Tennessee 2016 Preview
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2016 Tennessee should be a major player in the SEC race. It has the experience, the talent, and maybe the coaching in place to be the best team in the SEC East, and now it must at least get to Atlanta in December, or the heat will mount on head coach Butch Jones. That means winning the division and getting to the title game for the first time since 2007.
Tennessee has lost 11 straight to Florida, and 9 straight to Alabama. That is 20 consecutive losses to arguably the two biggest SEC games on the Vols schedule. UT needs to win one or both of those games in 2016.
This fall Tennessee has to stop choking on the big stage. When rubber met the road in 2015, Tennessee folded like a dove in a cornfield on a fall shoot. UT had Oklahoma beat but folded, allowed Florida to convert five fourth down chances in crunch time, and got physically beat up by Arkansas and Alabama. This team has to learn how to win big games.
Tennessee will be led by QB Joshua Dobbs who is dynamic with his feet, but not so dynamic with his arm. If UT is to win the SEC East then Dobbs has to improve on his accuracy.
Jalen Hurd is an upper tier RB in the SEC and can be the workhorse in this offense. Alvin Kamara is the change of pace back who is dangerous in space.
The Vols have a solid WR group led by Josh Malone Jr., but can they get the ball in their hands? Tennessee ranked 92nd in the nation in 2015 in passing offense.
The running game could be special for UT but if the passing game does not click the Vols will become one dimensional which spells disaster against the elite teams in the SEC.
On defense, the Vols have recruited well and have Derek Barnett who is a future star in the NFL. Kahlil McKenzie is a cog in the middle. Kendal Vickers and Corey Vereen make this the best DL Tennessee has fielded in over a decade.
The schedule is front loaded with Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama before mid-October.
The back end of the UT schedule is historically weak with Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Missouri after the October 22nd bye week.
Florida and Alabama come to Knoxville and the atmosphere should be lights out for both of those games. The October 1st road game at Georgia will be the key road game on the Tennessee schedule one which the Vols must win to get to Atlanta.
Tennessee has not won an SEC Title since 1998 and has been in the mist of the worse run in program history.
If the Vols can’t get to the SEC Title game in 2016 when will they get there? Is Butch Jones the answer if the Vols don’t win the SEC East in his 4th year? How long can the Volnation blame Derek Dooley for underperforming? No one other than maybe Alabama and LSU will field more talent than Tennessee in the SEC this fall.
My prediction for Tennessee is 10-2 with a home loss to Alabama and a loss to either Florida or Georgia, but that should get the Vols back to the SEC title game where they lose to the Alabama/LSU game winner.
Anything less than that will have the natives on good ole Rocky Top howling for change. Tennessee really needs to win the SEC East in 2016. Florida and Georgia will be top five programs soon under new leadership. Tennessee can’t afford to get left behind.
Tennessee has not beaten Florida since 2004. We have had three Presidential elections during that window. Talent is in place in Knoxville. No more excuses Rocky Top.
