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Tennessee Vols: 5 Things We Hope To Learn At Vols’ Spring Game

By Zach Ragan

Nov 5, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the first quarter against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the first quarter against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 30, 2016; Nashville , TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers players celebrate after a record breaking sack by defensive end Derek Barnett (9) in the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; Nashville , TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers players celebrate after a record breaking sack by defensive end Derek Barnett (9) in the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Line Play

This one is very interesting to me.

Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke was hired to coach the Vols’ defensive line, but it’s not like Tennessee had poor play at the position under previous defensive line coach Steve Stripling.

The hope here is that Hoke will be able to take the Vols’ defensive line to the next level.

That could be tough, however, due to the departure of Vol legend Derek Barnett.

Tennessee will hope that Hoke can get the most out of players like Shy Tuttle, Kyle Phillips, Kahlil McKenzie and Jonathan Kongbo.

The Vols have a lot of talent along their defensive line. But that talent will have to prove it can produce at the highest level in 2017.

It won’t be easy to replace the production of Barnett, but as a unit the Vols’ defensive line has the potential to be a team that can win battles up front in the SEC.

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