Tennessee football: 10 bold predictions for the Volunteers in 2023

It’s no secret that Tennessee football is on the rise.

Finishing the 2022 season with an 11-2 record and a win in the Orange Bowl will do a lot for expectations. The Volunteers certainly have enough talent on the roster to make a lot of noise again this season.

Let’s make 10 bold predictions for Tennessee football for the 2023 campaign. (Boldness, of course, is in the eye of the beholder.)

1. Tennessee ends drought in Gainesville

Back in 2003, the Vols won at Florida, 24-10. It was their 2nd straight win at The Swamp, and there was little reason to believe that 2 decades later they’d still be searching for their next victory in Gainesville.

Nine straight trips to Gainesville and 9 straight losses. Tennessee has been blown out (59-20 in 2007), lost in excruciating fashion (28-27 in 2015, 26-20 in 2017) and lost in 6 other soul-crushing ways.

Pound for pound, this Tennessee team is better than Florida … and it will prove that on Sept. 16.

2. Vols break single-game scoring record

In 2000, Tennessee racked up 70 points in a win over Louisiana-Monroe. That was an offense led by true freshmen quarterbacks AJ Suggs and Casey Clausen, running back Travis Henry, and receivers Cedric Wilson and Donté Stallworth.

There’s certainly some firepower there.

But with Josh Heupel’s system, the offensive weapons on the team and the fact that Tennessee isn’t afraid to throw deep in blowouts, that 70-point plateau will be eclipsed in a game this season.

And it’ll happen against Alabama.

Kidding. I’m kidding.

3. Milton tops Hooker in single-game total yards

Hendon Hooker will go down as 1 of the best QBs in Tennessee history. In 2022, he had 1 of his best games against Florida, racking up 461 total yards.

I think that Joe Milton will top that number at least once in 2023.

Milton isn’t Michael Vick or Johnny Manziel when it comes to running the football, but he’s mobile enough when necessary and obviously can air it out. Get ready for him to put up huge numbers this season.

4. RB trio combines for more than 2,300 rushing yards

Travis Stephens holds the Tennessee single-season rushing record with 1,464 yards in 2001.

This year’s team has some really good running backs, but Jabari Small, Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson will be splitting carries. There’s little chance 1 of those guys gets enough of a share of the pie to challenge Stephens.

Last year, those 3 guys gained a combined 2,006 rushing yards. This season, I expect that trio to run wild for more than 2,300 yards.

5. Milton throws for more than 90 yards on 1 play

In 2003, Clausen hit Mark Jones for the longest pass play in Tennessee history, a 90-yard TD against Georgia. That play was a combination of Clausen’s throw and Jones’ catch and run.

Milton has the arm strength to throw 90 yards on his own. I see a situation happening at some point when Tennessee is backed up in its own end, giving Milton the opportunity to launch one toward the other end zone.

Maybe it’ll be Squirrel White who catches it for a 92- or 93-yard score.

6. Improvement in penalties

In 2022, the Vols were called for 105 penalties, an average of just over 8 per game. Only Syracuse and Utah State had more flags go against them.

Tennessee was ranked 129th in the nation in that category a year ago. I think the Vols get better, into the top 100 in 2023. That would be at least 1 fewer flag per game. And while that might not sound like much, 1 fewer flag can make a huge difference.

7. Keenan Pili leads Vols in tackles

Tennessee got some help this offseason in the transfer portal with the addition of veteran linebacker Pili from BYU. Pili has been around the game for a long time; he actually was part of BYU’s 2016 class. He started 24 games for the Cougars during his college career.

With the departures of Jeremy Banks and Juwan Mitchell, Pili should move into the starting lineup immediately.

8. No punts, no problem

Tennessee’s offense has the capability of scoring on every drive. I think the Vols end up with not 1 but 2 games in which their punter never sees the field.

This probably isn’t a very bold prediction, but let’s give the special teamers some love.

9. White leads Vols in receptions, yards

Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman are now in the NFL, so there are a lot of catches to be had. I say that the biggest beneficiary will be sophomore Squirrel White.

A year ago, White caught 30 passes for 481 yards, good enough to place 4th on the team in both categories. He’s going to be called upon even more this season.

Expect a monster year from White.

10. The Vols will finish 10-2 … again

I’m old enough to remember a 2003 Tennessee team that went 10-2 … and fans were genuinely disappointed because the Vols lost the SEC East on a tiebreaker and fell to the Peach Bowl for the 2nd straight year. That was a different time, a time when 10-win seasons were not hoped for but expected.

It took 19 years for Tennessee to win 10 regular-season games again. The expectations of double-digit success on Rocky Top have returned.

It’s August, and who knows what this Tennessee team will look like around Thanksgiving … but I see it heading to bowl season with another 10-2 record.

Mark Nagi

Mark Nagi has covered Tennessee athletics for over 20 years. He is the author of “Decade of Dysfunction,” an in-depth look at all that led to the crazy coaching search of 2017 at Tennessee. The book is available on Amazon.