Tennessee’s open week came at a useful time.
The Vols had just come out of a rough loss at South Carolina, and the offense’s season-high 12 penalties only added to the mess. For a team that’s already been one of the SEC’s most penalized units, the break offered a chance to reset and get back to cleaner football before November arrives.
That matters because the next stretch is where Tennessee’s season gets decided. The Vols return to action next weekend at Neyland Stadium against Kentucky, with kickoff set for 6:15 p.m.
ET on ESPN. Tennessee enters the game ranked 16th at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC, while the eighth-ranked Wildcats are 7-1 and 5-1 in league play.
One way to measure where the offense stands is through Pro Football Focus, which has graded Tennessee’s offensive players based on film study from every game so far. Those grades aren’t the same as a coaching staff’s internal evaluation, since PFF doesn’t know each player’s assignment on every snap. Even so, it gives fans a useful snapshot of who has been steady, who has struggled and where the production has come from.
PFF grades run from 1 to 100. A score between 90 and 100 is considered elite, 85 to 89 is all-conference level, 70 to 84 is starter quality, 60 to 69 is backup quality and anything below 60 is viewed as replaceable.
Here’s how Tennessee’s offensive players have graded out through the open week, according to Pro Football Focus.
In Other News...
Ex-Vol Jaylen Carey Suddenly Faces Uncertain Status For Tennessee Return
Jaylen Careys path back to Tennessee is suddenly looking a lot less straightforward. The former Vols forward, now at Missouri, has been indefinitely suspended by head coach Dennis Gates for a violation of team rules, leaving his status in limbo before the 2026-27 season even gets going.
Carey spent one season in Knoxville before transferring, so any potential return to the court would have carried some extra attention from Tennessee fans. For now, though, Missouri has not provided a timeline for when he might be back, and it remains unclear whether he will suit up again at all. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Witten Just Landed A Huge Midseason Test At Oklahoma
Oklahoma has made a midseason shakeup on offense, turning to a familiar football name in Jason Witten after parting ways with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The move puts the former NFL tight end in charge of the Sooners offense for the rest of the season, with head coach Brent Venables saying the change was made to try to lift a unit that has struggled to produce in SEC play.
For Tennessee, it adds another layer to a conference matchup that already carried plenty of weight. The Sooners have been near the bottom of the league in offensive production, and Witten now inherits the challenge of trying to steady things quickly in the middle of the season. It is a significant test for a coach still early in this role, and one that could shape how Oklahomas offense looks the rest of the way. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Now Waits On A 4-Star Decision That Could Shape 2028
A key recruiting decision is coming into focus for Tennessee, and it involves one of the more promising young linebackers in the 2028 class. Skylar Alston, a four-star prospect from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, is expected to announce his college commitment on Nov. 8, with the Vols still firmly in the mix after extending a scholarship and staying engaged through multiple visits and recruiting events.
His list of finalists is a crowded one, with North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCLA all still in the hunt. For Tennessee, landing Alston would be another sign that its recruiting reach is holding strong well beyond its immediate footprint, but for now the Vols are left waiting as the decision date approaches and the picture begins to narrow. [Read more 🡒]