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Tennessee Football: 2021’s Three Biggest Surprises

By Kathryn Rose

Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel reacts to a call in overtime at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel reacts to a call in overtime at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /
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Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) runs the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) runs the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Tillman Becomes the Main Target

Prior to the 2021 season, Cedric Tillman was a little-known reserve wideout, sitting behind future NFL players in Jauan Jennings, Josh Palmer, and Marquez Callaway. He’d finished with 67 receiving yards in 2020, and his teammate Velus Jones Jr. was clearly the WR1 for the Vols coming into the year.

Except, that didn’t happen. Tillman, a large 6-3, 215-pound receiver, was a perfect candidate to deploy almost anywhere on the field in this new offense. He could line up at flanker or in the slot, and he’d be a matchup nightmare no matter where he was. Linebackers couldn’t stay with him, and corners were simply too small to jam him.

Hendon Hooker quickly took notice, and Tillman became his favored receiver as the season went on.

Tillman’s real standout moment came in a virtuoso performance against Alabama, going for 152 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.

At the end of the year, he’d gone over a thousand yards and had 12 receiving touchdowns to his name. Both numbers were the most on the team.

Next. Ranking College Football's top 25 fanbases. dark

Tillman (and Hooker) are back, but won’t be surprising anyone in 2022.

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