Tennessee spring game preview: Key storylines, players to watch for during Vols' spring game
Tennessee will hold its annual spring game on Saturday afternoon.
This year’s game will be a little bit different, as the crowd will be limited to just 10,000 fans because of ongoing construction at Neyland Stadium. That means most fans will have to watch the broadcast from home, but there will still be opportunities to learn things about parts of this Tennessee team going into 2024.
The Vols have plenty of intriguing newcomers as well as a few key returners from last year’s roster. Tennessee’s spring game will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
Here’s something to look out for on both sides of the ball in Tennessee’s spring game:
How much has Nico Iamaleava progressed?
Nico Iamaleava mostly sat behind Joe Milton last season, but he did get a chance to show off what he learned as a freshman in Tennessee’s bowl win over Iowa. Iamaleava threw for 151 yards and 1 touchdown on 19 attempts while also rushing for 3 more scores against a very good Hawkeyes defense. It was a tremendous look for Vols fans at what the future of the quarterback position could look like with Iamaleava under center.
Late last week, Heupel was complimentary of Iamaleava’s progression during spring practice.
“I just thought his competitive composure was really big,” Hepuel said after a scrimmage last week. “Just kind of his demeanor in general. He’s continued to grow in the leadership role too so we’re really pleased with what he’s done.”
From a big-picture perspective, Tennessee does need better quarterback play than it got in 2024. Led mostly by Milton last year, Tennessee finished 9th in the SEC in passer efficiency rating and had a passing down success rate of just 32% (51st percentile nationally). Those figures will have to improve in 2024 if the Vols want to reach their ceiling as a team. The spring game may not be the most enlightening in that regard, but it’s the best glimpse fans will get at Tennessee’s offense until the fall.
Saturday will be the first chance for Iamaleava to play in front of a Tennessee crowd as the program’s starter. Of course, he showed some flashes of his elite potential in the spring game last year as well. It will be interesting to see how much Josh Heupel decides to showcase in this year’s spring game, particularly when it comes to Iamaleava.
Tennessee has a few other intriguing options at quarterback behind Iamaleava as well. Heupel spoke about Gaston Moore and Jake Merlinger after Tennessee’s second scrimmage.
“A bunch of guys that haven’t been under the lights of game day very much,” Heupel said of Tennessee’s QB room. “Gaston (Moore) has performed really consistently throughout the course of spring ball. He’s been a really good decision maker, has good control in what we’re doing offensively. Jake Merklinger, more comfortable today than he was scrimmage 1, not even close. That’s his command on the sideline and in the huddle, and then controlling what’s going on out there. There’s a lot of fundamental growth left for Merk, but that’s typical of all the young quarterbacks that come in here. But I really like that group.
Tennessee’s regular-season win total is currently set at 9.5, according to FanDuel. Tennessee fans who want to place a wager on that total can sign up with a TN sportsbook app and take advantage of a first-deposit bonus.
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How will Tennessee’s new-look secondary perform?
Arguably Tennessee’s biggest concern in 2024 will be its revamped secondary. The Vols lost several of their top defensive backs from a year ago either to the transfer portal, NFL Draft or graduation, including Jaylen McCullough, Wesley Walker, Gabe Jeudy-Lally, Tamarion McDonald and Kamal Hadden. Those 5 players were Tennessee’s top-producers in terms of pass deflections in the secondary last season.
Tennessee was aggressive in adding talent via the portal in the secondary during the winter window. The Vols signed former Temple cornerback Jalen McMurray, former Oregon State cornerback Jermond McCoy and former Middle Tennessee safety Jakobe Thomas. Saturday will be the first opportunity for that trio of newcomers to play in front of fans at Neyland Stadium.
There’s also an exciting freshman in Boo Carter who has been earning high praise throughout the spring. Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White told reporters earlier this month that Carter is “special.”
“Boo Carter is special,” White said. “He’s like a playmaker out there. Flying to the ball, re-routing us and stuff like that. Making good tackles. He’s been great.”
Rickey Gibson III, Andre Turrentine and Jourdan Thomas are some of Tennessee’ returners who could figure into the mix in the back half of the defense this season. There are a lot of players who could vie for playing time, so seeing who lines up in this game with the first-team — and who plays well — could give an indication of where those position battles stand at the end of spring ball.
Figuring out Tennessee’s secondary is perhaps the top priority for fourth-year defensive coordinator Tim Banks. It was an up-and-down unit for the Vols a year ago, as their pass play success rate landed in just the 52nd percentile nationally.
Tennessee did face a difficult schedule of opposing passing offenses that included Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Missouri, but the 2024 slate doesn’t look any easier. UGA, Alabama and Florida all return to the schedule next season, and UT will also be making the trip to Norman to face Oklahoma. NC State and Mississippi State could have significantly-improved passing games as well in 2024.
Tennessee can’t afford much of a drop-off in the secondary, and may even need to improve if the Vols are going to fight for a College Football Playoff berth this season. The spring game should give fans an idea of where the DB room stands going into the summer.
The early word out of Knoxille is that Tennessee’s secondary should be more athletic this season.
“We knew that we had to continue to add athleticism, length and playmaking ability in the secondary,” Heupel said. “Guys have come in here, that’s high school guys and transfer portal guys … you can see that as soon as you walk on the practice field with those guys. Lot of growth left for them in our scheme. The details, nuances and communication, but I really like where that group is headed.”
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Waiting for gwhite’s theory how Heupel will intentionally lose the spring game for some sort of advantage in the regular season.
Bets on whether GWhite is gonna rush the field?
You’ll have to settle for being told again how stinky Auburn is and how lucky they are that they don’t have to face Nico this year.
The Vols just aren’t very good. Especially for a so called everything school.
Spring games, like so many other things, just aren’t the same anymore. But limiting the attendance, Absolutely necessary for the generals facelift, makes it kind of meh…
We have some really exciting new players but we won’t see that much. Just don’t get anyone hurt and move on to recruiting m.
Thank goodness, a football article. Almost makes me not care it is about the Vola. Almost.
I jest. It’s good to see a football article again. I hope the Vols have a great season, sans the Georgia game of course.
Vola, ha. Makes me sound French. Sorry about the typo.
How dare you? No one else ever makes a typo on here…ever. Never ever ever.
Getting Bru back healthy this season will be a huge boost to the offensive production. You could definitely tell his presence was missed on the field after his injury. He’s a great blocker and his size allows for extra YAC most of the time.
The biggest issue the Vols have is that they just aren’t very good.
1998
The biggest issue is that Bama is pro-rape and pro-murder.
But it’s ok. We know you’re just a bunch of knob-slobberers that just don’t know anything other than yelling roll tide. Whatever fits that low IQ
“Tennessee can’t afford much of a drop-off in the secondary???!!!” Serously? Any amount of drop off in the secondary means another 4 loss season no matter how much the offense may improve. That unit has to improve for my Vols to make any noise. They will have an advantage in what I think will be a good DL. But, even with a good DL, they need to be in the same area code as the opposing WR’s.
The Vols defensive secondary will be virtually all-new. They may be talented but will lack experience.
Bet the under on that win total lol. The Vols just aren’t very good