'Getting off the bus, this group looks the part' – Vols insider drops positive update on important position group for Tennessee
For the Tennessee Vols to earn a repeat trip to the College Football Playoff in 2025, a couple of things need to happen — specifically on the offensive side of the ball. Tennessee's starting quarterback needs to play at a high level, the Vols' young wide receivers need to live up to their recruiting rankings, […]
For the Tennessee Vols to earn a repeat trip to the College Football Playoff in 2025, a couple of things need to happen — specifically on the offensive side of the ball.
Tennessee's starting quarterback needs to play at a high level, the Vols' young wide receivers need to live up to their recruiting rankings, and the program must show it can replace the production of running back Dylan Sampson.
Most importantly, Tennessee's offensive line needs to be one of the team's biggest strengths. That's where success will truly start for the Vols this fall.
The good news for the Vols is that, according to VolQuest's Brent Hubbs, the offensive line is looking the part.
"I don't want to put any pressure on (UT offensive line coach) Glen Elarbee, but this is a good looking offensive line," said Hubbs during a recent appearance on 104.5 The Zone's Ramon and Will. "I mean, getting off the bus, this group looks the part. They've got long arms, big bodies, good frames. Lance Heard's lost a bunch of body fat and trimmed down. They look the part really, really well. Now, they are inexperienced and they got to go play.
"That center and right guard battle is going to be fascinating. And that's where Bennett Warren factors in — even though he's not a guard. Because if Bennett Warren can be the third tackle in the program, then does that allow Jesse Perry to focus more on being a guard and winning the starting job there? Or does Jesse Perry have to focus so much on tackle that it hurts his development and potential to be the starting guard if Sam Pendleton's the center? If William Satterwhite is the center, then Pendleton is probably at guard, and then Jesse Perry is probably the swing guy. There's a lot of moving parts there that's going to make for some interesting stuff in fall camp. And you got to start by finding the center. Is that Pendleton, is that Satterwhite, is that Max Anderson? Could Jesse Perry work some at center? Once you know where you're going with center, then you probably focus on your right guard spot, because it's probably easier to find the right guard than it is to find the center in this offense. So I think first and foremost, they've got to figure out who their best center is and then go from there on the right side."
The Vols know that Lance Heard will start at left tackle, David Sanders Jr will start at right tackle, and Arizona transfer Wendell Moe will start at left guard. As Hubbs noted, Tennessee will be looking to identify its starting center and starting right guard during fall camp.
Tennessee has the talent to put a dominant offensive line on the field. Now they just have to go execute at a high level on Saturdays this fall.
