dduncan4163
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Preseason College Football Rankings 2016: Teams That Will Exceed Expectations | Bleacher Report
Tennessee
Ignore for a moment that the Tennessee Volunteers received an odd first-place vote while landing 10th in the polls.
Given the growing consistency of head coach Butch Jones' tenure in Knoxville, the Vols entered last season with high expectations before those came crashing down. The Volunteers lost three of five to open the season, taking losses at the hands of notables such as Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas.
Tennessee did come alive to close the season, though, beating a ranked Georgia team and losing to Alabama by just five points before winning out, a streak of six games including a 45-6 thumping of then-No. 13 Northwestern in the Outback Bowl.
As usual, Tennessee should field a typical powerhouse SEC defense in 2016. Where the Volunteers will crush the competition, though, is on the ground via the running game. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs, flanked by backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, make for one of the most dominant triple-headed attacks in the nation.
The trio's numbers from a year ago speak volumes:
NAME CAR YDS AVG LONG TD
Jalen Hurd 277 1288 4.7 48 12
Alvin Kamara 107 698 6.5 63 7
Joshua Dobbs 146 671 4.6 62 11 ESPN.com.
Keep in mind, too, Dobbs completed 59.6 percent of his passes last year with 15 touchdowns to five interceptions, something he can improve upon with another year of experience under his belt.
Though Tennessee gets notables such as Alabama, Georgia and others again this year, senior leadership under center and another influx of Jones' recruiting will have the Volunteers in contention to take the entire SEC, even better than what the preseason polls have suggested so far.
Tick Tick Tick...Is it Sep 1st yet?
Tennessee
Ignore for a moment that the Tennessee Volunteers received an odd first-place vote while landing 10th in the polls.
Given the growing consistency of head coach Butch Jones' tenure in Knoxville, the Vols entered last season with high expectations before those came crashing down. The Volunteers lost three of five to open the season, taking losses at the hands of notables such as Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas.
Tennessee did come alive to close the season, though, beating a ranked Georgia team and losing to Alabama by just five points before winning out, a streak of six games including a 45-6 thumping of then-No. 13 Northwestern in the Outback Bowl.
As usual, Tennessee should field a typical powerhouse SEC defense in 2016. Where the Volunteers will crush the competition, though, is on the ground via the running game. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs, flanked by backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, make for one of the most dominant triple-headed attacks in the nation.
The trio's numbers from a year ago speak volumes:
NAME CAR YDS AVG LONG TD
Jalen Hurd 277 1288 4.7 48 12
Alvin Kamara 107 698 6.5 63 7
Joshua Dobbs 146 671 4.6 62 11 ESPN.com.
Keep in mind, too, Dobbs completed 59.6 percent of his passes last year with 15 touchdowns to five interceptions, something he can improve upon with another year of experience under his belt.
Though Tennessee gets notables such as Alabama, Georgia and others again this year, senior leadership under center and another influx of Jones' recruiting will have the Volunteers in contention to take the entire SEC, even better than what the preseason polls have suggested so far.
Tick Tick Tick...Is it Sep 1st yet?
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