Tennessee football season preview 2020: Record predictions, depth chart analysis, breakout players

Can Tennessee football take another step forward under Jeremy Pruitt in 2020?

The Tennesee Volunteers are a proud program built under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer that fell on hard times after Fulmer won a National Title in 1998. In recent years, the Volunteers were more of a punchline than a threat in the SEC.

They had a couple of good seasons under Butch Jones, but he was eventually let go as well. When they fired Jones, the Volunteers decided to pluck from the Nick Saban coaching tree and hire Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt.

After a 5-7 first season under Pruitt, the Volunteers finished 8-5 last season and won the Gator Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers. This seasoned in this shortened season, Vols fans wonder if they can take yet another step under Pruitt.

After a close loss against Alabama where they played well, the Volunteers rattled off six wins in a row on their way to eight wins and the Gator Bowl.

The SEC East has continually become more and more competitive in the last five years or so. The Georgia Bulldogs are the class of the division while the Florida Gators have improved consistently under Dan Mullen, who was the offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer.

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise in the East is the Kentucky Wildcats. Head coach Mark Stoops has taken a proud basketball program and turned it into a relevant football program. Will Muschamp and the South Carolina Gamecocks are a tough out with their rugged defense.

Whether the Volunteers can take the next step and finish second or win the SEC East remains to be seen. Here are a preview and analysis of their 2020 season.