Everyone in and around the Tennessee football program —Â including head coach Butch Jones, obviously —Â is excited about the Vols’ potential heading into the 2015 season.

Tennessee receiver Marquez North celebrates a touchdown catch in Neyland Stadium. (Photo: Knoxville News Sentinel)

Before there can be a fall, though, there has to be a spring.

And the Vols are facing some significant challenge this spring.

The majority of Tennessee’s highly touted 2015 signing class won’t move to Knoxville until early this summer, and several of the Vols’ key returning players will be out or limited this spring while coming back from various injuries and surgeries.

Depth at several positions will be an annoyance, and in a couple of spots —Â including defensive line and middle linebacker — it likely will be a big problem as it relates to practice structure and organization.

None of that seems likely to prevent Tennessee from being considered SEC Eastern Division championship contenders. It does complicate things for the next couple of months, though. Jones didn’t attempt to deny that.

“This is gonna be the most challenging offseason in terms of spring football that we’ve ever had, because of the inordinate amount of injuries and surgeries and guys coming back,” Jones told GoVols247. “We’re gonna have to be … creative. We’re gonna have to look at everything and figure out the best way to do what we need to do.”

Jones, as usual, quickly found the silver lining to the situation.

Even Tennessee’s relentlessly optimistic head coach sees the obvious causes for concern, though.

Tennessee rising sophomore All-SEC defensive end Derek Barnett

“The positive thing is those [injured] guys will be available in June and July,” he said. “But it concerns me because, well, how do you get better? You get better by playing football. A lot of these individuals won’t be able to participate.

“Where they can improve is from the mental aspect, from the mental approach. Sometimes you learn more from coaching others, so they’ll be out there coaching for us this spring. But, yes, it is a concern in terms of the overall development of our football team.”

The Vols’ list of players who will be limited or completely out this spring is a long one, and it’s full of big names.

Jones has confirmed that sophomore All-SEC defensive end Derek Barnett, junior wide receiver Jason Croom, junior defensive tackle Danny O’Brien, freshman defensive end Kyle Phillips, freshman middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. and “possibly” senior tight end Alex Ellis will miss spring practice, while junior wide receiver Marquez North, sophomore running back Jalen Hurd, junior defensive end Corey Vereen, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Charles Mosley, redshirt freshman linebacker Dillon Bates, sophomore cornerback Rashaan Gaulden and freshman offensive lineman Chance Hall will be limited.

There’s no question that everything this spring —Â including the annual Orange and White Game in Neyland Stadium —Â will be affected by those very real depth issues.

Jones said the Orange and White Game might be even less of a “game” than normal, but the coach said he and his staff and players will find a way to put their best foot forward and give people reason to attend the annual event.

“I think about that every day, and it’s gonna be a challenge,” Jones said. “It may end up being a practice coupled with some scrimmage and some practice and a lot of individual competitions. We’re looking at lots of different things.”

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Contact Wes Rucker BY EMAIL at wesrucker247@gmail.com, or ON TWITTER or ON FACEBOOK