SB Nation - Gerald Williams

Black Jerseyed Tennessee Gives a Halloween Fright to South Carolina and Wins 31-13

Hooper — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:49:19 -0000

about 1 month ago: Tennessee's Austin Johnson (40) outruns South Carolina's Chris Culliver (17) for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

In a cool, rainy evening in Knoxville, the Tennessee Volunteers stormed out to an early lead on mistakes made by the South Carolina Gamecocks and never looked back. This will be a game that haunts South Carolina for a long time, as their four turnovers were the leading factor in their loss to the Vols, as Tennessee scored three touchdowns in the first half on drives immediately following turnovers, then iced the game with a field goal on a drive after the fourth turnover.

If the turnovers are set aside, the teams were roughly equal on the field. South Carolina outgained Tennessee by the modest margin of 365 yards to 341 yards, although much of that was due to the catch-up offense they were forced to employ for most of the contest. Both quarterbacks threw for 50% completion rates on the day, but Stephen Garcia's day ended with 25 completions on 50 attempts for 300 yards, one touchdown and one interception; Jonathan Crompton threw 12 completions on only 24 attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Crompton did not throw an interception this evening. Meanwhile, the one interception fro Garcia came at the hands of Greg King - yet another freshman Vol who is finding ways to make major contributions on the field of play.

Rather than live and die by the pass, Tennessee was afforded the luxury of running a balanced offense, gaining 199 of their yards on the ground behind Montario Hardesty's 23 carry, 121 yard day with two touchdowns.

But all in all, it was a game that felt like it was under Tennessee's control from start to finish. Despite the advantage in total yardage from South Carolina, the defense proved to be very difficult to score on; the Gamecocks managed only one trip into the red zone and scored a field goal for their efforts. And the one touchdown they did manage to score was the first touchdown scored on the Tennessee defense since very early in the fourth quarter against Auburn - nearly 12 full quarters' worth of football. There was room in the defense to bend, but not to break, which was all the Vols needed to send the Gamecock faithful on their long trek back to South Carolina a little earlier than they had hoped.

A few notes:

Austin Johnson scored an early touchdown on a beautiful play fake. The fullback led up the middle as if blocking, then ran right by the linebackers and both safeties before Crompton hit him in perfect stride with a rain-soaked pass.
Alshon Jeffery, the topic of a newfound feud between Vols and 'Cocks fans, had a nice day of 4 receptions for 54 yards, but had a couple of drops early on when the rain was heaviest. (Side note: both fanbases spent a considerable amount of time yelling 'gas-pumping' comments toward each other, indicating that this tiff isn't going anywhere for a while.)
LaMarcus Thompson and Savion Frazier were injured in the second half, potentially depleting an injury-stricken linebackers corps even further. At one point in the game, the VolTron showed a tribute video to Nick Reveiz which was met with loud applause and support.
Field Goal Kicking still needs work. Here's hoping that Daniel Lincoln gets his quad in shape very soon. We'll need some good place kicking against Ole Miss, if nothing else.
Gerald Williams and Dan Williams each recorded a sack against South Carolina in the second half.
Garcia threw the ball well away from Eric Berry. It almost seemed like they were intentionally avoided the risk of becoming a footnote in the NCAA record book. But hey, whatever shuts down a receiver.
Janzen Jackson hits. Hard. This is becoming routine to say, but the guy can lay a lick. If he does move to cornerback next year (which will depend on the players that come in), he's going to be a serious threat on a corner blitz.

Talking Points: fewer heart attacks in the punt return game, please

Joel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:30:29 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Browse more photos »

And the rest of the piecemeal talking points . . .

Is it time to put Jones back on punt return duties or to give all of them to Dennis Rogan? Those guys aren't bad, and while Nu'Keese Richardson may have some great potential at returning punts, he's got to catch the thing first. He's already cheated fate several times this season, muffing several attempts, letting the ball bounce between his legs, and generally giving coaches, teammates, and fans alike multiple simultaneous coronaries when the ball's falling from the sky and opponents are approaching.
Eric Berry is one of 20 quarterfinalists for the Ronnie Lott Award (guess what -- duplicate link).

Whoa. I thought this was a bye week (duplicate link again -- notes columns were not made for blogging). Dan Williams was held out of a portion of practice, Gerald Williams and Quintin Hancock held out of all of it, and Art Evans was limited. Both Williamses are expected to play Saturday, Hancock "could play Saturday even though he hasn't practiced in a week (didn't we criticize ourselves for doing that earlier this year?), and Marsalous Johnson will fill in for Evans if he can't go. But isn't that more injuries than before the bye?

Oneathem inside sources tells GVX that Tennessee is about to offer junior college QB Matt Simms, who recently transferred from Louisville to El Camino Community College. So we know he can elude pressure. Ba dump bump. And yes, it's that Simms -- brother of Denver back QB Chris, son of former New York Giants QB Phil.

Post-game awards: Tennessee Volunteers vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Joel — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:08:11 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Browse more photos »

Best pre-game glad-handing. Lane Kiffin, schmoozing the officials just before kickoff. Yeah, we got some calls.

Best Jedi Mind Trick. Lane Kiffin, who, early in the game, spotted the ball for the official several yards beyond where it should have been spotted. The official accepted the assistance and gave the Vols a first down.

Best team effort. The defensive line, for a play during which Dan Williams pressured Joe Cox into a quick pass, Gerald Williams tipped such pass into the air, and Chris Walker pulled down the INT.

Best, most candid response. Lane Kiffin on his TV show, who said while watching Georgia's kickoff return for a touchdown, "I'm out of answers. There's Eric Berry. Nu'Keese, our fastest guy on the team. Our starting corner. I don't know. We'll figure something out." When asked about it later in the show by a write-in fan, Kiffin said he was taking suggestions. Hooper?

Best impersonation of a flying squirrel. Denarius Moore, who took a Jonathan Crompton pass, spun out of the reach of two would-be tacklers, raced down the sideline, launched into the air at the five yard line as he was hit by another defender, and deployed his patagium to glide through the air while stretching the football out with his right hand to touch the invisible corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

Most humorous comment. Lane Kiffin, again on his TV show, who said "My man the robot there," describing true freshman Zach Rogers's short-strided run after a catch for a nice gain. It's true. Rogers looked like he was doing the robot dance on fast forward.

Best block. Kevin Cooper on Montario Hardesty's 39-yard touchdown run. Cooper was through the hole already when he realized the strongside linebacker was threatening to catch Hardesty from behind, so Cooper peeled off and chipped the defender giving Hardesty just enough room to get through the hole and into the open.

Best We've Been Waiting for That. Gerald Jones, who had gotten behind the safeties on a wonderful double move the team had been setting up the entire game, and who hauled in a well thrown deep ball from Crompton for a 51-yard touchdown.

Best icing on the WIN cake. Seeing Josh McNeil, who ignored the knees telling him he will never play football again, on the field late in the game and mixing it up with a defender.

Best stat. Georgia's offense never made it past the Tennessee 34-yard line and managed a mere three points on a 52-yard field goal.

Best dress rehearsal. Eric Berry, who raced 46 yards after grabbing an air-borne fumble caused by Art Evans's jarring hit on a receiver. For a fleeting minute, everyone thought that it had been an interception, which would have given Berry the college football record for interception return yards.

Most concise. Lane Kiffin, who, when asked about the post-game Gatorade bath (his first, by the way), said simply, "Cold."

Top 5 plays (according to the Lane Kiffin Show):

5. Crompton to Marsalis Teague for a five-yard touchdown. Crompton said Teague was his third read, by the way.

4. Moore's flying squirrel TD. Moore said he was the second read.

3. The Williams, Williams, and Walker team effort interception mentioned above. Walker called Gerald Williams "Teasy" on the TV show, and I've no idea why. Anyone?

2. Hardesty's 39-yard TD. Call this "Team effort, offense," as Hardesty said it was an outside zone, but Cooper "made a great read," cut it back, and Hardesty simply followed.

1. Crompton to Jones 51-yard TD.

Best continuation of the chimera theme. The Lane Kiffin show is now half Lane Kiffin and half one of the Chimera heads. It's a different guy each week (James Cregg was the lucky guy yesterday). Consider that new format another nice move by Kiffin, getting each of his guys some face time and public appearance practice reps for their resumes.

Player of the game, offense. Crompton, who went 20-27 for 310 yards, four TDs, and one interception. Good for him. Seriously.

Player of the game, defense. This is a close one, actually, as the defense was fantastic all day, and it was a true team effort. Rico McCoy had nine tackles, a pass breakup, and a QBH, Savion Frazier had seven tackles and a TFL, and Dennis Rogan had six tackles, a TFL, and an interception, but Eric Berry, who only had five tackles, also had that terrific 46-yard fumble return and two pass breakups, so I'm going with him.

Game Review: How Chris Walker and the Volunteers Broke the Ohio Screen

Hooper — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Chris UnWalkerble. I like that nickname.

Browse more photos »

Outmatched on offense? Staring at a defensive line that's making Swiss cheese of your offensive line? Receivers can't get separation? Quarterback spending too much time counting stars? One of the most cherished pieces of kryptonite in an offensive coordinator's arsenal is the screen pass. Rather than continue to fight an unwinnable war in the trenches, why not just let the defensive line through, throw over/around them and send the offensive line out to block the linebackers instead?

Screen passes are one of those 'counter' plays (though not a counter rush, obviously) that is used to turn a defensive strength into a weakness by making aggressive, sack-happy linemen overrun the play. The offensive line allows a part or all of the defensive line through, usually with only a token check block to sell the fake, then immediately heads downfield to start blocking. The pass stays behind the line of scrimmage (so that there is no ineligible receiver downfield penalty) to a running back (or tight end and sometimes even a wide receiver in more recent permutations) who is now past the defensive line without having to take the brutal hits and has his offensive line grading the road ahead. Executed well, the screen can go for a big play. Timed with a defensive blitz, and a screen pass is often good for huge gains.

If a team uses the screen as a crutch, the defense may reserve a linebacker or lineman to spy the running back and reduce the effectiveness of the play. But if used sparingly, the defense can't afford to allocate a resource on every play and instead has to rely on quick thinking and adjustment by individual players to recognize the play.

And on Saturday against the Ohio Bobcats, that's exactly what happened when Chris Walker "The Unblockable" fought every instinct to kill the quarterback in the end zone and found himself sauntering into the end zone for six.

The Situation:

Midway through the second quarter, the game was tied at 14 apiece. Ohio had managed to avoid the critical mistake while the Tennessee Volunteers had allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown, and an early turnover gave a short field for the second Ohio score. but with half of the second quarter remaining, the Bobcats found themselves facing a 3rd and 29 from their own 9 yard line. Running for some breathing room was not an option, as the running game had been completely and utterly ineffective. Converting the first down would most likely require a downfield pass, and this appeared to be the option the Bobcats would take.

The Volunteers were settled into the T-2 defense, with Nick Reveiz lined up 15 yards deep and the outside linebackers playing pass coverage in the middle of the field. The pass rush was clearly going to be limited to the four linemen. For Ohio, the quarterback was lined up in shotgun with three receivers spread out:

This is a defense conceding that up to 25 yards is ok, but nothing that would either allow for a gutsy fourth down call or get the first outright. And so Ohio goes to the screen pass - a play that they had virtually never used in the first half.

But Chris Walker is not only The Unblockable, he was The Unfoolable:

I saw the tight end there, so I thought I was going to have to beat the tight end, but I saw him drifting a little bit until the lineman came out so I knew something was up, and, you know, the ball just came right to me so I kinda knew what to do with it.

He read the tight end and left tackle, then switched his play from the rush to cover the running back. In pictures:

This is the point in time in which Walker becomes aware of the screen pass. But why? As the play resumes, the tight end heads out into a pass pattern, which is a perfectly legitimate assignment for the tight end in a 3rd and long. The offensive tackle, meanwhile, is supposed to block the defensive end.

Let's now look from the end zone camera:

Have I mentioned before how much I love that end zone camera? From the sideline, you just can't see the perspective. The fundamental problem with the pass protection scheme is that Walker is left unblocked for far too long. The outside rush is left wide open; for the OT to cover it, he has to overcommit (remember, he's running backwards) and Walker would have enough time to adjust and rush to the inside. It's a lost-lose situation for the tackle. There are only two reasons this can be considered a legitimate strategy: one is that the quarterback will not be holding the ball long enough for Walker to get to him anyhow; the other is that they want to leave Walker free on the rush so he overpursues the play.

From here, the pictures can pretty well speak for themselves.

If you go back and observe the timestamps, you'll notice that Walker made his read and decision within about 1 second (even accounting for clock operator lag). It's a great observation that the team was prepared for the screen and that Walker had the alertness to recover in time. Coupled with the lack of penalties so far this season, we're seeing a defense that is disciplined both in the rules of the game and the strategy. In this case, careful planning, good coaching, and a heads-up read by Chris Walker not only stopped the screen, it turned the play into a disaster for Ohio. This could have been run from the Volunteer 9 and Walker would have most likely scored.

BONUS! The other way this play was doomed.

Even if Walker hadn't made the read, this play was likely going for a small gain at best. Look at what else Monte did to defend the screen. You know that four-man rush? Try three.

The offensive play call was fundamentally sound - intended to take advantage of Tennessee's powerful pass rush to buy some distance downfield and hopefully punt the Vols deeper back. The defensive playcall accounted for the possibility, however, and beat the offense both by scheme and by technique.

As a last piece of trivia, I'll leave one final piece of the puzzle up to you. We've seen what Walker, Bohannon, and Dan Williams did on this play. Can you figure out what Gerald Williams (the left defensive end) did, and how his heads-up play completed the total domination by the defensive line? It's easiest to see in the '360 replay, but you can also pick it up in the stills above.

A New Familiarity

Will — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:26:27 -0000

by Wade Payne - AP

When he throws five touchdowns, that look in his eye conveys something other than absence.

View full size photo »

Tennessee's team buses pulled up to The Torchbearer at 10:40 AM, and we the people were waiting.

It's a slightly different experience with the Vol Walk this year, with the team busing in just past Circle Park, and everyone disembarking from there. We waited for our first glimpse of our new head coach, while we watched the Vols literally rock the bus as they prepared to file out behind him.

And then the doors opened, and Kiffin stepped out to a welcome that belongs to rock stars and caesars.

Now, if it was me, I would've eaten that moment alive. I would've done my best wrestling heel impersonation and channeled Shawn Michaels or Razor Ramon, and pretended to be above it all while playing to all of it at the same time. Either that, or I would've grinned from ear to ear like a little kid who couldn't believe it.

But not Kiffin.

Kiffin met the crowd of new devotees, and whatever he was thinking behind those sunglasses, we couldn't tell. Because Lane Kiffin was all business.

And an hour and forty-one minutes later, the Vols returned the favor.

Don't get me wrong: the Vols certainly looked like they enjoyed every minute of today's 63-7 win over Western Kentucky, as Hooper already pointed out. But when you pile up 657 yards of offense while allowing only 83 on defense, you're not screwing around.

When Jonathan Crompton threw that first interception, what were you thinking?

Was it"I bet he goes 12 of his next 14 for 3 TDs"? Because that's what he did.

When Montario Hardesty fumbled, did you have flashbacks to Arian Foster and wasted opportunities? Or were you thinking that the Vols would ultimately run for 380 yards at an equally staggering 8.6 yards per carry? Because that's what happened.

In responding to adversity with success - especially from Crompton - the Vols buried every possibility of the ghosts of 2008 coming back to haunt them today, and instead resurrected the memories of Tennessee Football at its finest: a dominant running game, a defensive line that lives in the opposing team's backfield, and a big, big win.

It was familiar from the back of our minds, the good ol' days. But it was also new.

New when Marsalis Teaguestepped in and looked nothing like a freshman, with 6 catches for 86 yards. New when Quintin Hancock caught 5 passes for 65 yards, which is 5 passes and 65 yards more than he had last year. New when Brandon Warren finally, finally caught a touchdown pass. New when eleven different Vols caught passes.

The defensive line was almost entirely new though no freshmen started. But with Wes Brown at tackle, Chris Walker and Gerald Williams at end, and the old reliable with Dan Williams at the other tackle spot, the Vols enjoyed their most destructive day in years from the d-line: 4 sacks and 5.5 TFLs. Along with the rest of the defense, they did their part in holding WKU to under 100 yards of total offense.

But the deepest breaths of fresh air came from the two men we were watching the most: Jonathan Crompton and Lane Kiffin.

It'll take more time and a better opponent to determine if #8 has truly put childish ways behind him and become a man. But if Crompton was the poster boy for the disastrous 2008 season, he's equally eligible for a return appearance as the face of resurrection in 2009. Because the man out there today was not the boy out there last season. Crompton looked familiar in appearance only - in play, he was something different, and something very welcome. When the offense is ripping off first downs on the ground no matter which tailback is in, Crompton merely needs to manage, and manage he did. I think we'll take 21 of 28 straight to the bank.

And you know what? I'm really happy for him. Today was what Crompton had to be envisioning from childhood just across the border. And after four different offensive coordinators and five long years, Crompton played a great game as the quarterback of the University of Tennessee. So today, we tip our caps to our senior quarterback.

And next week, we'll be looking for the man and not the boy again.

Lane Kiffin was all new. The preparation and the approach leading up to the game were well documented. He said he would play freshmen, and he did. He said he would stick with one quarterback, and he did.

But on the field today, we got even more than what we bargained for.

Up 28-0 and on defense in the final minute of the first half? We're burning all three of our timeouts, because yes, we want the ball back, because yes, we think we're going to score.

4th and 4 near midfield in the 3rd quarter? No discussions, no alternatives: we're going for it. And if we don't make it, you can't score on our defense anyway.

Nick Stephens comes in with the Vols up 35 in the 4th quarter? He's throwing.

Lane Kiffin knows only acceleration.

Late in the game, my Dad, who's been doing this a lot longer than me, sent me a text mentioning that Kiffin's got some mid-90s Spurrier in him, running up the score.

You know what? I think we'll take some of that around here.

I mean really, did you think you'd be discussing the all-time scoring mark (70 points) in today's game?

And when asked about the Vols' jaw-dropping numbers and sensational execution? "This is the way we expect to play," he says.

Really, say something negative about what you saw out there today. Go ahead, I'll wait.

...

It reminded you of the best of times, today. You remembered that yes, people can leave Neyland Stadium with the same smile they were wearing when they walked in. That we don't have to sweat it out against a lesser opponent (see Wyoming/NIU '08, Vanderbilt '07, Air Force '06, UAB '05, etc). That football is still fun in Knoxville.

It looks different. And it is new. But in one game, we caught a glimpse of how this new staff can take this old program to the best of times again. And as we take them one game at a time...today's one game was the best of times.

The bar gets raised in seven days. And I cannot wait to see this team clear it.

Go Vols.

Vols to Watch For in the Opener

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

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

...that's about it.

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

The Fab Five

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Defensive Line

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

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

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

Not Eric Berry

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

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

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

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

Cody Sullins, Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw

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

Jonathan Crompton

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

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

The Fab Five

86 votes

The Defensive Line

15 votes

New Offensive Linemen

9 votes

New Defensive Backs

5 votes

Jonathan Crompton

131 votes

other (leave it in the comments)

8 votes

254 votes | Poll has closed

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)

Browse more photos »

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

Talking Points: Bad News in Threes Edition

Hooper — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

To be fair, this guy is coaching the Raiders. You'd be liable to snap, too. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Browse more photos »

(Delayed from the usual morning time due to the other posts on the day.)

Brian Butler is at the heart of Bryce Brown's investigation. Like we didn't see this coming, but there you go. The fact that Brown is still allowed to practice is a good sign, though standard NCAA fickleness is still in play.
A round of cold cocks for everyone. It's all the rage, really. The Raiders set the trend, complete with the usual denials and the tacit gratefulness from Lane that he was fired. From there, it moved coast-to-coast to Miami, but not without a brief layover in Knoxville itself. Fortunately, the trend never got off the plane, and fun was had by all. (Side note: after the stretch of two-a-days last week, this bit of stress release was probably the right prescription.)
Somebody remind Memphis that he's no longer eligible. JaJuan Smith has been charged with assault. No details as of yet, but true or not, you hate to hear this news.

Those are your three bad newsies; on to the good.

Vols / Cats on ESPN. Just remind the announcers that the orange blazer is a tradition and not a fashion statement.
Tight Ends = Happy. The tight ends see a much larger role for themselves in the passing game this year, which is making them very happy. With the uptick in tight end passes in the NFL this decade, I'm sure the prospect of adding to that resume isn't hurting their feelings much. Short summary: Luke Stocker is better near the line, and Brad Cottam is better downfield.
Marlon Walls is good. He's fast enough to catch David Oku. After you take a moment to let your eyes o.O for a bit, stop and consider what a roundup that he, Gerald Williams, and Montori Hughes have been for the Vols.
KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER VOLS WOO! No, he hasn't announced, but he will on September 2. His five, according to Scout, are Illinois, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC. Tennessee and USC have the best offenses for his skillset, though Illinois and ND have closer to home and Oklahoma allows him to duck any semblance of defense (except for bowl games) for 3-4 years. It'll be interesting to see how he picks.

Vols Football Second Scrimmage: Wheel Of Fortunes

Hooper — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:19:47 -0000

The Vols' second scrimmage of the fall was today; the meaning of the results will depend on what you want them to mean. But no matter how you interpret the day, the defense turned around the fortunes of the first scrimmage and had the better time of it.

Quarterbacks

Everybody wants to talk about the quarterbacks first. (Hmm, I wonder why...) Here are the basic statlines for the quarterbacks:

Jonathan Crompton

17 of 25 for a 68% completion percentage.
1 TD, no INTs
178 yards for 7.12 YPA

Nick Stephens

11 of 23 for a 47.8% completion percentage.
2 TDs, no INTs
120 yards for 5.22 YPA

On the face of the stats, Crompton appeared to have the better day. Reading into reports, though, you get the feeling that he made a couple of throws that could just as easily have been intercepted as incomplete. He also had one lateral for lost yards that doesn't count against the passing numbers since it was a lateral. Stephens didn't have the best of days, either; it reflects more in his stats than Crompton's, but it's simple enough to say that it was a 'learning experience' for both quarterbacks.

Also a factor to consider is that a lot of (presumed) starters - especially defensive players - did not scrimmage as much as the other players. Eric Berry, for example, was only in for two series. Others like Dan Williams and Chris Walker were also held out, so the offensive woes came against a less-than-fully-loaded defense.

Nu'Keese Richardson threw the ball again today, as you can see in this GVX photo (opens in a new window). I understand the potential here; Nuke is so fast and dodgy that the secondary is going to want to crowd up whenever he gets the ball - a receiver can easily sneak open. My one concern is his height; a tall lineman or linebacker can make a pass play very difficult on him when it might be more makeable for a taller runner.

Running Backs

The running game still is the strength of the offense, though it wasn't as dominant in this scrimmage as in previous scrimmages. Hardesty saw only four carries, which belies both an attempt to keep him healthy and a need to give practice time to other players instead of him. David Oku fumbled twice, which will surely come as a shock to those who were pointing at him as evidence of Bryce Brown's imminent bust status (a mark of pessimism I still can't comprehend). All in all, they went 37 carries for 246 yards, which was a net 6.6 yards per carry. (Last year, the offense averaged over 5 yards / carry only twice - against UCLA (5.2) and against UA-Birmingham (6.5). So, even with a relatively dampened performance, the running game did better against our own defense than in any game last year.)

Yes, that last bit compared a scrimmage where both sides of the ball are still learning new systems against last year's first two live games. But qualify it however you wish, the running game will be very difficult to stop this year.

Wide Receivers

The passing game suffered partly due to the quarterback play, but also partly due to inconsistency among the receivers. Some, like Warren and Teague, did rather well. Others, like Nu'Keese, did not fare so well. I have a very difficult time gauging the receivers right now for two reasons: first, we're not used to getting detailed practice reports like this, so we're not used to knowing where the team is in their development during fall camp; second, having two quarterbacks still competing for the starting job may be beginning to affect wide receiver development. Hopefully the new staff can find their #1 guy soon so the players can begin to build around him.

Line Play

It may feel a little unfair to lump offensive and defensive linemen in one section, but they're easier to discuss together than separate. The short answer is this: the defensive line owned the offensive line on passing downs and has made some progress in the running game, but still has room to grow. Gerald Williams is turning into a beast - or the right side of the offensive line is a pass-blocking nightmare. Or both. No matter how you interpret it, Williams appears to be a potential rising star for the Vols. Wes Rucker had this to say about Gerald:

Williams was in the backfield today more than most of the reserve tailbacks. Down, set, sack. Perhaps a TE or FB chipping would help.

I can live with that.

Linebackers and Secondary

Information is scant about these units at the moment, partly because Eric Berry was resting and people tend to forget about the other players in the defensive backfield. Derrick Furlow did have one nice tackle-forced-fumble hit on Marsalis Teague that was soon the subject of many nice photos on the net. The lack of interceptions does stand out a bit; with both quarterbacks having off days, it's odd that this ball-hawking secondary didn't get some picks like they have been doing all camp long.

If you find any information about the linebackers - any information - please fill us in. I think everybody's so jazzed up to watch the quarterbacks and freshmen that they're forgetting to watch other players on the field. There aren't any available linebacker reports at the time I'm writing this, and it's the unit I'm most curious about (yes, even more so than the quarterbacks).

Sum

In short, the defense had a far better scrimmage than last week. The offense made a lot of careless mistakes, including a lot of penalties. It's all part of the growing pains, and as long as the offense doesn't have days like this consistently, we'll be fine.

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

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

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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