Tennessee football needs boost from transfers to keep up with competition

Tennessee still is awaiting word from the NCAA as to whether Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon will be eligible this season. The outcome could prove to be significant.

The Vols will have a new defensive front this season, so the former four-star Georgia recruit would be a welcome addition.

He also would help the Vols keep up with the competition. A number of UT opponents already have been buoyed by transfers.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks didn't have to wait for their first practice to improve. They got an offensive upgrade when Clemson running back Tavien Feaster transferred to South Carolina.

The graduate transfer could become the Gamecocks' lead running back. He at least should be the fastest.

Feaster, who has run 100 meters in 10.4 seconds, had 1,330 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns in three seasons with Clemson.

BYU: Former South Carolina running back Ty’Son Williams joined the Cougars as a graduate transfer this offseason.

He rushed for more than 300 yards as a backup running back with the Gamecocks each of the past two seasons.

He scored a touchdown in South Carolina’s 27-24 victory over the Vols last October.

Williams will give BYU needed depth at running back behind likely starter Lopini Katoa.

Florida: Louisville transfer Jonathan Greenard will team up with Gators senior Jabari Zuniga to give them one of the best defensive end tandems in college football. He will help fill the void left by the departure of Jachai Polite, who had 11 sacks and forced six fumbles last season.

Greenard played in only one game last season after incurring a wrist injury in the season opener, but he had 15.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2017.

Mississippi State: Keytaon Thompson has made two starts and served as backup quarterback the past two seasons when Nick Fitzgerald was injured. But don’t rule out Penn State transfer Tony Stevens overtaking Thompson for the starting job.

He was a backup quarterback at Penn State, where Joe Moorhead was the offensive coordinator before taking the head-coaching job at Mississippi State after the 2017 season. Stevens impressed onlookers with his passing this summer at the Manning Passing Academy.

Missouri: Expectations for the Tigers changed drastically when former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant transferred. Bryant, who started for Clemson in 2017, became Missouri’s starter as soon as his transfer was finalized.

He doesn’t have the passing touch of former starter Drew Lock but will give an experienced Missouri offense a running threat at quarterback. In his only full season as a starter, Bryant passed for 2,802 yards and rushed for 665 yards.

Vanderbilt: Ball State graduate transfer Riley Neal could be the Commodores’ starting quarterback. He will have to beat out Deuce Wallace, who was suspended for the 2018 season.

Wallace might be more familiar with Vanderbilt’s offensive system, but Neal will have a huge advantage in experience. In three-plus seasons at Ball State, Neal passed for 7,393 yards and rushed for 1,363 yards while accounting for 61 touchdowns.

Neal has been the Commodores’ most publicized transfer, but they also have added several players on defense who could win starting jobs, including cornerback Cam Watkins, an Illinois transfer.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.