SB Nation - Josh McNeil

Tennessee Football: Becoming a Complete Team

Will — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:45 -0000

This year, there's more than just this guy to celebrate.

Note from Will, 11:00 AM: Bumped back down to deal with the obvious breaking news of the day.

Let's start with the negative: our special teams play has not been good.

David Oku and Nu'Keese Richardson have done a fairly good job returning kicks: the Vols are 31st nationally in kickoff return average at 23.7 yards per return. But the good news ends there in the all-important third phase of the game. Take a look at Tennessee's position in the national special teams rankings (thanks once again to the fine folks at cfbstats.com):

Kick Returns: 31st
Punt Returns: 60th
Opponent Kick Returns: 103rd (one of only nine teams to allow two for TDs this year)
Opponent Punt Returns: 75th
Punting Average: 63rd (40.5 yards per punt)
FG Accuracy: 97th (10 of 16, 62.5%)

The Vols allowed Brandon James to hurt them in the kicking game again, watched Ohio run a kickoff back for a touchdown, lost to Auburn by four points in a game where Daniel Lincoln missed a field goal and an extra point, surrendered nine points to Georgia on special teams thanks to a kickoff return TD and a blocked punt safety, missed three field goals at #1 Alabama in a two point loss, and continued an unbelievable streak the following week when South Carolina made it three blocked field goals in a row for Vol opponents. Yikes.

Our special teams play has not been good. But nine games into the season, Tennessee has become a good team everywhere else.

The good news also starts with the obvious:

Jonathan Crompton

In Crompton's two starts for the injured Erik Ainge during the 2006 season, he went 11 of 24 against LSU and 16 of 34 at Arkansas, with two touchdowns (thanks, Robert Meachem) and an interception in each game. Last year in seven starts, Crompton completed just 51.5 percent of his passes for only 889 yards, 5 INTs with 4 TDs.

If you set aside the game against the worst team in FBS in the season opener, the numbers in the next four games...well, you remember right? Five interceptions and no touchdowns against UCLA and Florida combined, a pedestrian performance against Ohio, and a first half against Auburn that featured dropped balls aplenty and no hope to be found.

Throwing out Western Kentucky, take a look at the split between the next four games and the last four games:

UCLA, FLA, Ohio, AUB: 61 of 122, 50.0%, 667 yards, 4 TD, 6 INT
UGA, Bama, USC, Memphis: 74 of 114, 64.9%, 1,048 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT

Plenty has been said about Crompton's transformation, and the kid deserves even more. At some point during the first half of the Auburn game, while trying to come to terms with the fact that Kiffin simply wasn't going to pull him, I was imagining Crompton running thru the T on senior day against Vanderbilt as the quarterback of a 3-7 team, being the first Vol in history to get booed in his final run. And now I feel like I owe it to him to be there next week against Vanderbilt, to join in what will be a hero's welcome if the Vols take care of business this week.

Tennessee has made a habit of putting the same quarterback on the field for several consecutive seasons: Casey Clausen started every week he was healthy during his four years, Erik Ainge started for most of his four years, and we've seen Crompton under center for part of 2006, most of 2008 and all of this year. As such, the fanbase builds a long term relationship with these guys that has the ups and downs of a marriage; even Peyton Manning spent a few nights on the couch after long weekends in Florida.

We've tried to divorce Crompton, and more than once. I was going to joke that we've tried to kill him, but at one point the kid received actual death threats. But in these last four weeks, Crompton has changed his ways...and so have we. And now we're like the older couple that's been through the worst of times together only to have a greater appreciation for the best of times. Crompton knows he wasn't playing well, and maybe we feel like we were a little too hard on him at some points, though we both had our reasons.

Point being, now...now Crompton is playing like one of the best quarterbacks in America. When he rolls out, you feel confident. When he releases the ball, you're not braced for the worst, you're expecting the best. Tennessee is becoming a complete team, first and foremost, because our quarterback is becoming a complete player. And all joking aside, after Tim Tebow wins his customary first team All-SEC honors at quarterback...if Crompton outperforms Jevan Snead in a Vol victory on Saturday, who's to say he won't take second?

Montario Hardesty

The more you think about it, the more you realize what a great story this team is becoming. They're not going to win any championships, and they had their lapses early...but the way we're playing now in conjunction with the things some of these guys have gone through to help the team along the way, this is going to end up being a very memorable group.

Hardesty is a guy that just keeps coming to work, with 901 yards in 9 games. And while Crompton's transformation might be the most unexpected surprise in Tennessee Football history (no exaggeration), Hardesty's emergence has been just as important in creating a balanced offensive attack. The Vols are averaging 232 yards in the air and 168 on the ground this season, solid numbers on both counts seeing how they add up to 400 per game. And Hardesty - who sat behind Arian Foster for three years, listened to LaMarcus Coker and Lennon Creer get all the hype during that same span, then heard all about Bryce Brown all summer - has become the best Vol running back in eight years, still has a shot to crack the top ten in the all-time yardage list here, and has ensured that the Vols can also run the ball if and when they want to.

Wide Receivers & Luke Stocker

This may not be the most talented group of Vol WRs in school history, but once everybody got healthy, they've done their job admirably. After the debacle of the first half of the Auburn game, there have been almost no drops. There's an incredible balance amongst this group: Gerald Jones leads with way with 28 catches, Denarius Moore has 26, and Quintin Hancock has 20 in only six games.

This group may be the best example of how well this coaching staff handles player development. Before this year, Denarius Moore was a guy who only caught deep balls, and Quintin Hancock didn't catch a single pass last season. Now Moore is showing playmaking ability all over the field, and Hancock, when healthy, might have the surest hands of the group. The Vols haven't needed superstars at the wide receiver position to excel in the passing game in the last four weeks.

And then there's Luke Stocker, who at 6'6" was always going to draw NFL eyes if he produced. Stocker leads the team in yards per reception (among regular contributors), and has shown the ability to make in-traffic, downfield catches from the tight end spot. Crompton needs to quit throwing it to him so he has fewer reasons to think about leaving early.

Simply put: the Vols are getting good play from every one of their offensive skill positions.

Offensive Line

If I told you on August 1 that Josh McNeil would see no significant action this season and that his career would essentially be over, that both Cody and Cory Sullins would be starters, and that one of our starting tackles would be a guy that had never played the position before, how many wins would you have given this team?

Again, this staff has coached guys up and turned career backups into solid players. The Vols have executed the zone blocking scheme about as well as you could hope for a team in its first year with the system. For the most part, Crompton has had the time he's needed. And while the line hasn't been perfect and was faced with tough assignments early when everyone was stacking the line, this group has played well, and played well over their heads at some points. The way this group has performed makes you more hopeful that next year's group of nobodies will mature quickly as well.

Defense

The numbers are a bit skewed after Memphis had a field day with our backups, but the Vols still rank 16th nationally in total defense at 295.1 yards allowed per game. And at every position, Tennessee has gotten solid-or-better play. Chris Walker has stepped in at end and, despite not being fully healthy, given the Vols 3.5 sacks and 5.0 TFLs, forced a fumble and somehow picked up two interceptions, one for a touchdown, from the defensive end position. No one has missed Robert Ayers because of him.

Inside, Dan Williams could be a first round NFL Draft pick and has anchored a group that hasn't allowed a 100 yard rusher that didn't play in Gus Malzahn's crazy scheme or go against the backups last week. At linebacker, Rico McCoy is 7th in the SEC in tackles and has led the way for a group that's seen more injuries than any unit on the team, yet still performed well every week. LaMarcus Thompson and everyone that's played in the middle have been better than we thought they would be.

Eric Berry may not win the Heisman, but his move up towards the line of scrimmage has made him the SEC's leader in tackles for a defensive back. Berry still has two picks and two fumble recoveries, and his performance this season shouldn't hurt him on Draft Day, where NFL teams have now seen his ability to do it all.

But perhaps the best news in the defensive backfield is that everybody else has played well. Art Evans and Dennis Rogan, best known as a non-contributing wide receiver and a kick returner coming into this season, haven't allowed any breakdowns in the passing game. The Vols haven't been burned by the deep ball all season, the lone TD given up on a long pass coming as the result of a great catch by South Carolina's Moe Brown...and this too is a credit to freshman Janzen Jackson at free safety, who is often left alone back there but has held the line, and delivered his share of huge hits. This defense has produced four stars and an entire unit that rarely bends and never breaks.

Still Improving

The best news is, this team is still improving, and its players have seen enough frustration in the last year and a half to not think they've suddenly arrived at their fullest potential in only four weeks.

This staff has done a tremendous job developing players on both sides of the ball, and while our depth didn't look great against Memphis, when guys have had to step up and become first-teamers, they've done a good job.

And this team is an excellent study in how much things change. When spring practice began, if I told you the 2009 Vols would be without BJ Coleman, Lennon Creer, Brandon Warren, Austin Rogers, Josh McNeil, Demetrice Morley, the starting middle linebacker (because you wouldn't have been sold on Nick Reveiz yet), the backup middle linebacker, plus Vlad Richard and Quintin Hancock for several games...you get the idea.

From day one of spring ball and for the last nine months, these coaches have made these players better. And these players have performed at a higher level than we expected at almost every position. The Vols have become a dangerous offense, capable of hurting you with the run and the pass. And the Vols have always been a great defense, making sure points are a luxury for the offense.

Tennessee is playing well at every position group on offense and defense. The Vols have become one of the nation's hottest teams in the last four weeks, and having stood toe-to-toe with the best team in the country twice, are a team that is capable of beating anyone it faces on any given Saturday. And we got back to the last part of that sentence a lot faster than I thought we would.

When does Michael Palardy get here?

Lane Kiffin gets the first notch in his belt

Will — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

"Alright, I'm going to pretend like I was expecting this from you all along, okay? Just go with it."

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In our Rocky Top Tennessee preseason annual, Josh McNeil said "Football is not fun if you lose. Period." It's a sentiment we can all relate to, especially in the last two years. And especially for McNeil, who added injury to insult in fall camp, probably lost millions of NFL dollars along the way and worst of all, appeared to have lost the ability to play football at all.

That's the same Josh McNeil we saw on the field in the waning moments today, with his hands on the football once more and, presumably, a smile on his face. For more than one reason. Because as little fun as we had all of last season, today was a welcome reminder that when you win - and you win like this - football is fun. Really, really fun.

The fact that we had the luxury of getting McNeil on the field at all is a good place to start. Because I always enjoy the games where you can't decide what you're most excited about:

The first big win for Lane Kiffin

Last year, the Vols suffered the most frustrating competitive loss in recent memory against Auburn, and were more or less noncompetitive in the rest of the big SEC games, losing by 20+ to Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Plus, the Vols gave up 458 yards to Georgia and ran for one total yard themselves in a 26-14 loss.

This year, it's been competitive, but up until today that was all. We were close against Florida. Close against UCLA. We made it close at the end against Auburn. There was reason for hope.

But we needed more than hope. This program hadn't won a big game in two years, and Lane Kiffin needed a reason to be believed besides his work behind a microphone and in the living room on the recruiting trail.

The Clawfense was our hope once. But when it never became tangible, the players never had a reason to fully buy in, and that hope eventually collapsed and took everyone down with it. Phillip Fulmer's inability to keep the snowball from rolling downhill by winning a big game was the final nail in his coffin last season.

Kiffin was next in line to give us hope. But unlike last season, today he and the Vols got a return on that investment. A big one.

Any win would've been huge today. But the how of it all, in a 45-19 game that could've/should've been 45-3 if you remove special teams from the equation, gives Kiffin his big first win, and gives him something to hang his hat on. Now we've seen it, now we know for sure that this can work - players, fans, everyone. That's not to say that Kiffin is going to have success here forever, but when you win like that in your first year against one of your biggest rivals, you earn a whole lot of trust. Tennessee needed to win one of these big SEC games in the worst way. And turns out, we won in the very best way.

Georgia got 458 yards of offense last year. This year they got 241. Tennessee had 1 rushing yard last year. This year we got 162. And if you liked the running game...

Willie Martinez overtakes Jonathan Crompton for the "Most Likely to be Hated by His Own Fanbase" Award

At halftime, I told my friend next to me in Z11 that I didn't want to see Crompton's numbers. There was a Raiders of the Lost Ark feel about it - "Shut your eyes! Don't look at it!" - because what #8 did in the first half was so totally unnatural, I feared that seeing 12 of 15 for 205 yards and 3 TDs and then having my brain try to comprehend it might, in fact, make my face melt off.

Then in the second half, when the dreaded tipped ball pick six reared its ugly head and Georgia was right in the middle of one of those games it seems like that team always wins - statistically overmatched, but in it thanks to special teams and defensive touchdowns - Crompton went right back to work.

Let's take nothing away from him. That offensive performance was stunning, and he deserves every ounce of credit for his role in it. So do the receivers for catching almost everything - eight different Vols caught passes, and Gerald Jones gave us the type of go-to performance we've been waiting for with 105 yards and 2 TDs.

So does Montario Hardesty, for giving every defense a reason to be vulnerable to play action, and for continuing to be the best running back in the SEC.

Having said all of that...Georgia's defense? Yikes.

It's the biggest difference between on-paper and on-field I can remember in a long time. You looked at the names in August - Prince Miller, Rennie Curran, Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, Reshad Jones - and figured they'd carry the slack for Joe Cox and the offense. You look at the numbers here in the second weekend of October, and see a defense that's given up 37+ points three times, 400+ yards three times, and made Jon Crompton and Stephen Garcia look like Peyton Manning and (insert good South Carolina quarterback here - Steve Tanneyhill does not count).

T Kyle King was on our podcast last week and said that Georgia's special teams should've taken some of the heat off Martinez after the LSU game. After the Tennessee game, whoever's responsible for special teams needs a raise...unless it's Martinez.

This leads to a larger point:

Georgia reminds me of Tennessee in the last few years of the Fulmer Era

They run a consistent offense that isn't "sexy" and, when it features Joe Cox instead of Matthew Stafford, isn't that consistent. They got a great young coach who brought them more success than they had seen in decades, but who has struggled to maintain that level of success on a consistent basis, and who is fiercely loyal to his assistants, for better or worse. Meanwhile, just as Fulmer watched the SEC go from a two-team race to everyone for themselves, Richt found his early success when Ron Zook was at Florida and the door was revolving in Tuscaloosa. Now the Tide and Gators are a step ahead of everyone else, LSU is still right behind them, and Georgia just got embarrassed by the new kid on the block. And the Dawgs will see the other new kid come November, and Gene Chizik certainly appeared to have Auburn moving in the right direction until Saturday.

And in this little game, Willie Martinez will be playing the role of Randy Sanders.

Between my total shock at Crompton's performance and the small but shared recognition I feel with Georgia fans, I didn't even fully enjoy their suffering in Neyland Stadim today. I still hope they enjoyed the long sad drive back down I-7-5, but you know.

Because we've been there. We've been Georgia. As a friend of mine said in the postgame, we've forded that river and lost two oxen.

I like it much better this way.

Georgia's offense never crossed the Tennessee 30 yard line

...no commentary necessary.

Staying Relevant

In a world where Florida has beaten you five years in a row and won two National Championships in the process, Alabama is back to being Alabama and LSU is also ahead of you, it was absolutely critical for Lane Kiffin to keep Tennessee from slipping any further in the SEC hierarchy.

Beating Georgia was, is, and always will be key for recruiting. By the way, what are the odds Coach O picked up the phone and called Marlon's Granny after the game today?

But it also pays off in the short term: being just the fifth best team in the SEC is still good enough to get you to January 1, and after that performance the conversations about bowl games move from if to where.

And even if I'm too busy feeling Georgia's pain to fully appreciate it the way I'd like to today, it should be noted and remembered that three of the last four years, the Vols have beaten the Dawgs 51-33, 35-14, and 45-19.

So now the bye week comes at the perfect time, as the Vols will carry some spring in their step to Tuscaloosa to face a tremendous challenge. And they'll face it not as a 2-4 team still looking for answers and their first big win, but a 3-3 team that isn't just hoping anymore...now we've seen it. Now we know.

Tennessee Volunteers 45, Georgia Bulldogs 19: honk if you're having fun

Joel — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:03:40 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

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Commence the 15-minute immediate post-game mostly incoherent and questionable-impression-filled ramblings on Tennessee's 45-19 win over the Georgia Bulldogs. No reps or warranties on facts. ;-)

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming.

Yeah. I thought Georgia would have trouble running the ball against Monte Kiffin's defense, and it did. I thought that the defense would be able to make the Bulldogs one dimensional and make them risk throwing interceptions, which they like to do anyway, and they did. I even thought our offense would be able to score enough points to win. And they did.

But I didn't think this. Jonathan Crompton? Player of the game? High completion percentage? Four TDs? Throwing the ball to receivers who were selling out to make the catches and getting yards after the catch? Putting up 45 points? Getting Nick Stephens in the game because Crompton had beaten the opponent before the game was over? Seeing Josh McNeil on the field at the end of the game, taking the opportunity to mix it up a bit because this may be his last chance?

Denarius Moore flying five yards through the air, stretching the ball back in bounds as he was flying out, getting an honest-to-goodness highlight for ESPN's recap tonight?

Eric Berry finally getting a chance to run with the ball in his hands and him -- OF COURSE -- not disappointing?

Raise your hand if you think I could go on and on.

Yeah. Because it was one of those games. One of those we used to enjoy more often than not. It's been so long.

Perhaps Lane Kiffin does know what he's doing. Perhaps Jonathan Crompton's problem is in fact that he's had to learn five offensive schemes in five years and had his brain scrambled in the process. Perhaps he is the team's best chance at QB. Perhaps he can even salvage the season.

Brakes.

But let's not get too carried away. The 24-hour rule should apply to this one as much as to the heart-breaking losses. Enjoy it today. Tomorrow, because we have a bye week. But the team needs to turn its attention to getting healthy and doing their best against Alabama.

And don't go thinking that we're going to beat Alabama. Georgia is, for whatever reason, a middle-of-the-pack SEC team, and us beating them doesn't mean we're ready to challenge for the top of the SEC. It's merely progress. Improvement. A glimpse of where we're going if only we're patient and the team continues to work hard and root out any personnel or attitude problems.

This was a fantastic game for the Vols and for Jonathan Crompton in particular. They now need to focus on that next step forward, which is being competitive against the Tide in two weeks. They don't need to win; they just need to keep improving.

And if they do, days like these will continue to come more often than not.

Raise your hand if you like the sound of that.

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.

Sprints Hopes Deaderick Recovers and Avoids the Berry Heism@n Video // 09.02.09

cocknfire — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:22:23 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

'Is that really the best you could do?' Apparently so.

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Brandon Deaderick released from the hospital. He seems to be doing well enough.

He arrived quietly at the Crimson Tide's indoor practice, making eye contact and sending casual nods to teammates, some of whom had spent a portion of the past 24 hours concerned for Deaderick's life. ...

Sources said Tuesday that Deaderick's injury was little more than a flesh wound and that there was no nerve damage.

The relatively insignificant football aspect of all of this, because there is a game to be played Saturday.

Sophomore Marcell Dareus practiced with the first-team today at Deaderick's right defensive end position. Despite expectations of a quick recovery, Deaderick's status remains uncertain for the opening game.

"Our concern at this time is for Brandon's continued recovery as our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family," Saban said, "not about when he will return to football."

No, they haven't caught the dirtbag who did this.

The. Best. Heism@n. Video. Ever. Eric Berry's is right here. Really. You'll love it. Well, if you are not a Tennessee fan. If you are -- remember, the people who did this are the same ones who hired Lane Kiffin and assure you it will turn out okay. (HT: Rocky Top Talk)

Depth charts. LSU (missed Monday), Ole Miss and South Carolina.

Oklahoma State MLB is out
Orie Lemon has a season-ending ACL tear.

TE Jamal Mosley leaves Oklahoma State team
What the h*ll is going on over there?

So, let's see... tons of preseason hype, highest ranking in school history, off-field legal problems, talented offense but questionable defense, SI cover jinx... it's almost scary how similar Okie State is to last year's Georgia team.

Except that Georgia only had one other 4,000-pound gorilla on its schedule. The Cowboys have two.

We know he won't play Thursday
Clifton Geathers is suspended for a game once he's medically cleared.

Dustin Doe will be out on Saturday -- DOOM for the Gators???
Against Charleston Southern, I think not. But Doe is "week-to-week," so it could become a larger issue.

Bad news for Josh McNeil
It looks like his career is done.

Play ball!
Baseball? In September? Well, yes, when "the winningest coach in Alabama baseball history" steps aside. His assistant and successor Mitch Gaspard.

He is without a doubt one of the best baseball coaches I've ever been around. His service to the University has been exemplary, not only the way his teams played on the field but in the way his teams conducted themselves in the classrooms and in the community.

We now return you to football coverage.

Playing Louisiana Tech, Jackson State and Western Kentucky doesn't hurt
The Memphis Commercial Appeals likes the odds for Gene Chizik, Dan Mullen and Lane Kiffin based on history.

Playing FCS schools is charity, you see
Swamp Things on the reasons the Gators play teams from the subdivision formerly known as I-AA.

Florida doesn't just get a cupcake victory and a smile with I-AA opponents. They get to help a smaller, in some cases financially challenged athletic department. Charleston Southern is using the $450,000 to put the finishing touches on a 20,000-square-foot, $4-million multipurpose athletic facility.

Urban Meyer, humanitarian.

Now would not be a good time to start
LSU has never lost to a nonconference opponent under Les Miles.

We'll know something if he starts praising Jordan Jefferson
The Meyer jinx. We all need football to start and give us something to write about.

Don't Bet On It!: Around the SEC
The Mayor's weekly conference picks column.

Now he's hurt
At this rate, Andre Smith won't play for the Bengals before 2034.

It all comes down to Clemson's finest
Rich Rodriguez is now in more trouble: He's being sued by a bank for not paying a small loan of $3.6 million.

A banned Clemson University booster now facing five felony counts was one of Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez’s business partners in the failed real-estate venture that led to a $3.9 million lawsuit filed last month. ...

[Clegg Lamar] Greene allegedly stole money from investors, including Rodriguez, to pay debts on various business deals, buy furniture and have cosmetic surgery, according to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division arrest affidavits.

Greene, a 71-year-old who lives in Clemson, S.C., was accused in 2000 of providing a $1,300 loan and use of his boat to two Clemson recruits. A university investigation found two minor infractions, and officials disassociated Greene from the football program. ... [HT: Wiz]

Well, really, $1,300 does pass for a "minor infraction" at Clemson. You have to be talking five figures before things get serious.

But here's another question: Why was a former Clemson coach and West Virginia head coach involved in real estate developments at South Carolina, Alabama and Virginia Tech?

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: 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.

Talking Points: Bryce Brown's eligibility woos-worthy

Joel — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:52:07 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

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Bryce Brown

Last night I dreamed of a thousand woos. And, for some reason, of eating dog meat that looked but did not taste like bacon. Don't ask. Anyway, yes, Bryce Brown, RTT#3 in 2009, has been cleared and will owe neither money nor games to the NCAA, which had initially ruled that Brown would have to miss four games and repay a "substantial amount of money." That's, of course, much worse than the worst-case scenario reported earlier this week.

Mike Hamilton apparently danced out of his office all the way to the practice field to tell Kiffin when he got the news yesterday. Kiffin then stopped practice, took the opportunity to give the team a tongue-lashing for being slackers and wimps, and then told them that "BB" had been cleared and wouldn't miss any games. The team then "roared" its approval, which you just have to love, as it signals a true welcoming of Brown into the fold.

Scout.com has the audio of Kiffin informing the media ($) after practice, but the best part of the clip is the fact that you can barely hear Kiffin over Ed Orgeron's enthusiastic shouts in the background. Well, call it background-ish, because although he was obviously at a distance, his volume was not. I have no idea what Orgeron was doing, but he was doing it with energy. Shoot, he may have been reading the paper for all I know.

Scout also puts to bed rumors that Miami was behind the investigation and inflames rumors that Oregon was ($). The Ducks were on Brown's short list and no longer had a player that was also implicated in the Brian Butler Tour of Colleges Way Back When. That may have given Oregon motive, but I don't know how you get from there to "[c]learly, there is strong evidence to suggest that the Ducks are behind the renewed investigation of Bryce Brown's amateur status." But whatever. He's eligible and woo.

And seriously, please stop with all of the talk about Kiffin using both Reggie Bush and LenDale White and Eddie Gran using both Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown because I am already positively giddy, and I've only a limited number of woos available for the season. I don't want to use them all this week. But I will use one more: woo.

Josh McNeil

We're still awaiting news on Josh McNeil, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery yesterday. Somehow, things went from a battle to hold on to his starting position at center and his string of 35 consecutive starts to "his football career might be finished" in the blink of an eye, which of course is just horrible rotten awful news. Prayers for good results for Josh.

QBs

Jonathan Crompton reacted to the news that he'd finally won the starting QB position just like you'd want him to. "Nothing is settled yet," said Crompton. "We haven't played a game yet." He's executing big plays to freshman Nu'Keese Richardson (who had something like 250 yards at Tuesday's practice ($) and staying after practice to continue to throw to all of the wide receivers in an attempt to perfect their timing.

Nick Stephens is also responding well. "I'm proud for [Crompton]. He is our quarterback and I know that I got a fair shot at the job. I also realize anything can happen and I have to be ready and prepared. I don't have time to worry about not winning the position. I have to keep improving each and every day."

WRs

Well, whattayaknow. Lane Kiffin does second-guess himself at times. He's upset at himself for not pulling Gerald Jones from last Saturday's scrimmage before Jones suffered his high ankle sprain:

I don't second-guess anything about practice or anything about how physical our practices have been. The one thing that is driving me nuts from the minute I wake up to the minute I go to sleep and I wake up halfway through my sleep upset about it and that is Gerald (Jones) getting hurt. Gerald had done so much. We had pulled a number of guys at that point in the scrimmage. They were off doing their conditioning, running the stadium steps and stuff. Gerald had done such a good job and was in such good shape that we kept him in there and we got the high ankle sprain. Gerald probably was, if you took a poll among our coaches to list the top two offensive players on our team, Gerald was one of the two. So I am mad at myself about that (the injury). That's nothing about how physical we have been in practice. We needed that as a team, but Gerald had already shown us enough at that point, just like (Nick) Reveiz had. Just like Rico (McCoy) had. Just like Chris Walker had. Just like Wes Brown had and all those guys we pulled on Saturday. We were more concerned about our defense. On offense, we kept playing our guys. We should have pulled him.

Jones, though, is high on the freshmen ($) and thinks they can get the job done while he's recovering:

Oh, man, they have come a long way. They've actually gone from just knowing one route on a certain play to actually realizing the concepts and realizing the blitz pickups. They've come so far. I've helped 'em a lot. They've come to my room and stayed till 12 o'clock, going over plays with me and just asking every kind of question they want. I'm here to answer 'em.

To help with the increasing depth issue, Kiffin's moved Rod Wilks from safety to receiver. Do not be concerned that Wilks was a third-string safety, because the defensive backfield is stacked, and Wilks was RTT#3 in 2008, a nine-jar guy who spurned offers from Alabama, Florida, and Michigan.

Also helping out in the passing game is David Oku - and shoot, I just now realized that somehow I've completely forgotten to include Oku in the rankings for this year's class; will remedy soon. Ugh. Anyway, Kiffin is designing some plays that will involve Oku in the passing game because he's a guy who can pick things up quickly. He also threw a touchdown pass to Crompton in a recent practice, but Kiffin joked that he could no longer use that play because a reporter ruined it by giving it away.

Bonus!

Expect the secondary to play a much-higher risk/reward style this season, getting more interceptions yet also giving up more big plays.
Eric Berry is the undisputed leader of this team ($), telling his "puppies yapping over there" to settle down when freshmen Mike Edwards and Marsalis Teague got into a shoving match at Wednesday's practice.
As good as the Kiffin Chimera is, many of its components are still motivated by recent failure. Lane's got the memory of Oakland to erase, Monte a losing streak, Orgeron the Ole Miss thing, Gran getting fired at Auburn, and even Lance Thompson had a great season with Alabama last year but didn't finish well.
The preseason BlogPoll is up, and Florida is again the team to beat. Mike Griffith has an interesting piece comparing the 2009 Gators to the 1999 Vols. We can only hope.
UT will host Cincinnati in 2011.
Orson and Peter host Doc Saturday for a podcast.
Gate 21 reviews Clay Travis's On Rocky Top.
Kiffin's answer to the scholarship/roster question: we're at 79.
RTT wins the "best tortured fan video of 2008." Yay! Let's not do it again, hmm?
Where Phillip Fulmer might coach next, from Bruce Feldman.
The AP and Gannett are challenging the new SEC Media Policy.
Bruce Pearl's getting' hitched this Saturday. Leave him alone for this.

Instant Impact: The Top 10 Freshman Performances at UT in the Last 20 Years

Will — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:44:45 -0000

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Jamal Lewis: the standard for success as a UT freshman, still going strong a dozen years later.

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Under Phillip Fulmer, we became used to only a handful of freshmen seeing action right away. Lane Kiffin came in with promises of playing time for freshmen, and thus far in camp has lived up to his word. Between Kiffin's new philosophy and a rash of injuries at unfortunate spots, the list of freshmen who could see immediate action on the two deep is at least a dozen deep.

It's tempting to believe that (choose from Bryce Brown, David Oku, Marsalis Teague, Nu'Keese Richardson, Zach Rogers, Montori Hughes, Jerod Askew, Greg King, Mike Edwards, Eric Gordon, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles, I could keep going) is going to have an incredible breakout season and be great as soon as they put the jersey on, but with freshmen you just never know until you see it.

So until we do, here are ten impact performances turned in by freshmen at the University of Tennessee in the last 20 years. This list is freshmen from high school only - no juco transfers, no ex-professional baseball players. These guys don't come along every day or every season...but there is a precedent for kids coming on campus and having an immediate impact.

10. K Jeff Hall 1995

The most famous name in a lineage of freshman UT kickers, Hall earned Freshman All-SEC honors in '95, and booted home the game winner against Georgia in his second career appearance. He also hit key field goals in wins over Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and knocked home two fourth quarter field goals in the rain as the Vols beat Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. His performance in the clutch gives him the edge over Daniel Lincoln, who was also named Freshman All-SEC in 2007.

9. Freshmen Offensive Linemen: Jeff Smith (92), Bubba Miller (92), Cosey Coleman (97), Michael Munoz (00), Arron Sears (03), Josh McNeil (06)

Every once in a while, the Vols have brought in an offensive lineman who was capable of contributing immediately, and in the case of all six of these gentlemen, being thrust into a starting role in their first season. All six would earn Freshman All-SEC honors.

8. WR/DB Carl Pickens 1989

This redshirt freshman was so talented in 1989, he played both ways and returned kicks. As a free safety, Pickens grabbed five interceptions and was named the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl win against Arkansas. His only problem on offense was the talent around him, giving him fewer receptions because guys like Alvin Harper were taking them instead. Pickens left defense behind in 1990 and turned in two more incredible seasons at UT, and he is arguably the most talented Vol wide receiver ever.

7. RBs James Stewart & Aaron Hayden 1991

Where we'd be today if we didn't have Montario Hardesty. With no returning experience in the backfield in 1991, the Vols gave the keys to a pair of freshmen from the opening game, and Stewart and Hayden would respond with four solid years in the orange and white. In their debut at Louisville (in the first-ever ESPN Thursday Night game), both rushed for over 100 yards in a 28-11 Vol win. Stewart would later run for 215 against Ole Miss and for over 900 yards by himself on the season.

6. QB Peyton Manning 1994

Forced into action when senior QB Jerry Colquitt blew out his knee on the seventh play of the season, Manning waited behind Todd Helton for three games and then battled with fellow freshman Brandon Stewart the rest of the season. The Vols were a 1-3 team when Manning got his first start; Tennessee won seven of their last eight under his leadership. His freshman numbers weren't as good and his freshman wins not as big as two other quarterbacks on this list, in part due to his split reps, but in 1994 he was good enough to earn SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. He did alright after that.

5. QB Casey Clausen 2000

A preseason shoulder injury kept Clausen on the sidelines for most of the Vols' first five games. Like Manning, when Clausen took over the Vols had already lost three games. In his first start, the Vols beat Alabama 20-10, then upset South Carolina in Columbia the following week. Clausen's numbers exploded in wins over Arkansas and Kentucky, in which the Vols scored a combined 122 points. In all, he led the Vols to six straight wins to close the regular season, and still holds the passing yardage record for a freshman QB at Tennessee with 1,473 yards.

4. QB Erik Ainge 2004

Where Manning and Clausen waited their turn to play, Ainge was thrown to the wolves immediately, and then missed the end of the season due to injury. Against the Gators in his second career appearance, Ainge turned in a performance for the ages in a 30-28 Tennessee win. A few weeks later, he led the 12-point underdog Vols into Athens and escaped with a 19-14 win that essentially clinched the SEC East. He was 21 yards away from breaking Casey Clausen's freshman yardage record when a shoulder injury ended his season against Notre Dame; the Vols were 7-1 with him taking the majority of the snaps, and Ainge gets his share of credit for the Vols' Eastern Division title. His 17 TD passes are still a UT freshman record.

3. SS Eric Berry 2007

He started in the nickel package in his first game. He became the starter at strong safety in his second game. He made a national name for himself in his third game, picking off Tim Tebow and racing back 96 yards for a touchdown. It would be one of five interceptions on the year for Eric Berry, along with a UT-record 222 return yards on turnovers. He also came up with a key fumble recovery against LSU in the SEC Championship Game, and tried to kill Tyler Donovan in the Outback Bowl. Berry was the SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year, led conference freshmen in tackles, and was a first team Freshman All-American. That was the warmup.

2. RB Chuck Webb 1989

The holy of holies, who's only at #2 on this list because he didn't get as many carries as the feature back as the guy at #1 did. That's because for the first half of the 1989 season, Webb teamed with Reggie Cobb (who also had a terrific freshman year in 1987) to form the vaunted CobbWebb attack. Coming off a 5-6 1988 season, the duo helped the Vols to a 5-0 start that included huge upsets over UCLA and Auburn. When Cobb was kicked off the team the week of the Alabama game for a substance abuse violation, the Vols lost to the Tide 47-30...but wouldn't lose again. As the feature back for the final six games of the season, the freshman Webb turned in the school's two greatest individual performances: 294 yards against Ole Miss, and 250 yards in the Cotton Bowl against Arkansas, and the Vols shared the SEC title. With only six games as the starter under his belt, Webb still ran for 1,236 yards. He is, to me, the most talented individual player I've ever seen at Tennessee. In the second game of his sophomore year, Webb blew out his knee, and was never seen in Neyland Stadium again.

1. RB Jamal Lewis 1997

The Vols waited three games to get Jamal the ball, including the 33-20 loss to Florida in Peyton Manning's senior year. Didn't know the blocking scheme, they said. When Lewis was named the starter in game four against Ole Miss, he responded immediately: 155 yards and a touchdown. The following week, he responded authoritatively: 232 yards against his home-state Georgia Bulldogs, a performance that still ranks in the Top 10 all time at UT. He would top 200 again against South Carolina later that season, would finish with 1,364 yards (3rd best season ever at UT) and 7 TDs, and helped run out the clock as the Vols won the SEC Championship. Both Chuck Webb and Jamal Lewis averaged 5.9 yards per carry in their freshman seasons.

Tennessee Volunteers Practice Report

Hooper — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:25:02 -0000

The Tennessee Volunteers had their third scrimmage of the fall camp today, and I was fortunate to be able to attend the first half of it. Home Sweet Home of Gate 21 has a terrific summary of the practice, and I highly encourage you to go and read his observations on the day. Here are a few of mine in addition to his.

Crompton is the man. It's not official, obviously, and Kiffin hasn't said anything to this effect yet. Still, it's hard to think otherwise as Crompton has always held the edge since the first day of spring practice - even over BJ Coleman. It was in the tea leaves last week just as it was in the spring. And if I'm wrong, I'll post that in no uncertain terms as quickly as I can. (Just remember that Wednesdays are busy days for me.)
Bryce Brown projects to be something special. Kiffin referred to him as at 85% on the day, but he was still strong enough to drive the pile forward for several yards on multiple occasions, and quick enough to bounce to the outside for a touchdown on a goal-line rush when the middle was stuffed.
Nu'Keese will be special, so long as he relaxes. Nuke had some problems catching punts; I'm certainly not the expert, but it appeared to me that he anticipated running before he had the ball. If he can focus on getting his techniques down right, his natural skills will do the rest.
You will love the new running game. What really stood out to me was how confident the first step of the linemen appeared to be. They really look like they know what they're doing - a statement that, before last year, I would have taken for granted.
Eddie Gran is making a difference. Yes, there were the blocked punts (and near-blocks). I didn't have a timer and I don't know if the kickers were too slow, the rushers too fast, or the blockers not effective enough. But I do know that some of the punts that did get out cleanly were kicked higher than I had ever seen them kicked by these kickers before - by a considerable margin. We'll have to wait until our units aren't facing each other to really gauge progress, but there are a few things (like hang time) that point to positive training.
Don't read too much into the lack of a deep passing game. People are keying in on the fact that long passes are not very common yet, but we have to remember the injuries to our wide receiver corps. The deep threat currently resides in freshmen like Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague, and they will emerge as they continue to learn the playbook. Deep passes aren't fully in place at the moment, but things look to improve over time.
Today did not tell us who the starting center will be. Because Jonathan Crompton and Josh McNeil were typically paired together (as were Nick Stephens and Cody Sullins), it was important to see how the vice versa pairings worked. The center/quarterback relationship has to be solid, even if one of the normal starters is injured. Sullins was matched with the ones in the first half, and McNeil had the ones in the second half. Kiffin and Cregg now have tape with both centers working with the ones, as well as with both quarterbacks. They will decide the #1 center this week.
Relax and enjoy the carnage. The defense is very, very good. I wish I had been smart enough to pay more attention to the linebackers, as they are my only concern. But the line is going to shred Western Kentucky, and most likely UCLA. So long as they don't suffer injuries in those first two games, they might give Florida a good run.