SB Nation - Brent Vinson

Opening Our Files: Roundup on Tennessee Previews & Other Volunteer Notes

Nestor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:26 -0000

So let's officially open up our collective notebooks on Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols under first year head coach Lane Kiffin is coming off a picture perfect opener against newly minted D-1 Western Kentucky. The numbers the Volunteers piled up against the Hilltoppers were pretty sick. From the Tennessee team report posted over at Yahoo! Sports:

Western Kentucky turned Jonathan Crompton into Peyton Manning Lite, as the senior quarterback tossed five touchdown passes Saturday in a season-opening 63-7 annihilation at Neyland Stadium.

"To see Jonathan throw for five touchdowns today, more than he threw for all of last year, was really good for him," Kiffin said. "This is a quarterback and an offensive line that has been torn apart for a while now."

Crompton and the O-line did the tearing in front of a sun-drenched crowd of 98,761. Tennessee finished with 657 yards and 34 first downs, numbers that would have required three games to amass last year when the team went 5-7 and cost Phillip Fulmer his job.

Tailbacks Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown each rushed for more than 100 yards and scored a touchdown. Hardesty rolled up 160 and Brown, a highly touted freshman, ended with 104.

Monte Kiffin’s defense had the Hilltoppers in minus numbers during the third quarter and allowed only 83 yards in 46 snaps. Western Kentucky picked up just six first downs.

The Volunteers piled up video game numbers on both sides of the ball, racking up 657 total yards and 34 first downs on offense, while limiting the Hiltoppers to 6 first downs (apparently their only first down in first half came via a penalty).

Yeah, I know it's kind of easy to dismiss those crazy numbers because they were taking on a hapless Hilltoppers bunch that was apparently playing their first D-1 game. However, I am not going to discount this kind of performance in their opening game under new coach, because it (at least on paper) shows that they are trying to put together a team with lethal killer instincts.

Bruins will have a puncher's chance though (even though at this point I am not seeing how we can pull out this win with a freshman QB and a completely revamped OL). The Tennessee team we are going to play this season is going to be a bit different than the one we shocked at the Rose Bowl. I have gathered some of the pre-season notes on their personnel from around the web with the latest update from our colleagues at Rocky Top Talk (RTT), after the jump.

So Kiffin (or should I say the Kiffins?) will be waiting for the Bruins with a team that returns 12 starters (7 on offense and 5 on defense) from last year's team. Paul Meyerberg from the New York Times has the following lowdown on the key losses from last year's team:

Key losses: Tennessee’s losses on offense are most felt at receiver, where the team lost two 2008 starters to graduation and another pair of potential 2009 starters to injuries. Lucas Taylor was one of Tennessee’s more dependable targets last fall, making 26 grabs for a team-leading 332 yards. The Vols also lost the part-time starter Josh Briscoe, who made 14 receptions for 176 yards and a score. Making matters worse, U.T. lost the senior Austin Rogers (14 for 180) for the season in the spring because of an A.C.L. tear, and may also be without the junior Denarius Moore for much of 2009. Moore, who made 11 receptions for 271 yards (a team-best 24.6 yards per reception), broke his left foot two weeks ago and may miss as much as three or four months. The team also faces a gap on the right side of its offensive line, where it lost guard Anthony Parker and tackle Ramon Foster (27 career starts). In the backfield, running back Arian Foster (570 yards, 1 touchdown) might have had a disappointing senior season, but he still departs as the team’s second-leading career rusher (2,964 yards). As a junior, Foster earned all-SEC honors after rushing for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also added 83 career receptions, 19 as a senior. The would-be junior Lennon Creer, the team’s second-leading rusher last fall with 388 yards, opted to leave the program in April.

On defense, Tennessee lost a pair of starters at each level: the line, linebackers and secondary. The biggest is most likely end Robert Ayers, who earned all-SEC honors as a senior. He seemed to put it all together in his final season, making 49 tackles, a team-best 15.5 for loss, and 3 sacks. At tackle, the 21-game starter Demonté Bolden had 35 stops (6 for loss) as a senior. Middle linebacker Ellix Wilson led the team with 89 tackles, and added a sack and an interception; a fine season for the first-year starter and team leader. Rounding out the losses at linebacker are Nevin McKenzie (53 tackles, 10 for loss, a team-best 5 sacks) and Adam Myers-White. The U.T. defense must also replace cornerback DeAngelo Willingham and safety Demetrice Morley. Willingham, a two-year starter, finished second on the team with three interceptions. The would-be senior Morley added 42 tackles and 2 interceptions, but was kicked off the squad after violating team rules. That’s the second time Morley has been kicked off the team in three years; he won’t get a third shot.

Now don't get lulled into a false sense of comfort after reading those grafs. ~~First of all not sure where NYT got their info on Lucas Taylor because I still see him listed in Tennessee's depth chart this season. So that's a mistake~~. As for their losses at WRs, they have plenty of youngsters sprinkled through their depth chart (PDF) (HT hooper at RTT via Chattanooga Times Free Press).

Also, despite the loss of Paker and Foster at the OL, the Voluntees will have a powerful, huge veteran OL ready for the Bruin front-7 this weekend in Knoxville. If I read their correctly everyone except their center is over 300lbs and all of their starter are upper classmen (except for Jarrod Shaw, the 6-4, 332 Jr. who is listed as "Co-No-1" with Aaron Douglas, 6-6 282 red shirt freshman) From Athlon Sports' pre-season capsule on the Tennessee OL:

Chaney (OC John Cheney, who who Kiffin pried away from the St. Louis Rams, - BN Ed.) has brought with him a zone blocking scheme that has enabled the Vols’ linemen to play with more aggression. The interior line is strong with fourth-year starter Josh McNeil at center flanked by fellow seniors Jacques McClendon and Vladimir Richard. Senior Chris Scott has a hold on left tackle duties, while Jarrod Shaw and converted tight end Aaron Douglas are battling for the starting job at right tackle. "Last season was rough," Richard says. "But Coach (Kiffin) is a competitor. He loves smacking people in the mouth." After years of defensive dominance in practice drills, the UT offensive line stepped up and proved it could hold its own in the spring.

On other key returnees let's go back to that capsule from the NYT:

Players to watch: He’s undoubtedly the best defensive player in the F.B.S. But in my mind, the strong safety Eric Berry is the best player in the country – regardless of position. Yeah, there’s that quarterback down in Gainesville, so maybe Berry’s coming in second. That shouldn’t detract from what we’re all seeing from the talented junior: he’s the best defender U.T. has developed since Reggie White, and in my mind, if Tennessee shocks the SEC and wins 9 or 10 games, Berry should receive very heavy consideration for the Heisman. Through two seasons, Berry stands second in the N.C.A.A. with an SEC-record 487 interception return yards, a total coming off of 12 interceptions. His single-season outputs in this category rank first (265 yards last fall) and third (222 in 2007) in SEC history. Last fall, Berry tallied 73 tackles (8.5 for loss), 3 sacks and 7 interceptions, two of which he returned for scores. (He may have been Tennessee’s best offensive weapon.) For his efforts, Berry was a unanimous all-American – U.T.’s first since 1990 – and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The only college safety I’ve seen match Berry’s combination of speed, ferocity and ball skills was the late, great Sean Taylor. So, as you see, he’s the king of the U.T. defense. Who will help carry the load? The Vols return the junior Dennis Rogan at one cornerback spot, as well as the 2007 starter Brent Vinson. Also competing for a starting spot at corner are the sophomores Art Evans and C.J. Fleming, though I wouldn’t be surprised if one of Tennessee’s heralded incoming freshmen make a push for playing time. U.T. will look toward the freshmen Prentiss Wagner and Rod Wilks or the sophomore Stephaun Raines at free safety. The senior Rico McCoy (87 tackles and a sack last fall) is the lone returning starter at linebacker. Making the push to join him in the starting lineup are the juniors Nick Reveiz (middle) and LaMarcus Thompson (strongside), each of whom played important roles on special teams a season ago. Besides McCoy, U.T. is very young and untested at linebacker. The situation is a little clearer on the line, where the juniors Ben Martin (18 tackles, 1 sack) and Chris Walker (15 tackles, 3 sacks) have secured their places as the starters at end. You’ll likely find the senior Dan Williams (48 stops, 8.5 for loss) on the nose, while the senior Wes Brown (37 tackles, 2.5 sacks) finds himself in competition with the freshman Montori Hughes for the second starting spot on the interior.

On offense, the senior Jonathan Crompton will again be the starter at quarterback. Let’s ignore the fact that his starting job has come by default. Quite simply, Crompton must be better in 2009 than he was a season ago. It shouldn’t be too difficult, as he did not play up to his potential last fall: 86 of 167 (51.5 percent) for 889 yards, with four touchdowns against five interceptions. He can – and should – be better, but some aspects of Crompton’s game must improve. His touch, for example. Crompton lacked it last fall, when he seemed to throw every pass as hard as he could. His decision-making must also improve. His only competition for the starting job is the junior Nick Stephens, who has missed most of the last five months while recuperating from a hand injury. Stephens started six games last fall, putting up numbers similar to Crompton’s (840 yards, 4 touchdowns, 3 picks). The senior Montario Hardesty ascends to the top spot in the backfield after rushing for 271 yards a season ago. That total leads all returning Volunteers. He may be the lead back, but the Vols will also give carries to the sophomore Tauren Poole and the true freshman Bryce Brown, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the 2009 cycle. Brown chose U.T. in part because of the potential for immediate playing time, so expect to see his number called early and often. Three starters return up front, led by the potential all-conference center Josh McNeil. The senior enters his final season with 35 career starts, the most of any active Volunteer. McNeil was a freshman all-American in 2006 and an honorable mention all-SEC selection in 2007. He’s joined up front by the senior left tackle Chris Scott and the senior left guard Vladimir Richard. I’m intrigued by the potential of the redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas, a former tight end who is in the hunt to start at right tackle. Given his experience and lack of prototypical size (he’s only 282 pounds, my word), can Douglas be the presence required of the right tackle in the run game?

Well as mentioned above looks like Douglas impressed the coaches sufficiently enough that he earned a spot on the depth chart as "co number 1" (whatever that means) with Jarrod Shaw. In some ways, Douglas sounds like he is the same situation as Nate Chandler found himself last year (when we were hurting for bodies at OL) as the coaches are doing whatever they can to incorporate his size and athleticism into the lineup.

Now in terms of what to expect next week, my bet is that Kiffin and Cheney will devise a plan on offense in which they will rely on a power running game. Again from Pete Fiutak's preview at Scout.com:

What to watch for on offense: Power running. The coaching staff will try to pound the ball, rely on the tremendous defense, and try to control the game and the clock. The passing game will try to push the ball deep a little more to stretch things out, but the offense will spend most of its time using its humongous, veteran line to pave the way for a fantastic group of backs. The backfield was good enough to get by, and then came the recruiting class with Toney Williams, David Oku, and the No. 1 prospect in America according to CFN, Bryce Brown, all ready to make a huge impact and upgrade the stalled ground attack.

What to watch for on defense: A ton of interceptions. All the pieces are there for the secondary to come up with a phenomenal year. Not only is there track star speed across the board, but there’s all-everything safety Eric Berry as the sheriff in the Tampa 2 scheme, but the pass rush should be better. Even with Robert Ayers off to the NFL, the Vol defensive front should be more active with Ben Martin and Chris Walker two speedsters on the ends who should be camped out in opposing backfields.

Going back to their offense, I am still shocked at how the Tennessee coaching staff from last year forgot to run the ball down our throats last season at the Rose Bowl. They had piled up around 180 yards rushing and 2 TDs running the ball against our defense last year yet for some inexplicable reasons they decided to go away from that and depend on Crompton's arm. I just don't think Kiffin is going to make the same mistake. I fully expect them to come after our front-7 all evening long with their powerful OL, and do what they can to wear us down on their home turf. This is going to be a huge challenge for our defense.

I think the key for us on Saturday is going to be somehow get on the board early. If they we can get on the board early and then force them to go away from the game plan of running the ball down our throats, we will have a shot.Needless to say special teams is going to be a huge factor. We are going to need our kickers to give us good field position as much as possible forcing the Volunteers to go long drives. Otherwise if we fall behind early and make early mistakes on offense, the situation has the potential to snowball out of control like last year in BYU.

It will take supreme concentration and focus on our part to hang in there early against the Volunteer emotion, and then somehow put ourselves in position to steal the game in second half. My head tells me that we are simply too young and inexperienced (on offense) to pull this off. My heart is pulling for our guys to make me eat crow on Saturday night. So that's what I have for initial notes on the Volunteers to get the scouting started for this week. I will throw it back to you start filling up the info. folders on Tennessee (either via comment thread here or in the FanPosts).

GO BRUINS.

Tennessee Volunteers v. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: immediate post-game ramblings

Joel — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:30:33 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

3 months ago: Tennessee tailback Montario Hardesty (2) outruns Western Kentucky's Taurean Smith (41) during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. Hardesty had 160 yards rushing in Tennessee's 63-7 win. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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Well, maybe not so immediate, as I had to drive home to Johnson City first, but here we go: commence the 15-minute nearly immediate post-game mostly incoherent and questionable-impression-filled ramblings. No fact-checking or grammar police allowed.

Tennessee thumped the Hilltoppers 63-7 and were within two yards on the last play of making it 70 to finish the game. Lane Kiffin said on the post-game radio show that the seven points the defense gave up came when they took both Nick Reveiz and Eric Berry out of the lineup. In any event, it was a dominating performance, and yes, you have to account for the fact that Western Kentucky just played its very first game as a full-fledged FBS team, but still.

The pre-game routine was shaken up a bit, I believe. The Pride of the Southland Marching Band formed the word "VOLS" before getting into the USA and the Power T, and I don't remember that being part of the show before. Am I right about that, band dudes?

Not that many would notice. I was struck by how many folks don't show up for the pre-game show, which is a real shame. The student section was almost entirely empty until about ten minutes before kickoff, which falls somewhere in the middle of the show. The rest of the stadium, too, was dotted with orange instead of blanketed with it. Once kickoff came, the seats were filled, but why wouldn't you want to see the hype?

Yeah, they played the Eric Berry for Heisman .com video, but no one really reacted to it either way, and it was before things really got underway, so it didn't distract from the game or anything else. One addition to the pre-game that I thought was fantastic was an actual cool video with energetic music (difficult to make it out in the top sections) and video of the players. I liked that addition a lot, actually.

Then, instead of running through the T as soon as it opened, the team stayed mostly in the tunnel after it opened, and you could see Orgeron and a couple of other people leading the team in the chant we've seen a couple of times in a couple of different places. WAR TIME! LET'S TAKE IT OUTSIDE! WAR TIME! LET'S TAKE IT OUTSIDE! They did that for awhile while everyone waited and then finally ran through the T. The extra anticipation was great, I thought, and I look forward to the day when the crowd figures out how to bounce up and down and follow them in the alternating cheer.

And yeah, the JumboTron was fantastic. Clear, big. Useful. Except that it was extremely slow in showing replays, sometimes not starting them in time for them to finish before the next play started, and sometimes not showing them at all despite a splash screen promising it was coming.

The game? The game was fantastic. I know it was only WKU, but I liked it. I know that Jonathan Crompton threw an early interception (and another one later), that Nu'Keese Richardson muffed a punt early, and that Montario Hardesty (I think) fumbled early, but despite those facts and the fact that the first quarter ended in a scoreless tie, the mistakes never seemed inevitable, and the trend never felt like it was going to permanent. The team was moving the ball, and the defense was shutting the opponent out.

And then, the offense scored 63 points in the last three quarters and almost added another. Four different backs racked up yards, points, and touchdowns, and several different receivers were involved in the passing game. Credit the offensive line because there's no way all four backs rip off huge chunks of yards at a time without them doing their job well. Jonathan Crompton did throw one other interception and drop (but recover) a shotgun snap, but the radio guys were saying he finished 21 of 28 with five touchdowns, which is quite noteworthy because he threw a total of four TDs all of last season. Marsalis Teague had a fantastic game catching the ball and, today anyway, seemed like the go-to receiver.

And the defense -- whoa. The entire team seemed extraordinarily active in WKU's backfield. I don't know how many sacks we had, but it seemed like a lot. And a lot of zero to negative yardage plays to boot. There was also an interception by Brent Vinson. And like I said above, the only touchdown apparently came when the coaching staff took both Reveiz and Berry out of the lineup.

Time's almost up. I'll have another, un-timed post-game recap tomorrow after I have a chance to re-watch the game on TV and have a look at the stats, but the bottom line is that this was an impressive performance for the team and a sight for skeptical eyes, even considering the opponent. It should give the team confidence and the fan base some optimism going into next week's game against UCLA.

Vols to Watch For in the Opener

Will — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:53:32 -0000

Despite all the new that will be on hand Saturday at 12:21, there are a few things we know for sure: the Vols will still run thru the T, Nick Reveiz is still short, and Eric Berry is still Eric Berry, son.

...that's about it.

Joel used the word "carnival" to describe it Monday night on the podcast, and he's right: there will be so much to see for the very first time, Vol fans may find themselves in sensory overload by the first TV timeout. Amidst the orange flood in Lane Kiffin's personal genesis, here are five key things we're watching for on Saturday afternoon:

The Fab Five

That's right: Jimmy, Jalen, CWebb, Ray and Juwan.

(Do you know that a google search for "Fab Five" pulls up a Texas cheerleader scandal before the Michigan basketball team?)

In years past, it seems like if we even had five freshmen who would be contributing right away, we'd be talking about both sides of the ball plus special teams. But Lane Kiffin's first class has combined with injuries to upperclassmen to produce five offensive skill players - Bryce Brown, David Oku, Nu'Keese Richardson, Marsalis Teague and Zach Rogers - who will be seeing significant action on Saturday.

Brown is the co-#1 starter at tailback, and as Rivals' overall #1 recruit, all eyes will be on #11 when he gets in the game (though in fairness, we haven't seen the fully armed and operational Montario Hardesty in about two years either, so I'm very eager to see what the senior can do as well). Oku could be the first Vol to touch the ball in '09, as he'll be returning kicks with Dennis Rogan.

Nu'Keese Richardson could also touch it first as the Vols' primary punt returner, who has also claimed the top spot on the WR depth chart and seen some camp action at quarterback in a package we're still trying decide what exactly to call. Teague and Rogers will see action alongside Brandon Warren and Quintin Hancock at wide receiver as well.

One big day from any of these guys would be special. Getting contributions from several of them would be even better.

The Defensive Line

They may not all be freshmen, but there's a possibility that all four starters could be seeing their first action in a brand new role.

Chris Walker was a backup end last season, was the most talked about defensive player not named Eric Berry in the spring, and will receive his first starting assignment on Saturday. Gerald Williams is slated to lineup on the other side, who was playing linebacker while Walker was being called "unblockable" this spring. Now Williams has been called the most dominant player on the line in fall camp. We've never seen either of these guys show anything like that at defensive end in an actual game...but we're ready and willing to have our hopes validated, early and often.

In the middle, Wes Brown has been moved from end to tackle, though his snaps will be limited due to the structural integrity of his knees. And if freshman Montori Hughes can hold off Dan Williams - who thought about turning pro last season - the Vols will have four brand new faces at each position from last season's starting defensive line. And where that would normally be a cause for great concern, this entire offseason it's been a cause for great optimism, based on their play in practice and scrimmages. Tennessee needs this defensive line to be more than good if the Vols are going to have the type of season they want to have. That type of performance can start with lots of time in the WKU backfield on Saturday.

Not Eric Berry

We know all about #14, and the new VolTron will be eager to show you more during breaks in the action on Saturday I'm sure. What we don't at all know about is Dennis Rogan at free safety, or just about everybody who is slated for action on the two deep at corner.

Brent Vinson has been banged up in camp, and has thus disappeared from the depth chart. Marsalous Johnson has seen limited action before at corner, but he's currently listed as the #2 option on the right side.

That leaves freshmen Mike Edwards, Eric Gordon, and Janzen Jackson, plus Anthony Anderson and Art Evans (Darren Myles is EB's backup. Have you ever seen EB come out for a play?). We've never seen anything from any of these guys before, and chances are before the year's out we're going to see lots from all of them.

I know Eric Berry can play. I don't know if any of these other kids can. We're all eager to find out...so any of them who get their hands on a ball on Saturday, we'll instantly feel a lot better about.

Cody Sullins, Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw

Sullins has been neck and neck with Josh McNeil since Kiffin opened practice back in the spring, so the news that Josh McNeil may never play football again isn't as devastating on the field as it is off it. But in a spot where the Vols have no quality depth to begin with, they'll also be counting on these three names to step into the fray immediately and protect...

Jonathan Crompton

Alright, so we'd all love to see 25 of 30 for 350 and a touchdown pass to each freshman on Saturday...but we don't need it.

What we need is confidence. Crompton sounds like he has it - he sounded better in Tuesday's press conference than I've heard him since this time last year, he's earned his own fresh start, and playing well - not great, just well - would be a tremendous way to build his own confidence, and silence those who are waiting for his first mistake to revisit old demons.

If our quarterback - because that's what he is - can limit poor decisions, not turn the ball over, and simply manage the offense and all those other cliches, Tennessee's offense will be much improved. Against Western Kentucky, a team that will start so many young players on defense, Crompton and the offense may have a chance to get off to a really good start.

Like any broken relationship, it's going to take plenty of time and more than one good moment to reconcile the two parties, Crompton and the fans. But he can take a huge, huge step in the right direction - both with the fanbase, and in the infinitely more important department of winning football games - with a good performance on Saturday.

What about you? What are you watching for as the season finally begins?

Poll

Who are you most interested to see in the season opener on Saturday?

The Fab Five

86 votes

The Defensive Line

15 votes

New Offensive Linemen

9 votes

New Defensive Backs

5 votes

Jonathan Crompton

131 votes

other (leave it in the comments)

8 votes

254 votes | Poll has closed

Talking Points: Tennessee secondary still unsettled

Joel — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:07:28 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee running back David Oku smiles as he is asked questions during an interview at Tennessee's football Media Day, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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The secondary still isn't settled. Eric Berry, of course, has the spot at strong safety, but the other three slots are up for grabs. The free safety spot will go to one of Dennis Rogan, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles, or Derrick Furlow (with Furlow as a long shot), and the cornerback spots are looking like they'll go toBrent Vinson and Art Evans, but Anthony Anderson is still in the mix.
VolNation has a handy SEC survival guide for Lane Kiffin.
In his new gig with the University, Drew Edwards has a fantastic day-in-the-life piece on Jonathan Crompton, which includes a peek into the program's video study capabilities.

The standoff between Gannett and AP on one side and the SEC on the other has resulted in the SEC again revising its media policy, mostly out of PR concerns. Won by the media are additional flexibility in internet news coverage, uses of pictures, and access to video for TV newscasts. The league retains is exclusive rights for game action video on the internet but will allow news conferences and pre-game, post-game, and halftime interviews. Play-by-play blogging is still prohibited.

VolQuest gets to know Roger Woods, the team's new chaplain.

Alabama has "four or five" guys out sick with the flu. Will we be adding flu reports to injury reports this season?

David Oku is shaping up as one of the team's most versatile players.

John Adams is impressed with the Kiffin Chimera and thinks the team will be much improved, but warns that it will be several years before they will challenge either Florida or Alabama, both of whom have a significant head start.

ESPN.com's Brian Bennett says not to count on Phillip Fulmer ending up at Louisville.

Over the Pylon has its SEC preview up.

Former Vol WR Josh Briscoe's been charged with solicitation of a minor football player he was coaching.

Talking points: Eric Berry is "full of crap" and the offense still lives

Joel — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:43:17 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty is tackled during football practice Saturday, Aug. 8 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

Offense. It's still alive! It appears that the offense is continuing to build on Saturday's successful scrimmage. Bryce Brown and David Oku each scored short-yardage touchdowns to end two-a-days on Monday, giving the offense a 6-4 win, and Jonathan Crompton apparently threw several very nice passes and again had no interceptions (same link). Crompton's roommate, Wes Brown, also disclosed that Crompton had an ankle injury and several concussions for much of last year, which could further explain some things.
Liar. Eric Berry may win the Heisman, but he's "full of crap," according to freshman defensive back Janzen Jackson. When Jackson was told about Berry saying that Jackson and Darren Myles were more ready to play as freshmen than he was, Jackson rolled his eyes and set the record straight:

"Oh, man, he's full of crap. He's full of crap," Jackson said with a laugh and a shake of his head. "Eric's a good guy. He's real humble, and I couldn't ask for a better tutor. I call him a tutor because he helps me out all the time. It's a pleasure learning under him because he knows everything. . . ."

Injuries are beginning to mount. The unavailable list now includes LB Rico McCoy, CBs Art Evans and Brent Vinson, DE Chris Walker, LB Herman Lathers, and S Stephaun Raines. Additionally, the NCAA Clearinghouse kicked freshman CB Eric Gordon off the field Tuesday, although Scout.com cites sources that the matter was quickly resolved ($) and that Gordon would return today.
Well that's not so bad. DT Montori Hughes has "superstar" potential, but, like many true freshmen, lacks consistency at this time. Apparently, if you get him angry, watch out, but if you can lull him into apathy, you can have your way with him. John Adams likens him more to Albert Haynesworth than John Henderson in that regard, but either way, that's a pretty favorable comparison, at least from a talent standpoint.
Beating Ben. Gerald Williams is now a DE and worked Tuesday with the No. 1 unit for the second consecutive day ahead of Ben Martin.
Nu'Gun. Same as the old gun. Kiffin experimented a bit with Nu'Keese Richardson at QB. Richardson threw a couple of incomplete passes and handed off to tailbacks, once fumbling the exchange.
Appeal. Austin Rogers is appealing for a sixth year of eligibility, and counting 2009 he meets the requirement of having missed two seasons due to injury, but predicting what the NCAA will do is hazardous.
Cody Sullins must be quite good. Josh McNeil has made the Outland Trophy Watch List despite not having locked down the starting center gig.
The morphing of Scott. Chris Scott has "changed his whole body type" in the offseason, according to OL coach James Cregg, which may explain why we haven't heard any more of the "Chris Walker is unblockable" talk this fall.
It's not talking to the internet. Congratulations to Drew Edwards, who has joined the UT staff as the assistant director of Internet communications.

Tennessee Scrimmage Report - August 8

Will — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:15:19 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton, left, pitches the ball to Montario Hardesty (2) during football practice Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. It was Tennessee's first day in pads. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

[Note from Will 10:21 PM - Updated with video highlights & interviews from UT's official site]

The Vols went into Neyland Stadium for their first fall scrimmage of the Lane Kiffin era, and came out with the offense feeling a lot better about itself than it had all week in practice.

Playing with the ones against the first team defense, Jonathan Crompton finished 11 of 14 for 178 yards (KNS), including a 9-for-9 start. That's right kids, it's good news about our man under center for a change, and what a great way to start his first live action under Kiffin's watch. Nick Stephens also filled the stat sheet with the second team offense, going 9 for 13 for 100 yards.

Several players saw limited action: Rico McCoy and Brent Vinson did not participate as they nursed injuries, and Eric Berry and Montario Hardesty played only a few plays; I would assume both of those guys are considered to be ready.

In Hardesty's absence, it wasn't Bryce Brown or David Oku who got the most publicity, but Tauren Poole, who was the star of UT's official scrimmage release. He pulled in a 20 yard screen pass TD from Crompton, then ripped off a pair of touchdown runs of 44 and 75 yards against the second team defense. Clearly, his leg "injury" from yesterday was no big deal.

You're going to continue to hear the names Nu'Keese Richardson, Marsalis Teague, and of course Brown and Oku as camp progresses, as all four continue to see significant action with the offense. Hooper attended practice first hand on Friday and mentioned how much fun it seemed like the guys were having, and with the offense showing some spark today, it makes us all feel better about our chances of having some fun too this fall.

Lastly, to build on a theme that won't go away this offseason...are those just practice unis we're seeing in the picture from today up there, or are we actually going to have something new on the field this fall?

The new stripes on the jersey down the side are new and an adidas touch, they weren't used in spring practice, and nothing has been said about them...but if they do make the field on September 5, hey, I kinda like 'em. The white road ones also look kinda like our RTT Create Your Own Uniform contest winner from devildogutk...

The team gets Sunday off for UT Media Day, so you're sure to hear plenty more about this team in the next 24 hours...quotes of interest and updates as we get them...

Tennessee's secondary full of Eric Berry and Berry clones?

Joel — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:43:30 -0000

One of the biggest questions this fall is who is going to play opposite Eric Berry at the other safety position. After two days of practice, Prentiss Waggner's received the most reps, so it's looking like he has the early lead. Don't count out junior Dennis Rogan or freshman Janzen Jackson, though, as they've both also received looks. Darren Myles, Jr., too, could work himself into the mix.

A bunch of freshman and Berry is really not out of the question, according to Berry himself, who said both guys are more ready to play than Berry was his first year. You know, the year Berry had five interceptions for 222 yards? Yeah. "They are great athletes right now," Berry said. "They just need to learn the playbook. I mean they are going to be great competitors at this school. I feel like they are going to be incredible. People look at me as 'this guy' but they come in with more natural ability in how they get to the ball and the plays they make. I am just saying. Look at those guys. Look at their size."

Rogan extends the praise to additional newcomers Eric Gordon, Mike Edwards, and Nyshier Oliver. "Man, they all looked real good out there, especially with it being the first day and not getting to go over a lot of the plays with the coaches," Rogan said. "They looked REAL good."

So it's little wonder that Kiffin considers the secondary is the deepest, most-talented unit on the team. "I think what you're seeing is you're seeing a unique depth in our secondary," Kiffin said. "Probably easily our deepest position, so what happens is that a lot of times the twos go in and there's someone you can pick on, someone you can go after. But when our twos go in, shoot on our twos right now Brent Vinson and (Dennis) Rogan are on our twos. So that's pretty tough guys to go against."

We have no idea what the secondary's going to look like, apart from Berry. But however it shakes out, it sounds like it's going to be strong.

Best Plays of 2008: the fourth cut

Joel — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:26:00 -0000

As expected, Brent Vinson's Pick Six Poop Out exits early as a candidate for the Best Play of 2008. After watching the play again, I am beginning to regret that I hadn't noticed earlier that the referee was taken out on the play, which is good for some extra points. Oh, well. Say goodbye:

Now things get interesting. Of the twelve plays remaining in contention, seven feature Eric Berry. How long until we get a field full of Berries? My choice for elimination is below.

DO NOT VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PLAY -- VOTE FOR THE ONE YOU WANT TO SEE ELIMINATED. The play with the most votes gets cut from the competition.

The remaining candidates:

Joel: I'm going with Eric Berry's Third Interception of the Year. Had Berry landed that leap and scored, this one could have been the best play of the year, but alas, he merely flew like a superhuman and landed like a human. And it was not only a non-conference game, it was Northern Illinois, so there really wasn't much at stake. The play didn't jump start the offense, either, which went backwards and kicked a field goal. On the other hand, Berry did add a dramatic flair by catching the ball one-footed, making that fantastic leap, and stepping on Demetrice Morley's head, so there's that. But compared to the rest of the plays, this one just doesn't make the cut for me.

Will: I'll go with Eric Berry as well, but I'll take EBWACC (Eric Berry's Wake Always Contains Carnage). So much of these for me depend on the in-game situation as well as the play itself, and here's another example of the Vols being essentially out of a game (down 18 late in the third quarter) when this play happened. It's definitely a team effort between the pick and the block(s), and I think at this point in the season our best offensive play was a Berry interception. But it didn't produce any points, it wasn't as crucial to the individual game itself at the time as any of his other plays on this list, and is ultimately just a short (for EB) INT return with a couple great blocks and a guy running around with his helmet off. I'll spend the rest of my Sunday worried that Eric Berry is reading this and coming next for me.

hooper: Ok, here's where my little quirks will cause me to significantly disagree with Joel and Will. I do think that this is an opportune time to pare down the Berry plays; since not all of them can be top-4 material, it's probably time for the more mundane ones (so to speak) to get cleared out. For me, the first one to go should be By Guess Who . . . Eric Berry. This may sound odd, as this play was a pick-six. However, I don't think the mechanics of the play were as special as some of the others, including EBWACC and Eric Berry's Third Interception of the Year. Watching those plays, the one against Vanderbilt was initiated by a very nice pass rush that caused the errant throw, but the rest was simply player positioning: there was nobody on that entire side of the field. The one guy who came close to Berry was the quarterback, who had initially been knocked down by the rush. Unfortunately, the only way for him to catch up was to get up immediately and pursue, which means that the defender who knocked him down did not stick with him (and most likely sat back to watch the play).

Meanwhile, in most of the other interceptions, the transition from defense to return blocking is a thing of sheer beauty. Watch EBWACC and 3rd Interception in particular, and it's like the defense has transitioned to blocking mode before Berry even touches the ball. With EBWACC in particular, the defense does an absolutely fantastic job of blocking properly when Berry changes direction and crosses the field. That's usually when you get block-in-the-back penalties as the defenders are turned with their backs to the interceptor and don't recognize the angles quickly enough.

In short, Berry's part in the interceptions are very similar, but the actions of the team were far different. I think the team had more responsibility and were more spectacular in the other interception plays. And actually, if you swap "Berry" with "Morley", By Guess Who is effectively identical to Rout!.

VOTE FOR THE PLAY YOU WANT TO SEE ELIMINATED.

Poll

Which play should be the next to be eliminated as a contender for the Best Play of 2008?

More Score for Moore

5 votes

By Guess Who . . . Eric Berry

6 votes

EBWACC (Eric Berry's Wake Always Contains Carnage)

3 votes

Eric Berry Flying Corkscrews Marquis Maze

3 votes

That's Beautiful

0 votes

Rout!

1 votes

Berry All the Way

1 votes

Eric Berry Clobbers Knowshon Moreno

2 votes

What a Play by Berry in the End Zone

0 votes

A Score for Moore

2 votes

Eric Berry's Third Interception of the Year

6 votes

The Fourth of the Half

3 votes

32 votes | Poll has closed

Best Plays of 2008: Brent Vinson's Pick Six Poop Out

Joel — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:00:16 -0000

At stake: See By Guess Who . . . Eric Berry.

In-game context: After a scoreless first quarter, Montario Hardesty finally had the Vols on the board with an eight-yard TD with 11:25 to go in the second. Daniel Lincoln added three points on the next series, and on Vandy's ensuing possession, Eric Berry scored a TD on an interception bringing the score to 17-0. It was becoming clear that the team had gotten the shock of Fulmer's forced resignation out of their system in the Wyoming game the prior week, and with the Commodores driving as time was ticking down to end the first half, Brent Vinson removed all doubt. Well, most of it:

Impact: Seriously, what's up with slowing down and running out of bounds at that time? Well, whatever. Daniel Lincoln added three points, and the Vols went into the locker room up 20-0. Vandy scored 10 in the second half, but Tennessee finally had its second SEC win, and more importantly, had avoided that historical eighth loss.

Talking points: guns, drugs, and money . . . oh, crap

Joel — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:28:02 -0000

Tennessee football

Another bit of info on Brent Vinson being interviewed about that shooting and Ramar Smith being arrested for that home invasion: Smith was charged with stealing guns, a half pound of pot, and $6,000 in cash. So let's recap, Smith allegedly steals guns, drugs, and money. Less than two days later, some guy gets shot multiple times and Brent Vinson just happens to be there to witness the whole thing. Despite a denial of knowledge that the two incidents are related, the article about the shooting just happens to mention the earlier home invasion (probably because the law enforcement spokesperson just happened to mention them at the same time). John Pennington asks the pertinent questions: (1) "What type of person has that in his house to steal?" and (2) what exactly was Brent Vinson doing at the scene of the second crime? Good questions that reporters are likely running down now. I do not like where this is going.
The Sporting News' Matt Hayes lists four teams on the rise and four teams on the decline. On the rise are Notre Dame (aren't they always?), Oklahoma State, North Carolina, and Miami. On the decline? Louisville, Texas A&M, West Virginia, and, yes, Tennessee:

A decline with an asterisk: The Vols have serious personnel issues, and it's going to take more than one big recruiting class to fix it. Given time -- and a ton of patience -- new coach Lane Kiffin will bring championship-caliber talent to Knoxville. You can't win big games in the SEC without an elite quarterback or a team full of experience protecting a quarterback who doesn't make mistakes. Right now, Tennessee isn't close to either.
This fall won't be much better than last year, and the Vols likely will start a true freshman at quarterback in 2010. Again, not a good sign in the meat-grinder conference. By 2011, we'll know if Tennessee will make the turn under Kiffin.
Former Tennessee receiver Tyler Maples has committed to Furman. Best of luck to Mr. Maples.

SEC

ESPN has made the opening weekend match up between projected top-10 preseason Alabama and Virginia Tech (September 5) its prime time (8:00 EST) ABC national broadcast.