I think Butch Jones and those guys have done a great job with the young talent, putting them in some positions to succeed but not overloading them. They stayed really, really simple.
Even though Mike Bajakian left (for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) right when they were starting to figure things out offensively, I know they feel really good about Josh Dobbs and the direction theyre going to go. Stylistically, I think theyll probably be a lot like Auburn with Nick Marshall, a guy who can put pressure on the defense with the way he runs it.
Their wide receivers are big-time. They can run and theyre long.
Jalen Hurd, that dude is going to be a stud. They have a ton of skill coming back.
My question is can they run the football well enough outside of the quarterback? They had to overhaul the offensive line last year and they need some more consistency there to take the next step.
A.J. Johnson was their best defensive player in my opinion. He was really good and I dont know if they can replace everything he did.
Cam Sutton is an excellent cornerback. He finds ways to make plays on the ball.
Theyve upgraded their talent level overall, but I just dont know if they have a bunch of difference-makers on defense.
The next couple years, I think if they can keep some guys healthy and win a close game or two it wouldnt surprise me to see them at nine wins.
