Quote :

" OFFENSE THE SCHEME: The Volunteers traditionally have run a pro-set attack with a West Coast feel and use multiple formations. New coordinator Dave Clawson – who had been coach at Division I-AA Richmond – has said he will incorporate some traits of the spread. Look for elements of the pro set, along with three-receiver sets and two-tight end sets. Running back Arian Foster has a chance to become Tennessee's all-time leading rusher. STAR POWER: Senior tailback Arian Foster isn't as heralded or highly touted as some past Vols tailbacks. But he's a strong runner with good speed and earned All-SEC recognition in 2007, when he rushed for 1,193 yards. He needs 685 yards this season to become the Vols' leading career rusher. IMPACT NEWCOMER: Tight end Brandon Warren left Florida State, where he played as a freshman, and enrolled at Tennessee after attending junior college for a year. Whether he stayed in shape remains to be seen, and he still has to be cleared to play by the NCAA. But he could make a big contribution when/if he's declared eligible. IT'S HIS TIME: Junior quarterback Jonathan Crompton played sparingly behind Erik Ainge the past two seasons, but now takes over the offense. Crompton had a solid performance in place of an injured Ainge in a 28-24 loss to LSU in 2006. Last season, though, he only attempted 12 passes. A strong runner, he has to show he can be an efficient passer, too. STRONGEST AREA: The Vols led the nation by allowing just four sacks in 2007, and that was over 14 games. Four full-time starters return, headed by all-conference candidates Anthony Parker at guard and Ramon Foster at tackle. The one "new" starter is right guard Jacques McClendon, and he started six times last season after Chris Scott moved to left tackle when an injury sidelined Eric Young. WEAKEST AREA: Crompton has attempted only 78 passes in his college career, and more than half have been incomplete. His inexperience is the main concern for an otherwise solid offense. He threw too many interceptions in the spring, but in previous seasons when Tennessee had a first-year starting quarterback, the Vols were effective in the running game. That should be the case again this season. OVERVIEW: A new starting quarterback always is accompanied by a measure of apprehension, and it won't be any different in Knoxville. Crompton's ascension into the starting lineup will raise some questions, but few first-time starting quarterbacks step into a better situation. Crompton will have an experienced line in front of him, a 1,000-yard rusher behind him and three receivers who made more than 50 receptions last season. The Vols scored at least 30 points in eight games in '07 and project to be productive again. This season, though, they're likely to run more often with Foster heading a talented group of tailbacks. Crompton also is an accomplished runner, which is another advantage for a new starter. 39-11 That's the record for Phillip Fulmer's teams with a first-year starting quarterback, which the Vols will have this season. That includes a national championship in 1998 with Tee Martin as a first-year starter and an SEC East title in 2004 when Brent Schaeffer, Erik Ainge and Rick Clausen were first-year starters and shared time. GRADE: B. DEFENSE THE SCHEME: Over the years, Tennessee has been well-served by its 4-3 scheme. The Volunteers are determined to apply pressure and aren't hesitant to blitz. They figure to do that even more in '08. With exceptional talent and depth in the secondary, the Vols likely will go into their six-defensive back "Mustang Package" frequently and blitz from a lot of angles. STAR POWER: Even though he was only a freshman last season, strong safety Eric Berry was hyped as an emerging star. He lived up to the hype, with five interceptions, nine pass breakups and 86 tackles to earn freshman All-America acclaim. With a season of experience, he should be better in '08. IMPACT NEWCOMER: Both of last season's starters at end are gone, so the Vols need help there. Gerald Williams may be able to provide it. Williams, who originally signed with Tennessee in 2005, last season starred at City College of San Francisco, where he posted 146 tackles and forced six fumbles in helping his team win a version of the junior college national championship. IT'S HIS TIME: Senior Robert Ayers has the size, speed and ability of an All-SEC end. Now, he needs to show he can produce. The Vols have been waiting on him to live up to his vast potential. The time is now. As a reserve, he led Tennessee with four sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season. Coaches are counting on him to do more as a starter. Eric Berry intercepted five passes and earned freshman All-America honors last season. STRONGEST AREA: The secondary is talented and deep, and features a safety tandem that could be among the best in the country. Berry has gained star status at strong safety. Free safety Demetrice Morley - a productive player in 2005 and '06 – missed the 2007 season but is back after regaining his academic eligibility. The Vols have three players who started at least seven games at cornerback last season: Marsalous Johnson, Brent Vinson and DeAngelo Willingham. Those three plus Dennis Rogan will battle it out for starting jobs, and all four will see extensive time. BIGGEST PROBLEM: The Vols were only so-so against the run and no better with their pass rush last season, so the line remains an area of concern. Adding to the stress is that both starters at end must be replaced. Ayers could surface as a dominant player, but the Vols are thin and mostly unproven up front. OVERVIEW: That talented secondary should provide the Vols opportunity to be creative with their blitzes and coverages. Throwing on Tennessee won't be easy. That's the good news. The bad news is that Tennessee struggled against the run in '07, ranking just 70th in the country in rush defense. Both starting ends and two starting linebackers, including All-SEC performer Jerod Mayo, are gone. There are solid players such as Ayers and end Ben Martin ready to step up, but depth is thin up front. If the Vols avoid injuries, they could develop into a solid unit as the season progresses. If depth becomes an issue in the front seven, they could be in trouble. GRADE: C+. SPECIAL TEAMS Punter Britton Colquitt has been suspended for the first five games, which is the only concern for the kicking game. Sophomore Chad Cunningham will handle punting duties until Colquitt returns. Cunningham was erratic in the spring. Sophomore kicker Daniel Lincoln converted 21 of 29 field-goal attempts and earned All-SEC recognition last season. The return game will be excellent with Rogan, Gerald Jones and Lennon Creer bringing back kicks. GRADE: B+. COACHING Few coaches can match Phillip Fulmer for consistency. Last season was the fourth 10-win season for the Vols this decade and they've won five SEC East titles in the past decade, yet he frequently catches heat from Vols fans wanting more. Fulmer supporters point out that the Vols won the SEC East last season, closed the season with a bowl victory and got better as the season progressed. His detractors rebut by mentioning blowout losses to Florida and Alabama by a combined 64 points last season. This season, Fulmer has four new offensive coaches, including Clawson, who had tremendous success as a head coach and offensive coordinator in Division I-AA. Any uncertainty that may come with so many new offensive coaches is balanced by the reliability of the defense led by John Chavis, who has held the defensive coordinator position since 1995. In that span, Tennessee has been among the SEC's top-three defenses eight times. GRADE: B. DATE OPPONENT Sept. 1 at UCLA Sept. 13 UAB Sept. 20 Florida Sept. 27 at Auburn Oct. 4 Northern Illinois Oct. 11 at Georgia Oct. 18 Mississippi State Oct. 25 Alabama Nov. 1 at South Carolina Nov. 8 Wyoming Nov. 22 at Vanderbilt Nov. 29 Kentucky SCHEDULE Perhaps no team in America faces a more difficult first month than Tennessee. The Vols' September schedule includes games against UCLA, Florida and Auburn. Adding to the degree of difficulty is that two of those games – UCLA and Auburn – are on the road. That's a concern because the Vols were 3-4 in games away from Knoxville last season, and that included an overtime win at Kentucky. It's not out of the question to suggest the Vols could be 1-3 heading into October. Of course, they also could be 3-1 or 4-0 and headed for a big year. Trips to Georgia and South Carolina and a home game with Alabama loom in October and November, but the final three games are against Wyoming, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. OUTLOOK As has frequently been the case in recent seasons, there is quite a buzz around Knoxville. This time, though, the buzz is rife with questions. Curious fans are wondering what to expect from a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback. The hope, of course, is that they will produce some new wrinkles to avenge last season's embarrassing losses to Florida and Alabama. Yet even with that uncertainty, there is a quiet confidence on Rocky Top that stems from finishing last season with six victories in the last seven games and pushing eventual national champion LSU to the limit in the SEC Championship Game. If the momentum from that finish carries over, the Volunteers could be in the thick of the SEC championship race again. But they're projected no better than third in the SEC East behind Florida and Georgia. That actually may play in the Volunteers' favor, though. Historically under Fulmer, Tennessee is most dangerous in those rare occasions when it's in an underdog role. "

7/13/2008 6:06:29 PM

Quote :

"But they're projected no better than third in the SEC East behind Florida and Georgia. That actually may play in the Volunteers' favor, though. Historically under Fulmer, Tennessee is most dangerous in those rare occasions when it's in an underdog role."

Truer words were never spoken. Fulmer may be the best "underdog" coach around. I am thinking 9 -3 this season.

GO VOLS!

7/13/2008 7:02:34 PM

damn I hope we can get this guy

Quote :

"From the outset, Peter White's unofficial visit this weekend to the University of Tennessee went better than expected. "It went real well, and I liked it a lot," said the 6-foot-4, 340-pound offensive lineman. "I got down there on Thursday night, drove through the city. We were kind of surprised because we thought it was going to be a country school but it was actually in the city. I like that because I live outside Baltimore and D.C. We just drove around looking, and on Friday we met up with coach (Larry Slade) and he gave us a tour. Coach (Greg) Adkins, we talked to him and talked to coach (Phillip) Fulmer. The whole weekend went real well." Though White opted not to give a verbal commitment during his visit, he knows without hesitation his top five schools and when he would like to effectively end his recruitment with an announcement. "I don't know when but probably before summer ends," White said of his pending decision. "I know I definitely have a top five: Tennessee, Maryland, Florida, Miami and Oregon." And after this weekend, do the Vols lead? "Yes," White answered emphatically. Despite delivering a full-court press on White, Tennessee's coaches scored points with the big lineman through their low-pressure approach. "They really didn't stress that much and they understand it's a business as well," White said of not being hounded for a commitment. "They told me to take my time and make sure I pick the right school because it's a massive decision. It's the second most important decision in life besides getting married. Making the right decision is probably the biggest thing they stressed." While White raved about Tennessee's facilities and the campus atmosphere, it was a message delivered by both Adkins and first-year offensive coordinator Dave Clawson that stuck with the four-star prospect from Washington, D.C., St. John's College High. "I just like how coach Clawson told me and coach Adkins told me, if I do come there, I will play tackle," White said. "They said they will teach me to play every position on the line. I did play guard as a freshman and my coach told me I will probably get some reps this year at center. It would be good to be that versatile coming out of college." Clawson and the Vols' offensive versatility up front both made lasting impressions on the touted recruit ranked the No. 1 strongest offensive lineman in the class of 2009. "I would definitely say the biggest thing I like is the new offensive coordinator, coach Clawson, and he said if I go there, I would definitely be playing tackle," White said. "I love that idea (of learning all positions along the line) because I like challenges and to push myself to the limit and learning different systems. That would be real interesting. I definitely feel I'm up to the challenge." While Neyland Stadium's present phase of renovations isn't scheduled for completion until Aug. 22, White raved about the Vols' venerable home and the other facilities he toured. "Oh man, it was under construction and that's an amazing stadium," White said. "It seats 104,000, and that was really impressive to see. I've been to Penn State's stadium before, but it seemed like Neyland Stadium was so much bigger. "Facilities, they told me should be completed in 2010. It was really nice, definitely one of the top ones I've seen so far. Just everything was nice and in order." Rated among the top 10 linemen in next year's class, White boasts a 370-pound bench press and presently rests No. 119 on the Rivals250"

7/14/2008 1:51:15 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKaXxBrPZAc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96SrHDWB8Oo&NR=1

7/14/2008 7:20:54 PM

tennessee got absolutely raped in that game

7/14/2008 8:25:19 PM

Quote :

"Junior offensive guard Jacques McClendon broke another weight-lifting record this week by bench pressing an astounding 645 pounds. For a little context, that's roughly the equivalent of: * 69 gallons of water * 129 bricks * almost four kegs of beer jesus christ * 1.4333 Mark Manginoes The old UT record was 550 pounds, set by Albert Toeaina. When strength and conditioning coach Johnny Long said that that amount of weight is "hard to roll when it's on the ground," I'm assuming he meant when it's something cylindrical and not, say, square, but with McClendon anything is possible. It's a well-guarded secret that in a former life, McClendon singlehandedly erected Stonehenge"

its really really crazy that he broke the previous record by 95lbs

7/18/2008 1:17:35 PM

why will no one in Tennessee vote for Obama?







B/c if you put a G in front of it it spells

GOBAMA!!!

[/lame jokes]

7/18/2008 1:59:41 PM

Quote :

"why will no one in Tennessee vote for Obama?"

There's a lot of different answers for this one.

7/18/2008 2:05:37 PM

I was expecting "cause hes black"


well, in slightly more colorful terms

7/18/2008 2:30:58 PM

got two more recruits today:

Nigel Mitchell-Thornton a 3-star LB from Stone Mountain GA

and

D.T. Shackelford, a 3-star LB from Alabama

8/1/2008 7:57:14 PM

Just to let you know in case you wanted to watch it, ND-UT from '04 is on CBS-College right now...

I figured such a great memory at Neyland should be relived in this thread.

8/5/2008 12:29:34 AM

ah yes... where Fulmer decided to get all cute right before half time and injured Ainge, game went down hill from there



grrr... I was at that game, was still close

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 12:43 AM. Reason : d]

8/5/2008 12:40:33 AM

Sounds like a good guy and a great spokesman for the university and he has already been recruiting other players really hard..

Quote :

"For their summer vacation, the Nunes family came to Knoxville, Tenn., for almost a week to check out the University of Tennessee and the Volunteers' program -- a fantasy football camp if you will. After six days on Rocky Top, four-star quarterback Josh Nunes can't wait for the fantasy to become a reality. "It's been incredible," said Nunes, who earlier this summer delivered his verbal commitment to UT. "Everything that everyone said has come true and has come to life. I had really high expectations coming into it, hearing from past quarterbacks and people who have visited here. It has not done anything but live up to my expectations or exceeded them. Everything has been incredible." What about Nunes' trip east delivered the biggest impression? "The great football tradition is what stands out. There is nothing like it. It is incredible," said the top 10 quarterback. "I can see that not even visiting on a game day. The other thing is the people. Everyone around here is 'How are you doing? How are things going for you?'. The southern hospitality has been great." For the 6-foot-3, 205-pound signal-caller it was a trip of firsts. It was his first ride on an airplane. It was his first time seeing his future college home. And it was his first time having a face-to-face conversation with his soon to be new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, Dave Clawson. "He is really an incredible person and I am really liking what he is doing on the practice field," Nunes said. "He is an incredible coach. He has a great record and I can't wait to get to work with him." Some might say that Nunes did his recruitment backwards. After all, few select a school without seeing it. Yet little about Nunes' rise in the prep ranks has been conventional. An avid and talented golfer, basketball and baseball player, Nunes thought little about football three years ago. In fact, he never played. "Baseball and basketball took up all my time," Nunes said. "Every now and again I would get out there in the neighborhood and play some touch football, but that was rare at best." At his pony league baseball games the summer before his freshman year, Nunes had a frequent visitor to his games in Upland High School freshman football coach Mike Esquivel. "My freshman coach kept whittling away at me," Nunes said with a wide smile. "He kept asking me to try it for two weeks, just two weeks. I went out and ended up loving it. I came into it a little reluctant at first, but pretty soon I knew I loved the game. I loved the physical part and the mental part. I just love all aspects of the game." Nunes said he felt right at home in Knoxville and in Neyland Stadium. Nunes, and his parents to a certain degree, were so reluctant about going out for football that it was the night before practice started that Nunes made a final decision to play. The rest since then is history. The thousands of yards, the 100-plus touchdowns, the elite quarterback camps have him ending up 3,000 miles away from home at Tennessee in a decision that the self-proclaimed independent thinker calls a pretty easy one. In fact, it was easy enough that he was ready to commit weeks earlier than he did. Nunes had made a pledge to camp at Stanford and his family had set up the trip. But Nunes knew before he ever went to Palo Alto, Calif., that he was going to be a Vol. "After so many chats with coach Clawson and coach Fulmer, I just really felt Tennessee was the best fit for me and I pulled the trigger," Nunes said. "I was selling Tennessee hard to my parents on the way home from Stanford. I actually listed off 30 reasons why I should go to Tennessee. It wasn't a hard sales pitch. It was really an easy decision for me and my family." And after spending almost a week in Knoxville, it's a decision that Nunes, who loves fishing and the outdoors, would make again, and again, and again. "Everything has been great. I am even more confident in my decision. If I had to do it all over again, I would be right here," Nunes offered. "East Tennessee is just incredible. It is not quite what I expected. It has been better, actually. The town is just a great college town. You have great support here and the area is just beautiful. I could definitely see myself living here for a long time. It's just gorgeous. I love it here." A year from now, fantasy becomes reality for Nunes. And extended vacation awaits the gifted quarterback in Knoxville."

8/5/2008 2:14:34 PM

Did Nunes have any of the coaches come for an in-home visit? Like the recruiting coordinator or one of the lower position coaches? I'm sure some representative of the football program met with him and his family in person.

8/5/2008 2:49:29 PM

I dont think so... you would think so but I dont remember reading it anywhere

8/5/2008 3:44:25 PM

From an article I posted earlier....

Quote :

"His decision to choose Tennessee even though he has yet to visit the campus came because he likes the competition of SEC football and was convinced he could succeed after speaking to several ex-Tennessee quarterbacks, including the Clausen brothers, Casey and Rick."

I bet their families have a connection somewhere, as all them Clausen boys are from the same area as Nunes. BTW, the kid had offers from Stanford and Harvard, so he's no dummy either

8/5/2008 3:55:02 PM

What about Bryce Petty, the other QB committed to UT. Will he play QB or will he be moved to another position? It seems that Nunes is the QB of the future for UT, so why would they get another QB in the same class unless he is athletic enough that he can play other positions?

8/5/2008 4:14:18 PM

They committed right about the same time iirc. Nunes had interest and offers from everybody under the sun. JB will probably know more, but I believe UT didn't think he'd commit so early. He had never left CA, grew up in So. CA., and was recruited by everyone in CA. Petty had his offer before Nunes I believe.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 4:23 PM. Reason : s]

8/5/2008 4:22:17 PM

yeah, everything I read said it was a huge surprise. They assumed he would come down for a summer camp, look around, think about it etc. but he announced really early on. I am fine with them taking two, you never know how things will work out. When Peyton committed they also had Brandon Stewart who was just as big as a prospect as Manning... same thing with Ainge and BS

8/5/2008 4:45:43 PM

Quote :

" Heading into fall camp 'retention' was one of the buzzwords humming around the offensive side of the football for Tennessee. Dave Clawson and his new offense was 'THE' story in spring practice, as everyone recalls. But for Clawson, the big story has been wondering just how much of that new offense his troops recalled from their time together in the spring. Clawson has been impressed with where the offense began camp. As with any new system, the transition wasn't exactly seamless during the early stages of the installation process. In April the growing pains were highlighted by practice field turnovers and the occasional miscommunication that comes with teaching a large group of players a new way of doing business. When he left Neyland Stadium after the Orange & White game one thing Clawson kept repeating was that the players would have to keep moving forward with the new system during the summer. With so much new ground to cover and master, precious time would be wasted in August if a lot of time had to be spent on covering concepts introduced in the spring. Four days into fall camp Clawson has been impressed with the level of retention he's seen from the offense. "We are so much further along than we were at any point last spring. I'm impressed with how quickly they've remembered concepts and the command that everyone has shown.," Clawson said. "I think it's at a whole different level right now. Our guys took the time to get together this summer and work hard and I think it's paying off." "We've taken a major jump in terms of understanding the offense from the end of spring until now." In talking to those involved that 'jump' is a direct result of the effort the players put in this summer to stay up to speed on the new offense. Players always work in the summer, that's not new. But what observers have found impressive is the level of organization that the team brought to offseason workouts. That organization was helped immensely by having so many veterans on the offensive side of the ball, guys who know that competing successfully in the SEC doesn't begin in August. Just about every major contributor is back on the offensive side of the ball, and the one new face—quarterback Jonathan Crompton—has a very vested interest in seeing things get done right in the new offense. "Everybody was in their playbooks all summer, working with Crompton to get things down four days a week. Our goal was to come into camp and not have the mistakes we had in the spring," receiver Josh Briscoe said. "It helps when you have experience, guys who have been here for a few years. We know what it takes to play in the SEC and how important it is to work in the offseason. "I think we were able to pick up from where we left off. I don't think guys are having to think as much as we were in the spring because of how hard we worked this summer. The offense is coming to us a lot better now. We're having less turnovers this fall." Briscoe added that Crompton had stepped into a vocal leadership role in the spring and had no problem bringing that 'take-charge' attitude to the summer workouts. What didn't get as much attention as the quarterback-receiver development this summer though was the growth of the offensive line. When spring practice ended it was safe to say that the offensive front didn't have complete command of the changes Clawson had instituted in their roles. The new system involved a fairly dramatic departure for the line with the introduction of 'strong' and 'weak' sides rather than the traditional 'left' or 'right' designation, meaning that players had to get used to playing on either side of center in addition to learning new terminology. Compared to running routes and recognizing audibles in seven-on-seven work, that kind of thing isn't as easy to work on outside of a regular practice setting. But that didn't stop the offensive line from meeting together as a unit during the summer and putting themselves through organized work in order to make the kind of improvements needed before August rolled around. In fact, the challenge of having a common goal to work towards seemed to provide the group with a rallying point that helped an already tight unit grow even closer. "This summer was a great stepping-stone for us. We were able to come together as a team without the coaches having to be there for us. I think that helped us become a really close team this summer because we had so much work to do," offensive guard Vladimir Richard observed. "You didn't hear about anyone getting in trouble, nobody getting in fights like some other schools. We see all this talent we have and we don't want to waste it. We really think this could be our year. It's no fun for us to have all this talent and not put it all together. So I think us working so hard in the summer was something we all knew was vital." The tone of practice will change considerably this afternoon when the pads go on and contact becomes a part of the equation. That will obviously add a degree of difficulty to execution on both sides of the ball and will put to the test just how much improvement the offense has made. Clawson doesn't expect things to be perfect on the practice field, but he's also pleased enough by what he's seen through the first week to have a positive outlook going forward. "There will be bumps in the road. I'm sure there will be some days when we take a step backward instead of forward but our guys are working hard and giving great effort. As long as they continue doing those things we'll be ok," he said. "I think where we're at now is a direct testament to the veterans and the leadership on the team. They took it on their own to make sure we were further ahead at the start of camp than we were in the spring.""

[Edited on August 6, 2008 at 4:34 PM. Reason : f]

8/6/2008 4:33:49 PM

24 days everyone. I know JB is scared because UCLA's OL has been described as a "formidable fortress"

Oh wait.....






















From what I've heard the line is going from bad to worse. UCLA will probably be on their last QB in the 3rd quarter.

8/8/2008 4:41:30 PM

remind me to post a video from NCAA 2009 of my Campus Legend WR at Tennessee, one Quincy Jones

8/8/2008 4:43:44 PM

Quote :

"Jerod Mayo made a positive first impression in his NFL debut. Starting at inside linebacker next to Tedy Bruschi, Mayo locked horns with fellow rookie Ray Rice and stuffed the Ravens’ running back on a draw play early in the first quarter for a two-yard gain. The two crossed paths again on Baltimore’s next drive, with Mayo knocking Rice’s helmet off on a sweep toward the left sideline."

8/8/2008 5:07:59 PM

Quote :

"From what I've heard the line is going from bad to worse. UCLA will probably be on their last QB in the 3rd quarter."

I'm changing this to halftime now, haha

8/11/2008 8:14:34 AM

hahah, how many do they have? 4 total with 2 out?

8/11/2008 9:55:46 AM

i was thinking about putting some money down on UCLA, but now that Olson is out for 2 more months, I think I'll just leave this game alone

8/11/2008 10:28:37 AM

They're down to a decent transfer (Kevin Craft), a practice squad vet, and a guy that has handed off twice. They have a Freshman that could play but he can't run, as he was just scoped. They had two kids from the 2009 class enroll early just in case but they have to finish summer classes before they can practice or something.

There OL is awful, also plagued by injuries. The line was +5.5 before the Olson injury.

[Edited on August 12, 2008 at 1:25 PM. Reason : d]

8/12/2008 1:24:03 PM

UCLA +5.5?


yeah, I have heard the same thing about the line, and Chow is hardly involved in any line work, he just assumes that will be there and concentrates a lot more on routes/mismatches... not sure who their O-line coach is or if he is worth a shit

8/12/2008 2:28:32 PM

The o-line coach just came Wisconsin-he coached Joe Thomas. They have ONE player on the line who has played an offensive snap in a college football game. If they start Forcier at QB (practice squad guy), he'll be running for his life. He is the fastest player on the team. Will probably go for 87 yards and 3 picks, with 200 rushing yards.

8/12/2008 3:09:08 PM

Good article on DeAngelo Willingham... sounds like he is really busting his ass

Quote :

" You won't find DeAngelo Willingham on the cover of any preseason magazine. Those spots are rightfully reserved for sophomore sensation Eric Berry. If you are looking for Willingham, the man Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer says has made the greatest single-year stride of any junior college player he has coached, you might find him in the sand pit running or you might find him in the film room. Over the last nine months Willingham has emerged as one of the Vols top defenders. And chances are whereever you find Willingham, a few teammates will be with him following his example. "There are a lot of people who say I am the leader of the secondary, and I try to take on that role, but a lot of us really look up to DeAngelo because of his work ethic," Berry said. Certainly high praise for anyone, but really high for a guy who was pulled from the lineup in the SEC Championship game for his lackluster play. According to Willingham, it was the LSU game, the Kentucky game and the Outback Bowl game that remain a large part of his motivation. "I didn't play to my expectations last year," Willingham said. "I came in and started the second half of the season, but I didn't play the way I knew I could play. I knew the game was being played at a totally different level and I had to catch up. "The championship game and the Wisconsin game. I didn't really do anything in the Outback Bowl. Really, the bowl game, the championship game and the Kentucky game have motivated me." They motivated the South Carolina native to the point that 48 hours after the bowl game Willingham was on the phone with coaches starting his plan to transform his game to the point that he has become the Vols best cornerback and one of their most valuable football players. "The guy just shows up," secondary coach Larry Slade said. "He gives you a full day's work. When you tell him he needs to work on this or that, he goes and does it. That is the thing I have really been impressed with. You tell him something like, 'DeAngelo, you are a long strider, you really have to work on your backpedal.' Then you start looking at him and he has changed it. And he will come to you and say, 'Coach, that really helped me.' You tell him he has to get more explosive and he lives in the weight room and adds a hundred pounds to his squat. You watch him now and ask yourself if that is the same guy." Physically, Willingham is stronger, but he's the same guy talent-wise. The difference is in his head. "It's confidence," Willingham said. "I knew I wanted to improve. I spoke to the coaches right after the bowl game. I called them the day I got home from Tampa and told them I wanted to improve and be the best at what I do. As soon as I came back for school, I started watching film that day. I started working on my footwork. I would jump rope and do anything I could to get better. I was just dedicated to getting better. "The biggest thing was just knowing everything. If you know the system then you are comfortable. If I am comfortable with things then I have confidence." To help his mental transformation, the 6-foot, 205-pound defensive back locked himself in front of the television, and he wasn't watching TV Land or Nick at Night. "I took January and February to learn the system," Willingham said. "I had to learn why I needed to be where I was told to be on the field. "Every day, Monday through Friday, I was in the film room. I would come on Sundays sometimes. I would watch myself in practice with one-on-ones, and I would watch myself in the games. I watched myself technique-wise and listened to the coaches to understand the things that I wasn't doing right." And Willingham almost gets a chuckle after watching himself last year on tape compared to this fall. "It's like summer and winter. It's not even close," Willingham smiled. His competition agrees. "He is amazing," receiver Gerald Jones said. "He has made a 180-degree turn. He went from a suspect corner when he first got here trying to get used to the system, and now you can see his confidence. He has the confidence, the passion and the worth ethic. Every time I come in here (Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex), the cat is working on something about his game. He has made a jump from 6 to 10. "You see him now, and you think I better run my best route. If I don't then he is going to intercept it or bat it down. We look at him different now when we line up across from him. A year ago we were pretty optimistic about winning against him. Now, you know you have to make a good play because if you don't, you know he will make you pay." With Willingham's emergence to go with Tennessee's talented safeties, the rent for receivers playing in the Vol secondary is getting even more expensive. "

8/13/2008 11:53:49 AM

Tennessee Preview on SS right now

Vandy is next

then Bama


Jesus (Eric Berry) is being interviewed right now.

8/13/2008 10:19:33 PM

Fulmer has gotta be scared after seeing this.... From UCLA's first real scrimmage....

Quote :

"UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said the running game had to be better. Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said the pass protection needed to improve. Right tackle Nick Ekbatani chimed in by saying the blocking technique needed work. No matter who was speaking, the offensive concern centered around UCLA's beleaguered offensive line. UCLA's offense beat the defense 14-9 Saturday in the only full-length scrimmage leading up to the Sept. 1 opener against Tennessee. However, one of the offensive touchdown drives came without the first-team defensive line on the field, and the other score came on a 24-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard quarterback draw, although hitting the quarterback was not allowed. Kevin Craft, the first-team quarterback, and backup Chris Forcier went a combined 15 for 31 for 164 yards and four interceptions, although one of the interceptions resulted when the ball popped out of the hands of receiver Ryan Graves and into the hands of linebacker Kyle Bosworth, who scored a touchdown. There was also a fumbled snap recovered by the defense, and UCLA's quarterbacks were sacked eight times behind the often overwhelmed offensive line. "I thought the effort was good, but I was not happy with the way we pass protected," Chow said. "But we would do some different things come game time. All in all, we got out of it healthy." The running game of the first- and second-team offense was nearly nonexistent. UCLA starting running back Kahlil Bell only had one carry, a 2-yard loss. Aundre Dean ran five times for 15 yards and Raymond Carter carried six times for one yard. Johnathan Franklin, who was tackled for a safety early in the scrimmage, finished with 32 yards on seven carries, but most of those yards came with the third-team offense late in the scrimmage. Furthermore, of the 14 runs against the first- and second-team defense, seven either didn't gain a yard or lost yardage. And the longest run was seven yards."

8/18/2008 1:07:53 PM

egggggcellent

although Defensive Line is by far our biggest weakness so if UCLA can suck at one position Oline is the one

8/18/2008 3:34:41 PM

w00t! Brandon Warren was cleared to play by the NCAA (fuck you Bobby Bowden)... HUGE addition to the offense

8/19/2008 12:43:33 PM

i heard gerald williams should know today if he passed his summer class

that man is an absolute beast

8/19/2008 1:38:12 PM

Quote :

"Phillip Fulmer now can test his decorating skills. At last, Brandon Warren has won his appeal with the NCAA and will be eligible to play when the Vols open their 2008 season Sept. 1 at UCLA. "I just want to thank the coaching staff for going out on a limb for me and understanding the circumstances I have been in and obstacles I have had to go through," Warren said. "I also thank the university and the NCAA for giving me this chance." Fulmer has joked throughout fall camp that once a decision on Warren's status was issued that he would hang a banner or paint a sign -- Fulmer stopped just short of saying he would write it in the sky -- on the outside of Tennessee's Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. After 18 months of waiting, Warren will play a competitive down of football again in 13 days. Though more than a half-dozen sources indicated to VolQuest throughout Monday evening that Warren's chances were being viewed with considerable optimism, it wasn't until a final hurdle was cleared this morning that the former Alcoa Mr. Football winner was assured of continuing his career this season when the NCAA accepted his appeal. Once Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive declined to rule on Warren's case and passed it to the NCAA, UT delivered more than 100 pages supporting Warren's family hardship appeal. Early last week, NCAA officials requested more information, and Vols officials quickly obliged. "I also appreciate the work of our compliance staff and the Southeastern Conference, and the wisdom of the NCAA staff of approving this for a quality young man," Fulmer said. "The whole system is about helping student-athletes be successful, and it's good to see they are making that happen." Warren's journey to regain his eligibility has featured more hurdles than an Olympic race. Warren was not granted a release from his Letter of Intent with Florida State in 2007 once he left the school in February of that year to be with his ailing mother, Deirdre, who had a cancerous kidney removed. Subsequently, an FSU school committee rejected his appeal in the months immediately following his exit from Tallahassee. Even after Warren sat out the 2007-08 athletic year, FSU and Atlantic Coast Conference officials declined to grant Warren an unconditional release. Slive, mindful that an SEC institution could find itself in a similar situation, opted to pass the matter to an NCAA committee for review. It appeared late last week that the NCAA would issue its decision regarding Warren's immediate eligibility, and when Friday passed, Vols coaches and Warren turned their attention to Monday. Sources indicated the decision almost came late Monday afternoon. One minor snag delayed a decision for which the 2006 Freshman All-America tight end at Florida State endured an 18-month absence from competitive football. Warren last appeared in the Seminoles' Emerald Bowl win Dec. 27, 2006, against UCLA, and his next appearance should come in 13 days when the Vols visit the Bruins in the Rose Bowl. While sitting out the '07 season, Warren attended Pellissippi State Community College in west Knoxville. Solidifying his academic standing, Warren gained admission to the University of Tennessee in late-May. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore, who would have three years to play three seasons, has worked as one of Tennessee's starting tight ends throughout fall camp. His on-field presence helps alleviate concerns regarding the tight end spot for the Vols, although coaches clearly maintained a quiet confidence since his arrival on campus that he would be eligible to play. Once a position of supreme depth, coaches were beginning to pare down the offensive sets due to the uncertainty of Warren's appeal and lingering leg and back injuries to Jeff Cottam."

8/19/2008 3:02:27 PM

That's crazy, he'll play against UCLA in back to back games 30 months apart on different teams.

BTW, he seems a little small for a tight end, no?

8/19/2008 3:47:58 PM

oh hes definitely in the Winslow mold... badass receiver, cut like a motherfucker for a TE

8/19/2008 3:59:49 PM

Quote :

""Yeah, I don't give a hell. It's about this U, man. I don't give a flyin' you-know-what about a Vol. I don't give a damn! He would do the same thing to me. It's war. They don't give a freakin' you-know-what about you. They will kill you. They're out there to kill you. So I'm 'a kill 'em. You write that in the paper. You write that. You make money off that. No, man, I'm pissed. All y'all take this down. I'm pissed, man. We don't care about nobody except this U. We don't. If I didn't hurt him, he'd hurt me. They were gunnin' for my legs. I'm a come right back at 'em. I'm a fuckin' soldier!""

8/19/2008 4:04:01 PM

well, in the Winslow mold physically... not a whiny little bitch who is pissed because he got hit too hard... waaaa



[Edited on August 19, 2008 at 4:13 PM. Reason : g]

8/19/2008 4:08:43 PM

i don't give a hell

8/19/2008 4:12:23 PM

Oh shit, JB recall how I stated earlier about how bad the OL is? The only veteran and the undisputed best lineman just broke his hand and is done for the year....

Quote :

""We're past overly concerned," Neuheisel said. "On that Ouija Board, with concerning we're past overly. Yeah, this is concerning. No question about it.""

If the line is anything less than -7 I'm betting the farm

8/20/2008 10:53:54 AM

another recruit, Safety from SC

Quote :

"The early recruiting success for the Tennessee football program continues as the Vols landed another early commitment as the coaching staff has found success in the Palmetto State. Swearinger fell in love with Tennessee after a summer camp visit. The newest Vol is safety D.J. Swearinger from Greenwood High School in Greenwood, South Carolina. Swearinger has actually known for a while that it was going to be the Vols. "When I went up there this summer for camp and came back with an offer, I knew it was pretty much over at that point," Swearinger said. "I went and saw Auburn, North Carolina, and Georgia and it was clearly Tennessee." Swearinger said the difference was the Vol coaching staff. "The coaches were great," Swearinger said. "They seem nice off the field and definitely will push you on the field. I sat down and visited with coach Slade and I like the way they run their safeties." Academics were something that impressed Swearinger as well. "The academics were nice," Swearinger offered. "They are going to push you and help you get the job done. I was impressed with their academic set up. Of course you can't help but fall in love with the stadium. I mean playing in front of 109-thousand is a dream come true." The 5-foot-11, 191 pound Swearinger hopes to travel to Knoxville to see some games this fall, but won't make his official visit till January. "I don't want to make an official visit during season because I want to be able to see everything and on a game weekend, the coaches responsibility is not to make sure I see everything, it's to win the game so I am going to make my visit there in January." As for what the Vols liked in Swearinger, the three-star safety believes it was how he showed himself in Knoxville over the summer. "I think how I competed in camp was important," Swearinger said. "Coach Slade worked a lot with me personally. He told me that he also liked how physical I played when he saw my game film." This morning, Swearinger called Slade, Phillip Fulmer, and Dan Brooks to give them the good news. "Everytime I call and visit with coach Slade he would ask me when I was going to give him good news and I kept telling him soon. When I called him this morning I told him I was going to make him happy and he was happy with the news so was coach Brooks and coach Fulmer"

kind of cool what he said about game day, seems like a good guy

8/23/2008 7:16:22 PM

ugh, just noticed something that will really really suck... 4 out of UT's 5 SEC East opponents have a bye week the week before they play

8/23/2008 10:18:38 PM

starting to get pumped up (hearing John Ward's voice at 1:29 really got me)


2001 game, 18 point underdogs to Florida, Spurrier's last SEC game at Florida


[Edited on August 26, 2008 at 11:55 PM. Reason : x]

8/26/2008 11:48:39 PM

looks like they're turning neyland into a movie theater

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082808aaa.html

8/28/2008 4:12:55 PM

haha

I am getting more and more nervous about this game on Monday... thats a LOOOONG trip, and Tennessee is notorious for two things

1. playing great when they are a big underdog
2. playing like shit in "everything is set up for us, everything is going our way" games

8/28/2008 4:50:14 PM

It's a classic battle of QB's that have a collective 11 or so passes between them in their NCAA careers.

I said it in some other thread, but this game could be 10-7, 35-0, 56-0, or 56-55, and I have no clue who will come out on top.

8/28/2008 5:02:42 PM

this will probably be the best opening week game imo...it should be at least

8/28/2008 5:06:56 PM

It def. would have been 10 years ago with Peyton and McNown, etc. It'll be hyped as hell next year.

8/28/2008 5:13:13 PM