Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown is an avid Tennesse Vols fan, and in the article below he discusses the upcoming season, and what to expect this coming year.
Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that 2021 might have been an average year for the Tennessee Volunteers but their upcoming season is sure to be different as Josh Heupel settles into his position as head coach and the SEC expands to include new rivals. Nevertheless, the team is confident that Hendon Hooker will continue to find success and lead the team to victory.
Although we are still a few weeks away from the start of the college football season, the Tennessee Volunteers are deep into practice mode and the entire division is excited to see their performance. In this article, Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown will discuss everything you need to know about the Volunteers in the lead-up to the season and help you prepare for all of the action.
Josh Heupel is No Longer a Rookie Coach
Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that the situation leading up to Josh Heupel’s instatement as Tennessee’s head football coach may not have been orthodox or favorable for the university, but he quickly established himself as a capable leader in his rookie year. Ending 2021 with a 7-6 record, he proved that a lack of experience doesn’t always mean failure, and, in the lead-up to 2022, everyone’s eyes are focused on his performance.
Of course, Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that the Volunteers upcoming season will come against the backdrop of ongoing allegations against Jeremy Pruitt—the now-fired head coach accused of bribing potential players and their families with gifts during recruitment. According to charges brought by the NCAA, Pruitt offered up to $60,000 worth of cash and gifts to players over the course of his career.
This is in direct violation of the NCAA’s recruitment policies and the University of Tennessee was quick to report his misconduct once it became known by other faculty members says Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown. Of course, Heupel has been quick to shrug off jokes and comments about his predecessor’s actions and is instead focused on training his team to crush the competition.
New Competitors Signal Potential New Rivalries
Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that as college football conferences continue to realign themselves, it’s uncertain where the SEC will land in the lead-up to the 2022 season. For now, though, it seems that the SEC will remain where it is. If any reshuffles do happen in the next few weeks, though, it’s possible that the UT Longhorns could find themselves going head-to-head with the UT Volunteers.
Of course, any new rivals will have to be approved by the NCAA but, if the two teams do end up playing each other, it would be the first time in nearly a century. Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that the last time the two teams played was back in 1969 when the Longhorns won 36-13. Both teams have greatly changed since then but, if they end up meeting on the field again, it’s sure to be an epic game.
Hendon Hooker is Expected to Build Off of Last Season’s Victories
Last season, Hendon Hooker made a phenomenal debut with the Volunteers, leading the Tennessee team to some impressive victories, most notably against the Missouri Tigers. Although the team was unable to pull through against Purdue in the Music City Bowl, fans are confident that, under Hooker’s leadership, they can go even further in the 2022 season says Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown.
When Hooker started his career at Virginia Tech, he was widely overlooked before he was then transferred to Tennessee in 2020. Since then, he’s proven himself a capable player, and most analysts are certain that his senior year will see him outperform all other seasons, securing his place as one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC.
In the lead-up to the season, Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that Hooker has been working hard to improve his throwing accuracy and, if he can get it up to par, the Volunteers will be a force to reckon with. Paired with Coach Heupel’s return in his second season, the Volunteers are in good shape to contend with their rivals in the league.
The Bottom Line
Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown says that the Tennessee Volunteers have been through a lot in the past year but, under Josh Heupel’s leadership, they’re ready to take on the SEC and come out victorious. With Hendon Hooker at the helm of the offense, the team is expected to make some big moves this season and, if everything goes according to plan, they could find themselves in a bowl game come December.
It seems unlikely that the SEC will realign before the start of the season but, if it does, Ryan Gwaltney of Charlestown will be sure to update another article learn more about the Volunteers upcoming games and potential new rivalries.
