The Tennessee Volunteers finished the regular season with a chippy, 48-24 Senior Day win over Vanderbilt. The victory improved their record to 8-4, and now the Vols wait to find out where they will be bowling this winter.

Let’s take a closer look at UT with our final stock report of the regular season.

Most improved: Elijah Herring

As a true freshman, Tennessee LB Elijah Herring played in all 13 games, made 11 tackles, including 2 sacks. Herring was expected to get more playing time as a sophomore, and when BYU transfer Keenan Pili was injured early in the season, that became a necessity.

Herring exceeded all expectations. He finished the regular season with a team leading 78 tackles. In 2024, Herring will be called on even more for this Tennessee defense.

Biggest surprise: Lack of big pass plays

The Vols lost QB Hendon Hooker and WRs Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to the NFL Draft, but there was still reason for optimism with this Tennessee offense.

They’d have a 6th-year QB in Joe Milton, plus speedsters Squirrel White and Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton, with experienced pass catchers Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton.

But the big chunk plays we saw so often for the Vols in 2022 simply weren’t present very much this season. Place the blame wherever you’d like, but not being able to pick up a lot of yards in 1 chunk kept this offense in check.

Best win: South Carolina

Tennessee fans certainly remembered what happened on Nov. 19, 2022. The Vols made the trip to Columbia and returned licking their wounds after a 63-38 loss to South Carolina. That loss knocked UT out of the Playoff race. They also lost QB Hendon Hooker to a torn ACL.

The rematch on Sept. 30 at Neyland Stadium was highly anticipated, and the Vols put together their best 60 minutes of the season with a 41-20 destruction of the Gamecocks.

Jaylen Wright ran for 123 yards and a score, one of 3 Vols RBs to earn a rushing TD. Squirrel White had 9 catches for 103 yards, including a spectacular 50-yard reception that set up a TD. The defense sacked South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler 6 times, while also scoring a TD themselves (but more on that in a moment).

This was the Vols finest moment of the 2023 season.

Worst loss: Missouri

On Saturday, Nov. 11, the 7-2 Vols traveled to Missouri to play the 7-2 Tigers. Tennessee still had a chance to win the SEC East but needed a win to put the pressure on Georgia.

Tennessee had easily handled the Tigers the previous 2 seasons, winning those games a combined 128-48. But Mizzou got its revenge with a convincing 36-7 victory.

The Vols were one of the top rushing teams in the country but could only run for 83 yards against Missouri. Tennessee’s defense was pretty good in 2023 yet allowed Tigers RB Cody Schrader to run for 205 yards and have 116 receiving yards. Schrader the 1st player in SEC history to rush for over 200 yards and have over 100 yards receiving in the same game.

The 2nd half was an absolute nightmare for Tennessee. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz made sure to savor his 1st win over Tennessee.

Play of the Year: Kamal Hadden pick-6

Tennessee DB Kamal Hadden had moments to forget in 2023, including a missed tackle in the Florida game that was replayed seemingly nonstop on social media. He was injured during the Alabama game, and ensuing shoulder surgery cut his 2023 season short.

But late in the 2nd quarter of the South Carolina game, Hadden came up with the play of the season. With the Vols leading 17-10 and the Gamecocks backed up in the own end, Rattler was feeling the pressure from the UT defensive front.

Rattler threw to the sideline, but over the head of his receiver. Hadden was waiting to accept the gift, made the INT, and ran untouched 28 yards to the end zone. That set off a raucous celebration at Neyland Stadium. The Vols led 24-10 and never looked back.