3 things that need to happen for the Tennessee Vols to start dominating college football
The Tennessee Vols were one of the elite teams in college football last season, barely missing the College Football Playoff due to a surprising late-season loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Despite the Vols' 11-2 record last season, national analysts don't seem confident in Tennessee's ability to reach the playoff in 2023. Most national publications […]
The Tennessee Vols were one of the elite teams in college football last season, barely missing the College Football Playoff due to a surprising late-season loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Despite the Vols' 11-2 record last season, national analysts don't seem confident in Tennessee's ability to reach the playoff in 2023. Most national publications have the Vols winning 9 or 10 games at most this upcoming season.
To some extent, it's a fair take from the national media. The Vols have to prove that they can sustain their success from last season. If Tennessee goes 11-2 again in 2023, I think you'll see the national media start buying stock in the Vols.
There are three things that need to happen for Tennessee to become a dominant force in college football.
And when I say dominant force, I'm talking about a team that is considered a legitimate national championship contender every season in the same sense as Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State.
1. Joe Milton needs to be drafted in 2024 and Hendon Hooker needs to find some NFL success
The only thing that can significantly slow down Tennessee's offense right now is if quarterbacks coming from the Vols' system turn out to be a disaster in the NFL. That's about the only way we're going to see UT's offensive momentum slow down. Tennessee's offense isn't some magical plug-and-play scheme when it comes to quarterbacks. Sure, the scheme is great, but it requires an elite quarterback to truly be successful. The Vols were fortunate to have Hendon Hooker for the last two seasons. And Joe Milton looks poised to have a great 2023 season with true freshman and former five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava waiting in the wings. But if Tennessee wants to sustain their elite offensive success and truly become a dominant force in the sport, they'll need Hooker and Milton to excel in the NFL to show recruits that the narrative about UT's "gimmick" offense is simply incorrect.
2. Jalin Hyatt and/or Cedric Tillman need to have a big rookie season in the NFL
The same thing goes for Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman in the NFL. If the Vols truly want to regain the "WRU" moniker, then they need some wide receivers to find success in the NFL. And I'm not just talking about sticking on a roster. Tennessee needs Hyatt or Tillman to have a Ja'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson-type rookie season. A massive rookie year by either player would suddenly make Tennessee the "it school" for wide receivers. If Hyatt and Tillman struggle in the NFL, it will give the narrative about Tennessee's offense some life. And it will be used by opposing coaches on the recruiting trail. Heupel can find success with less-than-elite wide receivers, but for his offense to perform at its best, he needs five-star pass catchers lining up on Saturdays.
3. The Vols have to land a couple of five-star defenders
Tennessee can't forget about defense. The Vols' struggling pass defense is one of the main reasons that Tennessee didn't reach the playoff last season. Heupel said earlier this month that the Vols are going to play elite defense moving forward. Well, the only way for that to happen is to recruit like Georgia recruits. That means the Vols have to land at least a couple of five-star defenders (2024 five-star defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri would be a nice start). Defensive scheme and coaching matter, but the only way Tennessee is going to compete with Georgia on the defensive side of the ball is by consistently landing elite five-star talent.
If those three things happen, the Vols will become one of the most feared programs in college football. This sport is cyclical. The teams at the top don't stay there forever. Alabama's had a nice run. And Georgia is currently the king of the sport. But Tennessee is poised to be the next program that rises to the top of the sport and challenges for the throne. They just need a few things to fall into place.