Tennessee heads into the final week of the regular season officially eliminated from bowl game contention and in its second week after the school fired Butch Jones as coach.

Being 4-7 and winless in SEC play is something not many could have fathomed as reality in August during fall training camp, but the wheels came off early in the season.

After Jones’ departure, Vols players responded with energy and interim head coach Brady Hoke played towards the player’s strengths in Saturday’s game against LSU, magnifying a disconnect between Jones and his players.

So, here are the 10 biggest problems with the Vols program which we should have seen coming in August.

Quarterback

Butch Jones never appeared confident in this position from his arrival at SEC Media Days and it never got better throughout the season. Jones was out front in saying he had two quarterbacks that could earn the right to start; Jones also said he was open to a two-quarterback system. His constant talk during game week of being open to playing both Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano never led to stability.

Lack of development

With a number of new faces stepping into bigger roles this season, the development obviously did not match the talent level. The receiver and linebacker units did not develop enough and provided the least amount of production on the season.

Butch’s control

Jones told folks he was taking a step back and letting his staff coach more freely. His CEO-type position never came to fruition as his offensive scheme didn’t improve, and that was apparent when Brady Hoke took over as the interim head coach against LSU. It did not take long for Hoke to divert away from Jones’ offense and run more pro-style sets, even saying that running back John Kelly needs at least 25 touches. Jones did not use the bull horn as much during practices, but his voice remained on the game plans.

Lack of leadership

When Josh Dobbs, Alvin Kamara, Derek Barnett, Josh Malone and Jalen Reeves-Maybin left for the NFL after last season, there were not enough voices to turn to this season. And Darrin Kirkland was hurt in fall training camp, leaving the defense without an alpha-type player in the middle of the field.

Not utilizing talent

Tyler Byrd is a prime example of Jones not using talent or having a plan in place for his players. After a leader like Todd Kelly Jr. went out with a knee injury, players like Byrd would have helped fill voids on the depth chart.

Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Lack of discipline

It’s quite simple to point out that Jones did not have control of his players based on his handling of injured wide receiver Jauan Jennings during the opener.

Jones’ handling of the strength and conditioning program last season raised a red flag. Jones caved into players’ request to move on from then strength and conditioning coach Dave Lawson. Players wanted more freedom within that part of the program and he allowed it.

Jones didn’t put his foot down by making Jennings earn his scholarship by being on the sidelines, highlighting his lack of discipline as the caretaker of the program.

Offensive line woes

True freshman Trey Smith is a once-in-a-generation type player and made an immediate impact across the offensive line. But when Chance Hall was lost for the season in fall training camp it began a downward spiral that has left Tennessee with only five scholarship players upfront to close the season.

Cannot stop the run

The Vols have allowed at least 100 rushing yards in every game this season.

The Vols could not stop the run last season, perhaps costing them the SEC East. The inability to stop the run carried over to 2017 as Tennessee is giving up 251.7 yards on the ground per game (126th nationally). Hoke and defensive coordinator Bob Shoop needed to focus on meshing more.

3 games in 13 days

Jones opened fall training camp by talking about how it would be a tall task to open the season playing three games within a 13-day span. His statement created questions as to why having an offseason to prepare for Georgia Tech on Labor Day, then Indiana State, followed by a trip to Florida would be uncomfortable, especially with an FCS opponent in game No. 2.

Kicking game unsettled

Jones made it clear during camp that there was an open kicking competition with Aaron Medley and Brent Cimaglia. The result is that both kickers have been used, rotating in and out in different scenarios. It is unsettling to lean on multiple kickers.