Tennessee Volunteers 2016 NCAA Football Preview
TENNESSSEE VOLUNTEERS
Southeastern Conference – East Division
2015 Record – 9-4
ATS – 8-5
2016 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating Rank
East Division #1
Conference #3
2015 Recap
Tennessee had one the most impressive seasons that a 9-4 team could put together. They lost three games to very good teams that easily could have been wins (Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas) and gave the eventual National Champion Alabama squad all they could handle in a 19-14 loss on the road. They finished up with six straight victories and a demolition of Northwestern in the Outback Bowl and enter 2016 with confidence and momentum.
2016 Preview
OFFENSE
QB Joshua Dobbs returns to the controls of an offense that could be scary this season. Dobbs accounted for 26 TDs last season (15 passing, 11 rushing) and has plenty of young receivers around to put up some big numbers in the passing game. That is going to be the wild card this season on offense. The Volunteers were 9th in the SEC in passing offense in 2015 and they need to get some production this season out of the young and talented receiving corps. The running game should be crazy-good. RB Jalen Hurd is a load to bring down and he had 1,288 yards rushing last season including 400 in their last three games. There is depth behind Hurd and a fantastic offensive line that paved the way for 224 yards rushing per game in 2015.
DEFENSE
The Volunteers were ranked mid-pack in total defense in the SEC last season but did a lot of good things. They were excellent in 3rd down conversion defense (ranked #1 in the SEC, #2 in FBS) and were efficient defending the pass. They had a couple of late-game meltdowns but did a fine job overall allowing only 20 points per game. This season 8 starters return to a unit loaded with talent and this just might be the season that it all comes together.
JUGGERNAUT ALERT – DE Derek Barnett led the team with 10 sacks last season and MEGALOCKS INSIDERS will tell you that he got better as the season went on recording at least one sack in seven of the last eight games. The defense has a lot of really good players that need to be accounted for and we see Barnett having a huge season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The return specialists are FANTASTIC. KR Evan Berry had an EYE-POPPING 38.3 yards per return last season with 3 TDs. Berry’s return average was close to setting an all-time FBS record. Cameron Sutton was just as dangerous returning punts leading the county in punt return average (18.7) while picking up a couple of TDs. Both return men are back along with their PK and P combination so this unit should be absolute gold in 2016.
MEGALOCKS ATS Value Rating (10) 8.5
MEGALOCKS says:
The Volunteers’ schedule is front-loaded with most of their difficult games on the docket by the middle of October. If they can get to the home game vs Alabama on Oct 15th at 6-0 there is potential for a really special season. Now you might be worried about their ability to close out games after watching them last season BUT they also had a 24-3 deficit vs Georgia and pulled that one out of the fire.
Overall, we give the VOLUNTEERS an 8.5 ATS Value Rating (Very Good) this season. We just love the look of this squad. We did not rate them closer to the max because they are going to be asked to cover some large point spreads which is never easy. Butch Jones improved the win-loss record AND the ATS record in 2014 and 2015. We predict a money-making season for Tennessee ATS this year.
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Website
http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/tenn-m-footbl-body.html
Forum
http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-football/
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News
http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols/football/
http://bleacherreport.com/tennessee-volunteers-football
https://twitter.com/Vol_Football (@Vol_Football)
https://twitter.com/MikeGriffith32 (@MikeGriffith32) Mike Griffith