Tennessee Volunteers Football 2024 Preview | Full Depth Chart & Schedule Breakdowns

Intro/2023 Season Review what is up everybody welcome back here to the de YouTube channel we're back with another top 25 series we're getting closer to those those teams that have playoff potential right we're talking about these guys and today we are talking about the Tennessee Volunteers we're going to be diving in here into everything about the volunteers going over offense dep chart their 2024 recruiting class these guys did not play this year they went out and got some guys there and Josh hoyo really has turned around that squad on the recruiting Trail and we're going to mention is like where he's getting the guys because I think it really matters where he's going there we're going to go over their schedule the over under what we expect from him and their impact players what are we talking about here with Tennessee but before we do that we do got to talk about the 2023 season so we got to talk about there going in there nine and four last year but if you want to be kind of technical with Joe Milton as your starting quarterback not terrible like when you think about what Joe Milton's kind of ceiling probably was there uh they did win the Citrus bll 35 to zero um against Iowa but that was kind of just both teams kind of playing out there but nine and four when you're looking at that Joe Milton had 2800 yards uh 20 touchdowns five interceptions really the rushing attack was pretty good last year Jaylen wri we saw him get drafted by the Dolphins uh Dylan Samson Javari small from that running back perspective there and from a receiving standpoint really was score white and when it when you talk about kind of what their schedule looked like you know they came out of the gate pretty well losing to Florida was a bad loss when we saw what Florida was last year I think that was a big one especially just from a rivalry perspective Alabama a game that you know when you look at at it they they could have competed probably if he had a better quarterback play um Missouri that's a bad loss and in Georgia right in Georgia was one of those things that's expected but I mean nine and4 considering where they were at not a terrible terrible area there but when we 2024 Offense look at what we expect from 2024 when we're diving into the numbers and kind of looking over here they have a pretty good returning team it really starts at the quarterback position we'll dive into that but really their offense and Josh hoel's offense we know what that's going to be right they're very very good last year 31 points per game at number 28 overall yards per game they were number 17th at 447 yards um they they're just very consistently good I mean the big thing I think last year they struggle with that they didn't struggle with h and hooker was the passing statistics when you're talking about what they were able to do last year really middle of the pack 50 to 70 kind of ranked in all categories from a passing perspective rushing though they were probably a top 25 team in certain metrics so I think it's going to flip back now now that they have Nico out there at starting quarterback and there but what are we looking at with his offense Christian so it's interesting because last year their offensive line was up and down as well uh they've got a new starting left tackle former LSU player super high recruit I think they're pretty excited to bring him in and overall I think you're just hoping for some natural growth along the offensive line but really everything starts with Nico Nico we were calling for Nico to go uh in the game as early as like week two last year because of how talented he was as a recruit you know we've been fairly high on on Nico here I think you know he gets Justin Herbert comparisons and and and rightfully so with how he plays but uh Big Arm big kid uh I think that the program is in really good hands for the next couple years with him you're hoping for some increased production out of this wide receiver room Brew McCoy is back squirrel white is back you're hoping that Dante Thornton can work in a little bit I know that there was a it was tough for him to kind of learn the offense so they just tried throwing him in the slot a little bit um and giving him kind of a condensed route tree and he kind of flashed some good play at times but now he's battling with Mike Matthews who's expected to potentially you know work into this offense already and then the running back room you know we love Jaylen Wright Jaylen Wright was I believe at both of our rb1s but Dylan Samson and cam Seldon can play man um so this is a a group that they've really done a really a good job of of getting running backs in this room where it's just every year they're turning out new running backs to me this offense looks significantly better than last year if only because I think you know you're going to get a little bit more production from their wide receivers but the quarterback play it comes down to the quarterback play and I think uh Nico Y malava is gonna have a really good year I'm very very excited to see him play for real this year yeah and I think really I mean we were calling that early like oh man get milon out of there come on what are we doing here I think the biggest thing to me that stood out um from what the coaching staff did they didn't go out there and try to get a a really solid transfer there was a ton of quarterbacks in the transfer for they could have went after and we saw some other teams do do that but they looked at it and said nope Nico's our guy and that to me is a big positive green flag like hey they believe in this kid they think that he can take him to that next step they can compete in the I that that gives me hope right and I do think from what you said like I think this offense is Canna be more balanced I I really really do that um and I think that offensive Line's got to get a little better you see the pass blocking and run blocking grades like I think another year with what they brought in that's going to help them and from a notable Notable Losses loss perspective you know I really just talked about it Jaylen Wright you know really there but we've mentioned they have depth that running back room they're probably better this year as a whole in that running back room even though losing Jabari small and Jaylen wri I know it's crazy to say that but even in this offense I like the running backs in this offense but let's be real it's a passing offense and it's really kind of the spread out they're going to spread the guys out in the scheme and yes they're going to be big holes for these running backs to fill they can do that pretty well Addison Nichols as well when you're looking at him like the interior offensive line they lost not amazing I mean Addison went to Arkansas and then you're looking here at Maurice Clipper he went to nooga so we're not talking about like big transfers really so not a ton of notable losses especially with guys like a program like this that we expect to see a lot more yeah uh we didn't put the tight ends on this this list but lost a couple of tight ends they were fine fine players uh but nothing that kind of moves the needle uh which is why it's not super notable and then on the you know you talked about how it's like more of a passing offense we kind of know what it is I think Dylan Samson's probably a better receiver than both right and small so when you start to incorporate that into the offense as well you know obviously he he got a little bit of run last year but I just think there's a whole new Dynamic that having Nico in there is going to open up for this team uh to where these losses aren't aren't super impactful and like I said I really like uh Samson a ton I've been super high on Samson for a while and I know a lot of folks are really high on cam Seldon I think that there's a ton of potential there so really this is you know you lost a couple of interior offensive linemen but you do have some consistency along that offensive line too to I think they can get by yeah 100% 2024 Offensive Recruits And when you're looking at this woo boy they went out and recruited like when you're looking at who they brought in out there number 13 overall kosit was 14 but you know on the they really recruit the defensive side we'll dive into that but there were some offensive pieces here Mike Matthews out there from Georgia you know number nine rated wide receiver he looks really good brandan Staley done not getting the buzz that Matthews is getting but number 15 wide receiver out of South Carolina Bennett Warren Big Boy 67 324 out of Texas and going out there and really getting guys from different parts of the country I think that should really excite volunteer fans pton Lewis you know out of Virginia six foot 197 and in this running back class we've dived into this running back class pretty heavily especially our patreon especially here man payt Lewis could be one of those kids that just pops off I mean this running back class isn't as like topheavy as people think I think some of the topheavy guys got kind of pushed there just based on who they were getting recruited by not necessarily who they at and number 13 overall running back pay lewi he could jump out there right he could really be that I know they like Merk linger 63195 kid out of Georgia they really went after Max Anderson you know 6539 these guys are very very good and they really recruited needs but they went after some dudes and they got them this is as much of a program build as I've seen uh from Tennessee you know they've had some good recruiting classes uh under hyp bull but um there's there's certainly some uh you know you're you're hoping that this is how a team is building right we've talked a lot about these teams and how they're going to the portal and they're kind of filling their needs that way this team is is building through recruiting and I think that that's huge uh Bennett Warren looks like an absolute unit 67324 as an incoming freshman is remarkable stuff Mike Matthews like I talked about I think he's gonna work his way onto the field this year because he's just so talented this is stuff where you're very very excited about what this can be and and that's a reason why I think you know everyone's very excited about hoo being there um because of stuff like this where they can go out and they can grab kids from Texas and and Georgia and that has not always been the case for Tennessee we were talking pre-show about how it's always like they recruit Tennessee really really well there's a clear pipeline there but they hadn't always gotten out it's very clearly spread out and it's it's better for the program yeah I mean he he's now established himself there I think and that's going to help recruiting Because hey I'm here I'm here to roll we beat Alabama we're coming for the SEC that's what we're going to try to do and I think him establishing himself is going to help him on the recruiting Trail and you know what else that helped him Key Offensive Transfers transfers like he went and got some guys there too like we're not talking like small guys z um Zen's herd offensive tack about LSU he was 94 rated overall transfer coming in he was a former five-star kid when he came when he went to LSU uh 65305 he definitely you know feels a need and you talked about the tight ends Holden stays from Notre Dame hey any time you're looking at tight ends Notre Dame they they go after good ones and so if Holden stayes is coming that means that he could definitely fill that role there I think the biggest thing with the tight end position is like how well are they gonna use him I think that is always like my big question mark in terms of what Tennessee is at um you know Chris brazelle he he look tan hey Tan's got pretty good guys there 90 rated overall transfer there on on three so they definitely went after him miles Kitman as well tied in there and in Tommy winon the third um you know when you're looking at him small school kid coming over there a three star kid kind of filling in but fill needs and went got two guys in Holden stays and Z herd who could make an impact this year I think three because I think Brazil was probably the best receiver on two lane last year and they had one that got drafted U was later in the draft um and they've got another one uh out there but brazelle to me was the one that popped every time I turned on the two lane film uh he's probably going to start you know this we talked about it but this wide receiver room is so much further Advanced and it's because because they were able to add guys like Brazil I think stay is a really good pass catcher as well so I think if he starts to incorporate into the offense we're talking about a a completely different look on offense where Joe Milton's not firing the ball 75 yards over wide receivers you know yeah we're gonna see H and hooker's offense but Nico's much Impact Players - Offense better right so we're talking about impact players here um and we're getting into kind of what they have I really think when you're looking at the impact players and everything I think Nico could challenge for QB college football this year I think he can look there and really compete and he could be that cute quarterback one you're heading into it maybe you have some Growing Pains early but at the end of the year you're like dude this kid could go number one overall next year like the following year in the draft and I think that's his talent that He has he if you were going to build a perfect specimen to play quarterback and Josh Hup's offense it's this one like this is the guy like this is the guy you're gonna build there um I could have put every wide receiver up there score white is kind of that slot guy that could definitely create separation earn targets Brew McCoy if he's coming back off that injury he's been in college for a very long time he's one of the most veteran probably players in college football you talked about Brazil we didn't even get you like Dante Thorton I got a little banged up last year got behind in the offense former Oregon kid a guy that I've liked that I thought could make a noise last year didn't do that because the injury Caleb Webb was another one Chaz Nimrod is another one uh Nate spilman then the The Freshman like when you're talking about what they can do this could be the highest powered offense in the SEC and I don't say that lightly but these guys if they come to together and they hit their ceiling with Nico if he hits his ceiling here not to mention the running back room they have this could be the best offense in the SEC yeah it comes down to Nico yava of course but when I start to look at the SEC quarterbacks like obviously these other guys are are more proven they have a little bit more experience Carson Beck is probably coming in as the favorite to be the number one quarterback off the board next year and so you probably have to give that edge to him but when we talk about you know what calea will willam's rise was you know I don't necessarily think that Nico is on that level I think that he still has a little bit to work on but when you look also at what Tennessee has had over the last couple years you mentioned henen hooker Nico Nico's potential is so far away from what henen hooker was and that's not taking anything away from hooker because he was a great college quarterback um got himself drafted in the third round like there there's definitely potential there but Nico is just a different type of dude so this team to me you know impact players are going to come from all over the field because I think they're going to score a ton of points I think they're going to be a very very competitive offense this year yeah 100% 2024 Defensive Breakdown now the question is on the flip side so when we talk about their offense competitive there can be the best in the SEC we know that we've seen that kind of upside we've talked about the weapons that they have now on the defensive side so last year when you're looking at it they were pretty good defensively last year in terms of points per game allowed they were 22nd in the nation last year opponent yards per game they were 27th at 334 uh when you're looking at you know third down conversion they were okay 50th in the nation um from a rush defense standpoint you know opponent yards per rush they were 13th in the nation and yards per gain they're about 20th so that was pretty good there back in though uh passing defense is where they struggled when you saw kind of the numbers that they gave up there opponent completion percentage they were 109th they give up a lot of completions there sack percentage they were higher they were at 17 um but definitely that secondary struggled a little bit from that perspective and that's why you saw some of those losses that you saw but from an upfront front seven they were legit yeah James Pierce Jr is a dude U I think that's the number one thing he's you know Making Waves could potentially be a top five selection in the 2025 NFL draft just an Elite pass rusher I think that there's certainly some uh flaws as a run Defender that might not make him a top five pick um but he also has time to kind of improve on those things as this year goes on uh Kenan peely is a guy that you know didn't get out onto the field a whole lot but his limited work looked really really good so I think inserting him into the middle of this defense can be super impactful but you're right the backside of the defense the back end of the defense was not very good last year which is why they targeted so many transfers to bring in uh jacobe Thomas coming over from Middle Tennessee uh jamond McCoy from Oregon State uh Jaylen McMurray from Temple so there's just a ton of guys that I think weren't there last year that will help this this offense or this defense quite a bit and that like they need to be a Bend don't break defense we just talked about how many points their offense is probably going to score um they just need to keep up at least a little bit get the critical stops get the third down stops get off the field a little bit if you can get a few stops a game that's probably G to be enough with this offense so uh hopefully everyone takes a little bit of a Leap Forward you really relying on James Pierce Jr to to replicate what he did last year but outside of that uh just bend don't break that's all we need when you got a guy like though it kind of helps you a little bit because you can kind of like Get Away with some of that but they did address it they went out in that secondary and said we got to go get guys and that's that's a credit as coaching staff they realize kind of where the deficiency was and they are addressing Notable Losses it there when you're talking about losses that they had they had some guys out there that they lost Kamal Haden um Tyler Baron um some of these guys and again when we're talking about Tyler Baron six sacks last year right like he kind of came off there and you like that out of that edge um then again now the safeties and the corners and those type of things like um um had had eight pass deflections a lot of that more is like they weren't great anyway so like that was a struggle for them and then they're kind of either leaving where they left the program Elijah Herring I put on here as well I mean he had 80 tackles last year that's nothing you know that's the he was a team leader last year in tackles um so they did lose some guys they lost some guys there but again they addressed that in the transfer portal and they still have James Pierce so that's just one of those things that you have to like live with yeah I think Baron and had another two main losses you know I I think Baron was an underrated player as the NFL draft rolled around I think he can be a good NFL player hadn't had some really really good snaps and coverage I think he leaves a little bit to be desired as a tackler and a run supporter but outside of that you know they they refilled the room in the seary and so I think this is fine yeah yeah they refilled and they're 2024 Defensive Recruits they're good there and I'll tell you where else they refilled that's a good segue who the recruiting class on the defensive side they just like on the offensive side that we talked about they went got guys Jordan Ross number one rated Edge rusher in uh in Alabama but also when you're looking at in the in college football um as a recruit there 64 233 and going and getting this dude in Alabama in Birmingham Alabama is a g and that is something that you have to Jake Brey out there as a director player personnel and their head coaching staff and the recruiting there they wouldn't got this kid and that's fantastic I think that's one of those things that you have to just look at and say man this this team's coming around uh bu Carter as well at the safety position very good Caleb beasy Beasley excuse me is the number 18th rated Corner out of Nashville Tennessee so they they went out and got guys when you're looking at there even Edwin spilman I mean he's a he's one of the guys lower on this our list but he's a guy too 62214 number 31 rated linebacker out of Tennessee as well out of Nashville so they recuit well there Kell Lindstrom again 65 235 big kid there so they filled needs but they went and got their guys obviously the crown drool of this thing is Jordan Ross but those other guys are not you know shortcomings at all those guys are dudes as well and they really filled out their class well yeah I really like spilman I think he was probably undervalued by the recruiting sites bu Carter is you know a fantastic safety Prospect but you're right the the the prize is Jordan Ross it's a little I mean that's the most shocking thing that I've seen you know like five star Ed rusher from Alabama normally is going to Alabama and it's really really tough to pry him from Alabama um the top of this class is just Bonkers and what I will say is the rest of the the the other three right behind him are Tennessee guys so this is where they stuck to that Pipeline and I think they're better for it you know Tennessee consistently turns out really really good defensive uh prospects so this is a great class uh as as well I actually like this side of the ball better than the offensive side and that's not knocking what they did on the offensive side but hole went insane uh on this recruiting Trail like out shout out Tennessee nil I don't know what you're doing out there but you're definitely you're definitely hooking it up there and and a testament to the program and what he's building there but I think your point what you just said is important I think what Tennessee fans know is like hey yeah we usually get those Tennessee kids and we have a great class well now we're getting some Alabama kids now we're getting oh hey whoa you went and got who from Georgia oh you getting these kids like that is think is something else that's where you build the Blue Chip pipeline right but Elliot always talks about that blue chip Blue Chip pipeline they're right there now and in expanding playoff you got these guys in there all you gotta do is get in there right and I think that Key Defensive Transfers shows it yeah and when you're talking about the transfers that they brought in again this is you know where they did a very very good job of filling those needs Jackson Moy from Stanford 62303 uh I think he FS a very rotational piece there um he was a solid piece in Stanford when you talk about him Andre Stewart as well cornerback out there from talson coming in um German McCoy as well cornerback as well from Oregon State I like Cam and Oregon state has a history of really doing well developing defensive backs and Corners like they've done a good job they put some guys in the NFL I mean that's one of those programs there from the quarterback perspective Jam Murray as well com over from the owls uh Temple and then when you're looking at you Kobe Thomas right safety coming out there from Middle Tennessee State obviously a small school kid three star kid but again they addressed that need in that secondary and they went after it yeah and middle Tennesse has been a really good like safety place as well so like they kind of went to these places that are known for for positions and said all right let's get some of our own but this is a this is a good group I think you know they targeted their needs I I think that when you when you look at their their class and you combine it with this you're going to have a a significantly better secondary um now that that's assuming that some of these transfers do pan out but I when you look at what they had last year it's really not that difficult to to be a little bit better uh I think some of these freshmen can play I think two or three of these guys are going to stand out and and make this an already better defense on that side of the ball um I really like McCoy I'm I'm I'm curious to see if he gets some run this year but yeah this is a a fine little supplement to the great recruiting class which I think they're building it the right way the the attention is definitely on recruiting and that's that's correct shout out Doos swinny for you know that mindset uh that we're gonna bring over to Tennessee where we focus on recruiting H yeah here we go all right impact Players let's Impact Players - Defense talk about them James Pierce obviously number one we know that um but I will say like you know Amari Thomas inside Keenan py Arian Carter those guys too can definitely do this we all know kind of where this this value lies it's are UPF front it's defensive line up front and they strengthen that unit um like we talked about the one thing I didn't mention when I was talking about their defense overall they were in the SEC and tackles they led the SE tackles for loss last year they had 101 tackles for loss they go after that quarterback and they get after it quick if those guys that we mentioned in that secondary take that step we could be talking about a team that turns you know turns teams over and gets those takeaways that they need and if they if they can get takeaways their offense is going to make teams pay and that's really where you're talking about where they can score and kind of enact you know win games in the and compete for a championship there but really just James Pierce he's a dude he's a dog out there GNA go out there top 10 guy as long as he stays healthy this defense is in it yeah stays healthy gets a little better against the run I I would like to see that I think just hopefully he's just a little bit stronger quite frankly like he's a very great speed rusher uh and he's going to get to the quarterback we know that there's no Faults in that part of his game it's just if he can be an impactful run Defender as well that opens up a whole different dynamic to what this defense can be but yeah I I just think you know from this group uh you know I like peely like I said but I I'll bet that there's a corner or safety on this list when we're when the season's over yeah it's just it's really tough to pinpoint which one of those guys is going to step up right now but to me this defense it's looking better than it was last year um and your offense is too so as so as we get into the schedule it it's just going to be really hard for for me to pick against Tennessee here yeah yeah let's dive into 2024 Schedule schedule let's have some fun here over under n and a half right now on their win total there's a lot of teams sitting at the nine and a half Chattanooga first game get the judgers out go beat Chattanooga that's your job then they got the big game at NC State which is a neutral sight game there Kent State Oklahoma coming there hey Oklahoma's ready you see that when they went out they're all excited SEC ready baby that's what they keep saying out there Arkansas Florida Alabama Kentucky Mississippi State Georgia UTP and vanderbelt tough schedule I mean they got some guys on this I think that stretch right there that I just mentioned like you know Arkansas whatever Florida Alabama though and in Kentucky I think those are three kind of tough schools in a row Mississippi State we'll see what their new coaching staff looks like than at Georgia that's a very very tough game there what do you think about their schedule what does it look like to you first I want to talk about how we get Jackson Arnold versus nio yava this year and that is one of the most exciting things um you know for Oklahoma coming over to the SEC that's an exciting one I do think Tennessee matches up pretty well against Oklahoma and looks like the better team on paper um to me so I would I would take Tennessee in that one Arkansas they should handle Florida I don't see you know a repeat of last year Alabama I think they can get Alabama this year so as I look through the schedule NC State early is a tough one um to be honest Alabama's obviously tougher you know vacuum but I think I'm gonna go over for this team because I think they're going to drop a game to Georgia and then I think they're going to drop either NC State or Alabama and outside of that I I see them kind of sweeping the rest of the schedule and 10- win SEC team playoffs maybe yeah play I I can't believe I'm doing this I'm going under so Tennessee fans can yell at me um I actually think they're at nine so I think they get to nine wins I I love Nico you you know I love Nico Nico is my number two quarterback right now um in terms of you know where I have on my rankings so I I'm a big fan of Nico there but I do think Nico's gonna take some time and I think Nico might have a couple games where you're like o that's a that's a freshman mistake right because technically he's kind of that freshman in that range um and you're like oh where that loss come from maybe I I I'm not completely sold in Oklahoma but at Oklahoma is a tough game game four you know especially if they lose that NC State game now they're feeling a little pressure um I think at Oklahoma is still a tough place to play and I think Oklahoma's getting slept on a little bit in my opinion I think they're kind of getting hated on a little there um so I'm gonna go under so Tennessee fans you can you can kind of you can come after me in the comments if you want but I'm gonna lean under you got the over and we'll kind of see how this team kind of plays out there so final Outro - Overall Outlook Outlook I think that they are very solid I think they're they're building a a blue chip program and I think they've already built it now now they're GNA just keep plugging guys in and really going there I'm likely lose James Pierce this year but like we said they got those recruits coming right and when you're looking at overall um you know they're just going to plug Jordan Ross in next so that's where this program is getting to now where losses don't don't mean like oh my gosh we don't have another guy like this they're just bringing them now and if they can continue to do that they're going to compete for SEC titles and and go to the playoff yeah I mean to me 2025 is a championship contending year um that's that's kind of how I look at the state of this roster I think that there's just so much uh potential and a lot of you know really really good underclassman that they will have stepping into roles um you know brw McCoy leaves and then you have Mike Matthews getting all those snaps and and I think you're better for it um so to me 2024 team looks like a potential playoff team I think 10 wins in the SEC might get you into the playoffs but honestly um they're quite a few teams that I think could get to that 10- win thing so it's just going to be kind of tiebreaker is type scenarios but to me 2025 if Nico is as good as we think he is I think that that puts him puts this team as a a championship Contender so feels like you're building the program the right way if I'm saying that uh here in in 2024 no you they are I mean is right there I'm rooting for Tennessee I think they're a great program I love them there I do think you're right I think 25 is a year for them to go compete for a national title and I think they can get back there I think they can go to the playoffs that year I just think next year maybe some Growing Pains maybe some offensive mishaps a little bit with Nico there um and then you're looking at oh okay well they they got to nine wins that's great let's and they but they look really good down the stretch all right let's see what they are next year and then that contenders but volunteer fans let us know what you think are we dumb are we smart how's our takes here what do you think what do you think their win total should be where you at there we appreciate you guys watching until next time we'll see you guys later [Music]