If you decided to read the mass amount of college football preview magazines at your local Barnes and Noble, you'd be privy to a bunch of writers fawning over Auburn and Alabama as if they're the only two programs that can win the SEC this year. Don't believe their hype. Tennessee WILL win the SEC this year, and here's why.
4. Who's Going To Stop Them (In The SEC East?)
Alabama and Auburn will be engaged in a SEC West border war all season long. One of those teams (or a surprise entrant) is going to limp into the SEC title game wounded and spent. Tennessee has to run through a two-time defending division champion Missouri program bound for a fall and a Georgia team who still has Mark "I Hate Big Games" Richt coaching them. Is South Carolina or Florida really a threat? No. Does Kentucky actually have a college football program? We're not sure.
Give the Vols the nod, easy.
3. Josh Dobbs
Dobbs is largely unproven, but so is every talented, young collegiate quarterback who gets a first crack at taking over the reins of an offense. He's not 100% polished as a game manager, but he's EXPLOSIVE. Watch him thread deep balls through colliding defensive backs this year. He'll do it and do it often. Very few SEC programs, or programs in general, have the stars align for them with a gem like Dobbs. Tennessee will make it count.
2. Defense Is HERE
Can we just leave Kahlil McKenzie's name here and call this good?
No? Okay. Well, McKenzie is the centerpiece of an improved, now-experienced defense ready to put freshman and sophomore growing pains behind them. The Vols defense was young and mistake-prone last year, blowing gap assignments and coverage schemes in huge spots. That won't be the case in 2015, especially with McKenzie wreaking havoc and opening up playmaking opportunities for the rest of the defense.
1. The Butch Jones Factor
Butch Jones is a stand-up guy. There are very few SEC coaches you can say that about (Nick Saban, we're looking at you.) While having a good human being in charge doesn't guarantee you wins, it sure helps when you're attempting to foster cohesion among a diverse group of blue-chip prospects. Good players want to play for Jones. GREAT players want to play for Jones. Good and great players want to play HARD for Jones.
Tennessee will be playing with their ears pinned back all season long, and with their current talent level, that equals an SEC title.
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