Fall camp has officially given way to game week as Tennessee's full attention has shifted toward preparing for Virginia at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Saturday (noon ET, ABC).

Five days ahead of kickoff, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, defensive back Doneiko Slaughter and linebacker Aaron Beasley met with the media to preview the Cavaliers

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The official depth chart highlights the Vols' depth in the secondary and where players will be on the field after moving positions since last spring. As for the injury front, Heupel provided an update on a key player on the offensive line.

Here are four key takeaways.

A slow rebuild of Tennessee's defensive depth is expected to yield results on Saturday.

A Vols' defense that has been plagued by injuries and a lack of numbers has shown improvement in the last two seasons and with much of its production from a year ago back, may be ready to take an even bigger leap.

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel, select players meet with the media

For the coaching staff, the opener will serve as an opportunity to work out its rotation with multiple players that can plug in at multiple positions.

Though a number of players were limited early in camp, the group is expected to be back at full health after practicing last week.

"The second and third levels (on defense), we got nicked up a little bit in the middle part of training camp," Heupel said. "Those guys are all back. They've been with us all last week as well. (They) got really good work. That gives us the ability to rotate on the back-end. We have a plan. We'll see how it unfolds on gameday, but expect to see a lot of people rotating in. That's true at the corner, safety and nickel spot as we go there."

Among Tennessee's biggest questions heading into Week 1 is what its offensive line will look like when it takes the field.

Starting center Cooper Mays—the anchor of the Vols' front five—has largely been unavailable in fall camp with an undisclosed injury, forcing the coaching staff shift players around and take reps at different positions.

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: The VolReport Show: It's finally Tennessee football game week

"Cooper, we'll find out here as the week goes on, his availability in this one," Heupel said. "We've had two and half, three weeks of different guys having the opportunity to play in the interior if he's not able to go. We're really confident in those guys."

Though Mays' status remains uncertain, Ollie Lane and Dayne Davis are both listed on the depth chart behind him at center and both have split time between guard and tackle, respectively.

"I do feel good about the development of our young guys," Heupel said. "Some guys that have experience, I plan on rotating those guys at the guards and tackles position in this first (game) as well."

Doneiko Slaughter was one of the players in the secondary that was thrust into a new role because of injuries a year ago.

After playing mainly at safety in the first half of the season, Slaughter shifted to corner the week of the Kentucky game. He has worked out exclusively at corner in the spring and now through fall camp.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee football reveals Week 1 depth chart

Slaughter, who was listed alongside BYU transfer Gabe Juedy-Lally at one of two corner spots on the depth chart, is feeling at home at the position.

"(I'm) very comfortable. I've been working at corner all the whole fall camp, getting my technique better," Slaughter said. "Just going throughout the details of whatever it takes to be a primary player at the corner spot."

Slaughter made an immediate impact vs. Kentucky. His hit jarred the ball loose and set up an interception that ended a Wildcats' drive.

"I still like being in that box a little more," Slaughter said. "I like hitting. Corner has grown on me."

Virginia named its starting quarterback a week ago, pegging transfer Tony Muskett as the signal caller vs. Tennessee.

The 6-foot-2, 206-pound Muskett will be making his Power Five debut after play at the FCS level at Monmouth where he passed for nearly 2,000 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Scouting Virginia: Key notes on Tennessee's Week 1 opponent

"(Muskett) has been a really good decision maker," Heupel said. "Thrown for a bunch of yards, has good pocket awareness. Him being in week 1 in their system, what are the new things that they do to try and put him in position? We'll find out on gameday. (He's) a guy that's played really good football at a high level and has been a really good decision maker...We'll have to go a great job of handling the run game.

"We've got to apply pressure. That can be with our pressure package but that can also be just with our front four. We've got to make him uncomfortable inside the pocket."

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