Vols hope to grab East title

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the seventh in a series of previews of the 2016 SEC football teams:
TENNESSEE:
Losing three games by a total of 10 points kept the Tennessee Volunteers from advancing to the 2015 SEC championship game.
Those losses to Florida (28-27), Arkansas (24-20) and Alabama (19-14) will serve as motivation for the 2016 season where many publications and experts are picking the Vols to win the SEC East.
Alabama has won nine straight with the Vols’ last win (16-13) coming in 2006 at Neyland Stadium.
For what it is worth, Tennessee plays both the Gators and Crimson Tide at home this season.
Volunteer fans are expecting great things after the 45-6 win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl to end the 2015 season.
Tennessee opens the season against Appalachian State, Virginia Tech and Ohio with a showdown against the Hokies an early indicator of what the season may hold for the Vols.
The four game run against Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama will determine if Tennessee can earn its first SEC East title since 2007.
The question remains if Tennessee can beat their bitter rival Gators and Alabama.
The Gators currently own an 11-game winning streak over the Volunteers.
The last five games against South Carolina, Tennessee Tech, Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt will put the Vols in position to make the playoffs – but only if Tennessee can break their jinx against Alabama and Florida.
To be the best you have to beat the best and the Vols haven’t done that in a few years.
The Vols can’t slip up against Georgia either – as the Bulldogs won five in a row before Tennessee’s 38-31 win last season.
Tennessee has plenty of talent with 18 returners including quarterback Joshua Dobbs along with running backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara.
With the running game is what the Vols depend on, receivers Josh Smith and Josh Malone are talented.
The offensive line returns four starters led by Jashon Robertson.
With nine starters back for new defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, Tennessee’s defense will be among the best in the SEC.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. are some of top linebackers in the league.
Defensive linemen Derek Barnette, Corey Vereen and Jonathan Kongbo will be a threat to stop the run and pressure the quarterback.
Cornerback Cameron Sutton should give leadership to the secondary as the Vols look to help their defense be as strong as the offense.
If that happens, then Tennessee could contend for the SEC East title and have the chance to make the playoffs.
Butch Jones hasn’t proven he can join the likes of Tennesse legends Robert Neyland, Doug Dickey, Bill Battle or Phillip Fulmer just yet.
If the Volunteers grab 10 wins, it will be first time since Fulmer’s 10-3 finish in 2007.
But another eight-win regular season will have the Vols watching the title game from Knoxville as the either the Gators or Bulldogs will take on LSU or Alabama for the SEC championship.
And Jones will once again be considered a coach who can’t win the big game.