Vols’ offense is youngest in SEC
KNOXVILLE – Tennessee is poised to start three seniors along its defensive line, a fact not lost on Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt.
“If you look at the teams that have age on them, sometimes it equals success,” Pruitt said earlier this month in regards to his defensive line.
On offense, Pruitt is left to hope that the Vols’ youthfulness won’t work against them.
Tennessee is not expected to start any seniors on offense, although graduate transfer quarterback Keller Chryst continues to challenge sophomore Jarrett Guarantano for the starting job.
Chryst is one of just three seniors among all Vols offensive players, joining running back Madre London, another graduate transfer, and walk-on wide receiver Malik Elion.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys that are inexperienced, and every day they’re improving, and they’re hungry to do that,” Pruitt said, “but they’ve got a lot to learn.”
When the Vols line up against West Virginia in the Sept. 1 opener, their starting offensive line likely will include at least sophomores. Plus, Guarantano and sophomore running back Ty Chandler are positioned for key roles.
Based on a roster analysis and openpractice viewing, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee projects the Vols to start six sophomores and five juniors on offense.
Assigning one point for freshmen, two points for sophomores, three points for juniors and four points for seniors, that equates to an average class score of 2.5 for UT’s first-string offense.
We applied this formula to the other projected starting lineups in the SEC. At schools where depth charts have been released, those were used to determine the projected starting lineups. Otherwise, Athlon’s projected starting lineups were used.
The results show that the Vols rank last in the SEC in average class score for projected offensive starters. Every other SEC team is projected to start at least two seniors on offense.
South Carolina has the oldest projected offensive starting lineup, with a score of 3.3. The Gamecocks are followed by Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Those four teams have a score of 3.2.
Of course, having a strong senior presence in the offensive lineup is not a sure recipe for success. The Vols had three regular senior starters on offense last season but ranked last in the SEC in scoring en route to a 4-8 record.
While UT’s offense is marked by youth, its defense is loaded with veterans, some of whom have potential that hasn’t been fully tapped.
Applying the same formula to the Vols’ probable starting defense yields a score of 3.3.
Freshman cornerback Alontae Taylor is the only player younger than a junior who appears headed for a starting role. Sophomore Shawn Shamburger also should see plenty of action as the extra defensive back when the Vols use a nickel formation.
Five seniors project as starters on defense.