Tennessee football hasn't been getting much respect recently. The loss of Nico Iamaleava has left the national and regional media assuming the Vols will fall off.
While that might be the case, don't expect Tennessee to drop to seven or six wins. Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger both offer unique talents at the quarterback position and could keep Tennessee playing at a high level.
The Preseason AP Poll dropped the Vols 15 spots to No. 24 in the rankings. Beyond the quarterback drama, Tennessee is returning a stout defense and could have an offensive line equal to or better than last year's offensive line, allowing the quarterback some time to settle into the offense early in the season.