Rejuvenated offense set for regroup amid spring practice sessions

It’s that time of the year. Fans are about to get their first impression on what the 2022 Tennessee football team will be about and it’s no surprise the expectation is for it to be another fun year on offense under second-year head coach, Josh Heupel.

“We made up a ton of ground last year,” Heupel told Volquest in an exclusive interview last week. “In some ways, that ground was a lot easier to make up than the inches that we are going to have to make up now.”

Tennessee’s offense broke seven school records in 2021. The complete 180-degree shift was in both scheme and mindset, compared to what the program endured during the three-season Jeremy Pruitt tenure. The Vols posted top-10 finishes in five offensive categories, nationally, while notching the SEC’s third-highest scoring offense and total offense. Under Heupel last fall, Tennessee finished second in the league in rushing offense.

But with every new team, there’s new opportunities left from those who departed the program.

Heupel, along with offensive coordinator Alex Golesh, must replace three key players who were a part of last year’s success - right tackle Cade Mays and wideouts Velus Jones and JaVonta Payton. Despite returning eight offensive starters, Tennessee will stress the importance of finding capable replacements that can make the transition as seamless as possible.

You only get 15 practices and the UT coaching staff will max out each and every minute. They’ll see who has benefited from the first phase of the offseason strength and conditioning program. They’ll find out who looks better with roughly three months of rest. And most importantly, they’ll get a glimpse of the improved depth that’s been created from this time last year.

Here are four offensive storylines heading into Tennessee’s 2022 Spring Football Practice.

Has it really been that long? For the first time since the spring of 2016, there’s no doubt who Tennessee’s quarterback will be entering the upcoming season – barring health. Despite Georgia being the outlier, thanks to a generational defense a season ago, it’s been proven that you have to have good quarterback play to win in this league and to win at a national level.

Tennessee has that in Hendon Hooker.

Hooker was a breathe of fresh air for Vol fans last season. Despite not taking over the starting role until week three, the Virginia Tech transfer put up outstanding numbers in year one of a new system. The numbers included 31 passing touchdowns to just three interceptions and 2,945 yards while completing 68 percent of his passes. The quarterback added 620 yards on the ground with five more touchdowns.

Tennessee’s quarterback will enter the 2022 season as one of the SEC’s top signal-callers. Can he get even better in year two of the system? There’s no reason to believe that can’t be the case. Just like with everyone else, Hooker knows the expectations. He knows how to practice in this system and he’s comfortable.

"As we head into spring ball, you look back at the things we have to be better at from a year ago," Heupel said. "From the statistical data to the fundamental techniques that we know we need to improve on, how do we incorporate that into the 15 spring practices? How do we put these guys in a better position to grow during this time?"

How big of a step can Hooker take, and with that, how does much will he elevate those around him? Maybe we’ll get an early glimpse this spring.

Heupel’s MO as a head coach is offense, so it bodes well that he’ll be welcoming back eight starters on that side of the ball.

Tennessee returns four the of the five starters on the offensive line – a unit that, again, was the third-best scoring offense in the league and one that averaged over 200 yards rushing a contest. Jerome Carvin elected to take advantage of his COVID year and return in the middle of the fray and center Cooper Mays is poised to take a step now that he’s healthy.

Junior JaVontez Spraggins now has a lot of experience under his belt, but can he be more consistent? Can Darnell Wright continue to improve and become the dominant force he was projected to be? What about key reserves Ollie Lane and Kingston Harris, along with promising youngsters like William Parker and James Robinson? The Vols offensive line is in good of shape, in terms of options and experience.

Tennessee returns its leading rusher in Jabari Small and two tight ends, Princeton Fant and Jacob Warren. The Memphis native at tailback will likely split the load in the fall but really shinned a season ago, despite battling a shoulder injury all year. Golesh expects his tight end group to take a step this year – and it needs to for this offense to reach its full potential. Check the game tapes of the 2020 UCF squad and watch how the tight ends are utilized in the red zone.

Another note regarding the tight ends: Miles Campbell is not expected to go through drills this spring. Therefor, Julian Nixon will have a chance to see increased reps.

And then there’s Cedric Tillman, who will be thought of as one of the top-returning offensive players in the entire conference. What improvements can be made from his stellar 64 catch, 12-touchdown season in 2021? It helps that there’s continuity in that room with Kelsey Pope named as Kodi Burns’s replacement.

"Who we are, how we attack every single day, our connection to each other, our ability to understand what we are doing and compete at the highest level with a ton of confidence - will dictate all of those things [success]," Heupel said. "We've got to be about our business and understand the goals and expectations are higher in the building than they are anywhere else."

One of the most intriguing parts of spring practice every year is getting a look at the newcomers to the roster. Whether it be true freshman who are early enrolling or veteran transfers, there’s a reason they’re at Tennessee. The question always is, how quickly can they help?

Heupel has 14 newcomers on campus for the spring semester and all but four of them are on the offensive side of the football.

Let’s start the conversation at quarterback – as we always do. Four-star signee Tayven Jackson has already impressed the coaching staff with his work ethic and ability to throw the football in winter workouts. How does his skillset translate over to Heupel’s offense? How far away is he from being ready to come in if needed? We will get an early look here over the next few weeks.

One of Tennessee’s most sought after targets in the 2022 cycle was running back Justin Williams. The four-star chose the Volunteers despite a late push from Auburn. There’s high expectations and Small needs a running mate in the backfield. What does Williams look like out of the gate and can he be counted on to be RB2 this fall? A solid spring would put him on that path.

The Vols will have four newcomers on the offensive line for spring drills – highlighted by Florida transfer Gerald Mincey. Tennessee needs a right tackle and Mincey will have every opportunity to prove he’s the guy. Highly-touted prospect Addison Nichols will also be on display – as will Mo Clipper and Brian Grant. How quickly can these big men adjust to the offensive tempo?

And finally, the receivers. There’s an immediate need at this position and the Vols will be looking for any and all options this spring. Kaleb Webb is very intriguing as he’s tall and long. Cam Miller is also an exciting new addition as he can be placed in multiple spots in this offense. The speedster, Marquarius ‘Squirrell’ White will get a chance to prove he’s tough enough for this league and Chas Nimrod will get looks at multiple alignments.

"I've never been around a group that's acted this mature when first stepping on campus," Heupel said. "Who they are and how they've gone about their business - they have bought into it right from the jump."

Will the staff get a good enough feel for any of these guys in just 15 practices? Probably not, but it’s a start.

Though it’s been referenced above, here’s who you need to know about regarding three position battles heading into spring practice.

"We lost two receivers. We lost a right tackle who probably played just over half the season. Some guys had to step in for him," Heupel said. "It's a reset button every January. Your wins don't count. Your losses don't count. You have to reset and go to work while growing as a competitor."

Tennessee needs a right tackle. Cade Mays missed a lot of time last season and former walk-on turned scholarship player Dayne Davis stepped up. Former Junior College standout Jeremiah Crawford was also on hand for some snaps. Still, the staff brought in Mincey from Florida.

This position battle will be the most intriguing as the offensive tackle spot is not a rotational position, despite the prior regime's insistence. It’s a critical spot in this offense for it to excel and these next few weeks will determine if the staff feels good enough about what’s in-house or if it continues to look at the portal for another option.

And of course, there’s wide receiver. Bringing back Tillman is huge, but the Vols must find a way to replace the combined 80 receptions, 1,221 yards and 13 touchdowns left behind by Velus Jones and JaVonta Payton.

Tennessee swung for the fences earlier in the offseason in trying to lure in Isaiah Neyor from the portal. It didn’t work and now the Vols must find an explosive, preferably long, option to play the outside. Kaleb Webb fits the bill to a tee, but will he be ready in time? Can Ramel Keyton be counted on as an every down player? Can ‘the Jimmy’s’ finally be a consistent factor in this conversation?

Then there’s the slot where Jones was so effective in creating space with the ball in his hands. Tennessee already has two pretty solid options in Jalin Hyatt and Walker Merrill. Hyatt has always had great promise, but he was soon considered an afterthought midway through last season. The Vols need him to step up this spring and play to his potential.

Don’t be fooled. What we see over the course of the next month won’t be a finished product. In fact, it won’t even be close. But, it’s a great indicator on the path of the offense as a whole and the players it consumes.

For Tennessee to take the necessary next ‘few inches’ that Heupel expects, the offense must be the power behind that driver. Spring practice will give us a good look at just how much power is behind that swing.