Tennessee Football: 2021 season preview with predictions for Volunteers

Can defense overcome transfers?

Of the 10 players Tennessee football brought in via the transfer portal, six of them play defense including linebackers Juwan Mitchell from Texas and William Mohan from Michigan.

Mitchell could be one of Tennessee’s top tacklers this season for a linebacking group that has to overcome the losses of Henry To’o To’o and Quavaris Crouch — two of the team’s top three leading tacklers — to the portal.

To’o To’o went to Alabama; Crouch ended up at Michigan State. Linebacker has some question marks but the return of Jeremy Banks helps, although Tennessee also lost top pass rusher, Deandre Johnson, to Miami.

Jaylen McCollough and Trevon Flowers will anchor the Vols’ secondary at the safety spots. Alontae Taylor is the top cover guy on the outside and other bodies from the portal should help add to the competition there.

Like the offense, the defense needs to improve. Tennessee forced just 12 takeaways and the pass rush won’t be overly threatening, yet the run defense could be stout behind Matthew Butler and former five-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon.

Tim Banks came over from Penn State to coordinate the defense and like Heupel, he should help the unit improve right away in 2021.

So what will that mean for the win total? We answer that question next.