Tennessee football schedule, roster, recruiting and what to watch in 2018

Zac Al-Khateeb

Tennessee football schedule, roster, recruiting and what to watch in 2018 image

Jeremy Pruitt has quite the task ahead of him at Tennessee in 2018.

The first-year head coach, fresh off helping Alabama win its fifth national title in nine seasons, will now be tasked to bring that sort of success to a historically important Tennessee program that has fallen on hard times.

MORE: Ranking the coaching hires

None of Tennessee's three previous coaches — Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley and Butch Jones — has been able to stand in the shadow of legend Phillip Fulmer, coaching the Vols to a combined 53-50 record since 2009. Can Pruitt, the latest Nick Saban disciple to receive a head coaching position, finally break the mold? He has a lot to overcome in 2018 if he does: The Volunteers, unranked in Sporting News' updated way-too-early top 25, face a murderer's row in the SEC this season.

Here's what to look for from Pruitt and the Vols in 2018:

Tennessee football schedule 2018 

DateOpponentLocation
April 21Orange and White GameKnoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 1West VirginiaCharlotte, N.C.
Sept. 8ETSUKnoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 15UTEPKnoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 22FloridaKnoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 29at No. 3 GeorgiaAthens, Ga.
Oct. 6ByeOff
Oct. 13at No. 8 AuburnAuburn, Ala.
Oct. 20No. 1 AlabamaKnoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 27at No. 23 South CarolinaColumbia, S.C.
Nov. 3CharlotteKnoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 10KentuckyKnoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 17MissouriKnoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 24at VanderbiltNashville, Tenn.
Dec. 1SEC championshipAtlanta
Bold denote SEC games

Tennessee football recruiting 2018

Tennessee’s 2018 recruiting class ranks 20th nationally and eighth in the SEC, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. The Volunteers’ class is headlined by four-star outside linebacker JJ Peterson, the No. 3 player at his position and No. 48 overall player in the country. Tennessee also has three four-star players enrolled early in receiver Alontae Taylor, defensive tackle Greg Emerson and JUCO transfer defensive end Jordan Allen.

MORE: SEC offseason primer

Tennessee football roster 2018

Reflects spring roster and will be updated.

No.NamePos.Year
1Marquez CallawayWRJr.
1Jonathan KongboDLR-Sr.
2Jarrett GuarantanoQBR-So.
2Shy TuttleDLSr.
3Ty ChandlerRBSo.
3Marquill OsborneDBJr.
4Maleik GrayDBSo.
5Josh PalmerWRSo.
5Kyle PhillipsDLSr.
6Brandon HinesQBSo.
7Brandon JohnsonWRJr.
8Latrell WilliamsWRR-So.
9Tim JordanRBSo.
10Tyler ByrdWRJr.
11Jordan MurphyWRSo.
11Austin SmithLB/DLR-Jr.
13Deandre JohnsonDLSo.
13Richard Mize Jr.WRSo.
14Zac JancekQBR-Jr.
14Quart'e SappLBR-Jr.
15Shawn ShamburgerDBSo.
17Dillon BatesLBR-Sr.
17Will McBrideQBSo.
18Princeton FantWRSo.
18Nigel WarriorDBJr.
19Darrell TaylorDLR-Jr.
20Seth WashingtonDBSo.
21Jacquez JonesWRSo.
21Shanon ReidLBSo.
22Micah AbernathyDBSr.
22Jonathan MaysWRJr.
23Will IgnontLBSo.
24Trey ColemanRBSo.
24Todd Kelly Jr.DBGr.
26Theo JacksonDBSo.
26Jay ShoopWRSo.
27Eric CrosbyDLSo.
27Carlin Fils-aimeRBJr.
28Baylen BuchananDBJr.
28James ChristianDBJr.
29Ramsey HaileyRBSo.
29Jeremiah HowardRBSo.
30Brent CimagliaPKSo.
31D.J. HendersonWRR-Sr.
33MaLeik GatewoodDBR-Jr.
33Ben PowlasTER-So.
34Malik ElionWRSr.
34Darrin Kirkland Jr.LBSr.
35Daniel BituliLBJr.
35Taeler DowdyRBJr.
36Terrell BaileyDBSo.
36Tanner DobruckyRBJr.
36Grayson LindePR-So.
37Sam HarvinDBJr.
38Grant FrerkingTESo.
38Brent McPhersonWRSo.
38Solon Page IIILBSo.
40Nick HumphreyLBSo.
42Ernest GardnerDBR-Sr.
42Cheyenne LabruzzaDBSo.
42Chip OmerRBR-So.
43Jake PowersDBSo.
43Laszlo ToserPKR-Jr.
43Zack WeatherlyWRR-So.
44Ryan ThaxtonDLSo.
46Riley LovingoodLSR-Jr.
46DaJour MaddoxLBR-Jr.
47Joe DoylePSo.
47Landon KnollLBR-Jr.
48Ja'Quain BlakelyDLR-So.
50Joey CaveOLR-So.
51Drew RichmondOLR-Jr.
52Elijah MedfordLSR-Sr.
52Maurese SmithDLSo.
54Ian DunkinLBSo.
55Quay PicouDLSr.
55Matthew ButlerDLSo.
55Riley LocklearOLSo.
57Nathan NiehausOLR-So.
59Jake YelichLSR-So.
64Logan PunchLSR-So.
64Tommy SpragueOLR-So.
67Joe KeelerOLR-Jr.
68Marcus TatumOLJr.
69Brian GarveyOLR-So.
70Ryan JohnsonOLR-So.
73Trey SmithOLSo.
74K'Rojhn CalbertOLSo.
76Chance HallOLSr.
77Devante BrooksOLR-So.
80Eli WolfTER-Jr.
81Austin PopeTER-So.
83Cooper MeltonWRSo.
84James BrownTESo.
86Andrew CraigTER-So.
88Brandon BenedictDLR-So.
88LaTrell BumphusTESo.
89Will JumperTER-Jr.
94Mykelle McDanielDLR-So.
94TJ MinnifeeDLSo.
95Kivon BennettDLSo.
97Paul BainDLR-Sr.
98Alexis JohnsonDLR-Sr.

What to watch in 2018:

1. What is the measure of success for Pruitt?

Let's not mince words: Pruitt was brought on to oversee a massive rebuilding effort at Tennessee. That means success will look different for the Volunteers under the first-year head coach. Tennessee should be aim to finish above .500, beat Vanderbilt and win a bowl game. If the team can avoid utter destruction against Alabama, Georgia and Auburn, all the better. Do that, and Pruitt will already be on the road to success in Knoxville.

2. Can the Vols survive a brutal October?

Tennessee has a five-week stretch from Sept. 22 through Oct. 20 that sees them take on Florida, No. 4 Georgia, No. 8 Auburn, No. 1 Alabama and No. 23 South Carolina. Tennessee might best hope to be competitive in those games — but if it can pull off even one upset in that stretch, it will do wonders to build up morale for Pruitt and Co.

3. Who takes over at running back?

John Kelly declared for the NFL Draft, leaving a sizable void at the running back position. The most obvious answer is rising sophomore Ty Chandler, who rushed for 305 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards a carry. Carlin Fils-aime will also need to contribute. Both backs will likely work in a rotation, with Chandler getting the majority of carries. Success running the ball will go a long way in determining how comfortable quarterback Jarrett Guarantano will be.

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.