jennings? What do you think their impact will look like on the field this fall? Are you excited to see them together, or do you think someone else will make the difference for the Vols this season? Let us know in the comments.