Tennessee’s 2022 regular season is over, and what a run it was. The Vols won 10 games, had the best offense in the sport and exorcised some demons in the process.

At the same time, those 2 losses loom large. Barring total madness, Tennessee will be on the outside looking in for the College Football Playoff.

Let’s get out the grade book …

QB: A+

Thanks to a torn ACL, Hendon Hooker didn’t get the opportunity to finish the 2022 season, but his resume was more than complete.

Hooker threw for 3,135 yards this season, completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing for 27 scores while tossing only 2 INTs. He also ran for 430 yards and 5 TDs.

He was in complete control of the Tennessee offense. A Heisman Trophy candidate for much of the year, Hooker was the biggest reason why the Vols knocked off rivals Florida, LSU and Alabama.

It’s going to be tough for the Vols to match his production next season.

RB: B+

Tennessee liked to spread carries around in their running game. Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small basically split carries down the middle, with Wright getting 135 attempts and Small picking up 144.

Freshman Dylan Sampson didn’t get as many carries, but he averaged 6.8 yards per carry.

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Tennessee sportsbooks are live in the Volunteer state since November 1, 2020. Tennessee was the first SEC state to legalize sports betting.

Hooker was a big part of that rushing attack as well, averaging 39 yards per game on the ground.

WR/TEs: A-

Wide Receiver U. Tennessee used to boast that nickname when the likes of Carl Pickens, Joey Kent and Peerless Price were making plays at Neyland Stadium.

I don’t think it is a stretch to say that Wide Receiver U is back in a big way. Jalin Hyatt, Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton combined for 142 catches, 2,372 yards and 22 TDs. Unfortunately, Cedric Tillman was never near 100 percent after he was injured against Akron, but he still added 37 catches, 417 yards and 3 TDs.

That foursome was as good as any in the nation.

At TE, Princeton Fant was the Swiss Army knife of that offense. Fant had 20 catches with 3 TDs, while also getting 6 carries with 5 TDs and even throwing a TD pass.

OL: B+

All of Tennessee’s scoring prowess wouldn’t have been possible without this experienced and talented offensive line. Right tackle Darnell Wright and left guard Jerome Carvin were the senior leaders in this group. Left tackle Gerald Mincey, center Cooper Mays, Jeremiah Crawford and Javontez Spraggins … they were pros in Josh Heupel’s fast-paced offense.

We don’t give them an A because they did allow 23 sacks, nearly 2 per game.

DL: C-

Tennessee was in the middle of the pack nationally when it came to QB pressure, collecting 27 sacks. Byron Young leads the team with 5.

Roman Harrison (3), Tyler Baron (2.5), Omari Thomas (2) and Da’Jon Terry (2) each made big plays as well. Young also led the Vols with 10 tackles for loss.

LB: C+

Aaron Beasley was one of the Vols’ best players in 2021 and followed with a very good senior season. Beasley finished the regular season with 64 tackles.

Jeremy Banks led the Vols in tackles in 2021 with 128, but he took a step back this year, collecting 53. Redshirt senior Juwan Mitchell finished 7th on the team with 41 tackles.

DBs: D+

For the 2nd straight year, Tennessee’s secondary was the weakest part of this team. The Vols allowed 287 passing yards per game, among the worst in the country.

As a group, they did collect 8 INTs.

Specialists: B

Chase McGrath made one of the biggest kicks in the history of the program. His 40-yard wounded quail barely got over the crossbar as Tennessee beat Alabama, 52-49.

McGrath did miss an extra point in that game and missed another a couple of weeks later. He made 79 percent of his placekicks.

Paxton Brooks took all 30 punts, averaging 39 per punt. He also took most of the kickoffs, with 27 of his 88 kicks finishing as touchbacks.

Dee Williams finished the regular season in style with a 73-yard punt return TD against Vanderbilt.