Game 1 Depth Chart / Game Notes | Tennessee

[SanDiegoCuse]

Yup he’s farther down the depth chart. If we ever see a chart, there will likely be a name in the 2s that surprises folks.

Hmmmm maybe Matthew Hawn. He’s been mentioned several times as a future starter I feel like.

 

[orangefog]

But isn’t that even more reason to release one? We aren’t afraid.

Yes, but at the same time, it is saying freak you, you , we aren't stupid.

 

[sutomcat]

I hate to read into it, but on page 16 there is individual notes on offense and mysteriously noted these 5 lineman in order:

LT: Weatherspoon
LG: J. Cruz
C: Collins
RG: TJ Ferguson
RT: Trevion Mack

That’s who I had as the starters. Pretty sure several others will also play a lot for at least the first 3 games.

 

[AngryOtto]

That’s who I had as the starters. Pretty sure several others will also play a lot for at least the first 3 games.

I would be a little surprised if both Mack and Cruz both started. Fran was clearly not sold on the Oline after spring and brought in 4 Oline. Now I’m probably completely wrong because I did not think Petry would start last year and he held his own.
No depth chart gives us all more to speculate about until Saturday.

 

[Sdot]

I would be a little surprised if both Mack and Cruz both started. Fran was clearly not sold on the Oline after spring and brought in 4 Oline. Now I’m probably completely wrong because I did not think Petry would start last year and he held his own.
No depth chart gives us all more to speculate about until Saturday.

No matter what we needed to grab a few guys I spring portal. Petry was out for year. Hornsby transferred and so did wohlabough.

 

[sutomcat]

No matter what we needed to grab a few guys I spring portal. Petry was out for year. Hornsby transferred and so did wohlabough.

Correct, we lost a lot of depth at OL. Had to add experienced bodies that could possibly play right away. Can’t rely on a bunch of true frosh to fill out the two deep.

I believe we are going to play around 8 guys on the OL at least for the first few games and then maybe lock into the starting lineup.

The starters initially and the starters down the road are going to change. Guys like Pringle and especially Washington are likely to win more playing time as the season progresses.

As far as I can tell, the battle for LT between Betrand and Mack is really close. No idea who is starting there and that might not get settled until the end of September.

Also, I believe Mack/Betrand are the LTs and Spoon/Pringle are the RTs.

 

[FireballPhil]

You need to pay 19.99 per miinute on a 1-800 900 tip line to get that kind of information

FIFY

 

[shu 49]

Correct, we lost a lot of depth at OL. Had to add experienced bodies that could possibly play right away. Can’t rely on a bunch of true frosh to fill out the two deep.

I believe we are going to play around 8 guys on the OL at least for the first few games and then maybe lock into the starting lineup.

The starters initially and the starters down the road are going to change. Guys like Pringle and especially Washington are likely to win more playing time as the season progresses.

As far as I can tell, the battle for LT between Betrand and Mack is really close. No idea who is starting there and that might not get settled until the end of September.

Also, I believe Mack/Betrand are the LTs and Spoon/Pringle are the RTs.

Pringle was practicing at rg also.

 

[richmondcuse03]

Weatherspoon is locked in at right tackle and Collins is locked in at center. Ferguson is gonna start at one of the guards. I know coaches like Mack at left tackle. And if one guard spots available it’s most likely Cruz. Pringle will probably be a swing tackle. Rice will backup a guard spot and so will Byron Washington. Miller backup center.

Correct, we lost a lot of depth at OL. Had to add experienced bodies that could possibly play right away. Can’t rely on a bunch of true frosh to fill out the two deep.

I believe we are going to play around 8 guys on the OL at least for the first few games and then maybe lock into the starting lineup.

The starters initially and the starters down the road are going to change. Guys like Pringle and especially Washington are likely to win more playing time as the season progresses.

As far as I can tell, the battle for LT between Betrand and Mack is really close. No idea who is starting there and that might not get settled until the end of September.

Also, I believe Mack/Betrand are the LTs and Spoon/Pringle are the RTs.

Bingo. You nailed it.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

But isn’t that even more reason to release one? We aren’t afraid.

I don't think Fran is "scared" it's just meathead gamesmanship and to be quite honest just dumb which isn't surprising considering the average brain power of most of these guys but I would never provide something that the other team isn't either to prove a point, seems odd.

 

[kcsu]

Correct, we lost a lot of depth at OL. Had to add experienced bodies that could possibly play right away. Can’t rely on a bunch of true frosh to fill out the two deep.

I believe we are going to play around 8 guys on the OL at least for the first few games and then maybe lock into the starting lineup.

The starters initially and the starters down the road are going to change. Guys like Pringle and especially Washington are likely to win more playing time as the season progresses.

As far as I can tell, the battle for LT between Betrand and Mack is really close. No idea who is starting there and that might not get settled until the end of September.

Also, I believe Mack/Betrand are the LTs and Spoon/Pringle are the RTs.

Spot on Tom. From what I have seen the staff isn't locked in on 5 it is more like a solid 9 maybe 10 guys. Same with other position groups especially WR, and to a lesser degree the DBs and Dline. This team has very good depth across the board. Best since the P days.

 

[Chip]

I don't think Fran is "scared" it's just meathead gamesmanship and to be quite honest just dumb which isn't surprising considering the average brain power of most of these guys but I would never provide something that the other team isn't either to prove a point, seems odd.

Dino got to a point where I was worried he wasn't going to have the team show up for a game because it would give film to the next opponent.

 

[CbusCuse]

Spot on Tom. From what I have seen the staff isn't locked in on 5 it is more like a solid 9 maybe 10 guys. Same with other position groups especially WR, and to a lesser degree the DBs and Dline. This team has very good depth across the board. Best since the P days.

I know some people keep saying that but I do wonder how much they really will rotate in the back-ups and if it will be any more than normal. Like on the OL i could see them rotating in 1 or 2 to see who performs the best but I'm thinking they may be just doing lots of rotation in camp to verify if they have the best guys, better develop a larger group of players so they feel comfortable to accelerate their growth, and just to make sure they have the subs ready if/when injuries occur. Plus I know they run practices at a pretty efficient fast pace at high intensity so the starters are getting a solid number of reps in regardless.

 

[orange79]

IMO, Fran should release depth chart full of walk-ons and 3rd-stringers. Make TN waste some time and resources figuring out who these guys are.

 

[sufan59]

2025 College Football Team Talent Composite

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

34th in the country and 6th in the ACC. Certainly helping our rankings is the last chance players we took on that were highly ranked out of high school. We are more talented on paper this season than last season. Wins and losses are becoming more about which team can execute better. The size and speed disadvantages are just not really the main factor anymore in most of these matchups. Still few exceptions, but we have made great progress in mitigating those disadvantages.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

IMO, Fran should release depth chart full of walk-ons and 3rd-stringers. Make TN waste some time and resources figuring out who these guys are.

Just put Barry Baker at every position.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

QB: Lennie Briscoe or Phil Cerreta
RB: Mike Logan or Rey Curtis
WR: Ed Green
WR: Nick Falco
WR: Joe Fontana
TE: Max Greevey
OL: Kevin Bernard
OL: Cyrus Lupo
OL: Frank Cosgrove
OL: Jalen Shaw
OL: Vincent Riley

 

[Archbold44]

2025 College Football Team Talent Composite

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

34th in the country and 6th in the ACC. Certainly helping our rankings is the last chance players we took on that were highly ranked out of high school. We are more talented on paper this season than last season. Wins and losses are becoming more about which team can execute better. The size and speed disadvantages are just not really the main factor anymore in most of these matchups. Still few exceptions, but we have made great progress in mitigating those disadvantages.

By this metric, Georgia Tech is more winnable than expected and UNC is more losable than expected. I think most projections have us more likely to lose to Duke than UNC. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.

I still say Game 1 is most important game of the season, with Game 2 being next most important. As for the latter, I am still scarred by Coach P. 1997, we destroyed Ron Dayne/Wisconsin 34-0 in the opener out of nowhere, only to lose the next three games with a Junior Donovan McNabb (6-5 NC State at home, 4-8 Oklahoma on the road; 7-5 Va Tech on the road). Even 1995... we beat North Carolina on the road with McNabb as a FR and then lost to East Carolina at home in Week 2. In fairness, once upon a time for a brief period, East Carolina was better than North Carolina. Fun fact (that is not so fun)... Coach P did not start us 2-0 in any season after Graves...except 1999, when we started with Toledo and E. Michigan, with Michigan in Game 3.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I hate to read into it, but on page 16 there is individual notes on offense and mysteriously noted these 5 lineman in order:

LT: Weatherspoon
LG: J. Cruz
C: Collins
RG: TJ Ferguson
RT: Trevion Mack

Just reversed. Left to right would be Mack TJ Collins Cruz Spoon.

 

[Rautins07]

QB: Lennie Briscoe or Phil Cerreta
RB: Mike Logan or Rey Curtis
WR: Ed Green
WR: Nick Falco
WR: Joe Fontana
TE: Max Greevey
OL: Kevin Bernard
OL: Cyrus Lupo
OL: Frank Cosgrove
OL: Jalen Shaw
OL: Vincent Riley

Cyrus Lupo! Very Underrated, due for a breakout season