Tennessee eager to produce big plays that were missing from Vols' offense last season

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee's offense is better equipped to make the kind of splash it failed to produce last season.

The Volunteers struggled to deliver big gains - what coach Butch Jones refers to as "splash plays" - while going 5-7 last fall for its fourth straight losing season. Tennessee had only 11 plays from scrimmage that went at least 40 yards, down from 19 in 2012.

Florida was the only Southeastern Conference offense with fewer gains of 40-plus yards. For comparison's sake, SEC champion Auburn's offense had 26 plays from scrimmage that picked up at least 40 yards.

The development of sophomore wide receiver Marquez North and the arrival of a talented recruiting class featuring running back Jalen Hurd and wide receiver Josh Malone offer the potential for more excitement this year.