Year three of the Josh Heupel era at Tennessee may not have been as magical as 2022, but the Volunteers still finished the season with a 9-4 record and a win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
Tennessee finished in the top 20 of the Associated Press rankings for the second straight year, something it hasn't done in 19 years. The Volunteers are expected to continue their strong run in 2024 thanks to their explosive offense. The biggest question mark is defense. Outside of superstar edge defender James Pierce Jr., the Volunteers have major concerns on the defensive end.
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Biggest Strength: High potential passing game
Tennessee's passing game has immense potential this season. Quarterback Niko Iamareva, a former top-three overall player, flashed flashes in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa, posting an 84.9 passing grade in the win. The Volunteers also have a top-15 receiver corps in the country and an innovative offense in head coach Josh Heupel.
Biggest weakness: Is James Pierce Jr. good enough as a defenseman?
Tennessee's defense has the nation's best pass rusher in James Pierce Jr., but there are plenty of questions on the defensive end, the biggest of which are at the second and third levels: Of the nine Volunteer linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties who played 300 snaps last year, only one returns.
2023 Team Overview
attack |
||||
| EPA per play | Yards per play | Successful Play Rate | Explosive run play rate | Explosive pass play rate |
| 0.063 | 6.4 | 39.2% | 20.7% | 12.9% |
| No.43 | T-25 | The 20th | No.6 | T-89th place |
defense |
||||
| EPA Allowance per Play | Yards allowed per play | Play success rate | Explosive run rates allowed | Allowing for explosive pass rates |
| -0.108 | 5.1 | 30.4% | 14.1% | 15.2% |
| The 23rd | Tied for 26th place | 19th | No.47 | T-97th place |
Three notable transfer portal additions
- OT Lance Hurd (LSU): PFF rating 71.4
- WR Chris Brazell II (Tulane): PFF grade 76.3
- CB Jahmod McCoy (Oregon State): PFF grade 64.2
Three notable transfer portal losses
- EDGE Tyler Barron (Miami FL): PFF grade 78.5
- S Tamarion McDonald (Louisville): 76.3 PFF grade
- CB Doneyko Slaughter (Arkansas): PFF Grade 55.5
Quarterback Spotlight: Nico Iamareava
2023: 78.0
Key Stats: 85.0 passing rating, four touchdowns in first career start (Citrus Bowl vs. Iowa)
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