Tennessee Football: Eight Vol opponents on “Freaks” list
Tennessee is set up to have a solid 2019 season, but the schedule might be tougher than it looks after the new college football “freaks” list came out.
Tennessee’s schedule looks pretty easy upfront, but it might not be as easy as some people may think. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic released his annual “freaks” list, and eight opponents appeared on that list for this upcoming season.
The first player to appear on the list is Kylin Hill from Mississippi State at 47. That game for the Vols is looked at as a toss-up game from some and Hill could play a huge roll in deciding the game on offense.
Hill could end up being one of the best running backs in the SEC in 2019, and he could be on fire when the Bulldogs travel to Knoxville. Hill in Joe Moorhead’s system has been the best thing for his career and will be a dangerous player for the Vols.
The next player on the list is also a running back. At 44, from UAB running back, Spencer Brown brings another familiar threat to the Vols defense. He scored a school-record 17 touchdowns last season and proved he would be the premier running back in Conference USA.
Jumping up to 34 is a player Tennessee is eerily familiar with. Defensive back CJ Henderson from Florida finds himself on this list after making the 2018 Coaches’ All-SEC second team. He’s a force to be reckoned with, and someone Guarantano is going to need to avoid when they face off.
Squeezing in the top-30 at 29 is another player from Florida. Defensive lineman Jabari Zuniga is a redshirt senior with 7.5 percent body fat. How is that even possible? He had four total tackles against Tennessee last year and is likely to dominate this year if the offensive line isn’t fixed.
Another UAB player made the list at 28. Defensive lineman Garrett Marino jumps just ahead of Zuniga after showcasing he’s a defensive threat in C-USA. UAB won their conference last year and will continue to be an outstanding team in 2019.
A lot of solid, young players are on UAB’s roster, and if they have a few things go right in Knoxville, then the Vols could be on upset alert. Marino is a future NFL defensive lineman and one of the strongest defensive linemen on the roster, maybe in the country.
The first opposing offensive lineman came at 20 with Sadarius Hutcherson from South Carolina. One of the biggest, strongest players in the country has thrown guys around for three years now and won’t stop in 2019.
The highest-ranked Tennessee opponent on this list is Henry Ruggs from Alabama at 18. Up to this point, Ruggs hasn’t been a premier receiver in a stacked Alabama receiving corps, but he won’t be overlooked in 2019.
He has NFL speed and will likely declare for the draft after this upcoming season when he’s eligible. He’s a deep threat and can also catch a short 10-yard pass and take it to the house.
The Tennessee schedule could end up being a hassle, but at least with a couple of these teams, we know what they bring to the table. Alabama, Florida, South Carolina are a few teams that fall in that category.
UAB, on the other hand, is a talented team but isn’t as prominent as the others which could be nerve-wracking if the Vols aren’t as good as some expect in 2019.
Next. Jeremy Pruitt committed the dumbest NCAA violation. dark
With a possibility of an eight-win season on the line for Pruitt in year two he’s going to have to capitalize on every opportunity he has this season. It’s not going to be easy, but I think Pruitt has a good chance to overcome the “freaks” coming up on the schedule.