SB Nation - Robert Ayers

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.

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services

Buck Bravo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all provide ranking systems for recruits headed to Division 1 football programs. Often, ratings of individual players will vary greatly from one service to another. In an attempt to determine which service most accurately projects the future performance of players, let's take a look at the ratings that were given to the 2009 NFL first round draft picks back when they were being recruited for college football:

PICK

NAME

COLLEGE

TEAM

RIVALS

STARS

SCOUT

STARS

ESPN

RATING

Matthew Stafford

Georgia

Jason Smith

Baylor

Tyson Jackson

LSU

Aaron Curry

OLB

Wake Forest

Mark Sanchez

USC

Andre Smith

Alabama

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Maryland

Virginia

Boston College

Texas Tech

Penn State

Georgia

Texas

Ohio State

OLB

USC

Northern Illinois

Kansas State

Tennessee

Missouri

Oklahoma State

California

Florida

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Illinois

OLB

USC

Donald Brown

Connecticut

Louisville

North Carolina

Rutgers

Ohio State

Missouri

ESPN did not start ranking recruits until 2006, so players from before that time have no ranking. Despite this limitation, let's look at the trend lines for the different services:

While Scout may have had the most 5 star rankings for recruits who ultimately became first round NFL draft choices, Rivals had the best trendline for accurately ranking future NFL talent. A more comprehensive analysis looking at later rounds and previous years would best determine which service best analyzes talent. If I were retired or writing for TDG full time, I'd be eager to put such a report together for later this week. For now, the first round of the 2009 NFL draft will have to suffice.

Mizzou 2009, Part Ten: Defensive Line

Bill C. — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:10 -0000

Okay, so we've worked ourselves into an optimistic frenzy on offense (it's August--show me a fanbase that isn't excited right now). What about the defense? Buzz kill or buzzsaw?

Defensive Line

This pic was too good not to use again.

2008 Unit Ranking: #14 in the nation (#3 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
DT Jaron Baston (6'1, 305, Sr.)
DE Aldon Smith (6'5, 255, RSFr.)
DE Jacquies Smith (6'4, 250, So.)
DT Terrell Resonno (6'6, 295, So.)
DE Brian Coulter (6'4, 250, Sr.)
DT Dominique Hamilton (6'6, 300, So.)
DE Brad Madison (6'4, 260, RSFr.)
DT Jimmy Burge (6'2, 285, RSFr.)
DT George White (6'4, 280, RSFr.)
DE Marcus Malbrough (6'5, 255, RSFr.)
DT Chris Earnhardt (6'5, 270, So.)
DT Andy Maples (6'4, 310, Sr.)
DT Bart Coslet (6'5, 260, Jr.)
DT Mark Ellis (6'2, 270, Sr.)

1. What kind of every-down potential do we have in our three-headed end monster? We all know about the athletic potential of Jacquies Smith, Aldon Smith, and Brian God Coulter. We're all excited about the possibilities of these guys rushing the passer. But you can only really pin your ears back and attack on Passing Downs...you have to force Passing Downs first. Mizzou was very good against the run last year, and while a lot of that has to do with Sean Weatherspoon and the linebackers, credit too goes to Ziggy Hood, Jaron Baston, Tommy Chavis, and Stryker Sulak, last year's starting D-line.

We haven't seen the lawfirm of Smith, Coulter, and Smith in every-down action yet, nor do we know who will be starting next to Baston at DT, so we don't know how good or bad the line will be against the run. We know that at 275+ pounds, Chavis was seen as more of a run stopping end than a pass rusher, and we know that nobody in the current corps of ends is that big. But clearly pure weight doesn't tell the story. TCU, Texas, and Tennessee were #1-3 against the run (according to Rushing S&P+) last year, and while they had some reasonably big guys (Texas' Henry Melton was around 280, Tennessee's Robert Ayers 270), most DEs on these squads were within the same 250-265 range as Mizzou's.

Can stats tell us anything about run support? Maybe a little. Here are the percentages of tackles each of last year's Mizzou linemen made against the run or pass (sacks count against the pass, FYI).

Jacquies Smith: 87% of tackles came against the run
Jaron Baston: 80%
Tommy Chavis: 72%
Ziggy Hood: 71%
Brian Coulter: 68%
Stryker Sulak: 61%

So if we conclude that Jacquies Smith really is a versatile player in the passing game (that's the perception, anyway), then he must be pretty good against the run. His "against the run" totals were higher Chavis', and Coulter's were higher than Sulak's, so consider that at least a small test passed. (And yes, they could have had high "against the run" %'s because they did nothing against the pass, not because they were particularly good against the run. I think we've made it clear that there are no wonderful lineman statistics. This is what we have to work with.)

What if we just looked at "successful" tackles (i.e. tackles that prevented a successful play for the offense)?

Jacquies Smith: 90% of successful tackles came against the run
Jaron Baston: 78%
Brian Coulter: 75%
Tommy Chavis: 73%
Ziggy Hood: 69%
Stryker Sulak: 51%

Hmm. That suggests that Coulter did more against the run than Sulak did...and that most of the successful plays J. Smith made came against the run. That's at least a little comforting, right?

2. Who's winning the battle to start next to Jaron Baston? No freaking idea whatsoever. At least I'm honest, right? Here's where it's bad that we're completely reliant on the practice reports of Dave Matter and Gabe Dearmond. We haven't heard much of Terrell Resonno or Dominique Hamilton. Monday's depth chart updates show that it's still Resonno in the lead, though neither have distinguished themselves. Hamilton looked really good in the spring game, but that is, after all, just one scrimmage of many.

3. Is there a sleeper we haven't talked much about? It appears about thirteen scholarships have been spent on the defense line at the moment, yet we've only talked about six guys. Are any of the others posing serious threats for playing time or stardom? Not really. Marcus Malbrough was not practicing particularly well, but he had a nice Saturday scrimmage, lodging a TFL and a sack. At DT, it sounds like the biggest mover has been redshirt freshman Jimmy Burge, who has jumped ahead of both George White and Chris Earnhardt to second string. It sounded like freshman Marvin Foster was making a threat for playing time before injuring his knee last week, so I'm thinking for the most part we're looking at a six-man line rotation...at least as far as the playmakers go. The winner of the Brad Madison/Malbrough battle will likely see the field, as will the winner of the Burge/Earnhardt/White battle, but I'm guessing that for 2009, at least, they won't be serious threats to make plays as much as eat space. It's doubtful we'll hear too much about anyone beyond Smith/Coulter/Smith and Baston/Resonno/Hamilton.

2009 Opponent Previews - Georgia

Will — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:12 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

"Now listen, Bobby Bowden gave me this hat..."

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The Series

Like the Tennessee-Florida rivalry, this one is born out of divisional alignment in 1992. The Vols lead the overall series 20-16-2. Tennessee won the first eight annual meetings and Georgia never beat Tennessee in the 90s. The Dawgs turned that around in the first part of this decade, winning four straight from 2000-2003. Since then, the rivalry has found a relatively even playing ground: the Vols are 3-2 in the last five games, but for the first time in a long time, neither team feels like it has the other's number.

Last Year

Georgia was preseason #1, but the Vols weren't impressed after the 35-14 beating they gave the Dawgs in 2007. But by the time the 2008 meeting rolled around in Athens, Tennessee had already lost thrice, and Georgia had been violently dethroned by Alabama. The Dawgs rolled up yardage but big plays from Tennessee's two best players, Robert Ayers and Eric Berry, kept them from rolling up points. With Nick Stephens at the helm, Tennessee scored off Berry's end zone INT to cut Georgia's lead to 20-14, but the defense couldn't keep Georgia from adding to their lead, and the offense had done all it could. The Dawgs finished it out with a 26-14 win that dropped the Vols to 2-4. Georgia would later lose to their two biggest rivals, Florida and Georgia Tech, and finish a long way from their preseason expectations.

Georgia Offense

Matt Stafford was the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Knowshon Moreno wasn't far behind him. So while the offense returns four starters on the line and All-SEC WR AJ Green, much of the focus is on Joe Cox and Caleb King, and much of Georgia's fate may be in their hands. Cox has that "fifth year senior who waited his turn" vibe about him, having seen action here and there in the last three years behind Stafford. As such, key words like "game management" seem to keep coming up when you read about him.

If Georgia is to find success while their quarterback merely manages, that puts pressure on King and the running game. Some sources said King had a relatively disappointing spring, and there will be other carries for guys like redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas. No matter who's handling the ball, Georgia has to find success in the running game for this team to be successful. And in a comparison we love to make around these parts, they were humbled last season after championship expectations fell short, lost their superstar #1 draft pick quarterback, and return an offense with only one proven star and a quarterback who waited his turn. Can the "no stars" philosophy work for the Dawgs in 2009? If so they'll need to be bolstered by the...

Georgia Defense

This is a unit that returns six starters, two at each position group, but one that also has some atoning to do: last year the Dawgs gave up 41, 49 and 45 in their three losses, and also gave up 38 apiece to LSU and Kentucky in shootout wins. They were 22nd nationally in total defense but 58th in scoring defense. The best fix may be the reunited tandem of Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins at defensive tackle, which will be the clear strength of a defensive line hurting for experienced playmakers at end. Rennie Currian had 115 tackles last year and is a preseason All-SEC linebacker. Prince Miller returns at corner and Rashad Jones at safety. Georgia was -3 in turnovers last year, and with ball control offense in '09 they need that number to make a big jump in their favor.

It's baptism by fire right away with this group, opening at Oklahoma State.

Best Case Scenario for the Vols

Georgia comes in depleted by their murderous schedule, and Tennessee is rolling on a 4-1 start. Again, similar themes in the best case scenario: Tennessee's defense takes advantage of an inexperienced quarterback, and by this point key freshmen are experienced playmakers for the Vol offense. Jonathan Crompton out-manages Joe Cox, Montario Hardesty out-rushes Caleb King, and the Vols find just enough points against a stingy Dawg defense to upset Georgia in Knoxville.

Worst Case Scenario for the Vols

Now that this series has finally reached some even ground, the worst thing that could happen is for Georgia to gain a definitive upper hand. Regardless of the outcome of the five previous games for either team, Georgia comes out and is simply better than Tennessee - the UGA defense attacks Crompton and keeps the Vols in single digits, while Joe Cox is in rhythm and the Dawgs get all the points they need. Georgia wins comfortably in Knoxville, and the Vols are forced to deal with the realization that right now, they're just not on the same level as the Bulldogs.

Game Importance Ranking: 9.4

This is the highest one you'll see. It's above the Gators because while we're given no chance to win that one, this one in Knoxville is a slightly different story. I can't make a rational argument that the Vols are going to beat Florida or Alabama on the road. I think the rational argument can be made for what would be an upset here. I'm not saying it's going to happen...I'm just saying it's more in the realm of possibilities.

Last year the Dawgs dominated the yardage battle, but the game was tight on the scoreboard throughout. Is there really that much talent separation between these two teams? The Vols had a better defense statistically last year, Georgia is inexperienced at key positions on offense...if Jonathan Crompton improves (and how could he not?), are we really that far apart?

Georgia's schedule to open the season - at Oklahoma State, South Carolina, at Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, at Tennessee - is beyond brutal, and the Dawgs could be burdened with a handful of losses already. But even if not, it's very very difficult to play at the high level winning all of those games would require for six consecutive weeks. The Dawgs get Vanderbilt and an off week after Tennessee, making Knoxville the last real obstacle in the opening stretch...something I think works to UT's advantage.

So on our schedule, this is the biggest game that we realistically have a chance in. That to me makes it more important than Florida. UCLA is of first importance, then Auburn...but if the Vols win those two, this becomes the greatest test. Kiffin and the Vols will be asked to clear the bar at higher levels each week...but if Tennessee walks into this game 4-1, the Vols will truly have a chance for a one-year turnaround. More than that, if the Vols want to get back in the annual SEC elite conversation, they don't do that just with one stunning upset, but by consistently beating teams on their same level. If Georgia has pulled even with Tennessee, the most important thing Tennessee can do is make sure they don't pull ahead. That starts this season in Knoxville.

Recommended Reading - DawgSports

The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs are Overrated...or Underrated

Putting Georgia's 2008 Season Into Perspective

Post-Spring Previews: Tennessee Volunteers

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

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

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

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

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

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

Offense

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

Quarterbacks

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

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

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Running Backs

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

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

Verdict: Slight to Strong advantage Tennessee

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

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

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

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Offensive Line

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

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

Verdict: Push

Let's look at the defense after the jump.

Defense

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

Defensive Line

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

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

Verdict: Push

Linebackers

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

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

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

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

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

Verdict: Strong advantage Tennessee

Special Teams

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

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

Verdict: Slight advantage Tennessee

Head Coaches

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

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

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Overall

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

Prediction: Three-point victory USC

Poll

The Tennessee game will be a...

Blowout USC victory

19 votes

Close USC victory

52 votes

Close UT victory

31 votes

Blowout UT victory

26 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed

Talking Points: Lane Kiffin to finally re-establish Tennessee's running game?

Joel — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:37:17 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Why wouldn't you believe me?

Browse more photos »

Fool me once. Inside Tennessee points out some troubling statistics for the Volunteer running game over the past several years. In 2005, we rushed 399 times for 1,411 yards and 10 TDs. Cutcliffe promised to change that, and in 2006, the team rushed 382 times for 1,404 yards (despite two more games). Clawson, too, came with promises of a renewed runnning game, and his offense rushed 409 times for 1,475 yards. So are we to believe Lane Kiffin's promises with respect to the running game? The one thing that's different is that Kiffin is actually in charge instead of simply a coordinator, although I think Cutcliffe pretty much had his way with the offense.
CRUNK! Yeah, Markeith Ambles is one of the Crunk Incident commits. He hopes to help us land an elite QB.

0001001111000111. Mike Slive hinted at it at SEC Media Days, but the SEC has now officially announced that the SEC Digital Network will soon be available. What is it?

With its arrival just prior to football season, the fully integrated new media network will empower fans to experience their favorite SEC teams outside of live, at-game parameters and within minutes after a game's conclusion. "The SEC Digital Network provides our fans with access to the largest online library ever of the Southeastern Conference and its institutions," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. "Through the efforts of XOS Digital, the SEC Digital Network will provide us with the ability to create and repurpose programming for our fans in a way that was not possible in the past."

. . . .

The SEC Digital Network will provide fans with access to exclusive content through online video syndication, digital downloads, and exclusive live-streaming and on-demand video content encompassing:

Highlights

Complete game replays

Breaking SEC news in real-time

Post-game interviews

Tailgate events

Behind-the-scenes pep talks

Press conferences

Instant Impact players. VolQuest on the incoming freshmen most likely to see significant time on the field this season: Bryce Brown has a legit shot at the No. 2 running back position. Nu'Keese Richardson was likely going to find the field anyway, but count on it now with all of the injuries to returning WRs.

$$$. The class that landed Eric Berry cost Tennessee $1.3M. Worth it? Yeah, because any revenue that was earned after the first game last year pretty much has to be attributed to him.

Tough love. The Denver Post has a great perspective piece on Robert Ayers, who says he never would have made it if his parents didn't stick him on a bus in Jersey City and send him to South Carolina.

SEC recruiting roundup. Chris Low has an SEC recruiting scorecard. Tennessee has 13 commitments, four of which are on ESPNU's 150 Watch List (Ambles, Broussard, Copeland, and J. Smith).

#27. I don't know where this started (Mike Griffith, I know, but what made him start talking about it?), but there's talk of possibly having Al Wilson coaching or something on the sideline for the Vols. That would be great and all, but how does that work?

Gate 21 continues its preview series with Alabama.

Opportunity plays ding dong ditch with the Vols (2008 retrospective: Auburn 14, Tennessee 12)

More Scapegoats, Please (2008 retrospective: Tennessee 13, Northern Illinois 9)

Talking points: missing Chris Lofton edition

Joel — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:32:45 -0000

Well, apart from the NFL Draft this weekend -- and hooper and Will have you covered on that below -- it's the time of recycling stories on the major sites. Guess what? Nick Reveiz is short and Monte doesn't care, Chris Walker is unblockable, etc., etc., etc.

That, plus the fact that my internet service has kerplunked three times in the last five minutes, so we'll take what we can get this morning:

Tennessee football

Jim Chaney speaks. First, he thinks Crompton can do it ($). Second, he believes that the QB is often blamed for poor pass plays despite the fact that the real problem is often elsewhere:
When you throw the football, timing is so important. If a receiver is two yards short on his route and getting a little too wide on his break, then the cornerback's involved and it looks like the timing's off, so [everyone assumes] the quarterback's messed up again.
Or the left guard jump-sets, as opposed to pass-sets, and the 3-technique beats him and gets a little pressure. But [everyone says] the quarterback didn't step up enough.

So, once again, everybody notices the quarterback position. But it takes all 11 of them in a timing situation.

Tennessee basketball

This from new RTT community member OhioCelticsFan, Boston and Tennessee fan from Ohio talking Turkey, former Vol Chris Lofton hit 77.3% of his three-point shots (17-22) on his way to 61 points yesterday. Insert your favorite exclamation and lamentation here.

SEC

Team Speed Kills breaks down the SEC numbers for this weekend's NFL Draft. Despite Tennessee's pitiful showing (except for Ayers, who -- woo!), the SEC did quite well, for what it's worth.
A Sea of Blue is beginning a series taking an honest look at John Calipari, beginning with the Marcus Camby incident.

NCAA

Ohio State had 95,722 show up for its spring game this weekend. Behold the power of a highly-touted QB recruit in his second year. And warm weather in the north.

Your Turn! - 2009 NFL Draft Grade - Denver Broncos

John Bena — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:26:20 -0000

You've read all the comments, the quotes from the players, the coaches, the talking heads and all of us here on MHR and across the web. You've taken it all in, and hopefully come to some kind of early conclusion. Now take a stab at grading the 2009 Denver Broncos draft.

Below are all the picks, provided with a bit of commentary from Styg. Six offensive players, 4 defensive players. Look at it, and make an educated decision based on what the Broncos did, what they addressed, instead of what others say should have happened.

2009 NFL Draft
Rd/Pick	Player, position	School	Comments
1.12	RB Knowshon Moreno	Georgia	The Man.
1.18	DE Robert Ayers	Tennessee	Technique and Talent.
2.37	CB Alphonso Smith	Wake Forest	Savvy ballhawk.
2.48	FS Darcel McBath	Texas Tech	Smart and attacks the ball
2.64	TE Richard Quinn	N.Carolina	Best blocking TE in the draft.
4.114	FS David Bruton	Notre Dame	Team leader.
4.132	OG Seth Olsen	Iowa	Versatile interior lineman.
5.141	WR Kenny McKinley	S.Carolina	Tenacious, quick, great hands and routes.
6.174	QB Tom Brandstater	Fresno State	Likely #3 QB.
7.225	C Blake Schleuter	TCU	Smart and very athletic.

Poll

Your Turn! Grade the 2009 Denver Broncos Draft

A

370 votes

B

1078 votes

C

694 votes

D

416 votes

F

231 votes

2789 votes | Poll has closed

Josh McDaniels discusses Day 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft

John Bena — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:03:01 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

8 months ago: Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talks about this weekend's NFL draft at its conclusion at the team's headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, April 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

Browse more photos »

HEAD COACH JOSH McDANIELS

END OF 2009 NFL DRAFT PRESS CONFERENCE

Opening statement

"Day two is officially over, well I don't know if the draft is over, but our part in it is. I am very happy with what we have accomplished here in the last two days which was to add the kind of players that will compete for spots on our team, and we feel like we did that with five more players today. I am looking forward to the competition as it begins later this week in our second mini camp"

On QB Tom Brandstater (6th Rd., 174th overall, Fresno State University)

"In terms of the mold of a quarterback, the arm strength, the height, he is 6'5" 220 and has a good arm. He is bright and smart, and I like that a lot. He has above average feet that he can maneuver a little bit in the pocket. I think he also has a passion for football, and for being the best player that he can be. He has got a long way to go as most quarterbacks coming into the league do, but he has a great attitude and a great approach, and he will be here later this week. I am looking forward to getting him in here and beginning to teach him."

On comparisons between QB Tom Brandstater and New England QB Tom Brady

"The body type may be similar, but I would not compare any quarterback to Tom [Brady] or Matt [Cassel] at this point. We are talking about a guy who has never even practiced at this level, so I am not going to put anybody in that category. I don't know if I have been around any rookie quarterback that has come in ready to compete immediately. He is going to come in and be competitive with his work ethic and in meetings, so we will see how far he can go, and we will continue to coach him the entire time he is here."

On the way he approached the draft

"I don't think this is a very deep draft in terms of players that would fit our system in those areas. When you get to a selection and you have a player that you valued much higher than another player, then in my opinion you don't want to draft someone because they play a certain position. There may have been a few times where there was some discussion had, but we are not looking to draft players and cut them, especially early on. If the player is not going to come in and compete with someone on our roster, then we are going to go in a different direction at another position, and that is what we did the entire draft."

On finalizing the roster

"We will not be done with our roster until the end of August. If that means college free agency after the draft, we are never going to stop looking. We are not going stop looking at any position not just including the front seven. We have players who have been here for the past few months working extremely hard, and we are going to see how they do and how much we can coach them."

On if they got every player they wanted

"I'm not going to say any names here or there, but the players we drafted yesterday and today I am very pleased with. Each has an opportunity to come in and compete and make our team this year and make our team better. That's what we were looking for, guys with skill sets that we value at those positions and the traits. Most of you have spoken to or asked questions to the guys we drafted on the first day and hopefully they represented what we are all about, which is tough, smart, competitive, good people, believe in the team. Not just it's ‘me, me, me.' None of them are like that. You're not going to find the five we drafted today are like that either. I'm very happy with the results of what we tried to get done this weekend. Again, the results won't speak until these guys actually get here and go into their first meeting and come out with a big headache and not having any idea what to do. Then they get out on the field and try to get better each day. It's a slow process, but we're excited about what we added on our team this weekend and we're looking forward to coaching them here on Friday."

On if they targeted more offensive players

"I mentioned before, we were trying to add good players on either side of the ball. I think the perception was that we were going to do more on one side than the other, but if we could add good players on either side of the ball or, in many cases, we added players that can help on our special teams which is a big key for us. We have so much room to improve on special teams. We were 32nd in the league in field position, so anybody that can help us on a kicking unit, I'd love to have them in a Bronco uniform. We addressed some areas where we felt we could help our team. Some of those were offense, some were defense. I didn't have a preset number. Sometimes when you get to a selection, you have two or three guys you are hoping are going to be there. Then you mini-rank them throughout the draft, then two picks before you pick, one of them is gone, then the pick before you pick, the other's gone, so you say, ‘that's our guy.' That happened more than a few times. That's the process that you go through and we hopefully got the value we were looking for at each pick."

On speaking with drafted players

"I personally spoke to each player that we drafted before we actually sent the card in today. Most of the players, I think seven in total, came to the facility before. The other three we worked out extensively in private workouts. We either met them here, did a private workout, or, in many cases, did both. We are very familiar with each player we have now. I think that helps the process. When we called today and I got on the phone, there was a familiar voice on the other end. They knew me, I knew them, and they knew what we're about too. They've heard it before."

On familiarity with drafted players

"We took advantage; we used almost all of the allotment we are permitted as far as bringing players in. I think the number is 30 that you're permitted. We brought in close to 30. Like I said, seven of ten have been here before. They know their way around, they've seen the facility. They've met me and the coaching staff. We targeted players; we weren't trying to throw a bunch of smokescreens in the process. We wanted to bring in players we had a sincere interest in and we felt could help our team. We're fortunate that we felt comfortable with them, we watched them on tape, we brought them here, and we saw them at the combine. We have a mini relationship started already with many of them."

On WR Kenny McKinley (5th Rd., 141st overall, University of South Carolina)

"He can really run and he's got very good hands. He's smart and loves to compete. He's a guy that can play more than one spot in the receiver alignments. Adding a player that has sub 4.4 speed, I think anytime you add a skill player with that kind of speed, it's a good thing and you've gotten faster. You've hopefully helped out your special teams in some capacity, which hopefully Kenny can do. He's a great kid. Again, he loves football and he loves to compete. He's very much like the other players we drafted, he has a little different skill set, but should fit in and compete with the talented receivers we have on our roster."

On S David Bruton (4th Rd., 114th overall, Notre Dame University

"He's one of the finest special teams players in the draft, period. He was a great gunner for the punt team, getting down there and getting to the returner before the ball was caught, many times forcing a lot of fair catches. He's got great speed. I think he's the fastest safety in the draft. He could really impact us on three or four teams; punt, punt return, kickoff, kickoff return. I think he's blocked a kick or two in his career, or certainly has the capability to do that. He's got great range in the deep part of the field as a safety also."

On if any rookies will start this season

"I think it's so hard to tell how fast they are going to get to that point. At some point through injuries or progression, you may end up with that many starting. I don't know, we'll see. But I love the attitude that every one of these guys is going to approach our organization and our team with, which is that they are going to come in and work hard. They know they have good competition ahead of them. They know they have good veteran players to learn from. They're going to try in any way they can to help us improve. If that means starting one of them, or five of them, or all ten of them at some point, then I hope our team is better for it."

On offensive line

"I think that's a spot you always- you know, you don't ever turn head away from. If you feel like you've got good players inside that fit your scheme, that are athletic, physical, smart players that can play more than one position, which is important. We don't want to have players too many players along the front that don't have good versatility. (C) Blake (Schlueter) and (G) Seth (Olsen) both, they can play either guard or Blake's certainly more center than Seth. But Seth is a player that will learn how to snap the ball and play center once he's here. So, to have three-position versatility inside is very big. We have some players on our roster right now that have that, and we looked to add more and those two players were guys that we really liked."

On strategy during draft

"I think we were aggressive, if you want to use that term. We didn't have that many players on our board once we were done with the evaluation, and that was the goal. ‘Let's get the players on the board that we want on our team. Let's not have 200 names up there if we don't want 200 guys on our roster.' So, we had a board that was thinned out. (General Manager) Brian (Xanders), and the scouts and the coaches did a great job evaluating the players they had in their areas. And, by the end of the process, our board was thin. We knew we wanted to come away with players on our board and we did, we didn't go to the back board for anybody. At some certain points in the draft, I think you ask yourself ‘If we wait, is he going to be there?' And there were a few times where we felt like there's no way. If we wait, we're not going to be able to attain a player that we'd like to get. We weighed the value of what we were trading to try to go ahead and get the players that we were looking to get. And we have a totally full draft next year, one through seven. So, we didn't give away any rounds next year. We had a couple extra (this year) and we used those to move and get the players in this year's draft."

On trading own pick in 2010 draft to Seattle to acquire CB Alphonso Smith (2nd Rd., 37th overall, Wake Forest University)

"We agreed that (the pick) could be ours. After talking through with (Seattle), we felt like ‘that's okay, we'll roll the dice. I have no idea where Chicago's pick is going to be, and I don't have the foresight to know where our pick is going to be. So, we felt like, at that point to haggle over something like that, that may not turn out in your favor, but it may. After discussing it with (Seattle), we said, ‘alright, let's go ahead and do it."

On trying to get more picks in Rounds 3-7

"It's an interesting night after the first day of the draft where you kind of take the players that are left. After the first day, it's even thinner than it was when it started on Saturday. We took the players that were left on our board, that we felt very good about in terms of wanting to try to acquire those players. We stacked those differently from top to bottom. We felt like if that group of 20-some players starts to go quick in the third round, where we didn't have any selections, then our best maneuver would be to try and get as many of them as we could. But, we felt comfortable with where we were at, looking at the players that we had a chance to get, so we just took them."

On pursuing college free agency, feelings of roster

"I don't think the work's going to ever stop. We're going to address the college free agency hard, we're going to bring in some college free agents and see if they can compete. And, if they can win a roster spot, that's great, that's good for our football team. And the ongoing spring, college free agents, veteran free agency- there's a lot of things that go into that. By the time August rolls around, we'll have a much better idea, a much better feel. But we're going to bring in the amount of players that we can bring in after the draft to try and give ourselves an opportunity to see as many guys that we kinda liked that didn't get drafted as we can. And if those players are good enough through a month-and-a-half of minicamp and passing camp practices to make us want to take them to training camp once all the draft picks are signed, then we'll do that. But they'll have an opportunity to do that in the next month-and-a-half, and if they succeed at that, it makes our team better."

On the type of player the Broncos were targeting

"From the get-go, we targeted a certain type of player: tough, smart, competitive, versatile, a good person that loves football and wants to win. And we think we brought in those types of free agents with every guy we brought in and we think we drafted 10 players that fit that mold also. And the college free agents that we bring in will hopefully be the exact same. So, if our locker room is full of those kinds of players, we're going to be happy with the kind of player we have in there. And, ultimately, it's our job and their job to come together and improve throughout the entire spring so that'll we get to the point, as a football team, where we can actually execute and play well. It's not only good to have those kinds of players, but to play well with them. And all of them are good players, and they're going to have an opportunity to make us better. Again, I can't emphasize enough how much we're going to try and win as a team. It will not be one side of the ball. It will not be one side of the ball beating the other team, it won't be the other side of the team beating the other team. It'll be three phases, playing well, playing together, complimenting one another and playing good situational football, and that's how we'll win."

On S Darcel McBath (2nd Rd., 48th overall, Texas Tech) and CB Alphonso Smith (2nd Rd., 37th overall, Wake Forest)

"Both (S) Darcel (McBath) and (CB) Alphonso (Smith) have gotten their hands on the ball. And that, to me, is sometimes something you can coach a player to improve in that area, and sometimes that's instinctive, that's something that they possess as football players. They can see the quarterback and the route at the same time so they can get to the catch-point before the receiver does. I would say it's hard to find guys in a draft or free agency that you feel like have that kind of production. So, hopefully we've addressed an area where we feel like we can help our team turn the ball over more with the players we have in the secondary. And hopefully it shows this year on the field."

On pursing college free agents

"We're going to try to get as many as we can today. The competition starts as soon as (pick) 256 is done. So, we'll see how fast we can get it done and obviously we'll work as late as we can today to try and close those things off, so that in the morning we feel like we've got an idea of who's going to be here on Thursday."

On C Blake Schlueter (7th Rd., 225th overall, Texas-Christian University)

"He's one of the best athletes, in terms of those interior positions, that was in the draft. I think he was the fastest interior linemen, not that that matters a whole lot- they don't have the ball and are running away from everybody. But it shows that he can move and that he has good movement skills and that he can do some of the things that we ask our centers and our guards to do, in terms of the zone scheme that we'll use, in terms of pulling and getting out in front of the runner, screens- a very athletic player that can do some of those things and that's going to be something that we're going to try and improve at this year, is our screen game. Blake (Schlueter)'s very versatile, very, very good kid, very smart, multiple positions, flexibility. And he fits the mold of what we're looking for in there. His athletic ability is certainly a big plus."

On C Blake Schlueter getting bigger

"I think he was 292. If he can get a little heavier, that's great. But he's certainly effective, strong, plays strong, plays with great leverage. That's one of the things, he's 6-2-and-a-half and he uses that to his advantage. He can bend, he can get under people, he can anchor the pocket and drop back passes, and that's something that's valuable to us here. But I think he can probably get a little bigger."

On draft experience as head coach

"It was great. (General Manager) Brian (Xanders) and I worked hand in hand the whole weekend and it was a lot of fun. It's always great fun when you're sitting there adding player after player after player that you feel like can come in and improve your team. And to actually put the tag on the board, where he's actually on your roster, on your depth chart, that's a neat feeling. So, it was a great experience, I look forward to next year's draft and going through the process again."

Robert Ayers is the only Vol taken in the NFL Draft

Will — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:20:02 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

Denver Broncos first-round NFL draft pick Robert Ayers, a defensive end from Tennessee, poses with a Broncos jersey at the team's headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, April 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

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For the first time in the history of the modern NFL Draft (since the AFL merger in 1967), Tennessee placed only one player - first round selection Robert Ayers - in the seven rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Connections are sure to be made between this moment of negative history and the downfall of Phillip Fulmer, and perhaps rightfully so. It should be noted that Ayers is the fifth Vol to be taken in the first round in the last four seasons, and that the Vols have had a player selected in the first round 21 of the last 30 years, and have sent 32 players to the first round of the draft in total since 1980. Jerod Mayo's first round selection last season turned into an NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year season, so while this isn't really a developing trend, it is a historic moment.

(Check out Tennessee's complete NFL Draft history at the official site here.)

It would take a cataclysmic event to not put Eric Berry and Dan Williams in next year's NFL Draft, not to mention a handful of others who should hear their names called at some point next April. But Ayers' solo experience once again makes us question how much of the 2008 Vol struggles were simply a lack of talent, as opposed to Clawfensive struggles or other misfortune. And likewise, the offensive futility seriously damaged the draft prospects of several Vols, most notably Arian Foster.

Much of that 2008 talent - or lack thereof - will still be wearing orange in September. And regardless of the new season's outcome, much of the blame for struggling may continue to be placed on Phillip Fulmer instead of Lane Kiffin - if the Vols struggle again in 2009, Fulmer will be blamed for devoiding the program of talent, and if the Vols succeed (or perhaps just improve, which isn't asking much in the win column), Fulmer will be blamed for a poor coaching effort by comparison.

Either way, it's a new experience for the Vols to only have 1 of the 256 most NFL ready upperclassmen in college football. Let's hope it's back to normal this time next year.

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Robert Ayers is the only Vol taken in the NFL Draft