Tenessee Football Spring Checklist - Three Things The Vols Need to Improve On

Tennessee’s Rickey Gibson (1) at the first University of Tennessee spring football practice, Friday, March 7, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Vols are in the midst of spring football practice. We take a look at the three things they need to improve on this spring and how they do it.

The Tennessee Volunteers are in the middle of spring practice. They have (15) total practices and a scrimmage to get themselves ready for the summer portion of the offseason as the 2025 college football season approaches.

They have one of the nation's most talented signal callers, Nico Iamaleava. The redshirt sophomore could potentially be playing his final season with Tennessee, as he's draft-eligible after this season. So, we take a look at three things the Vols need to improve upon this next month.

1. Offensive Line
There's no doubt about it, if the Vols want to improve upon last year's offensive performances, their offensive line will need to improve drastically. They were 14th in the coference in sacks allowed, despite leading the conference in rushing. It's a matter of making sure Iamaleava can remain upright. There's plenty of hype and anticpation around five-star OT, David Sanders who's in the mix this spring.

2. Wide Receivers Rapport with Nico
The deep passing attack was a noticeable missing piece of the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers offense, and that was with a tremendous deep-threat in Dante Thornton. They also lost Squirel White to FSU in the portal as well. Mike Matthews will need to make a massive leap this spring as well. Boo Carter is expected to potentially play a bit of offense this year as well.

3. Defensive Replacements
James Pearce Jr. isn't the only NFL Football player this defense lost a year ago. Omar Norman-Lott is gone, as is Elijah Simmons. All front-four players made an impact on last year's defensive performance. The Vols losing Jermod McCoy this offseason surely didn't help, either. They will need young players to grow up fast this spring. Keeping Rickey Gibson on the roster was needed.

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