Tennessee was one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season as it ascended all the way to the No. 1 spot in the nation in the College Football Playoff Rankings before finishing 11-2 with an Orange Bowl victory and a top-10 spot in the final AP Top 25. What will coach Josh Heupel do for an encore? We'll get a chance to see how that show starts on Saturday afternoon when the Volunteers tee it up for their spring game.
Gone is quarterback Hendon Hooker, as well as star wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman, which makes this year's offense wildly intriguing. On the defensive side of the ball, Heupel will have to improve upon its performance last season when the Vols gave up 405.3 yards per game.
Let's break down Saturday's game with storylines to follow, as well information on when and how to watch.
How to watch 2023 Tennessee spring game live
Date: Saturday, April 15 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Neyland Stadium -- Knoxville, Tennessee
Live stream: SEC Network+
2023 Tennessee spring game storylines
1. Who will play quarterback? Joe Milton won the job coming out of fall camp two seasons ago but was quickly replaced by Hooker. Milton has another battle on his hands now with Nico Iamaleava, the No. 3 prospect in the nation in the most recent recruiting cycle, on campus and competing for the top spot on the depth chart. Iamaleava reportedly has had a strong spring, but Milton threw 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions last season -- including four touchdowns in two starts after Hooker suffered a knee injury vs. South Carolina. It's unlikely that Iamaleava will unseat Milton on Saturday, but it will be fascinating to see just how close he is to the veteran as they head into summer workouts.
2. What will the pass defense look like? Defense doesn't win championships anymore, just enough defense does. The definition of "just enough" changes based on numerous factors, one of which is the explosiveness of the team's offense. In Tennessee's case, all it has to do is produce an average pass defense in order to contend for division, conference and national titles. Last season's pass defense was far from average, however, and was the biggest reason that the Volunteers failed at reaching their goal of winning the SEC East. Tennessee finished 12th in the SEC in pass defense at 289.5 yards per game, and South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler's 438-yard performance essentially ended Tennessee's CFP chances.
Saturday's game will allow us to see if things have changed, especially with regards to depth. Injured veterans Warren Burrell and Brandon Turnage are known commodities, but those injuries will allow Heupel to see what younger players have and how they might fit into the secondary this fall.
3. What will the wide receiving corps look like? The absence of Hyatt and Tillman will certainly hurt, but the Volunteers have weapons galore outside to help keep the passing game cooking with gas. Bru McCoy has been limited this spring, but there's no doubt that he will be Milton or Iamaleava's top target once toe meets leather this fall. Squirrel White is one of Heupel's most versatile options, Dont'e Thornton was snagged away from Oregon in the transfer portal and Ramel Keyton came on strong late last season. We will get a rough draft of the depth chart on Saturday.
