Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy, who is currently an analyst for ESPN, thinks the Tennessee Vols have a "big problem" that UT fans should be concerned about in 2023. 

McElroy, who is still somewhat high on the Vols, thinks Tennessee's interior offensive line depth could be a big issue this fall. 

The former Alabama quarterback mentioned center Cooper Mays, who is out after undergoing a "procedure" last week, as a reason for the concern. McElroy also pointed to the Vols' lack of proven depth at guard and center. 

"Now, Cooper Mays has been sidelined, had a procedure, they're really optimistic about him being able to get back in time for Virginia," said McElroy. "But it's not a 100 percent slam dunk guarantee that he's going to be available week one. It's not. So the interior offensive line depth for Tennessee is a big problem. Now I feel good — great, actually, I go as far as to say I'm feeling great — about their left tackle. They have been raving about John Campbell since he transferred (from Miami). They're really excited about him locking down that spot. He was really in the midst of a big competition with Gerald Mincey. He destroyed Gerald Mincey in that competition. He has locked down and solidified that spot."

"But the depth along the interior of the offensive line — especially knowing Joe Milton, very talented arm, very gifted football player, but if he gets pressure up the middle, he's not as fleet footed as Hendon Hooker was," continued McElroy. "So the interior of that offensive line has to be really solid. The depth is a question mark. And if Cooper Mays is less than available, if he is less than 100 percent throughout the season because of the lingering procedure to his upper body, that would be something that I would be a little bit concerned about right now if I were a Tennessee fan."

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I don't think there's any doubt that Tennessee's offensive line is the biggest concern for the Vols entering the 2023 season. 

(Note: The procedure that Cooper Mays underwent isn't expected to linger this season.)

And that's not to say that Tennessee's offensive line will struggle this fall. It's just that they have a lot to prove after losing a top 10 draft pick in right tackle Darnell Wright and a key team leader in left guard Jerome Carvin. 

Throw in a couple of transfer additions — Campbell and Texas transfer Andrej Karic — along with some unproven depth, and it's easy to see why there are question marks surrounding the offensive line. 

Now, is it a big problem like McElroy says? I think that remains to be seen. 

Practice is obviously important, but even the coaches won't know how things will look this season until the first game of the year (against Virginia). 

That's something that former Vols offensive coordinator Alex Golesh, who is now the head coach at USF, admitted while meeting with reporters earlier this month. 

Golesh told reporters that he felt that Milton was the guy for Tennessee in 2021 — based on what he saw in practice — but he was quickly proven wrong once the season started. 

"I don't know that you really know until you know," said Golesh while discussing identifying a starting quarterback. "I went through it at the previous place where I thought I knew and I was wrong, so I'm humble enough to admit that."

Some players are gamers. Some don't perform well under the bright lights. And some are exactly what you see in practice. It's part of what makes coaching a challenge. 

McElroy makes some solid points about Tennessee's interior offensive line. And I don't think they should be dismissed just because he works for ESPN or because he played at Alabama (McElroy has been mostly fair to the Vols over the years), but it doesn't mean that it's going to be a "big problem" in 2023, either. 

A concern?

Sure.

But should fans worry about the interior offensive line sinking Tennessee's season?

I don't think that should be that something that causes Vols fans to be anxious unless they actually see the offensive line struggling on Saturdays this fall. 

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Featured image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK