What little that can be gleaned from fall camp and preseason rankings make for good fodder now, but are just weeks away from meaning less.
The Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches polls were released in the last week as the college football season looms, and Tennessee was represented in both.
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Both polls debuted the Vols at No. 15, just over two weeks before they open the season against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium.
Given Tennessee’s placement in the rankings and the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 team in 2024, the consensus seems to be that the Vols are on the fringe of making the playoff for the first time.
As far as their place in the SEC, Tennessee sits around the middle of the upper echelon of the newly expanded league, which will feature Oklahoma and Texas this season.
That’s where ESPN had the Vols in their latest conference power rankings that were released on Monday.
Tennessee was ranked sixth, below Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and Missouri and above LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Where Tennessee football is ranked in the preseason AP Top 25
ESPN tabbed Tennessee a team "on the rise" and one that could potentially be “in the running” for a playoff bid and its game at Oklahoma on Sept. 21 a deciding factor in getting there.
“The anticipation has been building on Rocky Top to see what quarterback Nico Iamaleava can do for a full season in Josh Heupel's offense,” ESPN’s Chris Low and Mark Schlabach wrote. “Iamaleava looked very comfortable in the bowl win over Iowa last season and has elite arm talent. This should be the Vols' best and deepest defensive line under Heupel, but there will be a lot of new faces in the secondary.”
Iamaleava is certainly among the biggest reasons for the Vols’ offseason momentum.
Once a highly touted prospect in the 2023 class, Iamaleava is now Tennessee’s unquestioned start at quarterback after appearing in just four games as a freshman a year ago.
Iamaleava looked the part in the Vols 35-0 thumping of Iowa and coaches have raved about his handling of the offense in the spring and now fall camp.
But the pieces around him will be key, too. Tennessee returns a veteran offensive line and has a wide receivers room teeming with potential with the return of Bru McCoy, Squirrel White and Dont’e Thornton Jr. as well as the addition of transfer Chris Brazzell II.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Boo Carter showing 'it factor' as he compete for starting role as freshman
Expectations are equally high for Tennessee’s defensive line, which is headlined by potential first round draft pick James Pearce Jr. off the edge and an experienced interior that includes fifth-year senior Omari Thomas.
Secondary remains the biggest question mark for Tennessee after losing 12 players from last season. Injuries allowed a number of defensive backs to get valuable playing time as underclassmen and they'll compete for starting roles this season as well as a couple of transfer portal additions.
After losing projected starter Jourdan Thomas earlier in fall camp, freshman newcomer Boo Carter could potentially fill that spot. ESPN listed Carter among impact freshmen in the conference.
"(Boo) Carter arrived in the spring and immediately made the transition look smooth, prompting comparisons to Eric Berry when he arrived in Knoxville in 2007," Low wrote. "He is a scheme-versatile safety who can line up everywhere and even provide production as a pass-rush player in Tennessee's pressure packages."
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