With less than a month remaining before the beginning of fall practice and not even two months until the 2016 season starts, Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones has a pretty good idea of what players and positions he'll have to ride to produce a banner season.While the weaknesses may take a little longer to define on a veteran-laden team, every team has them. Those that have the players who emerge to make up for those deficiencies are the teams that surge to the top.The Volunteers have the players in place to do thatbut will they' For the first time in Jones' four-year tenure, there are no excuses. The program may not be completely rebuilt yet, but there are more than enough pieces in place to win big now.Tennessee fans expect no different.For better or worse, the pressure will be turned up in 2016 following a nine-win season a year ago that could have been much, much better. Just how high are the expectations and the desire to win now on Rocky Top'The SEC Network's Tony Barnhart suggested last week that Tennessee fans are the third-hungriest in all of sports to get back to championship-level competition behind the Chicago Cubs and New York Knicks following a question posed to Twitter by ESPN's Peter Burns:Those are bold words, but there are lofty expectations, without question. How Jones, his staff and the leadership on the team respond will go a long way in determining just how far the Vols can go.Let's take a look at the Vols' strengths, weaknesses and some secret weapons that could come from nowhere to help propel UT to the top this year. There may be a lot of questions surrounding the Vols, but for the first time in a while, answers appear to be in place.StrengthsClouds of dustPlenty of questions remain about Tennessee's offensive balanceand the Vols undoubtedly must do a better job of being versatile in offensive coordinator Mike DeBord's second season. But one thing that is unquestioned is the dominance of the Vols' running attack.From 6'4", 240-pound bruiser junior Jalen Hurd, who is an every-down monster, to athletic speedster Alvin Kamara to dual-threat, run-first quarterback Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee has a ground game that is the envy of the majority of college football teams.Throw in sophomore John Kelly, who got the opportunity to shine this spring while Hurd and Kamara rested, and the Vols are even stouter than they look on paper.When this offense needs the tough yards, it has the seasoned vets to turn to. Last year, no matter how good the opposing defense was, they produced.For the season, the Vols averaged 223.7 yards per game on the groundsecond-best in the SEC. The 2,908 rushing yards marked the second-highest total in school history.By now, you know that the triumvirate of Hurd, Kamara and Dobbs are good. But maybe you aren't aware just how good. The stats above should be enough indication, but the headlines won't go the Vols' way the way they have for Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette until the wins come in bigger bunches.Hurd would get his due if that happens."He's not an attention-seeker," UT running backs coach Robert Gillespie told ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg. "Anybody would want the respect that's due, but he's not going to beg for it. His work should speak for itself."It should. All that success Tennessee has on the ground needs to translate in championships. That's what the Vols are counting on this year: Give it to the Big Three, and let them carry the Vols as far as they can go.Shoop scheme fitFollowing last year's pucker-factor losses to Oklahoma and Florida, it's hard not to pin the "conservative" tag on Jones, but that tag loosened a bit this offseason when he made the bold move to can defensive coordinator John Jancek.The assistant had been with Jones dating back to his time at Cincinnati, and he'd not done a bad job at all in Knoxville. But he wasn't an elite coordinator. Jones saw the opportunity to lure away a great coordinator in Penn State's Bob Shoop, and he seized it.Not only was that a surprising move for the loyal Jones, but it was one that proved he's determined to win big now at high costs. Shoop's statistics prove he's an elite coordinator, but that wasn't the only reason he was a great hire.He was perfect for the personnel currently on Tennessee's roster. That's why the Vols have the chance to be special this year on that side of the ball.The first image that comes to mind in recalling Jancek's shortcomings last year is the fourth downs against Florida, but that wasn't the only mind-boggling move. Why didn't he bring the house against Oklahoma redshirt freshman offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr.' What about that puzzling game plan against Arkansas'How does a defense with as much talent as UT last year give up big play after big play to Bowling Green and Georgia'It just didn't bring the heat enough. That won't happen under Shoop, who loves to pressure quarterbacks. That should be music to the ears of Vols such as Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Derek Barnett, Darrin Kirkland Jr., Quart'e Sapp, Kyle Phillips and others built to blitz.Shoop told the Chattanooga Times Free Press' Patrick Brown just what UT fans can expect from the '16 defense:I've never met a blitz I didn't like. We like to come after you. We're going to be aggressive. We're going to be in your face in all situations. We like to challenge every route.I'm a big believer in that's what you do nowadays in football. You watch the two teams that played in a Super Bowl. That was a clinic in an aggressive style of defense right there.All that edge-rushing talent plus Shoop's frenetic pace could be a championship combination, and it could take a pretty good defense to being a great one in a short time. All the elements are in place.Talent/experience mixSo much has been made of all the Vols' talent, and they've got an abundance of it.A bigger reason for the excitement, however, should be just how many snaps they've got returning. This isn't just an exciting team; it's an experienced one. According to Phil Steele's experience ratings, the Vols are third nationally behind Kent State and Charlotte with 76.9 percent experience points.No matter how complex the rating is to calculate, the bottom line is this: UT has a lot of players returning who've played a lot of football.Guys like Reeves-Maybin, Dobbs, Hurd, Kamara, cornerback Cameron Sutton and defensive end Corey Vereen, among others, have started a lot of games.Even players like junior Todd Kelly Jr. told CampusInsiders.com's Mark Nagi how important it is for him to show leadership qualities to the younger players:Throughout his tenure in Knoxville, Jones hammered home points about forgetting the losing culture that permeated the program and planting seeds of winning. It seems there are a lot of players on this team who understand that, and it should pay huge dividends.Once some upperclassmen called a players-only meeting following last year's loss to Arkansas, things changed. Just how much' Everybody will have to find out this year if the Vols can carry over the winning mentality.WeaknessesPassing inconsistencyThere isn't just one thing that's broken about Tennessee's passing game; there's a lot.That aspect of the Vols offense isn't in disrepair, and DeBord, Dobbs and others have set out to fix it this spring and offseason. But just how much better can Tennessee be in the throw game in 2016' The answer to that question may wind up determining how good the Vols can be.A season ago, Dobbs' passing statistics weren't horrible. He completed 59.6 percent of his passes for 2,291 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. But there were few dynamic plays, and there were even fewer big completions downfield.Defenses could draw a 10-yard circle to defend, and they didn't have to fear being burned by the long play. That must change.Dobbs' consistency issues and accuracy struggles were prevalent at inopportune times, such as in losses to Oklahoma and Alabama as well as the second half against South Carolina. At times, he couldn't even hit the routine passes, stemming from his inability to repeat his mechanics.On top of that, Tennessee couldn't rely on a dependable receiver. Injuries, inconsistencies and just downright poor play have plagued the Vols during Jones' (and passing game coordinator Zach Azzanni's) tenure, and those deficiencies are being felt both on the field and in recruiting.Tennessee lost local 5-star receiver Tee Higgins to Clemson this week (committing in an epic B/R video), and though he didn't mention the passing game in particular, the Vols' struggles in that area couldn't have helped.But if Dobbs can turn around the passing game, there's still time for Higgins or other star receivers to see the turnaround. It would also be huge for UT's on-field product. Dobbs told VolQuest.com's Brent Hubbs he believes the offense will progress the second year under DeBord:This will be a big jump I think just seeing similar things on the field. Obviously, you don't know what you are going to get till the first game and really the first season together. As the season progressed we got a lot better. This off-season watching a lot of film together, spring was huge and fall camp will be huge. All of that will definitely help us for this season.Again, elements are in place for Tennessee to turn this weakness into a strength. Dobbs is a senior, and there is more diversity in the receiving corps with a mixture of bigger guys (Preston Williams, Jeff George and Josh Malone) along with some new speedsters like Latrell Williams and Marquez Callaway.Maybe UT can turn around its passing fortunes.Defensive tackle depthOne of the Vols' biggest needs from now and the start of the season is finding some more capable bodies who can flesh out the interior of the defensive line.Following the suspension of prized JUCO signee Alexis Johnson and the Vols striking out in signing any high school defensive tackles in the '16 cycle, there is a dearth of big bodies at tackle. Some of those aren't totally healthy yet, either.Shy Tuttle was hurt last year against Georgia and hasn't been back on the field since. He may be ready by the start of the season, but that may be a bit ambitious. Kahlil McKenzie, Danny O'Brien, Kendal Vickers and Quay Picou are all capable players, but they've got to stay healthy and put up big numbers.Beyond them, Tennessee doesn't have anybody who is a definite tackle.The nation's top-ranked JUCO player, Jonathan Kongbo, is listed on the latest official roster as being 6'6", 270 pounds, so even though he has the ability to be a dynamic pass-rusher, it's possible Kongbo could shift inside and be a force on the interior much the way former Vols and current NFL star Malik Jackson is.Also, could somebody like Andrew Butcher bulk up enough to move inside' At a listed 275 pounds, it's a possibility. Dimarya Mixon at 260 pounds seems a bit light, but he played on the inside some as a true freshman.So, there are options. But how many of them are legitimate ones' Also, Johnson hasn't been booted from the team, but it's uncertain whether he's missed too much time with the team to be a factor even if he's reinstated.What isn't in question is the Vols need some more depth at tackle. They've got some impact players there, but they need some others to provide quality snaps so the top rotation players don't get too fatigued late in games. That's why the Vols have to build depth this preseasonand fast.Secret WeaponsPreston WilliamsAfter this spring, WilliamsTennessee's 6'4", 209-pound sophomore wideoutisn't quite a secret around the SEC.Everybody recruited him, first of all. Secondly, he got tons of headlines during spring drills with a breakout performance that had his coaches, teammates and anybody who watched a practice raving.Jones told RockyTopInsider.com's Daniel Lewis that Williams made "tremendous strides" this spring, which is a big reason why he liked the overall unit's progress. Following a spring game where George showed out, B/R's Barrett Sallee tweeted that he liked the thought of that duo's ability:With Williams' length and ability to stretch the field, he could be a major X-factor in Tennessee's offense, and if he teams with Malone to provide the Vols a duo of real weapons, they could change the fortunes of the passing game.He may be the biggest piece of the offensive puzzle for Tennessee.Rashaan GauldenThis is the second consecutive year Vols fans have been ultra-excited about the Nashville-area defensive back who many thought was underrated coming out of Independence High School.After being a special teams weapon as a freshman, Gaulden won the spring's breakout award prior to last season and was poised to be the team's starting nickelback when he broke a bone in his foot in the preseason that cost him the entire year.All he did this past spring was switch positions to safety and beat out Micah Abernathy for the starting job alongside Todd Kelly Jr. In the process, he excited his coaches.Though UT has a ton of talent on the back end, and star prospect Nigel Warrior will join the fray, too, Gaulden has the potential to be a special piece of the defense in his redshirt sophomore season. Not only can he be an exceptional blitzer, but he may be the team's best tackler in the secondary.He's ready to make up for lost time, too."I'm very eager," Gaulden told Brown this spring. "I've always had that itch on my shoulder to where no matter what kind of adversity I went through, I was going to come back twice as strong as (when) I went down before. Right now I'm trying to prove to them that I haven't lost a step since my injury."When teams point out the Vols' talent on defense, Gaulden isn't a name that normally comes up. That won't take long to change.Quart'e SappFinally, the biggest wild card on the list is a guy who probably won't even start.Redshirt freshman Sapp is a lightning bolt of an outside linebacker who got the opportunity to earn a lot of reps this spring when Reeves-Maybin went out with a shoulder injury. All he did was turn everybody's head and then lead the team in tackles in the spring-ending Orange and White Game.Sapp is a player with huge upside who is perfect for Shoop's speed-based scheme. You can put him in positions to get after the quarterback, and even if he doesn't know quite what he's doing yet, he can make a big impact.He's just the kind of player Shoop will get the most out of. He's definitely a guy to watch for with UT this fall because of his speed, instincts and tackling ability. He may be a bit undersized, but he won't be underused.All information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information gathered from247Sportsunless otherwise noted. All stats gathered atCFBStats.comunless otherwise noted.Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter@Brad_Shepard.
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