Tennessee football: An A to Z guide on the 2022 Volunteers

KNOXVILLE — 2022 represents a new season with new expectations for the Tennessee Volunteers. Few in Knoxville are expecting an SEC championship in Year 2 under Josh Heupel, but many are expecting progress – something, anything to build on after years of misfortune.

Some things from last season will remain the same, some will change. Let’s run through 2022’s edition of Tennessee football to get you up to speed ahead of Week 1’s matchup against Ball State

A is for Alabama – Let’s not act like this has been the rivalry it once was. The Third Saturday in October was competitive for the first time in what seemed like eons last year. This year the Crimson Tide travel to Neyland Stadium looking to increase its win streak to 16. Could Tennessee turn the tide?

B is for Banks – Both Jeremy and Tim. Second-year defensive coordinator Tim Banks’ unit has to improve from last year. The Vols, led by senior linebacker Jeremy Banks, have to get off the field on 3rd down. The offense will hold its own, but the Vols cannot afford the exhaustion of 45-42 ballgames week after week.

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C is for Cedric Tillman – Tillman returns in 2022 as one of the best receivers in the nation, much less the SEC. The first-team All-SEC receiver is a force to be reckoned with paired with one of the top arm talents in the conference in Hendon Hooker.

D is for Defense – This will become a theme: Tennessee has to be better on the defense this season. A lot of that will rest on the makeshift secondary following the departure of Theo Jackson and Alontae Taylor to the NFL.

E is for East – Tennessee finished behind Kentucky last season. It’s not an overreaction to say that’s not acceptable this season. The Vols don’t quite have the firepower to knock Georgia off its pedestal in the East, but they should be close and at the very least 2nd place by year’s end.

F is for Florida – The excuses are over. The Gators have taken a step back from what they once were, and Tennessee has to take advantage. The Vols have just 1 win over Florida since 2005, and this year’s edition is in Knoxville against a first-year head coach in Billy Napier. The Gators should be near the top of Tennessee’s “must-win games” list.

G is for Georgia – Nobody is expecting Tennessee to win the East, the Georgia Bulldogs are too much of a powerhouse. Regardless, Tennessee has played well at Sanford Stadium in the past. Their most recent victory in the series came in Athens, in 2016. Could something crazy happen?

H is for Heupel – Everyone knows what Josh Heupel is all about at this point. He likes to play fast and he likes to score. What’s enamoring about Heupel’s brief track record as a head coach is the step back he seems to take in Year 2 and Year 3. At UCF, it’s what led some fans to celebrate his departure to Rocky Top. Is that simply a product of Central Florida or a mark on the Heup man himself? We will see very soon.

I is for Improvement – That’s what we’re all doing here, right? The Vols desperately need to take a step forward in 2022 rather than a step back like 2017 and 2020’s squads did. Momentum is only that if you can act upon it, right Nebraska?

J is for Jabari Small – Jabari Small leads a strong Tennessee running back room. Sure, the Vols swung and missed at former Clemson back Lyn-J Dixon this past month, but Small, Jaylen Wright and a pair of freshmen in Justin Williams-Thomas and Dylan Sampson will be more than ready to hold down the fort.

K is for Kentucky – Perhaps Tennessee’s strongest rival in the SEC East not named Georgia, Kentucky is another game to circle this season. The Vols will host the Cats just a few days before Halloween, Oct. 29.

L is for LSU – Tennessee’s rotating SEC West opponent last year was Ole Miss. They played a game to remember and not only because of the golf balls and mustard bottle. Tennessee lost but had a chance to ruin Lane Kiffin’s return to Rocky Top. LSU is no 2021 Ole Miss, but it is a serviceable program that would look good in the win column by year’s end.

M is for McCoy – Bru McCoy, as of the Friday before Week 1, was granted immediately eligible by the NCAA. The USC transfer receiver and a former top-10 prospect could be a dangerous asset alongside Cedric Tillman.

N is for Next Step – Tennessee has been in this situation before – right on the doorstep but unable to walk through the door. The Vols are not elite yet, not by any means, but they have a chance to take a huge step in 2022.

O is for Offensive line – Last season’s offensive line was serviceable. Not great, not bad, but certainly worthy of improvement and alarmingly injury prone. Tennessee lost Cade Mays to the NFL Draft, but returns talents such as Darnell Wright, Cooper Mays and Jerome Carvin. It’ll be either Jerimiah Crawford or Gerald Mincey at the left tackle position, which is definitely something to keep and eye on come Sept. 1.

P is for Pitt – The Johnny Majors Classic part II is sure to be a hit. The Vols just barely fell to the Panthers last year in Knoxville, but it never seemed like Tennessee was able to land a true punch. A full 60 minutes of Hendon Hooker could be the equalizer against Pitt’s Kedon Slovis and Top 25 ranking come Sept. 10.

Q is for Quarterback – Oh, and that Hendon Hooker mentioned above (whose debut came in the second half against Pitt last season) is set for a heck of an encore. Hooker is itching to raise his draft stock and improve upon last season’s mark of 31 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

R is for Renovations – Neyland Stadium has a new look. It’s down from 102,455 to a modest 101,915 following renovations to add a new big screen, sports bar and a new party deck. AD Danny White stated in April that he wanted Neyland Stadium to be “the best in college football.”

S is for Secondary – S can also stand for “shaky.” The Vols have a lot of positives heading into the season, but their secondary is not one of them. Sure, there are bright young stars in Christian Charles, Ohio State transfer Andre Turrentine and Tamarion McDonald, but there’s also a severe lack of experience at the top of the depth chart.

T is for Thursday – Night, that is. The Vols open their 2022 season against Ball State on Sept. 1 in a recently renovated Neyland Stadium.

U is for Underrated – The No. 3 scoring offense in the SEC, one of the best quarterbacks in the conference and a young coach that brings an exciting style of football to the table? Not to mention a fan base hungry for relevance? Yeah, I don’t think it’s crazy to call the Vols one of the most underrated squads in the nation.

V is for Vanderbilt – Well, the Commodores actually looked like something Saturday night against Hawai’i. Granted, the Rainbow Warriors aren’t exactly 2019 LSU, but it’s still strange to see the Commodores dominate anyone so efficiently. The Vols travel to Nashville for their final game of the season against their in-state rival on Nov. 26.

W is for White – Danny, that is. Tennessee football, and Tennessee athletics in general, have seen great success during White’s stint as Athletic Director.

X is for X’s and O’s – Also known as “keep the system fresh.” Tennessee’s electric offense of 2021 needs variation. SEC coaches have had a year to figure out Josh Huepel and offensive coordinator Alex Golesh’s system, the attack needs to be fresh.

Y is for Young – Byron Young is a rising star on Tennessee’s defense. The JUCO transfer made quite the splash last season and seems to be maneuvering into a leadership role in Year 2.

Z is for Zips – Tennessee has 3 cupcake games this season: Ball State to open the year, UT Martin in November and Akron in Week 3. The Vols will either be 2-0 or 1-1 heading into that Week 3 matchup against the Zips (Well, assuming another Georgia State situation doesn’t happen with Ball State) and how they proceed could tell us a lot about this team.