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Tennessee Football: ESPN’s FPI is back at it again and has the Vols in Top 25

By Colton Pickard

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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ESPN’s Football Power Index has been hard at work throughout the offseason and now has its preseason Top 25 set and has the Vols at 15.

Many people and computers alike have been high on Tennessee this summer heading into the 2019 season. Jeremy Pruitt is turning the program around, and everyone is watching to see if he can get it done.

Even with Pruitt’s work, I don’t know if anyone expects Tennessee to be in the Top 25 come Week 1 especially at 15. The FPI measures things a little differently, which is why the Vols are 15th in the country on this list but don’t take exception to that. Here’s the full list.

The FPI measures each team’s strength of schedule and simulates the season 10,000 times to come up with their rankings. In those projections, Tennessee averaged 7.6 wins and 4.5 losses.

When it comes to efficiency in 2018, the FPI’s measurements weren’t as generous for Tennessee. The Vols had an offensive efficiency of 41.7, defensive efficiency of 59.6, special teams efficiency of 53.9, and an overall team efficiency of 52.1.

Those numbers made the Vols the 67th most efficient team in the country last season. That’s not great, but when we look at where the Vols were and where Pruitt is taking them, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see those efficiency numbers go up this fall.

If anything, I would like the see the defensive efficiency improve. Pruitt is a defensive guy, he’s brought in some good defensive coaches to help run the defense, and the team is older, better.

I think we will see the most significant jump in offensive efficiency. Jarrett Guarantano has an opportunity to reach new heights in 2019. A lot of people are ready to move on from him, but I like him, and I think he’s best for the program right now.

Guarantano in Jim Chaney’s offense could be lethal. We’ve seen what Chaney did in his first stint at Tennessee and his most recent job at Georgia. He knows the offense and can get Guarantano and the offense on the right track.

The preseason projections for Tennessee can only get you a little more excited for Tennessee football every day. Seeing the FPI rank the Vols in the Top 25 and people around the program speak highly of what Pruitt and the coaches are doing makes me want to believe in the football program again.

Next. New bowl projection for the Vols. dark

Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer came in to get the football program back on track, and it looks like he is guiding Pruitt in the right direction. Year two is going to be an important one for Pruitt, especially if he can prove he’s an elite coach.

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