I think quality is a valid concern-- how big of one is yet to be seen. Are we going to be better at any position this year than we were last year? Do we have quality players two-deep at every position? Injuries are inevitable. Have last year's 2s, 3s and 4s developed? Can we replace last year's offensive and defensive production without significant drop-off? We'll start getting answers this summer. I'm not sure spring has revealed much at all.
I think it is, too, LA. My personal impression, while acknowledging that I know less than one-tenth as much as any coach, QA assistant, or groundskeeper working for UT, is something like this:
Offense:
- QB - we think we have very good quality in a couple of flavors, but won't know for sure until we see the lads carrying the burden of leadership on the field in real games. All we lack here, seemingly, is experience.
- RB - we know we have at least a solid runner in Kelly, and he might turn out to be all-SEC quality (he looked very, very good behind Kamara after Hurd quit last year). But Fils-Aime remains mostly an unknown, and everyone behind him is totally unknown. So the quality drop-off might be painless should Kelly get hurt, or it might be shocking. Too early to tell. What we really lack here = experience (just like QB).
- TE - if Ethan Wolf shows up this year the way he did his freshman year, we're great for starter. Jakob Johnson, who seems like he's been a Vol for about 30 years, never really got hot; he probably won't in his final season, either. Will Ethan's little brother, Eli, or Wil Jumper, or Andrew Craig make a splash? Too early to know for sure. Interesting dynamic here is that their position coach is also the OC. He'll probably have less time to spend with them on personal development than most, but because of his background may try to feature them more in his playbook and play calling. Will be worth watching.
- OL - quality all over the place, here. This is the best we've looked for OL since Dooley was running around in orange pants from Italy.
- WR - plenty of potential stars here, from old hands Josh Smith and Jauan Jennings, to the younger guys (Byrd, Callaway, George, etc.). This offense could be a ton of fun to watch if Dormady or Guarantano (or even Jones) settle in and get comfortable with the game speed early enough.
Defense:
- DT - it's all a question of health and recovery. In Shy and KMac, we've got potential stars...with younger potential stars backing them up. But will they all be healthy enough to last the season in 2017? Like the QB and RB groups, what we're really missing here, aside from healthy knees and ankles, is experience.
- DE - holding our breath to see if a worthy successor to Barnett arrives. From Kongbo on down, there's plenty of material to work with, but we won't know anything until the games start.
- LB - LB coach says he's excited about the returning talent and experience on this squad. He's got two solid Mikes and a host of good Wills; he seems pretty pumped. I'd say we're probably really good here.
- DB - This position group has been the biggest letdown of the past two seasons. They were expected to be stars in Jancek's last season as DC; Cam aside, they were often cringe-worthy. Last season, they were merely serviceable; not as many self-inflicted wounds as 2015, but not a strength of the defense, either. Honestly, this is the group I'm most nervous about going into 2017. Hoping they take a major step forward.
Special Teams: Hey, we got Evan Berry and Trevor Daniel back. That alone should make us all excited about our ST this coming year. Medley's back, too, and we still have young Laszlo Tozer waiting in the wings; Medley has gotten some grief for misses at distance over the past couple of years, but he has been quietly reliable on extra points and FGs inside of 40 yards. All in all, we're probably looking at another good, maybe great, special teams season.
I honestly have to say I don't see the lack of quality in the two-deep and third string that Hubbs was supposedly talking about. What I see more of is a lack of
experience. Could be one of those seasons where things start off shaky and then just get better and better as the lads settle in.
We'll have to wait and see.
