Josh Heupel’s program lost plenty from last season. The Tennessee Football offensive line is certainly one of the top concerns.

“I feel like we are off to a good start, man,” said offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, who has to replace four starters from last season. “It’s different because you lost so many guys, but the good news is this group is all sort of the same age and same level of learning. 

“They are helping each other. It’s a fun bunch to be around, and we have been working a lot. They have put a ton of time in. They have taken a ton of growth. There’s been some mis-assignments here and there, but for the most part we have been pretty assignment sound. 

“Guys have been playing hard. There’s a way to go, but a level of doing right now.” 

There is no question that replacing former Vol Cooper Mays at center is the No. 1 priority. Mays was an All-SEC center and one of the Vols’ team leaders. Now, he’s waiting to get drafted. 

Tennessee was expected to replace Mays with redshirt freshman William Satterwhite, but there seems to be some deviation in that plan since Notre Dame transfer Sam Pendleton showed up on campus in January.

“The fact that it is a competition,” Elarbee said when asked what he liked about the center position in spring practice. “With Cooper, you would sort of fake like you have to go, but you knew Cooper was going to be it. Satterwhite, yep for sure, he gets the start of the spring piece of it, but you got Sam pushing on him.”

Center isn’t the only interior offensive line position that must be addressed during the offseason. The Vols also have to replace both offensive guards. Arizona transfer Wendell Moe Jr. is tabbed to do that, most likely at right guard.

“He moved great at 345,” Elarbee said. “He’s moving even better at 325. The thing that you saw on tape, but didn’t know until you got him was he has a real sixth-sense for the game, really good at adjusting on the fly and understands. Credit it to him too, probably the most meticulous note taker we have in the meeting. 

“We used his notebook, sort as an example when we did notebook checks. The way he approaches the game. He had a little issue trying to get into health wise, but now he is rolling full speed. He is doing phenomenal.” 

When asked about Pendleton, who many had pegged to play left guard, Elarbee said, “I feel like we hit on both transfers and the fact that they are just phenomenal human beings. Sam has helped off-the-field to sort of unite the room. He’s done a great job of trying to get guys to go eat dinner outside of the facility or go play golf outside of the facility and do things together. 

“He’s highly intelligent playing guard and center. There’s been some mis-assignments just because those are the two toughest positions when you transfer in, and he knows it. We have talked about it, but he grinds at it every single day. He has a great attitude.”

Tennessee’s one returning starter has certainly seen high expectations that will be even higher this season. After transferring from LSU, left tackle Lance Heard struggled early last season with an ankle injury. Once healthy, the rising junior became a solid starter on the left side. In his second season, Heard is expected to be better than that.

“He’s really bought in to try to understand everything around him, not just himself,” Elarbee said. “He’s asking about routes, why defenses are doing this, why are we doing this and just trying to holistically learn. The thing I have challenged him on, he still has to continue to work (on) running-game footwork, what he’s doing, his protections, keeping a base and staying in a good body position and fight everyday like there is something breathing down his neck. He’s been awesome. Been phenomenal.” 

Tennessee’s newest newcomer on the offensive line is highly touted prospect David Sanders Jr. In a perfect world, he’d be ready to start for the Vols at right tackle.

“Early on, it was challenging him,” Elarbee said. “Man you want to play early, you have to learn everything and try to push the envelope mentally. I think he’s got a ton better there. He’s one of the ones that we are trying to help learn how to be a pro as far as the note-taking piece of it.  

“He is freaky athletic and freaky talented. Man, he flashes as much as anybody. Like the amount of times he is able to go play full speed because he knows exactly what he is doing, is way more now than it was at the beginning. You just have to keep building on that to where something changes and he doesn’t have to think so he can just react and go play.

“Phenomenal kid. He has bought in every single day. Works and grinds his butt off. Comes over to meet extra. He’s done a great job.”   

Suddenly, Tennessee’s offensive line doesn’t seem all that disconcerting. We’ll see if that’s the case this fall.