KNOXVILLE — Tennessee enters fall camp with just twelve returning starters-six on offense and six on defense. Of the fourteen teams in the SEC, the Vols rank No. 11 overall in returning starters, however, with a new coaching staff under first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt, there are plenty of position players that will have to prove themselves heading into a week one neutral-site clash with West Virginia. Among the positions to keep an eye out for will be quarterback, where Tennessee returns redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano, who started in five games in 2017. With the offseason addition of Stanford grad transfer Keller Chryst, the quarterback battle will headline fall camp. Other position battles include running back, linebacker, cornerback and tight end.

Quarterback: Guarantano vs. Chryst

Despite the fact that sophomore Will McBride saw action in three games last season as a true freshman and was QB2 during the spring, and that 3-star standout freshman J.T. Shrout is enrolled, the consensus is the quarterback battle is between the incumbent Guarantano and the experienced Chryst, who transferred to Tennessee by way of Stanford. After sitting behind Quinten Dormady through the first four games last season, Guarantano was thrown into the fire halfway through the Georgia game and maintained the starting job until an injury sidelined him heading into the Week 10 matchup at Missouri, giving McBride the redshirt-burning start.

The offense struggled under Guarantano’s leadership, going 14 quarters without an offensive touchdown, but there were more problems with Tennessee’s offense than just one position. Guarantano finished the season with 997 yards, 4 TDs and 2 INTs. While Guarantano looked sharp in the spring game, Chryst brings a new element to the position, having spent four previous years at Stanford and going 11-2 as a starter. What also makes Chryst appealing is he ran a similar pro style system under David Shaw that first-year OC Tyson Helton plans to implement at Tennessee.

Starter: Colleague Dave Hooker predicted Chryst, but I’m going with Guarantano.

Tight end: Dominick Wood-Anderson vs. Eli Wolf

Ethan Wolf is in the NFL. His brother, former walk-on and current redshirt sophomore Eli Wolf played in nine games in 2017 and was atop the depth chart during the spring. Following the Orange and White game, Wolf was even named the team’s most improved player on offense. However, this will be one of the most intriguing battles as one of Jeremy Pruitt’s prized recruits of his inaugural class will be on campus and ready to compete: 4-star JUCO transfer Dominick Wood-Anderson. Wood-Anderson and Wolf are two of six tight ends on the roster. Wolf has the most experience and Anderson the most hype, especially having been a star at the JUCO level that drew the attention of several Power 5 suitors, including Alabama. Another player to watch is 3-star signee Jacob Warren, an early enrollee.

Starter: Wood-Anderson

Running back: Ty Chandler vs. Madre London

Jalen Hurd drama aside, the running backs performed under Butch Jones. The favorite heading into the fall will be sophomore Ty Chandler, who played in 12 games last season and started against Kentucky. As a freshman backup to John Kelly, Chandler rushed for over 300 yards and two TDs. The third back in the rotation last season was Carlin Fils-aime, but he moved to defense, creating room for Michigan State grad transfer Madre London. With the Spartans, London rushed for 265 yards in 10 games in 2017 on a team that finished 10-3. Where Chandler adds quickness, London adds size at 216 pounds, which is something Pruitt and Helton are looking for in this offense.

Starter: Chandler

Cornerbacks: Shawn Shamburger and  Marquill Osborne vs. Baylen Buchanan & D.J. Henderson

The secondary is being rebuilt. Rashaan Gualden left early for the NFL Draft, and three seniors (Emmanuel Moseley, Shaq Wiggins and Justin Martin) graduated. Pruitt added depth by moving Fils-aime over from running back, as well as Tyler Byrd from receiver. Alontae Taylor, who was recruited as a wide receiver, has worked out with the defensive back unit and made the move over to corner as well. Returning is sophomore Shawn Shamburger, who played in 11 games, recording a career-high 11 tackles against Alabama, junior Marquill Osborne, who played in nine games, junior D.J. Henderson who also played in 11 games and Baylen Buchanan, who played in just six games. Of the four returners, only Shamburger started during the 2017 season.

Starters: Shamburger and Osborne

Middle linebacker: Daniel Bituli vs. Darrin Kirkland Jr.

This time last season it appeared that the middle linebacker position was Kirkland’s to lose, but an injury sidelined him for the season during fall camp. The injury allowed then-sophomore Daniel Bituli to take his spot. Bituli led the team in tackles with 90, including 3 for loss. He was also responsible for Tennessee’s lone score against Alabama with a 95-yard pick-six made famous by Gaulden’s hand gesture. It will be interesting to see this one play out, as Kirkland nearly transferred. Still, Kirkland has plenty of experience, having played in 8 games and starting in 6 during  his sophomore season in 2016. This could be a tight battle throughout fall practices.

Starter: Bituli