Coming off of two back-to-back top-five recruiting classes and a lopsided victory over Iowa in the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl, people around the college football world are starting to take notice. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has the Vols ranked No. 20 in his ridiculously early poll.
20. Tennessee Volunteers
2014 record: 7-6, 3-5 SECReturning starters: 10 offense, 9 defense, 1 special teams
The skinny: Most SEC opponents might have enjoyed playing the Volunteers the past few seasons, but it might not be so much fun in the future. Tennessee coach Butch Jones landed a top-five recruiting class for the second year in a row by signing 13 players from the ESPN 300. After allowing 43 sacks in 2014, the Volunteers signed three offensive tackles who were ranked in the ESPN 300: Drew Richmond, Jack Jones and Venzell Boulware. Defensive tackles Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle, receiver Preston Williams, ends Kyle Phillips and Andrew Butcher, and cornerback Micah Abernathy also were ranked in the top 10 at their respective positions. Now, after going 12-13 in his first two seasons, Jones has to start turning the recruiting success into on-field results. With quarterback Joshua Dobbs, tailback Jalen Hurd and four starters returning on the offensive line, the pieces seem to be in place for a breakthrough season in 2015.
Forum Discussion: ESPN Loves Us! Way-too-early top 25 rankings
6 responses to “Vols ranked No. 20 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25”
“With quarterback Joshua Dobbs, tailback Jalen Hurd and four starters returning on the offensive line, the pieces seem to be in place for a breakthrough season in 2015.”
Let’s pray that’s true. #GBO Fall kickoff can’t get here soon enough!
This team is getting a lot of hype. That’s for sure.
Of course, those four returning starters on that OL need to improve. Hopefully they’ll get some help and maybe Blair or Richmond can step up at tackle.
Thanks for the comment supersmo.
He’s got the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s now let’s see if he has the Xs and Os.
Absolutely. Butch is building a championship roster. Thanks for the comment.
It’s ridiculous to poke fun at the Vols from here on out. The talent’s accumulated in a radical fashion, everybody’s speaking the same language…on the same page, and team cohesiveness is clearly producing a lot of leaders and the expectations of winners. I personally love bUTch’s chosing football junkie Mike DeBord for OC, and for his weeding out some players who can’t handle the competition. CBJ’s got a winning formula. There’ll always be doubters, but their numbers are dwindling.i
CBJ and his staff know what they’re doing. Any and all naysayers need to shut up and get out of the way. This is going to be fun to watch. I’ve followed the Vols religiously since 1955 and am Class of ’69 UTK. IMHO, there has never been a more exciting time to be a Tennessee Vol!!!