Tennessee Volunteers Roster 2019 Volunteers Roster

Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt        2017 Salary: N/A        Offensive Coordinator: Tyson Helton       Defensive Coordinator: Kevin Sherrer         

Stadium: Neyland Stadium       Surface: Grass        City: Knoxville        State: Tennessee

Jeremy Pruitt takes the controls in Knoxville, trying to rebuild a Tennessee program that has fallen on hard times. The Volunteers have lost ground in the SEC and have some distance to make up to rejoin the conference elite. There is some help on the way, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Keller Chryst joins the program as a transfer from Stanford. Chryst won 11 games as a starter at Stanford and gives Pruitt an instant reliable option under center. The Vols need to replace several graduated starters on the offensive line so the quarterback will be running for their figurative life this season. The passing game will be boosted by the return of wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who missed practically the entire 2018 season.

It is on defense where the Volunteers have a bleaker outlook. The 2017 team yielded 251 yards per game on the ground and there are not the apparent reinforcements necessary to improve upon that this season. The Vols’ defense completely disappeared as they lost seven of their last eight games to close last year. The defense is one year more experienced and returns most of its starters from last year.

Pruitt was hired only after a messy process that resulted in the collapse of several coaching hires. The hope is that he can quickly put that behind him and move Tennessee in the right direction. It may take a couple of years to get past the turmoil of the previous several seasons.