The Tennessee defense is trying to build off its 2015 success.

The Vols return eight starters and also bring in added depth from the recruiting trail.

The 2016 Volunteers defense will be coordinated by another coach this fall, but the players remain the same. Bob Shoop left Penn State, replacing John Jancek, accepting Butch Jones’ offer to take control of the defense, and it seems that the transition won’t cause Team 120 to miss a beat defensively.

Usually a coordinator change is a result of an underachieving previous season, but not in Tennessee’s case. Jones wanted to make a change for a different mindset entering a crucial season in forwarding his program.

“I just felt that was in the best interest, but John’s a great football mind,” Jones said.

Cam Sutton and Jalen Reeves-Maybin passed on entering the NFL Draft and came back for their senior season. Now they look to make an SEC East championship-run in 2016.

Jancek discussed the players, whom he helped recruit and develop, who will help Tennessee against the pass in 2016 with Saturday Down South.

“Todd (Kelly, Jr.) is a great player, he’s really smart,” Jancek said. “He has a ton of potential and a guy that you can really count on. He’s always going to be in position, really good ball skills and really good hands.

“Cam (Sutton) is another smart player, always in position. He can read routes and knows stems of receivers and a really seasoned player. He’s someone that can have a really big year for Tennessee. Jalen (Reeves-Maybin) is a guy that can really run, has great instincts. We moved him from safety to linebacker and there was a little bit of a process, but he’s really come on and has done a great job.”

In 2015, the Volunteers gave up 362 total yards per game (36th nationally). They ranked 47th nationally in pass defense (210.4 yards per game).

In 2014, the first year of Jones’ recruits playing a vital role in his defense, Tennessee finished 37th overall nationally (364.6 ypg) and gave up 196.2 yards through the air.

“There’s a lot of guys on that defense that will do really well,” Jancek said. “Rashaan Gaulden’s back, guys like Justin Martin will continue to develop and will have a great year for Tennessee.”

The Tennessee defense has only given up three 300-yard passing games to their opponents in 2014 and 2015 (2015, Bowling Green, Matt Johnson, 424 yds; 2014 Oklahoma Trevor Knight, 308 yds; South Carolina, Dylan Thompson, 347 yds).

“The improvements we made were gradual, but significant at the same time,” Jancek said.

4 Best QBs Tennessee Will Face in 2016

There are so many unknowns in terms of the quarterbacks Tennessee will face. It’s likely that six of they eight SEC quarterbacks they face will be different from last year’s starter.

In selecting the four best or most difficult, it’s essential to factor in the quality of the talent surrounding. Therefore, the four toughest Tennessee will fact are in their four biggest games of the year – and they are all conference games.

Trevor Knight – Texas A&M

The only quarterback that Tennessee will be familiar with, of the four, is Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight. Knight played against Jones’ 2014 Vols team before transferring to College Station as a graduate transfer.

Knight led Oklahoma to a 34-10 victory. He completed 20-of-33 passes for 308 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Knight threw for 3,424 yards overall at Oklahoma, with 25 TDs and 19 INTs. His most famous game was in the 2014 Sugar Bowl, defeating Alabama and throwing four TDs.

He’ll have no shortage out receiving help:

  • WR Christian Kirk (80 receptions, 1,009 receiving yards, 7 TDs)
  • WR Josh Reynolds (51 receptions, 907 receiving yards, 5 TDs)
  • WR Speedy Noil (21 receptions, 226 receiving yards, 2 TDs)
  • WR Ricky Seals-Jones (45 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 4 TDs)

Blake Barnett – Alabama

Barnett is in a four-man quarterback race competing, along with junior Cooper Bateman, redshirt sophomore David Cornwell and true freshman Jalen Hurts.

So why Barnett? Because he is offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin’s guy – and he has the most arm talent in the group.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound California native was a five-star Class of 2015 quarterback coming out of Santiago High School (Corona, Calif.).

Barnett did not take any snaps for Alabama last season, leaving the question of who will actually start the opener versus Southern Cal.

There’s more reason to believe that by Oct. 15, Barnett will have solidified the starting role in Kiffin’s offense when rolling into Neyland Stadium.

He, too, has no shortage of weapons:

  • WR Calvin Ridley (89 receptions, 1,045 receiving yards, 7 TDs)
  • WR ArDarius Stewart (63 receptions, 700 receiving yards, 4 TDs)
  • TE O.J. Howard (38 receptions, 602 yards, 2 TDs)
  • WR Robert Foster (10 receptions, 116 receiving yards, 2 TDs)
  • WR Gehrig Dieter (Bowling Green graduate transfer: 94 receptions, 1,033 receiving yards, 10 TDs)

Jacob Eason – Georgia

Mark Richt’s prized recruit stayed true to his commitment after Richt’s departure. First-time head coach Kirby Smart will turn to his freshman at some point, quite possibly before the Oct. 1 showdown in Athens.

Eason, an early enrollee from Lake Stevens, Wash., shined in front of an SEC spring game record crowd of 93,000 people on April 16. Georgia fans can’t wait for the Eason era to begin.

He, too, has dangerous weapons:

  • WR Terry Godwin (35 receptions, 379 receiving yards, 2 TDs)
  • WR Isaiah McKenzie (10 receptions, 123 receiving yards, 0 TD)
  • WR Reggie Davis (12 receptions, 187 receiving yards, 1 TD)
  • TE Jeb Blazevich (15 receptions, 144, 1 TD)
  • RB Sony Michel (26 receptions, 270 yards, 3 TDs)

Luke Del Rio – Florida

The Florida quarterback situation fell into shambles following Will Grier’s PED-use suspension mid-season last year.

Now second-year head coach Jim McElwain must choose a signal caller from a handful of options.

The best option is the well-traveled Del Rio, who just missed playing for McElwain at Alabama.

Now it’s time for Del Rio to finally run McElwain’s offense.

Del Rio doesn’t have much in the way of college stats — he’s thrown just 18 career passes — but he has a couple of legitimate weapons who will test the Tennessee secondary:

  • WR Antonio Callaway (35 receptions, 678 receiving yards, 4 TDs)
  • WR Brandon Powell (29 receptions, 390 receiving yards, 3 TDs)
  • WR Dre Massey (JUCO transfer, Goodman, MS Holmes C.C.)
  • WR Tyrie Cleveland (Freshman)
  • WR Ahmad Fullwood (35 receptions, 387 yards, 2 TDs in career)
  • TE DeAndre Goolsby (17 receptions, 277 receiving yards, 1 TD)