Tennessee Football: Five Biggest Reasons the Vols are 5-0 Right Now

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) is carried off the field by team mates after catching the game winning touchdown pass against the Georgia Bulldogs on the last play on the game during the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee defeated Georgia 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee football fans everywhere are psyched about their team’s record through five games. Here are the five biggest reasons the Volunteers are 5-0.

At this point in the season last year, Tennessee football was 2-3, and fans were calling for Butch Jones’s head. They had lost their 11th straight to the Florida Gators, were 0-2 in the SEC, and had blown three two-touchdown leads.

Fast-forward to this year. Not only are the Vols 5-0, but they are also 2-0 in the SEC with crucial wins over Florida and Georgia.

Fans across the country are beginning to take notice of what might be a team of destiny this year.

And the ironic thing is that Tennessee came out of the gate this year looking a lot worse than they did last year. In 2015, the Vols started with a dominating victory over the Bowling Green Falcons and then held a 17-0 lead over the Oklahoma Sooners.

This year, they began with an overtime victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers and then fell behind to the Virginia Tech Hokies 14-0.

This team has been a 180 from last year’s team in every way. Last year, they would start strong and collapse. This year, they start slow and finish strong.

There are plenty of reasons for that. After all, the schedule has been equally difficult for the Vols both years.

Tennessee has three wins over teams who will likely finish this season in the Top 25. They have two more wins over teams who could win their respective Group of Five conferences.

And they have fans talking about the Vols in the College Football Playoff. Here are the five biggest reasons for Tennessee football’s return to prominence.

Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Corey Vereen (50) recovers a Georgia Bulldogs fumble in the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee defeated Georgia 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

5. Bob Shoop

Butch Jones made the boldest move of the offseason last January when he decided to part ways with John Jancek to make room for Bob Shoop as his new defensive coordinator. And for three of the five games this year, it’s paid off in a big way.

After struggling early, Shoop has proven to be the best coach in the country at making adjustments. Against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, Tennessee’s defense didn’t allow a point in the second half.

The Vols didn’t allow a meaningful touchdown the rest of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies after initially falling behind 14-0. And against the Florida Gators, after falling behind 21-0, they didn’t allow a first down in the second half until they had built a 38-21 lead and began to play the clock.

Shoop has been making these adjustments despite the loss of both Tennessee football linebackers and Cameron Sutton. Those injuries tied his hands to a degree against the Georgia Bulldogs last week. But he also made his one bad second-half call of the year in that touchdown Jacob Eason threw with 10 seconds left.

However, with that one major exception, Tennessee football has held firm on defense in the second half…the opposite of what they did last year.

Even when Shoop did screw up, the Vols had some other things going for them. That brings us to our next reason that this team is undefeated so far. And it’s not necessarily personnel or coaching related this time.

Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey during the second half against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won in overtime 20 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

4. Luck

Yes, we have to be honest. Lady Luck has certainly been on the side of Tennessee football through five games this year. However, after all the crazy things that have happened to the Vols over the past decade, nobody in Knoxville is feeling any guilt for it.

Still, we have to acknowledge. Let’s start with the fact that Tennessee had 11 fumbles through its first four games and only lost the ball once. That’s a symbol of luck.

One of those fumbles was a recovery in the end zone for a Vols touchdown in overtime against the Appalachian State Mountaineers. That’s more luck. By the way, Tennessee only beat Appalachian State because they missed an extra point in regulation.

So they were lucky right out of the gate. Then came their dominating win over the Virginia Tech Hokies. Sure, they dominated, but it helped that Justin Fuente’s team spotted them five unforced turnovers.

Against the Ohio Bobcats, the Vols fumbled five times and never lost it.

And then we come to last week. It appeared that the Vols’ luck had run out after losing two fumbles and then seeing Georgia recover its own fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Then they took the lead with a Hail Mary with 10 seconds to go.

But Tennessee outdid that luck with its own Hail Mary as time expired for a 34-31 win. The pass from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings was lucky enough. But we should not that it’s even luckier since he only had the chance to make that play due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an offside penalty by Georgia that spotted the Vols 20 yards to make the throw.

So yes, they’ve been lucky. But isn’t every championship team?

Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel (1) fumbles after being hit by Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Colton Jumper (53) during the second quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

3. Experienced Depth to Account for Injuries

This is something Butch Jones deserves credit for since he addressed it with his recruiting. When Jones took over the Tennessee football program, the cupboard was decent, but it was about to be empty. That first year, numerous seniors graduated from the program.

So when 2014 came, he was left with one Top 5 recruiting class and just a few players from each of the other classes.

Then, in 2015, he brought in another Top 5 class. Those two classes with so many returning starters had many Vols fans thinking the program was back. However, they overlooked the fact that the 2015 class was still inexperienced.

And when it comes to depth, that’s a huge issue.

So when Rashaan Gaulden went down for a season-ending injury, the secondary struggled at first. When Curt Maggitt got hurt, the defensive line struggled to make up for it.

And when LaDarrell McNeil was injured, the Vols also suffered confusion at safety.

Jason Croom’s injury on offense forced some other receivers to develop earlier. And the offensive and defensive lines weren’t fully stocked yet. All of this explained the 2-3 start. However, injuries forced those young guys in the games, and they developed a ton of experience.

Fast-forward to this year. The Vols have suffered injuries to key players on their offensive line, to both of their starting linebackers, and to their star cornerback in Cameron Sutton. But they’re still 5-0.

That’s a testament to not just the talent of the second team, but the experience. Guys like Colton Jumper, Emmanuel Moseley, and Cortez McDowell have been able to pick up the slack on defense. Yes, Baylen Buchanan has been a freshman, and the line struggled without Hall.

But it wasn’t enough for this team to lose a game.

So credit Butch Jones for restocking the Tennessee football roster. His recruiting also played another role in getting this team to 5-0. That’s our next point.

Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Malone (3) runs the ball against the Florida Gators during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

2. Key Players Stepping Up

It’s such a cliche thing to say, but there’s no way around it. Tennessee football in 2016 has been defined by its hyped up superstars stepping up when they need to. Heck, two of those major key players have been hurt in Cameron Sutton and Jalen Reeves-Maybin.

But the other key players are stepping up to the point that they’re still able to make up for that.

On offense, Josh Malone is the first guy who comes to mind. The former five-star recruit is living up to his billing now He has five touchdowns and over 300 receiving yards through five games this year. At the same time, his first three touchdowns on the season resulted in lead changes for the Vols.

That’s called stepping up when it matters. His counterpart, though, Jauan Jennings, has been just as good. Jennings emerged as a No. 2 wideout over the last two weeks. Remember, he was a four-star quarterback, but the coaches converted him because of his potential. Using that potential, he had 115 yards and the go-ahead touchdown catch against the Florida Gators.

Then he had the play of the year by catching the Hail Mary against the Bulldogs.

Also on offense, Jalen Hurd has been the workhorse you expect him to be. He has over 400 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards, and four touchdowns overall. When he got hurt against the Dawgs, his co-starter, Alvin Kamara, also lived up to the hype, scoring another touchdown for the Vols.

By the way, this is all on offense.

On defense, Derek Barnett has remained the stud we all knew him to be, coming up with two sacks in each of the Vols’ SEC games, one of which was a strip-sack for a touchdown.

Corey Vereen, the Vols’ other edge rusher, scored that touchdown. So as you can see, everybody is stepping up for Tennessee football.

But there is one player who stands out above all the others in that regard. And he brings us to our final reason that the Vols are undefeated so far.

Sep 19, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) throws a touchdown pass to Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Preston Williams (7) (not pictured) during the first quarter against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

1. Joshua Dobbs

By himself, Joshua Dobbs is a major reason for the Vols’ 5-0 record. Remember that last year, he was the starter as they fell to 2-3. The verdict was that Tennessee panicked in close games and couldn’t finish.

The story is literally the opposite this year. The Vols don’t panic at all when they’re down. And that’s due to Joshua Dobbs.

Dobbs showed it when he first took over as the full-time starter in 2014. Remember that he led the Vols back against Alabama that year and turned a 27-0 game into a 34-20 loss. The next week, he led a two-touchdown comeback against the South Carolina Gamecocks with under five minutes to go.

And with the Vols seeming down and out last year after going 2-3, he led an epic 24-3 comeback against the Georgia Bulldogs.

All of these things from the previous years matter. It explains why Tennessee is so calm in games this year. Dobbs is not only a playmaker with 13 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns. He’s not only a baller with 1,035 total passing yards and 267 total rushing yards.

He’s also a leader. Throughout this year, Dobbs has remained calm in every game that got close. And in the process, he kept his team focused. That is why they are 5-0 and don’t panic after slow starts.

And the senior leadership at quarterback has carried their mentality in that regard. So Dobbs has to be the biggest reason the Vols are 5-0.