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Tennessee Football: The Vols are set up to have breakout season

By Colton Pickard

KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Ty Chandler #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers takes a hand off from Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Ty Chandler #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers takes a hand off from Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Volunteers have been absent from bowl season since 2016, but Jeremy Pruitt can get the Vols back to a bowl in 2019.

Going into his second season at Tennessee, Jeremy Pruitt has a favoring schedule in 2019. He doesn’t have to face a prominent non-conference opponent, Mississippi State is the second SEC West opponent and has Georgia, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt at home.

Tennessee was last in the SEC in yards per game on offense last season, and Pruitt made it a priority to bring in someone to change that. Pruitt decided Jim Chaney could be that guy and stole him from Georgia.

If Tennessee is going to get back on track on offense, it’s going to be because of Chaney. Tennessee is also returning everyone on offense, and if Jarrett Guarantano can take the next step at quarterback, the offense could see a big jump in 2019.

The offensive line is also going to see a massive upgrade in 2019, which will help Tennessee’s running and passing game. Brandon Kennedy is in his sixth year after two redshirts so he should show some grown man strength when playing center.

Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright are going to be first-year starters for the Vols, and if Trey Smith can make a comeback for 2019, then the offensive line could be dominant.

For the defense, six of the eight leading tacklers are returning, and grad transfer Aubrey Solomon and JUCO transfer Savion Williams will add some much-needed depth.

The secondary is young but showed a lot of potential last season. Corners Bryce Thompson and Alontae Taylor showed they could be one of the best cornerback tandems in the SEC if not the country.

But it’s not going to matter who comes back if Pruitt can’t develop those guys this summer. It is crucial that Pruitt gets these guys strong enough to compete for a full SEC season.

Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Alabama is going to be a significant stretch of games for the Vols. It’s going to be tough beating Florida or Alabama on the road, but the Georgia and Mississippi State games at home are both winnable.

The Vols are 2-2 against Georgia the last two years and if they wouldn’t have had a couple of bad breaks at the beginning of last year’s game they might’ve had a chance to win that one.

dark. Next. Could the Titans offensive line return to the best in the NFL?

If the Vols can get two wins out of that stretch, they could be set up to have their best season in a long time. But it’s only a matter of player development and coaching. Pruitt brought in coaches that could change this program they just have to put in the work on the field this fall.

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