SB Nation - Jacques McClendon

Team chaplain Roger Woods plays important role in Tennessee's turnaround

Joel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:35:13 -0000

During his locker room interview with Tim Priest in the post-victory glow of the Memphis game last night, Bryce Brown gave a great deal of the credit for the team's recent turnaround to one particular guy inside the program. It wasn't a member of the coaching staff or member of the team. It wasn't even a paid member of the administration.

It was Roger Woods, team chaplain. Bryce said that the team wasn't just playing better, it was developing chemistry. Diverse personalities were growing together, unifying behind a common purpose.

You may have heard of the emotional meeting the Friday night before the Georgia game at which the recently-injured Nick Reveiz and not-so-recently-injured Inky Johnson both addressed the team. Linebackers coach Lance Thompson called it "one of the best meetings [he's] been in in 24 years of coaching." The Vols went out and pasted the Georgia Bulldogs 45-19 the next day, triggering a string of sensational games and the apparent tipping point of the Kiffin Chimera's turnaround project.

Woods points to that Friday as "a defining moment for UT football across the board in every aspect." Like he does every Friday, Woods held chapel at the team hotel. He spoke of unity, and that Friday, the message extended not only to the players, but to the players' families as well. Earlier in the week, a parent had called and suggested that instead of the parents praying separately, they all assemble and pray together. So that Friday night at the team hotel at 10:00, probably at about the same time the players were cementing their buy-in to each other and to the program, the parents were coming together for their kids. It was a defining evening for the entire program.

When Phillip Fulmer was fired a year ago, one of the major concerns for many of us was whether growing young boys into men would remain a priority. Certainly, we wanted a coaching staff that would get the program back to its winning ways, but how would the balance between winning games and building men be struck in an era of mercenary coaches? When the last remnant of the prior coaching staff was swept away, former team chaplain James "Mitch" Mitchell went with it, and when the new staff lost Memphis recruit Marlon Brown to Mark Richt largely due to Richt's outspokenness about his faith, some were concerned that it signaled the end of an era at Tennessee.

Enter Chris Walker, Nick Reveiz, Anthony Anderson, and Jacques McClendon. Those four guys ran into Roger Woods at an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) "College Advance" event earlier this year, and launched into their own recruiting pitch. Woods, who was at the time the chaplain at UT-Chattanooga, initially resisted, but after talking with Mike Hamilton, a handful of FCA staff, and UT head coach Lane Kiffin, he reconsidered and relocated his family to Knoxville and took the job.

Since arriving in Knoxville, Woods has by all accounts done an excellent job building relationships with UT athletes. 75 people showed up for Woods's first service August 9, 2009, and the weekly meetings are now attended by an average of 150-160 student athletes. The first thing the football players do upon arriving on Shields-Watkins Field on game day is meet Woods at midfield for a team prayer (pictured above), and Woods can often be seen on the sidelines praying with players during games, but most of his impact is behind the scenes interacting with the players on a daily basis. According to Walker, "It's really important to have Roger, just because there are going to be times that we're not feeling too well or are not going to be in the right mind we need to be in. We can just go to Roger, and he'll give us the spiritual leadership and be that dad that we need here. We don't have our fathers here in Knoxville, so he's one of those guys we can just look up to."

I had the pleasure of meeting Roger the afternoon of the South Carolina game, and I could see immediately why the players love him. He was extraordinarily affable and genuine, and he made my shy 13-year-old daughter feel so welcome that she left feeling like he was her best friend. I can't tell you how glad I am that this football staff includes a guy whose sole responsibility is to mentor the players through life's great challenges.

One last thing you may not know: Woods is not employed by the University. His position is funded through the FCA, and he's responsible for raising his own financial support. If you'd like to help ensure that he can stay at UT attending to the spiritual and other non-sport needs of the players, the best thing you can do is commit to a regular gift to him through the FCA. If not that, a one-time gift will also help. Or, you can buy his CD "It's Time," which they apparently play over the Neyland public address system while the players are warming up before games. He's also got a blog, although it looks like that's not his highest priority. And by the way, Roger has not even once asked for my help with any of this. I contacted him earlier this year after learning that he's self-supported, and I just wanted to help get the word out, partly because I know (second-hand) what it's like to have to solicit donations to maintain a staff position with a charity, and mostly because it really matters to me that the program I root for cares as much about developing people as it does developing players.

Don't take my word for it. Take Bryce Brown's.

Talking points: Eric Berry the finger in the dam

Joel — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:48:14 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Can you explain why you only have one picture of me? No, no I can't.

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So far, the Google of Football has been using Eric Berry to fill whatever the biggest hole appears to be at any given time, whether that means lining him up as a fourth linebacker or putting him back in coverage.
Lane Kiffin continues to defend Jonathan Crompton, noting that it's much more difficult for Crompton than it was for Carson Palmer at USC because Crompton, when he's away from the football complex, has to face almost constant ridicule. Crompton won't be made available to the media this week, which is probably a very good thing.
Nick Reveiz is FanNation's Walk-On of the Week.

Eric Berry's fallen off ESPN's Heisman watch list.

If the Gators have an offensive weakness, it may be at receiver.

Kiffin notes that four years ago, Florida didn't have all these great players and hadn't won two national championships in three years. It's a process that takes some time, he says, and he says his team needs to be rolling by year three.

The offensive line was apparently very banged up for the UCLA game and is focused on healing this week. I initially thought that Kiffin's statement in defense of Crompton that Kiffin made a mistake by playing several players who couldn't practice that week referred to receivers Denarius Moore and Gerald Jones, but it apparently also referred to center Cody Sullins and guards Vladimir Richard and Jacques McClendon.

At Dr. Saturday, Doug Gillett says Kiffin is battling the perception that he's a boy trying to do a man's job and Dan Shanoff suggests "Zeke 25:17" for Tebow's eye black this week.

The Challenge Going Up Against Tennessee's Monster Offensive Line

Nestor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:21 -0000

I wanted to delve a little deeper into the matchup between our defensive front-7 and the Tennessee OL. I think this will be the biggest challenge for our Bruins on Saturday. If our Price, Jerzy, Carter and co. are not able to hold their own against the behemoth Volunteers frontline, I think it will be a long day of watching prime time football on ESPN.

First, let's put the numbers of Tennessee front line in perspective. Here is a look at the Volunteers OL depth chart:

LT	LG	C	RG	RT
Chris Scott, Sr (6-5, 330)	Vladimir Richard, Sr (6-4,300)	Cody Sullins, Sr (6-1, 260)	Jacques McClendon, Sr (6-3, 324)	Jarrod Shaw, Jr (6-4, 332)+
Dallas Thomas, Fr.* (6-5, 268)	Cody Pope, So (6-6, 288)	Cory Sullins, Sr (6-1, 270)	William Brimfield, So (6-5, 346)	Aaron Douglas, Fr* (6-6, 282)+

*Indicates red shirt
+ Listed as "Co-No. 1"

And now here is a look at the depth chart of the San Diego State's OL heading into last weekend:

LT	LG	C	RG	RT
Tommie Draheim, So (6-4, 290)	Mike Matamua, So (6-4, 290)	Trask Losefa, Jr (6-0, 290)	Ikaika Aken-Moleta, Sr (6-2, 295)	Peter Nelson, Sr (6-5, 295)
Tom Rische, Jr, (6-4, 290)	Alec Johnson, Fr* (6-3, 300)	Damian Shankle, Sr (6-2, 295)	Emilio Rivera, So (6-4, 295)	Kurtis Gunther, So (6-8, 285)

*Indicates red shirt

You guys see the difference? It took couple of series for Brian Price and rest of the Bruin defensive frontline to generate pressure on the Aztecs. I don't think we can afford to have that luxury on Saturday evening. The Tennessee guys will come out right away and look to establish their own tempo and rhythm, by power running all over the Bruin defense.

If you recall they had decent amount of success against the Bruin defense rushing the ball last year as they ran for 177 yards in 34 attempts. They lost control of the game when for some inexplicable reasons they decided to go chuck and duck with Jonathan Crompton with astonishing 41 pass attempts. I don't see the Vols making the same mistake this time around.

You can bet they will come out at Neyland and serve up heavy doses of Hardesty and Brown. Don't forget though. Tennessee also has other talent at the tailback position. From Athlon.com's season preview:

Senior Montario Hardesty hits holes hard and possesses breakaway speed, and with a healthy spring behind him is on pace to enjoy his finest season. But before Hardesty can lead the Vols to victories he must first win his position. That figures to be a challenge with highly regarded prospects Bryce Brown and David Oku coming to fall camp. Brown, a 6'0", 215-pound super talent from Wichita, Kan., was ranked the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, and a visit to various YouTube highlight reels shows why. Oku, a 5'10", 185-pounder, was Rivals’ No. 1-rated all-purpose back and offers quickness and receiving ability. Freshman Toney Williams enrolled early and was expected to challenge for immediate playing time, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in summer workouts. Tauren Poole is another shifty option who should get into the mix this year. Fullbacks Kevin Cooper and Austin Johnson could get competition in the event the coaches move a tailback to the position.

Looking the boxscore from last Saturday, it looks like Oku got a decent chunk of action. He carried the ball 8 times for 42 yards, scoring 2 TDs, while Poole also carried the ball 5 times for 62 yards. So no doubt Hardesty and Brown are going to get the spotlight. However, I am sure our coaches will also be aware of Oku and Poole.

It will be interesting to see how Bullough scheme up his defense for Saturday. I thought our defensive effort in the early going was fairly vanilla. It seemed like the San Diego State OL (who clearly are not in the same league as the Tennessee OL in terms of size and athleticism) handled our stunts pretty well. It took us a while to get serious pressure going on the Aztecs passing game.

So what do we do? For starters, I think we are going to need more intense effort from our LBers. For whatever reason, I though Reggie Carter and Akeem Ayers came out a little slow last weekend. I didn't think their concentration level pick up till the second half (perhaps I am being bit harsh here but calling it as I saw the action). I think those guys will need to focused and locked in so that they can help our defensive frontline in containing the Tennesee ground attack.

I think the key for us will be to disrupt Crompton's comfort level. If we can contain their running game early on and get some heavy pressure on the Tennessee QB by blitzing him through different looks, I think we might be able to get him rattled a bit and throw him off rhythm. It is going to be a huge challenge.

That is why it will be imperative for a total team effort. The defense will need all the help it can get from an offense that will need to play effective ball control and the special teams doing whatever it can to give us good field position on both sides of the ball. Otherwise with that kind of imposing size and experience, I can see their OL eventually wearing down our front-7 in front of a rocking Tennessee home crowd.

GO BRUINS.

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.

The Tennessee Volunteers Football Depth Chart is Out

Hooper — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:38:34 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

He's been patiently waiting to find out who the other 21 would be. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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The first real, comprehensive depth chart (pdf) of the Tennessee Volunteers was released yesterday, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press (h/t to Home Sweet Home of Gate21). As expected, freshmen players litter the field, including a listing or two that are surprising even to those following the practices.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

#1 - Jonathan Crompton This we knew, as it was announced on Monday.
#2 - Nick Stephens

Fullback

#1 - Kevin Cooper Cooper is a little shorter and stouter than Johnson, which should help in blocking situations. I don't know how the receiving comparison works out, but protection for the quarterback is probably a high priority until we know how well Crompton performs with the new offense against actual opponents.
#2 - Austin Johnson I'm a little surprised not to see Sam Edgmon given a nod, considering how well he seemed to be catching passes.

Tailback

#1 - Bryce Brown and Montario Hardesty The first surprise to me is the cop-out of listing co-#1s. Even if the very first play against Western Kentucky has both of these players in (and one fullback out), one of the two is still the #2 option for the staff. I still think that, at the moment, Hardesty is the "first-option tailback", but this might be a way to add some publicity for Bryce Brown.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Nu'Keese Richardson Nuke is the only true freshman to have unquestioned ownership of a #1 slot on the offense. Getting the nod over Warren is a testament to his work ethic and his ability to stay healthy through the preseason. I wonder, though, how much of this was influenced by the injury to Gerald Jones and the need to add a little more speed and maneuverability on the field.
#2 - Brandon Warren Stay healthy and practice hard, young man. Coaches don't evaluate training table etiquette when choosing starters.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Quintin Hancock In his senior year, Hancock has a golden opportunity to show Vol Nation that he's as good as he can look in practice. That he is the tall receiver on the field (and not Brandon Warren) is a statement about the premium that the coaching staff placed on practice time.
#2 - Marsalis Teague I wouldn't expect Teague to be far behind right now, with Hancock having the advantage of spring practice to learn more of the playbook. By the time Jones gets back, Teague may very well have moved up (back) to send on the depth chart here.

Tight End

#1 - Luke Stocker Stocker's the better receiver, and Cottam's the better blocker. This may be more informative of the staff's offensive tendencies than the actual comparison between the two.
#2 - Jeff Cottam I have to wonder: if he hadn't been injured all last year, where would Cottam be as a player right now?

Left Tackle

#1 - Chris Scott No surprise here.
#2 - Dallas Thomas The redshirt freshman is the heir apparent and should get some live fire time here and there throughout the season.

Left Guard

#1 - Vladimir Richard I like Vlad, he's a fun guy.
#2 - Cody Pope Another heir apparent, it's notable that Vlad is listed at 300 lb and Pope at 288. This offensive line is going to be much lighter and quicker than last year's, courtesy of a different zone blocking concept.

Center

#1 - Cody Sullins Who might have been #1 even if McNeil hadn't been injured.
#2 - Cory Sullins Learn quickly, young man. Please learn quickly.

Right Guard

#1 - Jacques McClendon where experience again made the difference. The right guard will be critical in the new running game, as he both assists the center in blocking and is the primary blocker to open up most cutback lanes on zone sweep plays. If you're inclined to watch line play, watch him.
#2 - William Brimfield Note, though, that the beef is apparent on the right side of the line. McClendon is 324 and Brimfield is 346. Run blockers, yes.

Right Tackle

#1 - Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw Even more transparent than the co-number 1 running backs - we're not going to see two right tackles on the first play against Western Kentucky. I'm guessing that Douglas has more potential, but Shaw is more polished.

DEFENSE

(Note: I think that the defensive line terms of 'left' and 'right' refer to the left and right as the offense sees them, so the left end lines up against the offense's left tackle, and so on.)

Left End

#1 - Gerald Williams Raise your hand if you saw this coming at the beginning of spring camp, when GW was begging Kiffin to let him play linebacker. It's good to be unblockable.
#2 - Willie Bohannon and Ben Martin Sigh. Another co-listing. I'll stop that now, as you know my feelings.

Left Tackle

#1 - Wes Brown - at 257 pounds, he's one of the lighter starting tackles you'll ever see. This feels much like a pass-rushing tackle, similar to the way the New York Giants line up.
#2 - Andre Mathis - I think Mathis will be in for short-yardage situations.

Right Tackle

#1 - Montori Hughes and Dan Williams Talk of Dan Williams not being the exclusive starter did not begin for a while, and even when Hughes came on strong earlier in the fall camp, it was thought he'd be at left tackle. The staff really like what they see in this new kid, and so do I.

Right Guard

#1 - Chris Walker who has also had a really nice fall, though you don't tend to hear about it as much because of Williams and Hughes.
#2 - Steven Fowlkes The consensus on Fowlkes appear to be that he has a really, really high ceiling but is still developing. If he stays on course, then next year's presumed lineup of Gerald Williams, Hughes, and Fowlkes may be special.

Strongside Linebacker

#1 - LaMarcus Thompson This is not a surprise.
#2 - Greg King That Thompson was the obvious #1 is not a slight on King, though. You don't hear much of him, but it's always been very complimentary. I think he should be at full speed next year.

Middle Linebacker

#1 - Nick Reveiz Even less surprising. The staff loves this guy, and his attitude should be a real emotional boost for the whole defense.
#2 - Herman Lathers It's hard to find information on Lathers, both because the news coverage on linebackers has been almost nonexistent and because Shorty Reveiz has made a better story whenever they did bother mentioning these guys.

Weakside Linebacker

#1 - Rico McCoy Injury didn't keep him from losing his slot. Healthy, he's one of our best and I look forward to seeing him play.
#2 - Savion Frazier I'm curious how close Frazier came to taking the slot when McCoy was hurt. Unfortunately, the lack of news drama here suggests it wasn't as close as I'd hoped.

Left Cornerback

#1 - Anthony Anderson and Mike Edwards I think this really means that Anderson is the #1 for the first couple of games, but Edwards could take it so long as he keeps learning the system.

Right Cornerback

#1 - Art Evans No real surprise here. His name has come up quite a bit during practices, particularly for his interceptions.
#2 - Marsalous Johnson The depth is really nice in the secondary.

Strong Safety

#1 - Eric Berry
#2,436 - Darren Myles, Jr. and Prentiss Waggner Welcome to the competition for the guy that gets to replace Eric Berry next year. Don't worry; we won't be judging you according to Berry. Sure.

Free Safety

#1 - Janzen Jackson and Dennis Rogan I'm still a little surprised that Rogan gets moved around between corner and safety as much as he does. Jack of all trades, master of none? However it works out, I'd like him to have a more permanent home on the roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

#1 - Daniel Lincoln
#2 - Chad Cunningham

Punter

#1 - Chad Cunningham His kicking strength is supposedly much better this year.
#2 - David Harrington
#3 - The Ghost of Colquitts Past

Kickoffs

#1 - Chad Cunningham
#2 - Daniel Lincoln

Punt Returner

#1 Nu'Keese Richardson I guess those worries about ball-catching weren't enough to sway the staff. Hopefully that means he's been catching better.
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Kick Returner

#1 - David Oku
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Deep Snapper

#1 - Morgan Cox
#2 - Nick Guess

Holder

Bram Cannon

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)

Browse more photos »

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: Tennessee Volunteer players keeping the shadows at bay

Joel — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:42:33 -0000

Tennessee football

The Shadow knows. Like the rest of the team, Daniel Lincoln is trying to fend off the forces of darkness:
"As a kicker you can't have a memory about the negative things. If you leave any doubt in your own mind, the next time you go out the shadow kind of overtakes you. You can't let the demons take over. You can't let the negativity of what happened in your previous experience affect your next experience. We all get opportunities this season to correct the mistakes that we made and get better from them."
Fans can help by not stuffing the noxious cloud into a peanut canister and preparing to spring it open at the first sign of trouble.
What black cloud? Worried about the lack of experience at linebacker? Rico McCoy isn't. Oh, and Rico's expectations for Eric Berry this season? Eight interceptions, 300 return yards, and 100 tackles. Sounds reasonable.

On the bright side . . . John Adams notes a silver lining in the recent rash of injuries suffered by veteran wide receivers:

Their absence in preseason training camp will provide more reps and a greater opportunity for four freshman wide receivers, as well as a couple of veterans seemingly in danger of falling by the wayside last season. UT wide receivers coach Frank Wilson addressed those issues on the The Sports Page radio show Tuesday morning. Wilson said quarterback Jonathan Crompton just told him how impressive freshman wide receivers Nu’Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague have been in preseason workouts.

Somebody's getting ripped off. Josh McNeil, Cody Pope, and the Sullins boys are swapping their salads for the hamburgers of Chris Scott, Jacques McClendon, Jarrod Shaw, and William Brimfield.

Now what do I do with it? So they got the Rock up on a truck. Now what? They're waiting for a section of Pat Head Summitt Street to be paved before moving the thing to its new home across the street. For some reason, I have an image of Mike Hamilton with the Rock in his arms screaming, "Why didn't you tell me you weren't ready before I picked this thing up?"

Gran's the man. Tennessee's special teams used to be coached by Fulmer, the offensive and defensive coordinators, the position coaches, the stadium vendors, and the first lucky caller to the pre-game radio show. Now? Eddie Gran. And Eddie's done away with the spread punt formation.

Talking points: The T-2 is FULL OF LIES!

Joel — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:21:51 -0000

Two more practices and a scrimmage, and some spots are still up in the air. Both corners and free safety are unsettled in the secondary. Two of three LB spots are still up for grabs, and along the offensive line, folks are still moving around to different positions. Left tackle Chris Scott and guards Vladimir Richard and Jacques McClendon all appear to be part of whatever that line ends up looking like, but Josh McNeil is still in a fight for the starting center position with Cody Sullins. Right tackle is wide open, and could be filled by Cody Pope, Jarrod Shaw, William Brimfield, Aaron Douglas, or Dallas Thomas.
WRs. Gerald Jones is probably entrenched at one of the starting positions. After that, most of the talk is about Quintin Hancock, Austin Rogers, and Denarius Moore. Brandon Warren has his number back and is getting some attention, and the coaches say that he is "making progress" on the mental aspect of the position, but you have to wonder why, if that's the case, that's the thing they choose to say when asked about Warren.
One of the best things about the T-2? It's full of lies. Eric Berry:

It's hard to tell because of our disguises. A lot of teams probably won't be able to determine where the blitz is coming from ... or if we're blitzing at all. It's how we display our defense.
The QB play in 2008 was bad, but it wasn't the worst ever, according to Inside Tennessee's Randy Moore. That distinction goes to 1971, when Phil Pierce, Dennis Chadwick, Chip Howard, and Jim Maxwell went 71-179 (39.7%) for 951 yards with 16 INTs and three -- 3! -- touchdowns. Somehow, the team finished 10-2, though, so . . . wow. Moore gave second place to 1980 and dishonorable mention to 2005.
There is growing evidence that this team might actually have a killer instinct -- or at least it's being taught to have one. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney says that the game plan will -- gasp! -- change on a weekly basis depending on the opponent's weakest link. Somebody remind us of this when we lose a game doing something different from what worked the prior week. Other new things: No hanging out in the weight room. Players have to wear matching gear and no jewelry, iPods, or hats. Don't expect an illusion this Saturday for the Orange and White Game like we were treated to last season. It may in fact be ugly for the offense, but remember that the offense didn't look all that bad in the O&W Game a year ago.
This quote from Gerald Jones might explain the height of futility last year:

This time last year, we were still making mistakes all around. The receivers didn't know where to go. The quarterback didn't know where to throw the ball, and the linemen didn't know who to block.

This sentiment came out in the media only as an "It's complicated" quote from one of the players.

Lane Kiffin & Tennessee Begin Spring Practice Together

Will — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:36:42 -0000

Beginning today, the calendars of Tennessee football fans turn from post-recruiting analysis to the two most welcome words we know this time of year: spring practice.

Between now and the Orange & White Game on April 18, Lane Kiffin and his superstaff will get their first on-field look at the returning talent, and their first chance to implement the pro-style offense and the Tampa two defense in Knoxville. This is a staff that has been praised for their recruiting prowess; now it's time for their actual coaching and teaching abilities to show themselves.

We won't know the full result of those abilities until the fall, and we really won't be able to make a summary judgement about them for a couple of years at least. But it starts today. Last spring, the warning signs of a Clawfense in trouble first showed up in spring practice, even if we couldn't see it then...and the lack of confidence and lack of execution that plagued the Vols then were ready and waiting for them when fall rolled around.

This spring, Tennessee has been a hot topic only for what the new head coach has said, whether that's been calling Urban Meyer a cheater, "firing" the person responsible for him being delayed 25 minutes at the airport, or suggesting that in-state kids who play for South Carolina have a bright future in the petrol game. But now, it becomes less about words and more about what he can do with the talent he's given. These kids aren't his recruits, but they will make up the bulk of what the Vols can do in 2009.

And it's an interesting mix, as we've seen in each position preview this spring. The majority of these players know what it's like to win an Eastern Division Championship, and they know what it's like to go 5-7 and lose to Wyoming. Now, they've each been given a fresh start and an opportunity...and this spring, both the players and the coaches have to make the most of it.

So as we settle in for five weeks of pads and potential, here are the biggest questions facing the Vols this spring...

Who plays quarterback?

We know it won't be Nick Stephens, at least not right away, as he's sidelined 3-4 weeks with a fractured wrist, and more importantly, sidelined from a critical quarterback derby. That leaves Jonathan Crompton and BJ Coleman alone at the starting line. Crompton's struggles from last season are well documented, while Coleman's claim to fame is a performance in a JV game. It's been reported that Lane Kiffin told recruits that he thought Crompton - not "one of the quarterbacks", but Crompton specifically - could get the job done. The Vols desperately need one of these three guys to step up and take the reigns now, to win the job outright over the next five weeks and be the man under center that this team so desperately needs. How good or how bad all of these kids will look...well, we're about to find out. (For more: Spring Position Battles - Quarterback)

Who starts at linebacker besides Rico McCoy?

Graduation took a heavy toll on the Vols here, and outside of McCoy there's no one with real starting experience to step in. The Vols will have some talented options with incoming freshmen, but right now there are a lot of names out there that have lived in relative Vol obscurity for the last year or two. Can Monte Kiffin find the extra among the ordinary to fill a vital role in the T2? (For more: Spring Position Battles - Linebacker)

Who is the final piece of the puzzle on the offensive line?

The four pieces in place are experienced veterans: Chris Scott, Jacques McClendon, Josh McNeil and Vladimir Richard. The fifth piece - a tackle opposite Scott - is a complete mystery. Whoever fills this void will be someone that has never taken a meaningful snap at the position for the Vols. Whether it's a tight end convert or something else we haven't seen, somebody has to line up there on September 5 against Western Kentucky...who's it gonna be? (For more: Spring Position Battles - Offensive Line)

Who lines up next to Dan Williams at defensive tackle?

The Vols have plenty of options at end and a solid NFL prospect at one tackle in Williams. From there, it'll be a new option in the middle. Maybe it's a converted end, maybe it's someone who hasn't gotten their chance yet...but if the Vols are to continue to play solid defense and implement this new system, it starts up front and it'll have to start with someone stepping up here. (For more: Spring Position Battles - Defensive Line)

How good can this team be?

The most important question that we will likewise not have the answer to until the fall. But you'd better believe that answer starts today. We won't be able to see all of it, the good and the bad, right away. But as much as it's already begun in the weight room and on the recruiting trail, the most important part for the immediate future of this team begins in the next five weeks. The Vols were ranked in the triple digits in every offensive category last season. And they had the nation's 4th best defense. How much life will the new staff breathe into the offense? And how quickly can the defense adapt to losses at key spots and the new system to maintain that level of play?

When Lane Kiffin was hired, he said "It starts today." He promised us we would feel it, and so far he's been right - a better than expected recruiting class, which was the product of an all-star staff. And we've heard it in the words he's said, even if it's taken time to get used to them.

But for all the saying of the right (and wrong) things and the potential for the future, the 2009 Vols will take shape starting today. We won't know how good this team can be in five weeks, but it will be moving in one direction or another. Are we in store for another year with no vacation destination for the holidays and an accepted rebuilding project? Or is Tennessee capable of being truly better than what they showed last season, and of becoming a good football team - not in three years, but now?

It starts today. The answers are six painfully long months away. But today they begin to take shape. For Lane Kiffin, for the players and their fresh starts, for Tennessee...we're fully in this thing together now. And the foundation of this season's roller coaster will be built in the next five weeks.

So strap yourselves in, boys and girls...and let's hope we all enjoy the ride.

Spring Position Battles: Offensive Line

Will — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:08:43 -0000

Previous installments in this series:

Quarterback will be the most talked about competition this spring, and linebacker will be the unit where the Vols will need the most from the least experience. But perhaps the greatest concern for Tennessee this spring will be finding both enough bodies and enough quality on the offensive line.

As the Vols prepare to install their third offense in as many springs, the line will once again play a critical role. Two years ago, David Cutcliffe took an unheralded group and turned them into a unit that allowed only four sacks all season, leading the NCAA. Last year, under the Clawfense, the linemen had to learn new vocabulary, words like "quick" and "strong" suddenly became important, and then in the fall the o-line had to perform under the weight of a struggling quarterback(s) and passing offense.

Several players who will suit up for the Vols this year had experience on both of those lines - they're well versed in great success and frustrating failure. However, depth is incredibly thin with the losses of Anthony Parker and Ramon Foster to graduation and Ramone Johnson earlier this spring.

Can the Vols put five solid starters on the field? And do we even know enough names to serve as backups? We break down the competitors...

CENTER

The easiest place to start is with Josh McNeil, the senior who has started all but three games since the day he stepped on campus. McNeil was a freshman All-America in 2006 and an honorable mention All-SEC in 2007 before he struggled along with everyone else last season. Nonetheless, his experience should be very valuable, and he can serve as the anchor for the rest of this group. McNeil has been good before...can he become great? Are his previous accolades the result of great play for a freshman, and playing with David Cutcliffe and Erik Ainge's "GET RID OF THE BALL!!!" offense...or is McNeil ready to perform on an All-SEC level now as a senior? Cody Sullins and Cody Pope served as his backup last season, and Sullins returns for his senior year as well. There are fewer questions here than anywhere else on the line.

GUARD

The returning starters here have been through the fire before: seniors Jacques McClendon and Vladimir Richard provide much of what McNeil gives at center, with familiar faces and playing experience on the '07 line. One of the biggest concerns here also deals with the 2010 line; if the returning starters all keep their jobs, the Vols will start four seniors on the line this season. Going into the two-deep here, you have to start scratching your head: Darius Sawtelle and Cody Pope lack real experience at the position, and join a long list of names that Vol fans hope the coaching staff (James Cregg and Jim Chaney in this case) will breathe new life into. Other bodies out there include senior Cory Sullins and redshirt freshmen Carson Anderson and Dallas Thomas.

TACKLE

We assume senior Chris Scott will hold serve, though it could be at left or right tackle.

And then we take a deep breath.

It's one thing to talk about a lack of depth. It's another thing when you have absolutely no idea who your other starting tackle is going to be, and none of the options have any real playing experience.

This was made most clear by the move of redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas from tight end to tackle, with the promise of a chance to compete for the starting job. Telling, since Douglas has never played tackle.

Junior Jarrod Shaw has seen action in two games, but at 330 lbs. I'm curious to see how well he fits what Kiffin is looking for at tackle. William Brimfield is a defensive convert, and thus a complete guessing game...much like Aaron Douglas. There are plenty of guys rumored for position changes on the line...but as such, it's all pure speculation. If any of these three guys, or someone changing from another position line up at the other tackle, it'll be a brand new experience.

INCOMING FRESHMEN

Kevin Revis, Rhea County's finest, was the #11 center prospect in the country from Rivals, and if he can come in and become McNeil's backup right away (which may be asking too much), perhaps it frees up Cody & Cody to play elsewhere on the line.

And then there's JerQuari Schofield, at 6'6" and a potential answer at tackle, ranked 20th in the nation at that position by Rivals. We won't know anything about either of these kids until fall, and while it would be great if they're ready to play right away, what the Vols don't want this spring is for everything to go so poorly at tackle that we have to depend on Schofield.

QUESTIONS FOR SPRING

As stated, the Vols have familiarity with four seniors, all of whom played on the 2007 line. Can any of those four - Josh McNeil, Jacques McClendon, Vladimir Richard and Chris Scott - step up and become an all-star/NFL performer? The Vols might take being merely serviceable at line right now with all the depth questions...but can these guys step up to make the Vols great up front?

And of course...who starts at the other tackle?

Again, maybe ultimately it's Schofield...but what we need this spring is for enough somebodies to step up to give us something to work with towards the fall. Hey, it'd be great if it turns out Aaron Douglas was born to play tackle. But whether it's him or someone else, the Vols need a player to step up and be ready to start by the end of spring practice.

And then it's all about depth - offensive line is probably the most dangerous place to be on the football field, and if injuries strike early or often to any of the four seniors, can the Vols develop the depth necessary to fill that void?

The line is the greatest enhancer and detractor in an offense. The Vols have a shaky quarterback situation and lots of skill players trying to break out. Will the offensive line make those situations worse...or help make them better?