SB Nation - Austin Rogers

Talking Points: the Third Saturday in October arrives a week late

Joel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:13:42 -0000

Your new No. 1. Public enemy, that is.

GVX taps Montario Hardesty, Chris Walker, and Janzen Jackson as the Vols' mid-season MVPs. Hard to argue with that, but I think you'd have to include Berry over Jackson. His stats may not be the same as they have in the past, but Monte's using his best player in the best spot week-by-week, which has to account for much of the defense's success so far this season.
Wes Rucker notes that the plan to use Gerald Jones's shiftiness, Denarius Moore's speed, and Austin Rogers' experience was thwarted by injuries and that getting Jones and Moore (as well as Quintin Hancock) back up to speed was largely responsible for the success the offense enjoyed against Georgia.
With Alabama overtaking Florida as the nation's best team (according to the AP), Tennessee will have the honor of playing two No. 1 teams in the same season for the first time in its storied history. While the numbers show that Tennessee has made much progress over last season, the bye week called into question some of its earlier performances (duplicate link). In any event, this weekend's game against the Crimson Tide is shaping up to be much like the Florida game (success means being competitive) but without the pre-game End of the Earth meme.
3SiB gets Tennessee-Alabama week rolling with a primer on responding to Alabama's many lies, a video that speaks for itself, and a story that will surely be added to the Record of Wrongs later this week.
Coming up later today (and the rest of this week): a post in four parts on the history of the Tennessee-Alabama series that I originally wrote for the Maple Street Press 2008 Alabama annual. The first part goes up at 8:00 this morning.

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.

Talking Points: dust settles, positive attitude remains

Joel — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:27:59 -0000

by Wade Payne - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee's Montario Hardesty leaps over players during football practice Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. It was Tennessee's first day in pads. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

View full size photo »

The folks who were challenged and/or displaced by underclassmen through competition this fall are having a good attitude about the whole thing. Montario Hardesty finds himself a co-starter with true freshman Bryce Brown, but says, "I think we can all do good things with the ball in our hand," and Dan Williams, who was practically a lock to start at nose tackle for much of the fall but has recently found himself as a co-starter with freshman Montori Hughes, concedes that he was making mistakes while Hughes was improving daily and says that Hughes is going to help the team.

Tauren Poole took the biggest hit as he would have almost certainly been the second-string running back under the prior regime, yet he now finds himself fourth on the depth chart behind senior Hardesty and true freshmen Bryce Brown and David Oku. Poole, though, has this to say:
It's been [competitive] the whole time, ever since Bryce and Oku got here. We all knew it was going to be like that, and it's been healthy competition. It makes each and every one of us better each and every day, and I think it's a great thing for the team.

As competitive and fast-paced as fall camp has been, Tennessee coaches and players are kicking it up yet another notch for the first Game Week of the Chimera Era. They are somehow also working on getting their legs back, an apparent inconsistency explained by more energy but fewer reps.

The offense is still missing some folks -- Gerald Jones, Denarius Moore, Austin Rogers, and Josh McNeil -- but the entire defense is back and ready to go ($?). Kiffin's conclusion? "[W]e must have practiced a lot harder on offense than defense this camp." Moore, by the way, is running agility drills during practice and looking like he could be back for UCLA.

Special teams will feature an abundance of starters, including Eric Berry and Montario Hardesty.

Newsflash: Tennessee is going to run the ball against Western Kentucky. Oh, and Hilltopper quarterbacks coach Bob Cole was Wyoming's offensive coordinator last year, and hopes to have two consecutive years of success as an opponent in Neyland Stadium. Unless he can figure out how to get Kiffin fired before Friday, I don't see that happening, do you?

QB prospect Tyler Bray is taking his official visit to Tennessee this weekend. Tall. Skinny. But QB.

Gerald Jones injury to test Tennessee freshmen

Hooper — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:41:44 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Tennessee wide receiver Quintin Hancock (87) and Brandon Warren (1) look to be your starting wide receivers for Western Kentucky. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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The high ankle sprain that will likely sideline Gerald Jones for four to six weeks is probably the second most significant injury the Tennessee Volunteers could suffer. With an already depleted receiving corps, Gerald Jones was clearly the most game-ready wide out on the team, and it wasn't really even close. Brandon Warren is advancing by leaps and bounds; Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague are further along than any Tennessee fan is conditioned to believe freshmen could be; Quintin Hancock is turning a slow start into a nice finish for fall camp, but the team always looked to Jones to provide the leadership and stability in the wide receiver corps.

Even with a cast on, Jones had been making many spectacular catches in practices and weekend scrimmages. The guy flat-out knew how to catch the ball, and how to get himself available. He was Jonathan Crompton's number one target and the player most likely to keep the opposing safeties honest.

Ladies and gents, here is your receiving corps for the opener against Western Kentucky (as of today):

Brandon Warren
Quintin Hancock
Marsalis Teague
Nu'Keese Richardson
Zach Rogers
Todd Campbell

MIA:

We're about to find out just how easy it is to learn the Lane Kiffin offense. Go Vols.

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)

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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.

Post-Spring Previews: Tennessee Volunteers

Gamecock Man — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:43:57 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

5 months ago: Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin talks about the upcoming season during the Southeastern Conference football Media Days in Hoover, Ala. on Friday, July 24, 2009. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)

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After hosting Vanderbilt the week before, the Gamecocks travel to Knoxville to take on Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Volunteers. (Remember last time we went there? Yeah, I didn't want to think about that, either. I'd rather remember blowing them out last year. It's still hard to believe that happened. And perhaps even harder to believe that it didn't seem to mean very much.) The Vols, in my estimation, are one of the hardest teams to call this year. For one thing, of course, they have a brand new coaching staff. Personally, I tend to believe that there are lots of indications that Kifin and company, for all their strange antics, will be at least mildly successful in Knoxville. Why not? Kiffin has put together an all-star cast of coaches and managed to bring in a very impressive recruiting class with limited time. Will it be enough to get back to late-90s / early-2000s levels? That's still to be seen. However, I don't see many more 5-7 seasons in store for the Vols. The turnaround may not come immediately, though.

The new coaching staff isn't the only reason this team confuses me. The 2008 version, quite frankly, looked better on paper than it played on the field. Hell, Jonathan Crompton, one of the centers of criticism, was once considered one of the best prep quarterbacks in the country and a sure-fire bluechip prospect. Were the problems the program encountered last year simply owing to misuse of talent by Phil Fulmer and his staff (notably maligned offensive coordinator David Clawson), or were there deeper talent-evaluation issues involved? Perhaps we'll find out this year.

All of this is to say that you can take these comparisons with a grain of salt. I have no idea how good the Vols will be this year, but the following is an indication of how good I think they will be based on somewhat confusing evidence. Let's take a look at the offense first.

Offense

The Vols aim to go back to a more traditional offense after the failed experiment with Dave Clawson's offensive "system" this past season. That should work well for the Vols, who have a backfield built for success running the ball. The passing game, though, still has some questions, as the Vols return embattled quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens and an unproven if talented receiving corps.

Quarterbacks

After having a good spring, Jonathan Crompton appears to be ready to take the starting role he lost midway through last year. Needless to say, 2008 was a disaster for Crompton. He threw for an abysmal 98.13 rating, more INTs than TDs, and he generally looked lost in a number of notable games, such as when he went 8-23 in an offensive clunk-fest loss against Auburn. Crompton did redeem himself somewhat in the season finale against Kentucky. Talent is not the issue for Crompton, who was once one of the nation's most highly sought recruits and who has shown flashes of brilliance at times in his career. Crompton has a cannon of an arm, and you can expect to see the Vols use that to their advantage by occasionally going deep. If Crompton fails, expect for the Vols to go back to Nick Stephens, who was somewhat effective at times in Crompton's relief midway through last year. Some previews I've seeen think Stephens is the guy the Vols should go with, but I'd have to disagree. I'd have to imagine that Vols fans are hoping the Mountain Messiah comes through; Crompton appears to be the better player, and the fact that Stephens didn't really play better than Crompton suggests that the problem may have been as much the system as the players, which would in turn suggest that Crompton might be able to show off his considerable skills if he gets in the right system.

I'm going to give Stephen Garcia the slightest of edges in this one. Garcia had a slightly better 2008 than Crompton. However, although the two have different skill sets, they both had similar 2008s: lots of promise followed by lots of disappointment. It will be interesting to see what kind of year these two are having when the game rolls around; my guess is that both will surprise and be in the top half of the quarterbacks in the SEC. It is worth noting that the Vols, who project to have a strong running game and problems at receiver, will probably try to pound the ball most of the time. Even still, I expect Crompton be much better statistically this year.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Running Backs

The Vols finished 88th in the nation in rushing offense last season, good for ninth in the SEC. That's not going to happen again. Arian Foster is gone, but the Vols have a solid group of experienced backs, including Montario Hardesty and Taureen Poole. However, the big names in this group are the newcomers: Bryce Brown, 2009's top prep prospect by most measures, and David Oku, a top multi-purpose back. These two could form an impressive thunder and lightening duo for years to come. (Actually, it doesn't really make sense to call Brown "thunder" considering that he can really do just about anything--he's 219 and runs a 4.4.) All in all, the Vols have a lot of options in the backfield. If Brown and Oku can learn to produce quickly--and that is an "if" when it comes to freshmen--this could be one of the best backfields in the conference.

I give Tennessee a slight to strong advantage here. Neither of these teams had great running games last year, but both recruited some good players in their recruiting classes and should be much better this year. The Vols, though, brought in the biggest fish of them all in Brown, who, athletically at least, looks like the prototype of the classic SEC back. Tennessee could very well have a Bo Jackson- / Herschel Walker-type on their hands.

Verdict: Slight to Strong advantage Tennessee

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Wide receiver was another sore spot for the Tennessee offense last year. Tennessee graduates top receiver Lucas Taylor and hopes that Gerald Jones, who caught for over 300 yards a year ago, can step up and become the go-to guy. Jones is very talented and could be poised for a breakout year. The Vols hope that Denarius Moore can be the deep-ball threat. (Moore will be out early in the season but should be back for our game.) Austin Rogers, who was supposed to be part of the rotation, is out for the year with a knee injury. It's also possible that star recruit Nu'Keese Richardson might see time on the field, but Richardson's small stature may prohibit him from making an impact until he puts on some weight.

I give us a slight advantage here. Both teams are looking for identity at receiver, but Jason Barnes, Moe Brown, Dion LeCorn, and Weslye Saunders have shown a bit more than UT's group.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Offensive Line

Tennessee needs better play out of its line if it wants to take advantage of all the talent in the backfield. The interior looks solid with Jacques McClendon and Vlad Richard at guards and Josh McNeil at center. However, tackle is a bigger question mark, with uncertainty at both positions. The left tackle will be either Chris Scott or Dallas Thomas. I have no idea who the right tackle will be.

This is a push. Both teams are looking for better line play and will probably get it, but question marks linger. Both teams also have to be worrying about injuries that could reveal depth issues.

Verdict: Push

Let's look at the defense after the jump.

Defense

While I'd say we overall look a bit better on offense than the Vols, they may have the advantage over us on defense. Moreover, Kiffin brings in his pops Monte, one of the NFL's all-time great defensive coordinators. The Vols will run Kiffin senior's famed 4-3 Tampa 2 defense. (The meeting between Kiffin senior and Ellis Johnson will certainly be a battle between two of the SEC's best defensive minds.) Despite the atrocious record, Tennessee's defense was very good last year, and it will probably be good this year despite losing some star power at line and linebacker.

Defensive Line

Tennessee graduates star end Robert Ayers to the NFL. However, this should still be a very good unit for Tennessee. The Vols have two speedy ends in Chris Walker and Ben Martin, both of whom will rack up a number of sacks this year. They also have depth at the position, so expect to see frequent rotation to keep everyone fresh. There's some concern about the effectiveness of the inside linemen; Dan Williams appears to be a solid, but Wes Brown looks a little small for the position. Kiffin is high on freshman Montori Hughes, who may take Brown's spot sooner than later.

I'm going to call this a push. Defensive line should be our strength on defense this year, and I think our starters may be a little better and more seasoned than UT's. However, the Vols have depth on their side, whereas we could be in trouble by this point in the season if we have multiple guys go down.

Verdict: Push

Linebackers

The Vols have one of the conference's better outside linebackers in Rico McCoy. After McCoy, though, they have some more question marks. Nick Reveiz, LaMarcus Thompson, Savion Frazier, and a group of freshmen will likely fill the other positions. This group has the talent to be good but has a lot to prove.

I give us a slight advantage here. We have an All-SEC linebacker in Eric Norwood, an experienced talent in Rodney Paulk, and a group of younger guys that at least have some experience. The Vols, while talented, will have to hope their guys can grow up really fast.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

Tennessee boasts the nation's best safety in Eric Berry. Hell, Berry might very well be the best defensive player in the country, period. He's getting some Heisman hype, a rarity for a defensive player. Berry can do it all; he can knock you silly with a bone-rattling hit, he can come down with a tough interception and then take it to the house, whatever you want. He's essentially a one-man wrecking crew. What's more, Berry has been vocal about believing that his skills will be maximized in Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2 scheme. I don't doubt he's right; this guy knows when to be confident. Highly regarded freshman Darren Myles appears to be the other starter at safety. Tennessee will start Dennis Rogan at one of the corners but is uncertain about the other. However, they have plenty of talented options. This should be a good secondary once the coaching staff figures out how to work the rotation.

Strong advantage Tennessee here. I have serious doubts about our secondary this year (although signing Darrell Givens would ease those a bit). While Tennessee does have some questions of their own, they're mostly the "good" sort of questions: too much talent to know what to do with. And Eric Berry just scares me. You never know when he's going to take one of your guys out of the game or pull in a pick six.

Verdict: Strong advantage Tennessee

Special Teams

Junior Daniel Lincoln returns hoping to improve on his 2008 campaign. Lincoln was one of the conference's best kickers in 2007 (Gamecocks fans know this) but struggled last year. Star punter Britton Colquitt graduates, but Chad Cunningham played well while Colquitt was injured last year and should be a serviceable replacement. The coverage units look solid. The Vols have a number of potential contributors in the return game. Dennis Rogan was a good kickoff returner last year, and freshmen David Oku and Nu'Keese Richardson have the speed to play right away as well.

I'll give the Vols a slight advantage here. Lincoln, who along with Auburn's Wes Byrum stangely got much worse in 2008 after stellar freshmen campaigns, is a cause for concern. However, we also have questions in that department with Ryan Succop gone, and the Vols' talent in the return game is scary.

Verdict: Slight advantage Tennessee

Head Coaches

How good can Lane Kiffin be in the SEC? That's the question that's on many minds around the SEC coming into this year. While some are predicting Kiffin will either achieve great success right away or will bust, I think we'll see something in between for the Vols this year. While the true believers on Rocky Top might not be happy with an eight-win season, in actuality that would be a success for this team. The problem, of course, is that the Vols don't project to have the kind of passing game they'll need to compete with Florida and 'Bama this year. That's not Kiffin's fault, though; if he can get this team on the right track, the quality skill-position players will come. I think Kiffin is capable of getting those eight or nine wins, and if he does that, he'll have proven that he has the potential to bring Tennessee back to the conference's upper echelon. He's already proven that he can do two important things: recruit and compete in the brutal SEC assistant-coaches arms race.

That said, though, Kiffin has yet to prove that he can do those things. Steve Spurrier, on the other hand, has, even if his star has been fading a bit over the past couple of years.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Overall

These are fairly evenly matched teams, a notion confirmed by the fact that most previews I've looked at see both teams going anywhere between 5-7 to 9-3. This game, of course, is one of the toss ups the previews point to. A lot is going to come down to how far along both teams have gotten in terms of answering the questions on offense. Injuries could also be a problem for both teams; offensive injuries in general could devastate Tennessee, whereas injuries to (heaven forbid) Garcia or someone in the secondary could be rough for us. All of this points to a game that's almost impossible to call right now. One thing I do like is that our strengths would seem to play to theirs; we project to have a strong rushing defense this year, they plan to run the ball, we'll probably run more than in years past, whereas their defensive strengths are in the secondary. I'm going to go with a close Carolina victory here, but again, I'm not sure about this one. Tennessee is a wild card; they could be a team that's average, or they could end up being a nine-or-so win team. We'll have to wait and see.

Prediction: Three-point victory USC

Poll

The Tennessee game will be a...

Blowout USC victory

19 votes

Close USC victory

52 votes

Close UT victory

31 votes

Blowout UT victory

26 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed

Talking Points: Fate wreaks havoc on Tennessee wide receivers

Joel — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:02:42 -0000

Tennessee football

Yikes! Not only did we get news about the injuries to Austin Rogers and Denarius Moore yesterday, we also learned that Gerald Jones is in a cast due to a wrist injury and that he may miss some games as well.
They're so cute! Lane Kiffin's Junior G-Men Club.
No need for bigger helmet. Eric Berry's friends are keeping an eye on the size of his head. Berry is appreciative, citing Savion Frazier after Berry's interception of Matthew Stafford and return last season:
"Savion was like, 'That was a good pick, but you let the quarterback tackle you,' " Berry said. Frazier prescribed a front-lawn workout as soon as they returned home: "We'll have you working on your jukes, then we're going to get you in the end zone."
The memory of last season is getting Vol football players through summer workouts. Josh McNeil:
"I still feel the same way about last season. I haven't lost any bitterness toward that at all. I won't lose any of it until we get a W in the first game."
Here's hoping that a single mug of refreshment isn't enough to wash away the bitterness by itself. Ten may do the trick.
Wes Brown is still recovering from double knee surgeries. Roommate Jonathan Crompton:

"It's tough. It really is," said Crompton, Brown's roommate. "Especially when I come home from class one day and I see him laying on his bed one day with both knees wrapped up from double knee surgery. That's tough on him. But he did a great job handling it, getting back from it and all that.

Brown's been keeping himself busy with alternative workouts, including boxing, swimming, and stationary biking. He's added 15 pounds, which is good because he'll likely be playing tackle instead of end this season.

Nick Stephens has also put on about 15 pounds of muscle and is retooling his throwing motion. He and Crompton are going to be spitting reps evenly with the beginning of fall camp. I have mixed feelings on that. Doesn't one of them need as many practice reps as possible?

Thanks to everyone for participating in the RTT Create a Uniform contest. Devildogutk has chosen to receive a copy of Rocky Top Tennessee 2009, which means kidbourbon gets a copy of Bruce Feldman's Meat Market. Congrats, guys.

Tennessee basketball

Now that's a beat down. Bruce Pearl's Maccabiah team beat Mexico yesterday, 112-13. NOT A TYPO.
ESPN has a nice feature on Buzz Peterson's return to Appalachian State.

SEC

Running behind this morning, so the SEC links will make their way into the noon Around the SB Nation post.

Just for fun

Dr. Saturday has everything you want to know about EA Sports NCAA 2010.

Sprints Wonders About Tennessee Receivers and Kentucky Rumors // 07.15.09

cocknfire — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:31:11 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Tennessee wideout Brandon Warren remains one of the few survivors of an injury epidemic sweeping through the Vols' receiving corps.

Browse more photos »

Nightmare on Phillip Fulmer Way. Today was the roughest day for Tennessee fans since -- when was the last time Lane Kiffin shot his mouth off? Thursday?

First came word that Austin Rogers, a fifth-year senior, would miss the season with a torn ACL and would have to appeal for another year of eligibility. (His chances for a sixth season seem pretty good, since he has almost zero chance of taking the field this year.)

Before long, Boy Wonder had revealed that fellow WR Denarius Moore was likely also out for "a couple" of games. Panic ensued.

Okay, so "panic" might be a bit strong. But 3SIB mixes those bits of news with the injury that will keep Gerald Jones on the sideline for at least a few weeks and comes to a grim conclusion about the state of the WR corps without its three leaders.

we’re left with six receivers who have a combined 28 receptions, 179 yards and three touchdowns. That is not good. At all.

Those are career numbers, by the way. At this point, the better question might be whether Lane Kiffin can get a redshirt season.

Maybe Eric Berry could play both ways to bolster his Heism@n campaign. And I'm only kind of kidding.

What Happened in Kentucky? Volunteer fans are also keeping an eye on an unfolding situation in Kentucky. A Sea of Blue is among those saying that something appears to have happened.

I have read some usually reliable sources that give some information, but it is vague, unspecified and therefore unreportable. I have no clear idea of what happened, and there have been numerous Internet reports from people who claim to have been in close proximity to the events that have caused all this concern. At this point, though, there is nothing that I can report with any confidence.

Rocky Top Talk distills some of the detailed rumors.

On Kentucky chat boards, speculation seems to be focusing toward this scenario:

--A UK female student-athlete (who may have been from Tennessee) invited some UT football players up for a visit.

--The visit got a little tense, and somebody called UK football players in.

--The incident got heated.

--A weapon (read: gun [read: handgun] ) was involved.

--No injuries are reported or speculated.

I've redacted at least one name and am staying away from some of the sketchier details until we have more.

Mississippi fans heart Paul Finebaum
Just listen to the love from The Dead Guy to Finebaum after the columnist predicted an "Ole Miss trainwreck" this year.

Whether or not the Rebels win the SEC West this year remains to be seen, but win or lose, I'll still be a Rebel and you'll still be a washed-up never-was that panders shamelessly to anyone that will actually read or listen to you, the overwhelming majority of which recognize you for the fraud you are.

A bluer response from Red Cup Rebellion is here. (Strong language advisory.)

In fairness -- and I know I'm doing exactly what he wants me to, but I just have to demonstrate -- this is one of the most noxious columns Finebaum has ever written. And that's a pretty high bar to clear. Some of the choice lines:

But there is a major problem for the Rebels and their quest to take on Florida in the SEC Championship Game. You can't get to Atlanta from Oxford. It's not going to happen.

Why not? Because they're Ole Miss. ...

Have you ever seen the book: "Greatest Moments in Ole Miss Football History" at the bookstore? No, and there's a reason. They've only had two. When Archie Manning signed his letter of intent and when Eli followed suit 32 years later. ...

But this column clearly isn't inflammatory enough. After all, most of these shots are playground-level taunts, but that's Finebaum's usual fare. It needs something. Ooh -- I know! How about we play the race card?

Do you think it's a coincidence that a school whose nickname is the Rebels hasn't won a league title since blacks started playing in the SEC?

This would be a lot easier to swallow if Finebaum had ever shown himself to be an advocate for racial justice. I would say Finebaum owes Mississippi an apology -- but at this point, he doesn't even deserve to give them one.

I'm sure Georgia will be happy to hear that
Florida Charlie Strong speaks in Tallahassee.

Strong was very diplomatic in speaking about the SEC teams, but made the point that LSU will be the most difficult game this season since it is at Baton Rouge.

In response, Georgia players learned the Macarena.

Tony Barnhart says Alabama will win the SEC West
So that's that. They play Florida in the SEC Championship Game, if it still exists. (More on that later.)

What do we acquire next?
The SEC already has ESPN and now, from the looks of things, Sports Illustrated. What more do we need?

Arkansas comes in at No. 49 on The Quad Countdown

But this team will be much better than it was last fall, mostly because of what I think will be a very explosive offense -- one that may end up being in the top three in the conference. Much of that potential success will depend on how Mallett plays in his first game experience in two seasons. He has all the tools and has a great coach showing him the ropes, leading me to believe he will flourish. Though not immediately, as it will take Mallett some time to reacclimate himself to the college game. This is similar to Arkansas as a whole, as I predict the team will get better and better as the season wears on (like Ole Miss last fall), and could be one of the hottest squads in the F.B.S. heading into bowl play.

Has it really been more than 540 days since Mallett transferred? Time flies when you're watching Casey Dick. And Nathan Dick.

Solution: Sumo wrestlers as offensive linemen
Problem: South Carolina has been awful as a running team ever since Cory Boyd left. Spurrier's teams actually rely a lot more on the run than his reputation would have you believe, but last year's team hit 112th in the nation in rushing offense.

There is still hope for Mark Richt
The Mayor does a good job of highlighting the real rule that governs coaches who generally win national titles.

Coaches who keep their teams in contention, year in and year out, eventually will catch the breaks that make the difference between 11-2 and winning it all.

Richt will be fine. As I said before, I hope he does win a crystal football -- and as I'm not sure I said before, I believe he will do so. That, by the way, meets my quota of nice things to say about Georgia for the month.

I disagree completely
Nico2.0 at Roll Bama Roll believes we should do away with the SEC Championship Game.

The bullet points of my disagreement:

--Getting rid of South Carolina and Arkansas is based more on sentimentality than on football program quality;
--This is a football-only solution that would hurt basketball and baseball, the latter of which now also features the SEC as its pre-eminent conference;
--The MAC is an awful example, in part because it is a 13-team conference split into two divisions -- this by Yankees who are supposed to be smarter than us;
--The two best teams in the MAC did meet. Maybe not in the championship game, but they met at some point in the season;
--Even so, the SEC is not the MAC. Every participant in its conference championship game has been ranked, and only six of the 34 teams to take part in the game have been ranked outside the Top 15 at the time.

Nico had mentioned doing this article to me about a year ago, so I am sure that the article has nothing to do with the fact that the team that would have won the SEC in 2008 had there been no championship game would have been...

Alabama. Hmm. (In seriousness, the post is worth a read. I just happen to strongly disagree.)

Wednesday News and Notes: More Gamecocks Previews and News Around the SEC

Gamecock Man — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:18:29 -0000

Check out Leftover Hot Dog's take on some of the Gamecocks that will make a difference this year.

Two important UT receivers down. Austin Rogers is out for the season after undergoing ACL reconstruction and Denarius Moore stands to be out for the first few games while rehabbing a broken foot. Moore will likely be back when the Vols play us. Those first few games will be rough, as they only have 1 other guy with more than 10 career receptions. Junior had better hope Bryce Brown is as good as advertised.

Urban Meyer says he will never coach Notre Dame. While coaches often say this stuff without meaning it--Nick Saban, anyone?--I tend to believe Meyer, his statements that Notre Dame is his dream job notwithstanding. He has the best job in the country right now, and while I believe Meyer could win more games in South Bend than Charlie Weiss has in recent years, winning there would be tougher than it is at Florida. Meyer would be a fool to leave, and he probably knows it.

Denarius Moore Has a Broken Foot. Wide Receiver Injuries Pile Up

Hooper — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:03:42 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Guys ... guys ... where'd y'all go?

Browse more photos »

Denarius Moore has a broken foot and is out for likely 8-12 weeks. In the interview today, Lane Kiffin confirmed that Denarius Moore was going to miss some time this season. That is in addition to the loss of Austin Rogers for the year, and suddenly the wide receiver depth chart is going to be very freshman-dependent.

Moore, as you all remember, was our deep threat last year and gave us a couple of our best highlights in the year of offensive paucity. Replacing his skills will require speed, which means that players like Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague may become rather important for the offense rather quickly.

Perhaps we'll find out how freshman-ready Lane Kiffin's system really is. We'll update as more information comes in.