SEC Network analyst and former Florida wide receiver Chris Doering hasn’t been quiet about his hesitation with Tennessee heading into the 2023 season.
During an SEC Network conversation from the start of the weekend, Doering classified Tennessee as a team trending down in a segment in which he picked Texas A&M and Florida as two teams that are trending up. Doering stated elsewhere last week that he believes Tennessee’s opponents will have more plans to stop or slow down the Vols offense, which makes the comments on the SEC Network broadcast less surprising.
“First off, I’m very high on Josh Heupel, his offense, the future of the program, I’m very high on Joe Milton, I think he’ll get there,” Doering said during the conversation with Alyssa Lang. “But to think that they’re going to lose maybe one of the best players in the history of that program in Hendon Hooker and not miss a beat at all, when you’re playing a schedule like this, is way naive.”
Doering then went on to break down Tennessee’s upcoming schedule for the season.
“I mean, look at the road games,” Doering said. “You’ve got to go to Florida, an incredibly tough place to play in September for [Milton’s] first road start. Bama, Kentucky, Missouri, and you draw [Texas] A&M and Georgia at home? That is a tough schedule. Tennessee has not won 11 games in back-to-back seasons since ’97 and ’98. I actually think they take a bit of a step back this year.”
Doering’s comments are unsurprising – not because of the Florida connection – but because of the comments he made in a video released that very same day. Doering participated in a Florida Football Roundtable discussion hosted by 92.5/1010XL’s Dan Hicken alongside Steve Spurrier and former UF quarterback Shane Matthews.
“I think that’s one of the fascinating things to me is what’s done in the offseason from defensive coaches and preparing for certain offenses,” Doering said on the roundtable after Matthews stated that he thinks Tennessee will take a step back. “I think a lot of folks have watched a lot of film on Tennessee this year and have a lot of plans for how they can provide some wrinkles to stop or slow them down.”
More from RTI: Florida Roundtable Thinks Tennessee ‘Takes a Step Back’, Will Be Figured Out by Opponents
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III will step into the starting quarterback role this season after spending the previous two as the backup to Hooker. Milton actually started the Vols’ 2021 season but an early-season injury paved the way for Hooker to step in and take the starting job for the rest of the season and his time in Knoxville.
Milton didn’t go anywhere, though, instead working to develop himself into a quarterback that can play effectively in Heupel’s offensive system.
“I’m excited for him,” Tennessee HC Josh Heupel said about Milton on Monday afternoon in Knoxville. “He’s a guy that did it the right way when it didn’t go his way early on. He looked at himself and saw how he needed to continue to improve to get better, trust in his coaches and the program and believe in the guys around him inside of the locker room. He’s put himself in a position to play at a really high level because of the work ethic that he’s had inside of our program.”
Florida will host preseason No. 12-ranked Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 7:00 p.m. ET from Gainesville, Florida. The Gators are looking for revenge after last year’s 38-33 loss to the Vols in Neyland Stadium.
To see the full segment from ESPN’s SEC Network with Chris Doering and Alyssa Lang, check out the video below.
One Response
Of course he would.Florida is trending up??Everyone else sees them trending down. Florida will get blasted in first game and all will see which way they are trending.
Tennessee will take care of business and Milton will be fine.
Go Tennessee!