National media outlet names the 2 players that will be the biggest X-factors for the Tennessee Vols in 2024

If the Tennessee Vols are going to be a serious threat to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024, they'll need their passing game to be significantly more productive than it was in 2023.

Tennessee's offense took a step back last season after leading the nation in scoring in 2022.

Last season, the Vols averaged just 243 passing yards and 1.7 passing touchdowns per game after averaging 326 passing yards and 2.9 passing touchdowns per game in 2022.

Essentially, Tennessee had one less long scoring drive, or one less explosive pass play, per game in 2023 than they did in 2022.

The Vols will need to get back to scoring at the same clip as they did in 2022 to have a chance at success on the sport's biggest stage in 2024.

For that to happen, Tennessee will need a couple of players that weren't big factors in 2023 to step up in a big way this fall.

The Athletic, specifically, thinks that a couple of Vols transfer wide receivers will be "X-factors" for Tennessee in 2024.

Oregon transfer wide receiver D'onte Thornton and Tulane transfer wide receiver Chris Brazzell were named this week by The Athletic as the Vols' biggest X-factors ahead of the new season.

From The Athletic : This is first assuming that with Squirrel White and a healthy Bru McCoy, the Volunteers have two good, dependable receivers for QB Nico Iamaleava. But for an offense in this day and age to be truly explosive, it needs that third and sometimes even fourth receiver. Dont’e Thornton didn’t pan out as a transfer from Oregon last year while Chris Brazzell II arrives from Tulane after leading the Green Wave in receiving as a freshman. Does one emerge in 2024?

Thornton is entering his second season with the Vols while Brazzell will be in his first season with the program in 2024.

(Note: It's not necessarily fair for The Athletic to suggest that Thornton "didn't pan out" last season. It took some time for the Vols to figure out Thornton's best role in the offense. Thornton suffered a season-ending injury just as he found his groove.)

Thornton and Brazzell both have the talent to be game-changers in the SEC. And Tennessee will need at least one of them to be just that (in addition to players like Bru McCoy and Squirrel White) for this UT team to truly have a chance to make some noise in the playoff.

The Vols have plenty of talent. They just need that talent to reach its potential this fall.

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