Monday's news is a reminder of the biggest obstacle facing the Tennessee Vols this season

The Tennessee Vols received some news on Monday that's a reminder of the biggest obstacle facing the team in 2022. Vols head coach Josh Heupel announced that senior cornerback Warren Burrell will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery. Burrell struggled at times this season, but he was one of Tennessee's starting cornerbacks […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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The Tennessee Vols received some news on Monday that's a reminder of the biggest obstacle facing the team in 2022.

Vols head coach Josh Heupel announced that senior cornerback Warren Burrell will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.

Burrell struggled at times this season, but he was one of Tennessee's starting cornerbacks for reason.

The Vols, while ahead of schedule under Heupel, don't have the depth necessary to win the SEC. That's the biggest thing holding the program back right now and it's something that will likely show itself more as the grind of the season continues.

Tennessee Vols
Tennessee defensive back Warren Burrell (4) and Mississippi running back Henry Parrish Jr. (25) eye one another during an SEC football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football

It's going to take Heupel and his staff a few years to build the depth that it takes to win tough games late in the season. That's why fans shouldn't panic if the Vols "fade" a bit as the season progresses. Depth isn't a sexy word, but it's one of the biggest reasons why teams like Alabama and Georgia are able to dominate late in the season when other teams are seemingly beaten up and dealing with various injuries.

The good news for Tennessee in regards to the Burrell injury is that Heupel expects cornerback Dee Williams to make his season debut against LSU on Saturday.

Williams is a junior college transfer from Georgia who was rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 2 junior college cornerback in the 2022 recruiting class.

We obviously don't know what to expect from Williams when he takes the field for the first time as a Vol, but the fact that he should be available is a massive positive for Tennessee in the wake of the Burrell news.

Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

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