The Tennessee Vols opened the Josh Heupel era on Thursday night, and the Mocs opened their most promising season since the days of Chamberlain Field.
And while the numbers and scores will fill a different section, here’s a vote for the most important stat of the season.
No, it has nothing to do with the transfer portal at Tennessee looking like the Ridge Cut on a Friday afternoon or that UTC returns more than 40 players who started a game in the hybrid, five-game season that was 2020 and the spring of 2021.
The most relevant stat that can forecast success for these college football teams is simple: It’s vaccination rates. Yes, Heupel, Tennessee’s first-year coach, said more than 80% of the program has been vaccinated, and a UTC spokesperson said Thursday the Mocs football program is right at the 80% mark, too.
With threats of forfeits changing the complexion of the season – and continuing the financial losses in entire athletic programs – the pursuit of vaccination perfection makes sense.