Tennessee Volunteers : Fall Camp Questions

At last the long dark of the off-season is nearing its end. Football is less than one month away, and that means that Fall Camp is getting underway throughout the SEC. The month of August will be absolutely critical in determining how each team fares in September, October, November, and beyond. With that in mind, each team has pressing questions they have to answer before the end of the month.We will continue our series by taking a look at the questions facing Butch Jones and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Who Will Man the Safety Positions?

This season Tennessee returns a lot of starters, but they do lose both starting safeties. Brian Randolph finished second on the team in tackles with 70. Ladarrell McNeil finished second on the team in interceptions. Both are gone now, leaving two gaping holes in the back of the Volunteer defense.

Fortunately for Tennessee, they have plenty of options to plug-in. First and foremost, is All-American return man Evan Berry. He is the younger brother of former Volunteer standout Eric Berry. Two other safeties who have played well in reserve roles are Todd Kelly Jr. and Rashaan Gaulden.

Also in contention are younger players Micah Abernathy, Stephen Griffin, and Nigel Warrior.

Verdict: Evan Berry and Todd Kelly Jr. will start. Gaulden and Abernathy will be the primary backups. Berry’s return ability will make him a nightmare on interceptions.

Who Will Step In at Left Tackle?

Last season Kyler Kerbyson provided steady, veteran leadership from the left tackle position. Kerbyson was signed as a UDFA by the Patriots before being released. So who will fill his spot. This one looks to be an open and shut case. Redshirt freshman Drew Richmond has been taking the majority of the 1st-team snaps in camp so far.

Richmond arrived on campus last season as a 5-star recruit. He expected to walk right in to a starting job. Things did not work out that way. Looking back Richmond thinks that was for the best.

"“It’s been an experience,” Richmond said. “But I feel comfortable. I understand the game more. Getting more reps and improving (my) confidence. … I’m just competing everyday. I’m going to do whatever I can do to help this team go to a national championship.”"

Verdict: Richmond will be the guy, and ultimately he will be an upgrade due to his superior athleticism. He may take a little while to get acclimated however. Time will tell.

Can Joshua Dobbs Handle the Expectations?

Can Joshua Dobbs take the Tennessee Volunteers to the playoffs? Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Last year Tennessee was projected to win the SEC East. They didn’t. This year, the Volunteers are predicted to win the East. Will they? That largely depends on the play of one man, senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Last season Dobbs completed just 59 percent of his passes and threw only 15 touchdowns. If Tennessee is to contend for a title, he will likely have to improve on both of those numbers.

This season he has a slew of talented weapons around him. He is widely regarded as the second best quarterback in the SEC behind Chad Kelly. All the stars have aligned for Tennessee. The only question is will Dobbs get them where they want to go.

Verdict: No. He showed last year against Alabama and Florida that he can’t win the big game. When the chips are down he will crumble, and Tennessee will crumble with him.

The Tennessee Volunteers have questions, as do all teams at this stage. How Coach Butch Jones answers them will determine how well the Tigers do this season. Let us know how you think he will handle them in the comments. And come back tomorrow to see which questions the Texas A&M Aggies are currently facing.

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