CFB: Tennessee begins spring practice and looks to answer some questions
Josh Heupel’s 4th season on Rocky Top will be here before we know it, and all signs point to an extremely exciting fall. Tennessee began their spring practices on Monday, and for any team, this is where the seeds are planted that grow into championships. This is the time of year when the newcomers are learning the schemes. This is the time of year when depth is identified beyond the 22 starters. This is the time of year when statements can be made by players that haven’t stood out yet. The Tennessee Football program under Josh Heupel is as healthy as it has been since the early 2000s, but for the Vols to continue their resurgence they need to answer some questions over the next month.
Who will be getting the bulk of the reps at LG?
Javontez Spraggins and Andrej Karic will both be limited this spring coming off of injuries sustained last season. Spraggins will likely be full go by the time fall camp rolls around and is the de facto starter at RG. However, Karic was sidelined for the last 7 games of 2023 with his injury and is far from the etched-in-stone starter that Spraggins is. This means it is open season during the spring for the reps at LG, and whoever emerges as the best option will likely be the favorite for the job come August. Sham Umarov and Vysen Lang are probably the top two candidates to battle it out for this spot, but incoming freshman William Satterwhite is also in the running. In my opinion, Satterwhite comes out on top in this wide-open competition for LG.
Who are the best options in the secondary?
The secondary for Tennessee is the position group that will look the most different from 2023 to 2024. Vol fans caught a glimpse of this change in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa as multiple starters from last year’s secondary transferred out, and it gave players like Ricky Gibson and Andre Turrentine a chance to shine. Tennessee also received some impact players in the portal to fill out this group as Jakobe Thomas(MTSU) and Jermod Mccoy(Oregon State) are settling in on Rocky Top. Tennessee will hope that this new look unit is more effective than last year’s often-frustrating secondary, but in my opinion, the big thing to get done in spring for this group is identifying who fits best at each position. Today’s world of college football calls for a good pass defense, and when players are playing out of position it leads to trouble. Tennessee needs to identify the player that can be put on an island. Tennessee needs to identify the player who can guard the slot. Tennessee needs to identify a safety that can actually move sideline to sideline and intercept a pass. The good news is there is plenty of talent to compete for these roles.
Which side of the ball will Boo Carter end up on?
Boo Carter is one of the most exciting recruits that Tennessee secured in the last recruiting class. Carter is also a freak athlete with the ability to make an impact in any facet of the game. It is already confirmed that he is repping as a kick returner, but outside of special teams where will he make the biggest impact? The offensive and defensive coaches may be bare-knuckle boxing each other for his services, but at the end of the day, Josh Heupel makes that call. It is up to Heupel and the entire staff to figure out where his talents benefit the team the most.
Who emerges as the 3rd RB behind Dylan Sampson and Cam Seldon?
Sampson and Seldon are pretty safely the top 2 running backs on this team going into spring practice. However, for a team that runs the ball as much as Tennessee does, a 3rd RB that can be relied upon will be crucial. Khalifa Keith is likely the lead candidate for this role at the moment with freshman Peyton Lewis not going through contact drills while he recovers from injury. For my money though I think this competition opens back up fully in fall camp if Lewis is full go by then. Keith is the safe choice, but what Lewis looks like on tape makes me believe he will get a fair shot at the position as we get closer to the first game. However, Keith needs the reps and I think Lewis being limited right now could be a blessing in disguise if it means Keith and Lewis are both trustworthy when the season begins.