The 2020 football season was a wild ride for the Tennessee Volunteers. From a 2-0 start to a 3-7 finish, the Vols navigated through the COVID-challenged slate relying on several to plug-and-play.

But I don’t think anyone – not even former head coach Jeremy Pruitt – predicted a true freshman starting at the nickelback position game one against South Carolina.

“It was a huge difference,” Doneiko Slaughter said in reflection this week. “From high school to starting at South Carolina - there’s nothing that compares to that.

“I now feel more confident. I gained a lot of experience from that game in knowing just how fast the game really is and how to practice.”

The Rosswell, Ga. native was the only true freshman to start in the season-opener for the Vols, holding his own with three tackles and a sack in the contest. But as the secondary welcomed back its sidelined starters, the rookie’s snaps at nickel began to diminish.

Still, the freshman appeared in all 10 games with a lot of work on special teams. And now with a normal offseason, Slaughter is in position to push for a starting job – a job that is now considered one of the most important positions in all of football.

“That’s my favorite spot. I’m really playing STAR and corner, but that nickel position is where I feel like I belong,” the sophomore told the media this week. “I like it because I can cover and be in the box more. I’m not just sitting back, covering the entire time. I can get in the trenches with everybody.”

Senior Theo Jackson is the front-runner to win the job. The veteran, who was originally recruited by Willie Martinez under the Butch Jones regime, has played in 44 career games with 12 starts. Jackson saw time in all 10 games last fall, making six starts at the STAR position.

Even in battle, the super senior plays the role of mentor.

“He’s a senior and I want to see him thrive to the fullest,” Slaughter said of teammate Jackson. “He has a lot of experience and I think he is really built for the next level.

“I had to build my confidence back up after that South Carolina game. I felt pretty down. I always feel like I can do better and that there is room for improvement. I can really get that from Theo [Jackson].”

Along with Slaughter and Jackson battling it out, Romello Edwards is also taking reps at the position in practice. Transfer cornerbacks Kamal Hadden and Brandon Turnage could potentially be options at the spot – as could safeties Jaylen McCollough and Tamarion McDonald down the line.

But as for now, it’s only a trio practicing at nickel.

“I think their backgrounds are both from a corner perspective, but as we get into camp and get a chance to legitimately evaluate those guys, I think we’ll know more in terms of where they will play and where they fit,” defensive coordinator Tim Banks said on Turnage and Hadden during last week’s Media Day. “The STAR position is super important because that guy has to be versatile. He has to be tough enough to be able to play the run, but also has to be athletic enough to matchup with the wideouts.

“Depending on the schematics, he may have to have some different drops. He’s part linebacker and part defensive back, so that position is critical.”

Tennessee gave up 266 yards through the air on average in 2020 – ranking 11th in the Southeastern Conference. Only two of the five total defensive interceptions recorded last season come from players on the current roster – Jackson (1), Alontae Taylor (1).

“I think that position as a whole has been really solid,” head coach Josh Heupel said Thursday. “They have shown up in every practice that we’ve had. In our scrimmage situations, they have a unique ability to play physical and be a factor in the run game as they become a fitter – but they have unique cover skills as well.”

2021 will likely showcase a defensive unit that will yield both points and yards, so takeaways will be crucial moving forward. And since the nickelback is involved in both the run and the pass, the position battle has been one of the more intriguing storylines in camp so far.

“Having a regular offseason helps a lot – connecting with the other players,” Slaughter said. “It was so difficult to do that last season. So, I really got to build a relationship with a lot of players and getting into the playbook, for real.”