One of the main concerns about the Tennessee Vols in 2023 centers around the offensive line. 

The Vols lost two extremely talented players from last year's squad in right tackle Darnell Wright and left guard Jerome Carvin (Wright was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bears and Carvin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs). 

Right guard Javontez Spraggins and center Cooper Mays will provide Tennessee's offensive line with plenty of experience and leadership, but there are still question marks at both tackle positions and at left guard. 

For now, it looks like Miami transfer John Campbell will start at right tackle while Jeremiah Crawford, Gerald Mincey and Dayne Davis are competing for the left tackle spot (while also getting reps at right tackle). 

There's a lot that's still to determined when it comes to the Vols' starting offensive line. But that hasn't caused Spraggins' confidence in his teammates to wane. In fact, Spraggins is extremely confident in Tennessee's offensive line heading into a season in which the Vols plan to compete for a national championship.

"I'm pushing even further every day because I know those guys (Wright and Carvin) are gone," said Spraggins on Monday. "And our road isn't bumpy as far as an O-lineman. We have guys we can plug in and it'd be the exact same offensive line or even better than you've seen in the past. So it's not really a big panic for us. We know we got guys that can fit into those spots and get this national championship for us. So we're basically working every day just to get to that point of maximizing our ability so we can go out there and play and really show everybody what type of team we are this year."

Spraggins made it clear while speaking to reporters that a national championship is indeed the goal for the Vols this season. 

"We're all working together to fulfill each other's goals," explained Spraggins. "And we all have one goal which is a national championship." 

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Dayne Davis expressed similar confidence in the offensive line (while reiterating Tennessee's goal of winning a national championship) while speaking with reporters on Monday. 

"The identity of this O-line group is to bring the force every day," said Davis. "We're going to lay the law down with our toughness, with our physicality. We're going to come with that every day. We know there's going to be MAs (missed assignments). We're not going to be perfect, but one thing the tape's going to say is we're going to come in here and we're going to be fierce on that tape."

"Man, we're pushing for an SEC championship," added Davis when asked about the offensive line's goals in 2023. "That's gonna happen this year. Vols are back on top. SEC championship, national championship. That's what we're working for."

There's no doubt that Tennessee is entering the 2023 season focused on achieving some lofty goals. The good news for Vols fans is that Tennessee's players don't seem to be thinking about last season's success. They know 2023 is a new season. And they're eager to prove that they should be considered one of the top national championship contenders this fall. 

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