I am going back for WKU (Kiffin's first game), UCLA, and at least one of if not both, Georgia, Auburn

4/13/2009 2:53:28 PM

neyland is going to have the largest jumbotron in the SEC this season








[Edited on April 14, 2009 at 8:02 PM. Reason : .]

4/14/2009 8:01:22 PM

thats beautiful... tear

4/14/2009 8:11:43 PM

Quote :

"Rozier says he's coming to Tennessee Quarterback Mike Rozier will begin his football career anew at Tennessee this fall. The former pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization told UT coaches that he will enroll for the first session of summer school in June after visiting practice on Thursday. The former standout quarterback at Henry County High School in Stockbridge, Ga., signed with North Carolina in 2004 before pursuing his baseball career. Rozier, 23, chose UT over South Carolina. He will be considered a walk-on although the Red Sox are contractually obligated to pay for his scholarship. His minor league career lasted from 2005 to 2008. He made it to Class AA Portland in 2006, but pitched only 30 innings last season between Class A Greenville and in the Gulf Coast League. His baseball agent, Scott Boras, said Rozier, 6-foot-5, turned down a football scholarship to North Carolina to play pro baseball."

I dont know shit about him... anyone remember him from recruitment? good enough to take down Crompton's suck ass?

4/17/2009 2:44:17 PM

he was a 2 star in 2004 but that doesn't mean a whole lot considering he is 23 now. Best thing is, it's a no lose situation since he is considered a walk-on and has four years of eligibility.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed with Jake Heaps (#1 rated QB by Scout for 2010). UT is in his top 10 but he is cutting it to 5 in a couple weeks. He said he will make a decision by June. UT needs that Mofo.

4/18/2009 11:13:38 AM

Official attendance of the Orange & White game is 51,488.

Not too shabby.

4/18/2009 4:03:17 PM

good times... hot as fuck out there, sunburned as shit. But got a football signed by pretty much everyone but EB (line was retarded for him) and Crompton (by choice) haha. Pics to come.



Line to EB




[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 9:54 PM. Reason : d]

4/18/2009 9:30:27 PM

Me and Chris Walker (he aint so big!). Really nice guy




Chris Donald


My woman with two huge black men...


Herman Lathers and Nick Reveiz (really nice guy, kept calling me sir haha)


Closest we got to EB


Me and Mike Edwards (incoming freshman)


Brandon Warren


Me and Gerald Jones (he looks like a cat)


BJ Coleman


Closest we got to Coach Lane Kiffin


Elaine and a VERY big black man (William Brimfield)


Inky Johnson's name on the wall


[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 10:45 PM. Reason : d]

4/18/2009 10:43:08 PM

Coach O getting his nipple bit by a retarded girl

4/18/2009 11:25:05 PM

Quote :

"Berry becomes Tennessee's Superman KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Clark Kent wore glasses and a business suit. Eric Berry merely opted for a Cincinnati Reds baseball cap – pulled down low – and a black T-shirt to conceal his identity. Nothing about his attire indicated he's Tennessee's consensus All-America safety. Nothing hinted he will someday – probably next year – rescue his family from a perilous situation. "A lot of people don't know who I am," Berry said while leaning against a receptionist's desk inside Tennessee's Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. "I like it that way. It's like I'm a superhero with a secret identity." So, on a sunny spring day in Knoxville, Berry wandered the Tennessee campus in relative anonymity – and relished every step. "It's kind of strange for him to get all that attention," said his mother, Carol Berry, who lives in Fairburn Ga., with her husband, James, and twin sons Evan and Elliott. "He's learning how to be a celebrity, so to speak. It's difficult for him." So difficult, in fact, that he moved to an off-campus residence because fans and well-wishers frequently stopped by his dorm for handshakes and photos. That didn't bother him, per se; what bothered him was that they often paid visits after 2 a.m. Some might embrace the attention and whatever opportunities come with it. But Berry was uncomfortable with being the big man on campus; heck, he's uncomfortable being the big man off campus. "I've never been the flashy type," he said. Well, maybe not off the football field. On it, though, Berry flashes like lightning bolts in a thunderstorm. He hits like a linebacker, covers like a cornerback, catches like a receiver and runs like a tailback. And despite inevitable protests from Norman, Okla., Gainesville, Fla., and Austin, Texas, a strong case can be made that Berry is the best player in college football regardless of position. In two seasons, he has 12 interceptions and already holds the SEC record with 487 career interception return yards. He needs just 15 more yards to set the NCAA return record. Last season, he returned seven interceptions for 265 yards (a 37.9 average) and posted 72 tackles, including a devastating shot that momentarily knocked Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno out of the game. He produced those numbers despite playing much of the season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder that has forced him out of contact drills during spring practice. No less an NFL defensive authority than Monte Kiffin, now Tennessee's defensive coordinator, acknowledges that Berry is something special. "He's a special player because he's so good at covering," Kiffin said. "He can play man-to-man or he can come down in the box. He's very, very smart. He's the whole package. Some guys can cover and do this, or hit and do that. He does it all." Kiffin widely is considered the architect of the "Cover 2" defense, which relies heavily on sound safety play. In his defense, the strong safety is expected to be a punishing hitter who patrols the middle of the field. Berry is perfect for that scheme. Or probably any other scheme, for that matter. "Eric can play a lot of different positions," Kiffin said. "We'll take advantage of that, but we won't make drastic changes. He's pretty darn good right now. We're not going to do anything to screw him up." Kiffin isn't the only NFL legend who has praised Berry. While on a visit to Knoxville two years ago, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning – perhaps the most beloved player in Tennessee history – faced Berry in a practice session. "He did seven-on-seven drills with us my freshman year," Berry said. "I picked him off and had a PBU [pass broken up] on a deep post. He said I was one of the top defenders he'd gone against." Intercepting Manning was easy. Avenging him – for Vols fans, anyway – will be a lot harder. Manning was the favorite to win the Heisman in 1997. He passed for 3,819 yards and led the Volunteers to the SEC championship. But a wave of support grew in favor of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson, who outpolled Manning to become the first – and only – primarily defensive player to win college football's highest individual award. The snub stunned Tennessee fans, and 12 years later the vote still doesn't sit well with the state's general populace. Doug Mathews, a former Tennessee assistant and the longtime host of "Big Orange Sunday," a Nashville radio show, said Tennesseans felt cheated when Manning didn't win. "I really felt at the time that the ESPN SportsCenter guys pushed hard and made it plain they wanted Woodson to win," Mathews said. "I don't think they had anything against Peyton, but it made a good story. [ESPN] was affiliated with ABC and ABC handled all the Big Ten games and handled the Rose Bowl. They might have played a role in it. … I don't think there are many folks who thought Peyton wasn't the best player." Berry could be the next defensive player deserving of the trophy. And perhaps a similar groundswell of support could arise for him. "I think that's a possibility," Berry said. "But I don't want anyone voting for me because I'm at Peyton's school. I don't want any handouts. If I do have the opportunity, I want it to be because I'm the best player in college football." The Heisman is awarded to college football's "most outstanding" player, not necessarily the best player. If it were awarded to the best player, Berry would be among the top preseason candidates. But while Tennessee sports information department officials plan to promote Berry as a Heisman candidate, there are too many factors against him being a serious contender. First, he plays defense. No defensive player has finished in the top five in the Heisman voting since Woodson won. Second, Woodson won in a year in which Michigan shared the national championship. Tennessee is coming off a 5-7 disaster in '08, which resulted in the ouster of coach Phillip Fulmer. The Vols aren't expected to contend for the SEC East title, much less the national championship, this season. Third, when Woodson won, the top seven finishers in the Heisman voting in 1996 didn't return in '97. By comparison, the top three finishers in last year's Heisman balloting – Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow – return, and Bradford and Tebow already have won a Heisman. One plus is that, like Woodson, Berry has had some return duties and has played on offense. Last season, Berry returned two kickoffs for 32 yards, rushed for 37 yards and caught a pass for three yards. He wanted more opportunities on offense, especially with Tennessee struggling to score points. But Fulmer refused. "I wanted to play some offense and I pleaded with Coach Fulmer," Berry said. "But he knew about my shoulder and didn't want to put me in that position. I respect him for not putting my health in danger even though I was begging to play. He said, 'No, we're not going to take that chance.' " Berry said he'd like to play offense in '09, too, but not to enhance his chances of winning the Heisman. That would be too overt. "It's just not me to be pushing myself for the Heisman or any other award," he said. "I just like to play. I just want to get back to the SEC championship and win a BCS game." Those priorities were shaped by a strong family influence. His father was a three-year starter at running back and a 1981 captain for the Vols. "He always stressed, 'Don't dwell on material things,' " Berry said. "He'd say, 'Do what you're supposed to do on and off the field, and don't worry about anything else.' " Still, some things Berry can't help but worry about. He doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeves, but there are hints about his concerns under them. "Berry Pride" is etched into his muscular arms. He got the tattoos after his father was laid off from his job with Owens-Corning. His mother, who had worked for a home builder, lost her job, too. "It reminds me of the struggles my family has been through and how we're bouncing back from adversity," he said of his tattoo. "Whatever you're going through, you have to focus on the tasks at hand. "My dad said that stuff [losing a job] doesn't define the person you are. It tells you who you are and what you're made of." This time next year, Berry may be on the verge of making millions of dollars. He will be eligible for the NFL draft after the '09 season, and if he enters, he'll likely be a high first-round selection. Just like that, any financial difficulties his family faces would vanish. But that's a year away. Maybe two. For now, Berry's motivation simply is to try to help Tennessee win a championship and make his mother proud. "I love to see her happy," he said. "Watching me play football puts a smile on her face." He's given her many reasons to smile. So many, in fact, that she demands something really special for a more animated reaction. "It takes something really good for me to get up and cheer," Carol said. "I love to see him get an interception. That's exciting. "Not to brag, but if I got up every time Eric did something, I'd never sit down." Instead, she tries to stay incognito, just like he does. "I'm a shy person as well," Carol said. "Eric gets a lot of that from me. … I don't even wear anything that acknowledges I'm Eric's mom." Of course not. Think about it: Did anyone ever notice Superman's mother? "

4/19/2009 1:01:34 AM

replay of Orange and White game coming on Fox Sports South in 5 min

4/19/2009 10:57:30 PM

Coach Lane Kiffin and I after a few shots of Jager

4/20/2009 10:22:56 PM

Quote :

"Quarterback Jake Heaps (Sammamish, Wash./ Skyline) had a list of 10 colleges he was looking at for some time. The talented signal caller recently cut his list to five and said his decision could come any time. The lucky five to make the final cut for Heaps include BYU, Cal, LSU, Tennessee and Washington. The feeling among most has always been the hometown Huskies and the Cougars, the church school for Heaps, are the teams to beat. "I know a lot of people think that way but honestly, everyone has the same chance right now," Heaps said. "I feel really good about all five of these schools and I think I would fit in well at each of them. "I would like to try and visit them before I decide but financially, that might be hard to do. If I can do it, great, but if not, I'm not too worried about it. I'm planning to decide at some point in the summer but if it feels right before then, I'll go ahead and commit early as well." Heaps will go down as one of the most prolific quarterbacks to ever come out of Washington by the end of his senior year. In two seasons, he has led Skyline to back to back state titles and has not lost a high school game. He has thrown for over 6,100 yards and 69 touchdowns and should shatter several state records next fall."

It's awesome UT made it to his Top 5, but it's going to be pretty tough to land this kid. I really hope the VOLS snag him. We need a QB, BAD.

4/22/2009 12:09:03 AM

^ need him bad, REALLY bad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvlSoa7T6hc

4/22/2009 1:57:38 AM

BJ Coleman said "see ya!"

4/24/2009 3:09:47 PM

i would be just as comfortable with them not using a quarterback as i am with crompton starting

4/24/2009 3:32:48 PM

yup.


Unless Kiffin can work some Leinart type magic the team isnt going too far this year with the QBs they have

4/24/2009 3:54:19 PM

hahah, Pearl rules

Quote :

"Lane Kiffin's wife Layla Kiffin is, to put it delicately, smoking hot. On the day Lane Kiffin was announced as Tennessee coach, "Layla Kiffin" and "Lane Kiffin's wife" took over Google, registering among the most Googled terms in America on that November day. All this attention came despite the fact that Layla was eight months pregnant with her third child at the time of the announcement. Yep, even at eight months pregnant, she sent these here Internets spinning round and round. It also served as the first notice of how seriously SEC football fans take the sport ... and the coach's family. In almost two years with the NFL's Oakland Raiders, Layla went unnoticed. Five minutes after Lane's hiring at Tennessee, internet cables in the South were smoking white hot, it was like a new book from the Bible had been uncovered. To support the new coach, I founded a Facebook group, "Our Coach's Wife is Hotter Than Your Coach's Wife," which immediately exploded to almost 6,000 members. Layla's popularity continued to grow as she stayed out of sight and delivered her third child, a son named Monte Knox Kiffin. Layla's popularity even withstood Tennessee fans uncovering that she was a graduate of ... wait for it, the University of Florida. Her popularity didn't fall even after Layla confessed to being a Tim Tebow fan. Sigh. As information continued to trickle in, we could even imagine Layla Kiffin and Erin Andews engaging in underwear-clad pillow fights as fellow sorority sisters in Florida's Zeta Tau Alpha. Diligent research via several Florida Gator sorority girls confirms that the Zetas have a campus reputation as being "wild and cool, but a little bit slutty." I defy you to find eight better words. Predictably, the mainstream media has taken note of Layla's Internet popularity. The University of Tennessee Sports Information Department has fielded roughly 15 official requests for interviews with Layla. Given that she only just arrived with her family in Knoxville, look for those numbers to soar. Already Layla's the most popular coach's wife in college football since ... well ... ever. Given all this interest, it's nice to see that men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl, fresh off his turn as a rap mogul, has taken note of Layla's popularity. Asked yesterday at a UT alumni reception just south of Nashville how he was getting along with Lane Kiffin, Pearl responded, "I'm trying to date his wife. But that's not working out too good." Zinger. I think it's safe to say: Layla, you've got us all on our knees."

4/29/2009 4:26:06 PM

CFN released their UT preview for 2009... really long. Some of the info is way way off in my opinion, see comments in bold.

Quote :

" Just win, baby. Lane Kiffin didn’t do that at Oakland, appeared to be in over his head (and who wouldn’t be working for Al Davis), and moved on to a better gig. But now he can’t just win, baby, he has to win, and win more, and win national titles. Phil Fulmer won, and won a lot. He won a national title, took the Vols to several SEC title games, and bled orange as a true fan of the program he was coaching. Still a Tennessee guy after an amicable breakup, he was everything you could want in a head coach. It wasn’t enough. All that matters, especially at a powerhouse program like Tennessee, is being in the hunt for the national title year in and year out. Fulmer appeared incapable of doing that while others, like Florida, LSU, and Alabama, were growing stronger and stronger. Is Kiffin the guy who can make Tennessee a regular in the BCS race? If nothing else he’s stirring the hornet’s nest both inside and outside of the program. He might have made Vol fans happy be getting under the skin of Urban Meyer and Florida, but he has rubbed some people the wrong way with his bull in the china shop approach after taking over the reins. He has been brutally honest and brutally tough at times, and while that might have been necessary in an attempt to toughen up the program and to establish law and order, it has been a rocky enough start to put the heat on. It’s one thing to be brash, but that only works if you win. The jury is still out on whether or not Kiffin can actually coach. He surrounded himself with some phenomenal talents, primarily his father, legendary defensive coach Monte Kiffin, and former Ole Miss head man Ed Orgeron, and he appears to have rule one in the SEC down pat that to win you need to do three things well: recruit, recruit, and recruit. Being young is a problem for Kiffin as far as public perception, there’s a silver spoon aspect to the equation considering who his dad is, but it should be a plus when it comes to bringing in players. Every coach says that he’ll outwork everyone else, but Kiffin, who’s only 34, has the energy to put in the time and effort to do more bothering and pestering of the elite high school talents than anyone else. While that’s great for the future, he needs to establish himself right now and prove to everyone that he actually can win a game. There were some good pieces in last year’s disaster and there’s a lot to be excited about this year. As bad as the 5-7 season was, and as miserable as the offense was, the defense was outstanding, finishing third in the country, and three games, UCLA, Auburn, and Wyoming, easily, very easily, could’ve gone the other way. With a few right breaks Tennessee could’ve and should’ve been 8-4. Of course, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, Kiffin wouldn’t be the head coach. What to watch for on offense: Power running. The coaching staff will try to pound the ball, rely on the tremendous defense, and try to control the game and the clock. The passing game will try to push the ball deep a little more to stretch things out, but the offense will spend most of its time using its humongous, veteran line to pave the way for a fantastic group of backs. The backfield was good enough to get by, and then came the recruiting class with Toney Williams, David Oku, and the No. 1 prospect in America according to CFN, Bryce Brown, all ready to make a huge impact and upgrade the stalled ground attack. What to watch for on defense: A ton of interceptions. All the pieces are there for the secondary to come up with a phenomenal year. Not only is there track star speed across the board, but there’s all-everything safety Eric Berry as the sheriff in the Tampa 2 scheme, but the pass rush should be better. Even with Robert Ayers off to the NFL, the Vol defensive front should be more active with Ben Martin and Chris Walker two speedsters on the ends who should be camped out in opposing backfields. The team will be far better if … someone can complete the forward pass. Saying the quarterbacks were awful is like saying the Tennessee orange uniforms are a bit loud. Three quarterbacks combined to complete fewer than half of their passes for 1,750 yards and eight touchdowns with nine interceptions. Worse yet, none of them were able to lead the way to points. To be fair, the receiving corps didn’t take enough passes for big plays and the line wasn’t as good as it was two years ago, but the passing game can’t stink again for there to be any hope of improvement. The Schedule: The Vols don't go anywhere in non-conference play hosting UCLA along with three layups against Western Kentucky, Ohio, and Memphis. Of course, all eyes will be on Gainesville for Tennessee's SEC opener at Florida when Lane Kiffin gets to meet one of the most hostile environments anyone will have to deal with this year. Not only do the Vols have to play Alabama and Ole Miss from the West, but the games are on the road. However, there's a week off between the game against Georgia and the trip to Bama, and the second half of the year isn't all that bad with South Carolina, Memphis, Vanderbilt and Kentucky part of the mix. Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Gerald Jones. With good size, elite speed, and nice hands, he does everything for the team. He’s a fantastic punt returner, averaging ten yards a crack, runs out of a Wildcat formation, with 23 carries for 126 yards and a score, and led the team with 30 catches for 323 yards and four scores. With the emphasis on pushing the ball deep, he should make more big plays and be an even bigger star in a receiving corps that needs him to be a strong No. 1 target. Best Defensive Player: Junior SS Eric Berry. Talk about living up to the hype, Berry was a big-time recruit who has been nothing but sensational. Arguably the best player in the SEC not named Tim Tebow, and a far better pro prospect. A huge hitter and special player when the ball is in the air, he has sub-4.4 speed and the ability to play either free of strong safety. A dream player for the Monte Kiffin Tampa 2 cover scheme, the All-American should be neck-and-neck with USC’s Taylor Mays in the battle for the Thorpe Award. Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Nick Stephens. Jonathan Crompton has been good this off-season, but he’s not the answer for a woeful passing game. Stephens has the big arm, the size, and the upside to be the main man for the offense over the next few years. He needs time and he needs his receiving corps to shine to come up with a strong year. He doesn’t have to be phenomenal; he just needs to be competent. The season will be a success if ... Tennessee wins nine games. It’ll take a near-miracle to beat Florida in Gainesville and it’ll take something special to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Every other game is winnable, but the team isn’t good enough to run the table and finish with double-digit wins. Winning eight regular season games and a bowl game would be a huge step forward after last year’s clunker. Key game: September 19th at Florida. Welcome to the SEC. After the kitten fight between the two coaching staffs since Kiffin took over, and after all the drama and the goofiness, Urban Meyer would like nothing more than to give a little extra twist of the knife when the Vols come to town. Florida has won four straight in the series, but they had a nasty time, despite the final score, in last year’s 30-6 win in Knoxville. No one will be expected Tennessee to win, but if Kiffin and his team can pull off the upset, it would jumpstart the program and change the expectations for the season in a big hurry. 2008 Fun Stats: - First Quarter Score: Opponents 67 – Tennessee 17 - Fumbles: Tennessee 12 (lost 9) – Opponents 9 (lost 3) - Rushing touchdowns: Tennessee 14 – Opponents 6 "

[Edited on May 7, 2009 at 2:45 PM. Reason : d]

5/7/2009 2:38:44 PM

Quote :

" Preview 2009 - Offense What you need to know: The Tennessee Volunteers, the school of Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis, and could be called Wide Receiver U., finished 11th in the SEC, and 115th in the nation, in total offense, 107th in the nation in passing, and 107th in pass efficiency. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will go to a more powerful running attack with an emphasis on a passing game that pushes the ball deep. The running backs are in place, with super-recruits Bryce Brown, David Oku and Toney Williams, to go along with Montario Hardesty, working behind a massive line that should be able to lean on defensive fronts without a problem. The receiving corps struggled last year, but it gets back Gerald Jones and Austin Rogers to stretch the field a bit. The problem is at quarterback, where Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens will battle for the job. Crompton was great in spring ball, but Stephens is the far better fit for what the coaching staff wants to do (he is? everything I have heard is that Crompton is a better fit physically but the problem is he's a dumbass). Returning Leaders Passing: Jonathan Crompton 86-167, 889 yds, 4 TD, 5 INT Rushing: Montario Hardesty 76 carries, 271 yds, 6 TD Receiving: Gerald Jones 30 catches, 323 yds, 4 TD Star of the offense: Junior WR Gerald Jones Player who has to step up and become a star: Sophomore QB Nick Stephens and/or Senior QB Jonathan Crompton Unsung star on the rise: Junior WR Denarius Moore Best pro prospect: Senior C Josh McNeil (What??? he might lose his starting job to a walk on, I think Brandon Warren or Jones are the best pro prospects Top three all-star candidates: 1) WR Gerald Jones, 2) McNeil, 3) RB Montario Hardesty Strength of the offense: Running Backs, Tight End Weakness of the offense: Quarterback, Overall Production Quarterbacks Projected Starter: In the three-way battle for the starting quarterback job, junior Nick Stephens might be the best fit. The 6-4, 227-pound bomber was out for part of spring ball recovering from a broken wrist that knocked him out late last year. He took over the starting job midway through the season and was relatively mistake-free, throwing 106 straight passes without a pick, and he led the way to wins over Northern Illinois and Mississippi State. However, his accuracy was a major issue completing just 49% of his throws for 940 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions. Unlike the other options, Stephens isn’t a runner in any way. With his arm, his command in the pocket, and his upside as a quarterback to count on for the next few years, he’ll be the man to beat come fall. Projected Top Reserve: Senior Jonathan Crompton had a great spring in 2008 and appeared ready to take command of the offense and make it shine. It didn’t happen. He only completed 52% of his throws for 889 yards and four touchdowns with five interceptions, bottoming out with an 8-of-23, 67-yard day against Auburn. He looked like a new quarterback this spring hitting every receiver in the numbers and appearing strong enough to retake his starting job, but the 6-4, 228-pounder will have to do something special to be the No. 1. While he’s not a great runner, he’s mobile enough to take off from time to time to get the first down. However, his running skills aren’t enough to be a difference-maker in the race. 6-3, 223-pound sophomore B.J. Coleman didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do last year, completing just 4-of-8 passes for 21 yards with an interception in the win over Vanderbilt, but he was being given every shot to win the starting job. Big, strong, and with a tremendous high school résumé, he had the basics, but he chose to transfer even though he would’ve been a nice fit for the job. Watch Out For ... the coaching staff to cringe a bit every time the quarterback takes a hit. There’s Stephens coming off a wrist injury and there’s Crompton. With B.J. Coleman transferring, the No. 3 option might be star safety Eric Berry or WR Gerald Jones. Strength: Arms. Crompton has a nice arm, while Stephens has an elite one. In the new offense, pushing the ball downfield will be at a premium and these two can do it. Weakness: Production. Crompton looks like a world-beater in practice but he struggles in scrimmages and games. Stephens is still a work in progress and has to show he can lead the offense to scores. Outlook: The coaching staff didn’t recruit a quarterback, thinking that the situation wasn’t all that bad. While the quarterbacks weren’t bad this off-season, Jonathan Crompton is shaky and Nick Stephens, coming off a broken wrist, still needs time to develop. Making matters even more muddled was the loss of B.J. Coleman, who chose to transfer even though he was arguably the best passer in spring ball. Stephens has the most upside but Crompton has the experience. Call this a stop-gap year before Kiffin and his staff puts on the full-court press to get Jake Heaps or Jesse Scroggins, two of the top ranked quarterbacks in the 2010 recruiting class. Rating: 6 Running Backs Projected Starter: With Arian Foster gone, the time is now for Montario Hardesty to finally show off his flash and become a star. The 6-0, 215-pound senior was third on the team with 271 rushing yards, but he led the way with six scores with two coming in the opener against UCLA. He saw his playing time decrease to nothing over the second half of last year, but with his pounding, north-south style, he’s what the new coaching staff is looking for. Step one, though, is staying healthy suffering a broken leg, and ankle problem and torn ACL earlier in his career. The offense used the fullback more often last year, and it’ll be a bigger part of the attack this season. 6-0, 245-pound junior Kevin Cooper is a big blocker with nice hands catching seven passes for 42 yards, and running five times for ten yards. Considering the Vol offense will go to more power running, Cooper could become a star as a blocker. Projected Top Reserves: True sophomore Tauren Poole got to school year with the hope of being a big part of the offense right away. He wasn’t seeing spot duty in three games finishing with 86 yards and burning a redshirt in the process. The two-time Georgia high school player of the year is a shifty 5-10, 203-pound back who ran for 5,413 yards, and 2,138 as a senior, in his pre-Vol career. Hardesty and Poole might just by buying time before the freshmen take over. 6-1, 235-pound Toney Williams got to school early and showed tremendous potential with power and a burst through the hole. Once he’s back from a minor knee surgery, he can be used as a fullback in bigger formations or can be a good pounder of a back. He ran for 1,945 yards and 26 touchdowns last season for Milton High in Georgia. The biggest question with the Tennessee running game going into the fall is whether or not Bryce Brown was worth it. First he was going to Miami, then he was talking about going to play in the CFL, and then he finally decided on Tennessee. Considered by many (along with CFN) as the nation’s No. 1 recruit, he ran for close to 4,000 yards and 56 touchdowns in his final two years as a Kansas high school star. At 6-0 and 215, he’s thickly built with tremendous cutback ability. With the signing of Brown, getting David Oku was shoved to the side. Oku would’ve been one of the crown jewels in this class and would’ve been the star everyone wanted to see, and he still could be. He got away from Oklahoma and should be a do-it-all type of back for the Vols with tremendous quickness and good toughness. He can catch, score, and be used as a return man, but at 5-10 and 186 pounds he’s not necessarily a grinder. That’s fine; UT will take his speed. Backing up Kevin Cooper at fullback will be Austin Johnson, a 6-2, 234-pound sophomore who was a big-time linebacker recruit but was quickly moved over to the offensive side. He’s big, tough, and a blaster of a blocker. Watch Out For ... the freshmen. Raise your hands if you believe Hardesty is going to be the featured back for a full season. Put your hand down, Montario. Strength: The freshmen. Oku and Williams are good enough by themselves to chirp about the running back class brought in, but to get Brown, soap opera and all, was a major coup. If he’s half as good as his hype, or his drama, he’ll be an immediate star. Weakness: Sure-thing tailback. Hardesty can’t be counted on for more than a few carries a game and Poole is fine, but he’s not the talent the three incoming freshmen are. With Lennon Creer leaving the program, the team will have to not only hope for the rookies to contribute, it’ll have to hope they can produce big-time. Outlook: The running game was going to shift more towards the power attack last year, and it did a little bit. Now, Kiffin wants to pound the ball making big Montario Hardesty more valuable if he can hold up. The running game will be all about the true freshmen as Bryce Brown, David Oku, and Toney Williams will be the stars of the team for the next several years. For a team that ran for just 1,475 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, the new talent will be a breath of fresh air. However, this is an unproven bunch that’ll have to take its lumps without a great passing game to help out. Rating: 7 "

[Edited on May 7, 2009 at 2:47 PM. Reason : d]

5/7/2009 2:41:45 PM

Quote :

" Receivers Projected Starters: The rest of the receiving corps might be up for grabs, but 6-0, 199-pound junior Gerald Jones will be the leader of the group after coming up with a team-high 30 catches for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Great on kickoff returns and quick enough to be a dangerous runner, with 23 carries for 126 yards and a score last season, he’s one of the team’s biggest playmaking weapons who’ll be used in a Wildcat (called the G-Gun last year) formation from time to time. One of the only returning receivers with any real experience is senior Austin Rogers, a 6-2, 190-pound athletic receiver and spot starter who caught 56 passes for 624 yards and four scores in 2007, but only made 14 grabs for 180 yards last year. A phenomenal all-around field stretcher, he’s a reliable playmaker who’ll be used in three wide sets and behind Gerald Jones. There will be a strong tight end rotation with junior Luke Stocker a strong do-it-all playmaker who can be used both as a blocker and a receiver. At 6-6 and 245 pounds, he’s a big target with good route running ability catching 12 passes for 139 yards. He has good athleticism for his size and is a bulldozer of a blocker when needed (even though there are other tight ends on the roster who hit better). Projected Top Reserves: It’ll be an ongoing battle for the receiver spots with everything wide open, but senior Quintin Hancock appears to be in a leading position to take over one of the jobs. Expected to be a part of the mix last year, he saw time in every game, and even got a start, but failed to catch a pass after making 16 grab for 165 yards and three touchdowns in 2007. A strong special teamer, he’ll find a role somewhere on the team, and even though he did do anything for the offense last season, the 6-3, 207-pounder is a big target who should be ready to make a bid for the No. 1 job. Junior Denarius Moore has the 6-1, 190-pound size and the next-level jets. Now he has to get the ball in his hands more. After a promising freshman year, catching 14 passes for 212 yards, highlighted by a big Outback Bowl against Wisconsin, he only made 11 grabs for 271 yards and a score last year. However, he led the team, by far, with a 24.6 yard-per-catch average helped by a 60-yard play against Georgia and a 63-yard-score against Kentucky. He’ll be a much bigger part of the rotation in the new offense. Former Florida State tight end Brandon Warren only caught ten passes for 85 yards last season, but he has the ability to do so much more. A freshman All-American for the Seminoles, the 6-2, 216-pound junior is big, physical, and is able to find the holes in an offense. He’ll rotate with Denarius Moore and Quintin Hancock at one spot. Senior tight end Jeff Cottam has the bulk, at 6-8 and 260 pounds, with good enough hands to be a major matchup problem. His worth is mainly as a big, tough blocker who can be used like a third tackle. While he has receiving skills, catching four passes for 19 yards and a score in 2007, he didn’t catch any balls last year partly because he missed half the season recovering from a broken leg. Watch Out For ... a rotation at the spot next to Jones. Hancock has the upside, but it’ll be hard to keep Moore and Warren from being major factors. The coaching staff will put a premium on pushing the ball deep, meaning Moore could be a breakout star. Strength: Tight end. Cottam and Stocker are both NFL talents who were underutilized under the past regime. Neither one will hit a home run, but they’ll each be good blockers for the power running game and they can each move the chains. Weakness: Quarterback. Last year’s receiving corps should’ve been a major plus, but it wasn’t because no one could throw the ball. There should be a little bit of an improvement this season, but not enough make this decent group special. Outlook: The poor quarterback play and a bad offense in general led to the awful season from the receiving corps. There weren’t many big plays, the receivers didn’t do enough to help the quarterbacks, and there was little to nothing done after the catch. This year’s crop of targets has the look of a typical Tennessee receiving corps with size, speed, and athleticism, but they need to become better route runners and someone has to emerge as a scary No. 1 playmaker to make defenses worry. Rating: 7 Offensive Linemen Projected Starters: The best blocker on the line, Anthony Parker, is gone after starting the first half of last season at left guard and the second half on the right side. Looking to become the rock at left guard will be Vladimir Richard, a 6-4, 300-pound senior who was a good backup before starting when Parker moved sides. The former defensive lineman isn’t Parker, but he’s a tough, smart blocker who’s physical for the ground game. Taking over on the right side will be Jacques McClendon, a 6-3, 324-pound senior who started the first six games of last year before giving way to Parker. Very smart, he’s a two-time academic All-SEC performer, and one of the team’s strongest player, but he has to be more consistent and he has to translate his weight room strength to the field. With his size and experience, he’ll be great for the new offense. The best blocker of the bunch should be center Josh McNeil, a 12-game starter last season and an anchor for the line over the last three seasons starting every week since the fourth game of his freshman season. At 6-4 and 280 pounds, he’s not passive, but he’s tough, consistent, and can’t be dragged off the field no matter how banged up. Senior Chris Scott is back at left tackle after starting every game last season. Average in pass protection last season, after doing a fine job two years ago, he’s more of a mauler for the running game with the bulk to play guard and just enough athleticism to get by on the outside. At 6-4 and 346 pounds, he’s big, too big, but he’s versatile and can move around where needed. With the offense going more to a power running game, he should be able to use his talents a bit better. Battling for the starting right tackle position will be Jarrod Shaw, a 6-4, 332-pound junior who saw mop-up time last season in two games but has the size and potential to be a solid starter. He needs to prove he can be steady in pass protection, but with his strength and his bulk, pounding away isn’t a problem. If needed, he can move inside and play guard, a more natural spot, if he doesn’t win the tackle gig. Projected Top Reserves: Pushing hard for the starting right tackle job will be Aaron Douglas, a good tight end prospect who will be used as an athletic blocker on the outside. Just a redshirt freshman, the 6-6, 280-pounder still has room to grow into his frame and has the feet to become a key part of the line for the next four years. As a tight end, he caught 90 passes for 1,435 yards and eight scores in high school. While he won’t push Josh McNeil out of a job, 6-1, 260-pound senior Cody Sullins could be a key part of the line. Mostly a center, he saw a little bit of action last season, but he’ll have a hard time finding work considering McNeil doesn’t come out. If needed, Sullins can be used as an athletic, and very smart, undersized option at left guard behind Richard. Watch Out For ... power blocking. The line was phenomenal in pass protection two years ago with David Cutcliffe as the offensive coordinator, and it struggled a bit last year to keep the quarterbacks clean. Part of that was because of the loss of Cutcliffe, and part of it was because the quarterbacks stunk. Now, the big, beefy line will blast away for the running game. Strength: Size. This group struggled way too much to open things up for the ground game, but it has the size and it has the coaching staff to do more. If things go as planned, the Vols will have a 346-pound left tackle in Scott and a 332-pound right tackle in Shaw, to go along with the bulk on the inside. Weakness: Athletes. This wasn’t a nimble group last season and it showed when the quarterbacks needed an extra half-second to produce. There should be plenty of road-grating, but not a lot of finesse. There could be big problems against athletic, speedy lines. Outlook: It could be argued that the downfall of the Vols, relatively speaking, under Phil Fulmer was the inability of the line to dominate outside of 2007. This year’s line has a nice mix of size, experience, and upside considering the offense will revolve more around the power running attack. Don’t expect miracles at tackle against speed rushers, but O line coach Jim Chaney has a good group to work with. Rating: 7.5"

5/7/2009 2:42:20 PM

Quote :

"Preview 2009 - Defense What you need to know: Tennessee finished third in the nation in total defense, was fourth against the pass, 12th against the run, and 10th in scoring D. In other words, the defense wasn’t the problem. In comes the new coaching staff, and while coordinator Monte Kiffin is considered one of the most brilliant defensive minds in the history of football, and while Ed Orgeron might be the best defensive line coach in the game, it’ll be asking a lot to repeat the production of last season. The Tampa 2, or Cover 2, relies on big-time speed and athleticism in the secondary, and Tennessee has that to spare led by safety Eric Berry, one of the best players in college football. The linebacking corps needs work, but Rico McCoy is a first round-caliber draft pick who’ll clean up a lot of messes. And then there’s the line, which was great last year and should be dominant under Orgeron. With end Wes Brown moving inside, at least in certain formations, there’s more speed and athleticism on the ends. Expect more of a pass rush and a better push into the backfield, even with Robert Ayers now on the Denver Broncos, with Ben Martin and Chris Walker about to explode. Returning Leaders Tackles: Rico McCoy, 87 Sacks: Chris Walker, 3 Interceptions: Eric Berry, 7 Star of the defense: Junior SS Eric Berry Player who has to step up and become a star: Junior LB Nick Reveiz and/or redshirt freshman LB Herman Lathers Unsung star on the rise: Junior DE Chris Walker Best pro prospect: Berry Top three all-star candidates: 1) Berry, 2) LB Rico McCoy, 3) DT Dan Williams Strength of the defense: Secondary, Tackle Weakness of the defense: Linebacker Depth, Backup Ends Defensive Line (They are much more confident about the Dline than I am) Projected Starters: The line should be tremendous, but there’s one big question: who’s going to take over for Robert Ayers? The first round draft pick of the Denver Broncos was a terror in the backfield last year, even though he only came up with three sacks, and now it’ll be up to junior Chris Walker to take over on the right side. The 6-3, 232-pound junior is a former linebacker with a great first step and a burst into the backfield making three sacks and four tackles for loss, along with 15 tackles, in his backup role. He might be a bit of a specialist, but he’s a playmaker who’s always working and always hustling. With Wes Brown moving inside, 6-3, 239-pound junior Ben Martin will take over the job at left end after making 18 tackles and a sack. While he’s not all that big, the former linebacker can move and is a pure speed rusher who could come up with a huge statistical season with all the attention paid to everyone else on the line. He looks like he’s right out of central casting as far as a prototype hybrid 3-4 outside pass rusher, but he’ll put his hand on the ground. The experience is on the inside, led by 6-4, 257-pound senior Wes Brown, a strong left end last season who’ll move to tackle where he should be way too quick for any interior offensive lineman. Active against the run, he made 37 tackles with 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. He’ll need to be a part of a rotation against the power running teams because of his lack of bulk, but he might move inside and out just to keep him on the field. While Brown has improved, and has been fine, he hasn’t lived up to his impressive prep hype. 6-3, 327-pound senior Dan Williams is a bit too big, but he’s getting in better shape and he should be a monster on the inside. He came up with a nice season with 48 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss, showing surprising quickness and burst for a player of his size. While he’s not going to crank out too many sacks, he’ll eat up everything that comes his way against the run and will work his way into the backfield now and again to make plays. Ultra-consistent, he doesn’t miss stops and holds up well against double teams on the nose. Projected Top Reserves: If it’s not Brown at tackle, there’s a chance for true freshman Montori Hughes to shine right away. At 6-4 and 312 pounds, the star recruit is a big, athletic inside presence who’ll get into the backfield now and then and should be a key part of the rotation right away. If nothing else, he’ll come in on pure running downs to clog things up. Looking to see time on the outside are two redshirt freshmen, Willie Bohannon on the left side and Steven Fowlkes on the right. The 6-2, 230-pound Bohannon is a speed rusher who ran track in high school and has good closing skills, while the 6-4, 229-pound Fowlkes has spent the last year beefing up after playing both wide receiver and defensive end in high school. Fowlkes has tremendous athleticism and could be used as an outside linebacker, while Bohannon should be a pure end throughout his career. Watch Out For ... lots of movement on the inside. Wes Brown is too good not to have on the line at all times, and he’ll be moved around where needed to keep him on the field. He’ll rotate in several spots to generate the most production possible. Strength: Ed Orgeron. There might not be a better defensive line coach in America. All the success Ole Miss has had up front over the last few years, with Peria Jerry going in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft and Greg Hardy almost certain to be a first rounder next year, Orgeron deserves credit for helping to make that happen. He was also the architect of some tremendous USC lines before taking the Ole Miss head job. Getting him was a coup for Lane Kiffin. Weakness: Backup experience. The starting four will be fantastic, but past them are a slew of very promising, and very green freshmen and redshirt freshmen who need at least a year of developing. Outlook: Don’t blame the line for any of the team’s problems last year. It stuffed everyone’s running game and did a decent job of getting into the backfield. Now the defense has Ed Orgeron working on the front four with excellent pass rushing potential at all four spots. There will be far more sacks this season with Ben Martin and Chris Walker about to explode on the outside, while Dan Williams is a rock in the middle. Wes Brown will start out on the inside, but will move where needed. Overall, this should be a team-strength, made better by Orgeron. However, there will be big problems if injuries hit early on. Rating: 8 Linebackers Projected Starters: It’s salary drive time for Rico McCoy. The 6-1, 220-pound senior will be a top draft pick next year, he could’ve gone early this season, with tremendous range, big-time hitting ability, and steady production. He ate up everything that came his way against the run, and chased down everything that didn’t funnel to him finishing second on the team with 87 tackles with a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. While he’s not all that big, he has unlimited range and is excellent in pass coverage. He’ll be an all-star on the weakside and on the short list for All-America honors. While he’s only 6-1 and 213 pounds, redshirt freshman Herman Lathers is a big-time prospect with the quickness to get all over the field and decent potential as a pass rusher. While he’ll have to be in a rotation in the middle to replace Ellix Wilson, he has the athleticism and the upside to be given a long early look. Junior LaMarcus Thompson has been a key special teamer so far, making ten tackles, and now he’ll get a look on the strongside. At 6-1 and 221 pounds he’s more lanky than big, but he’s been around long enough to know what he’s doing and he’s extremely fast. If nothing else, he could be used as a pass rusher. Projected Top Reserves: Part of the equation in the middle is Nick Reveiz, but he’ll have to battle for the job. The 5-10, 220-pounder isn’t the most talented option, but he has decent experience making 18 stops. Mostly a special teamer so far, he’ll have to show something special to be considered for more than a backup role. While he won't be bad for stretches, the former walk-on is a limited talent who gets by on want-to. Trying to find a spot somewhere, considering he won’t see too much time on the weakside behind Rico McCoy, will be Savion Frazier, a 6-2, 221-pound junior who has been a star on special teams. He made 18 stops last year and saw plenty of action on defense, and with his speed and athleticism, he’ll get a long look in the middle. Watch Out For ... a lot of shifting around. The Vols don’t have an answer yet for two of the starting spots, and they don’t have a sure-thing stand out who appears ready to take over and dominate the position. There’s McCoy and a bunch of regular guys. Strength: McCoy. Tennessee always gets production at linebacker no matter who’s playing, but it’s McCoy who’s the star of the show. He’ll clean up all the messes and make up for the problems and concerns at the other two spots. Weakness: Everyone other than McCoy. The Reveiz brothers, Nick and Shane, aren’t big-time SEC players and they can’t be starting for long stretches of time. If Lathers and Thompson aren’t great, there will be a big drop in production. Outlook: It’s going to take a little bit of work and a little bit of time, but the Vols should be decent here … eventually. There’s a fierce competition in the middle and the strongside to go along with Rico McCoy, and while there will always be production and athleticism from anyone who lines up for the Vols, it’ll be asking a lot to come up with a middle linebacker who made plays like Jerod Mayo two years ago and Ellix Wilson last year. There are several good options with a several job open for the taking going into the fall. Rating: 7 "

[Edited on May 7, 2009 at 2:52 PM. Reason : d]

5/7/2009 2:43:00 PM

Quote :

"Defensive Backs Projected Starters: USC’s Taylor Mays is probably the best defensive player in America and could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. Junior Eric Berry could be No. 2 in both categories, and he’s not necessarily going to concede either one. The 5-11, 203-pounder has done everything for the defense as a last line of defense making 86 tackles two years ago and finishing third on the team with 72 stops last season. A pass rusher, he also made three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. But for all the big hits and all he does as the sheriff of the secondary, he’s at his best when the ball is in the air tying for the nation’s lead with seven interceptions with 13 broken up passes. Deadly when he gets the ball in his hands, he holds the SEC record for a season with 265 interception return yards. A pure playmaker at strong safety, he should do even more to help out this year in the Tampa 2 system. With star free safety Demetric Morley being booted from the program, it’s an open casting call for the job. 5-10, 179-pound sophomore Stephaun Raines has elite speed, clocking a 10.5 100-meter dash in high school, but he has to translate his wheels to the football field. He didn’t do anything last year and will be a key part of the rotation if he can’t pull out the starting job. He’s too fast and has too great a range to not be a regular. 6-1, 173-pound sophomore Art Evans will lock down one of the starting corner spot, likely on the right side. He has good size and good quickness, but he’s a bit green having seen time in ten games last year without making a tackle. He’ll be given a lot of room to work a lot of chances to take the job and make it his own after a strong spring. Junior Dennis Rogan will likely rotate around where needed, but he’ll find a starting job somewhere. Able to play free safety or corner, he has the experience and the playmaking ability to be a difference maker when teams are staying away from Eric Berry. Even though he’s 5-10 and 178 pounds, he provides a decent pop making 53 tackles and an interception with five broken up passes. Quick enough to be used on punt returns, he can stay with any receiver in the SEC physically. Now he has to be more consistent. Projected Top Reserves: Junior Brent Vinson, a former wide receiver, is getting a lot of work at corner and could end up starting if Dennis Rogan sees more time at safety. At 6-0 and 201 pounds, he has good size to go along with his excellent speed. Never healthy throughout last year, he only finished with 13 tackles and an interception with two broken up passes. His skill set is too good to not get him on the field more if he can stay healthy. Pushing for work at corner will be Marsalous Johnson, a 5-9, 184-pound senior who only made 11 tackles with three broken up passes, but it was too fast to not have a bigger role. He’s a flash of lightning who has no problems staying with anyone in the SEC, but he needs more work on his technique and he needs to be better when the ball is in the air. Neck-and-neck with Stephaun Raines in the battle for the starting free safety job is Prentiss Waggner, a 6-2, 177-pound redshirt freshman who might be a big thin, but has enough range to cover the whole stadium. A Louisiana state champion-caliber sprinter in high school, he got away from LSU and now should grow into a big-time producer once he gets his feet wet. Watch Out For ... a lot of movement around in the lineup. A LOT. Eric Berry will start at one of the safety spots, and that’s about it for the sure things on the depth chart. Strength: Speed. Every SEC team has speed in the secondary, from Berry, who has been clocked at under 4.4, to the backups, this is a track team that can also cover. Range isn’t a problem for this group. Weakness: Finding the right combination. Tennessee had the nation’s No. 4 ranked pass defense and was 11th in pass efficiency D. Now the new coaching staff is tinkering with the formula. There’s almost no way the production will be better than last year. Outlook: This might be the team’s biggest strength with speed, options, and a whole bunch up upside to work around Eric Berry, who might be the best player in college football. The key will be to find the right combination at safety to work the Tampa Cover 2 formation, which relies on zones and a whole bunch of speed. Considering this might be the fastest secondary in college football, or at least in the top ten, there’s a chance this could be a brick wall against the mediocre SEC passing teams. Rating: 8.5 Special Teams Projected Starters: Junior Daniel Lincoln was a fantastic freshman, hitting 21-of-29 field goals, but he was inconsistent last season hitting just 10-of-18. He has a nice leg, but he doesn’t have any accuracy from beyond 45 yards. He’s solid enough to not be a worry. Britton Colquitt is gone, so it’ll be up to junior Chad Cunningham to take over and fill in the 43.4-yard average. Cunningham stepped in when Colquitt was suspended early on and averaged 39.5 yards per kick putting 11 inside the 20, but he doesn’t have the same big leg. Just when it seemed like Colquitt was about to become a star, he got nailed for an incident with alcohol and will miss the first five games of the year. He averaged a solid 41.6 yards per kick putting a whopping 23 inside the 20 and forcing 15 fair catches. Until he returns, the Vols will tread water with sophomore Chad Cunningham, who average 40.7 yards per kick forcing three fail catches on his three boots last year. Speedy corner Dennis Rogan was excellent on kickoff returns averaging 24.9 yards per return doing a consistently strong job. He wasn’t as good on punt returns averaging 4.8 yards per try. WR Gerald Jones was better averaging 10 yards per try. Watch Out For ... Lincoln to be solid. Call it a sophomore slump, but Lincoln struggled with his consistency last season. That should change now that he has two years of experience. He has a good midrange leg. Now he has to be able to use it more. Strength: Rogan. A fantastic kickoff returner, he’s better on punt returns than he showed last season. Jones is more than fine whenever he gets a chance. There’s too much speed and quickness to not be even better. Weakness: Punt coverage. This has been a problem over the last few years allowing 10.3 yards per try two years ago and 12.6 yards per attempt last season. It was more than just the Florida game; the coverage team struggled. Outlook: Almost all the key parts are back in place, and Chad Cunningham has enough experience to be a solid punter, even though he won’t be spectacular. The return game will be fine with former Auburn special teams coach Eddie Gran leading the way. His teams led the SEC in kickoff coverage and punting several times. Rating: 7"

5/7/2009 2:43:22 PM

Don't walk in any dark places alone female UT students. Daniel Hood is coming to campus.

[Edited on May 7, 2009 at 7:40 PM. Reason : df]

5/7/2009 7:40:00 PM

hahah... so tired of hearing about that... all that I have heard the last few days... thank god for Manny

5/8/2009 12:20:37 AM

haha, this is so awesome, most over qualified grad assistant ever... thanks Syrcause

Quote :

"In 27 years as a football coach, Mitch Browning has done a little bit of everything. He's coached every position except defensive line. He's helped struggling programs at Kent State, Kansas and Minnesota reach new heights. He's presided over offenses that set conference and school records. He's coached in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Mid-American Conference, Big 12, Big Ten and Big East. He's personally recruited 20 future NFL players, including two first-round draft choices at schools - Minnesota and Kansas - where first-rounders aren't exactly common. This season, though, the 52-year-old Browning just might be one of the most over-qualified graduate assistants in the history of college football. "It's unbelievable," says UT offensive lineman Jacques McClendon. "The privilege we have to have him come out and want to coach us as a graduate assistant, that's something we just have to take advantage of." Browning, who spent 2008 as the offensive coordinator at Syracuse, turned down other opportunities during the offseason and instead chose a job as a graduate assistant at Tennessee. Browning, a 2003 finalist for the Broyles Award as one of the nation's top assistant coaches, called UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who he coached for at North Carolina State 1980-81, about a possible spot on the staff. Due a one-year buyout from Syracuse, Browning decided to spend a year learning from UT's new coaching staff and picking up some new wrinkles from Lane Kiffin's pro-style offense. "At the end of the day, I didn't want to take a job just to take a job," Browning said. "I wanted to take something I could get excited about. The Southeastern Conference always intrigued me. Tennessee's obviously a great program and the Southeastern Conference is a great conference. Probably the best conference in the country. At the end of the day, that was something that excited me." Browning, in turn, spent his spring exciting UT's players, particularly on the offensive line. A favorite pupil was converted tight end Aaron Douglas, who made the move to offensive tackle this spring. During practice, Douglas often made a beeline for Browning after reaching the sideline or finishing a drill for plenty of one-on-one instruction. "In his case, he's a young player that made a position change. He needed a little more. But he's going to be an awful good football player," Browning said. "He's high-energy, he's got talent. He's tough, wants to be a good football player. Willing to do whatever it takes." That pretty well describes Browning's coaching philosophy. Knowing that different players need different approaches, Browning wants to find the approach for each of UT's offensive linemen, which is where he spent the bulk of his time during spring practice. "It's an emotional game, an intense game. Obviously your approach has to be," Browning said. "It's hard to play this game and be good at it without enthusiasm. You have to have enthusiasm. Guys have to play and practice with it. I don't know. Every guy's different. Some guys need repetition. Some guys don't. Some guys need more one-on-one work on the chalkboard, the other guys need repetition on the field. Whatever it takes." Browning's resume indicates he knows which buttons to push and the right plays to call - particularly if it's a running play. In his lone season at Syracuse, Browning helped Curtis Brinkley become the Orange's first 1,000-yard rusher in five seasons. At Minnesota, the Gophers produced a 1,000-yard rusher eight consecutive seasons during Browning's tenure. Browning's Minnesota offense set a Big Ten record by becoming the first team to rush for 3,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. For perspective, Tennessee has rushed for more than 3,000 yards in a season only once, in 1951, the year UT won its first of two consensus national championships. From 2003-2005 – near the end of his seven seasons as offensive coordinator and co-offensive coordinator at Minnesota - the Gophers had not one but two different backs rush for at least 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. Future pros Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney each topped 1,000 yards in 2003 and 2004. Then in 2005, Maroney and Gary Russell, another future NFL back, each topped 1,000 yards and combined for nearly 2,800 yards between them that season. The success didn't end on the ground, though. The Gophers made NCAA history by rushing for at least 2,000 yards and throwing for at least 2,000 yards in each season of Browning's tenure. Under Browning's watch, quarterback Bryan Cupito became the school's all-time leading passer, and during one five-season span, the Gophers allowed 60 sacks - 35 fewer than the next-best team in the Big Ten (Northwestern) during that same span. "Mitch was very valuable for us because he has so much history in coaching up front and he's been around a lot of great offenses and a lot of great run games. And he's been a coordinator as well," Lane Kiffin said. "To bring that expertise to your staff is very valuable to us, especially when we have a few young coaches on offense. He's been very important to us." Browning's history at Minnesota, and his reputation for a strong, physical running game, isn't lost on McClendon. "He's brought that physical emphasis to us," McClendon said. "He's trying to lead us in the right direction. We kind of got off track, but this coaching staff plus Coach Browning - all the athletes he had, especially at Minnesota, that Maroney-Barber offense they had - they're bringing that to us. I think we're going to be much more physical next year." And well-coached, both in terms of quality and quantity. In past seasons, UT's offensive line was used to hearing more than one voice on the practice field. Most recently, it was offensive line coach Greg Adkins, now at Syracuse, and former coach Phillip Fulmer, himself a former offensive lineman and offensive line coach. This year, though, the Vols have Browning in addition to offensive coordinator and line coach Jim Chaney and tackles and tight ends coach James Cregg, both of whom came to Tennessee from the NFL. "We got the Three Horsemen, man," McClendon said. "You've got to listen to them every which way. You got to listen here and listen there. That's one thing we've found out is that there's such a focus on the offensive line." As another experienced voice on UT's coaching staff, Browning is helping sharpen that focus. He's also expanding his horizons for the future. "There's a thousand ways to skin a cat, as Monte used to say. The only thing that matters at the end of the day is getting it skinned," Browning said. "We had a lot of success offensively at Minnesota and at Kansas. But we were in a different system. Now I'm learning a different way of doing things. At the end of the day, it will be good." Browning's offenses ran a predominantly zone scheme, as does Lane Kiffin's. But for the most part, the similarities end there. The fundamentals and philosophy were different in his previous stops, Browning said. "The bottom line is whether or not you get it done and making it work," he says. Like the rest of UT's new coaching staff, the work has barely stopped since Browning arrived in Knoxville. As a graduate assistant, he can't go on the road to recruit but he nonetheless helps evaluate prospects and prepare recruiting materials. He also has strong connections to Ohio and the Midwest as well, something Tennessee's staff will surely benefit from this year. After the upcoming season ends, Browning hopes to take what he learns from UT's staff and - combined with that lengthy coaching resume - land a job as a coordinator or perhaps his first head-coaching job. But for now, Browning said he's trying to help Lane Kiffin any way he can and enjoying the chance to coach at a program with a winning history like Tennessee while he's here. "I'm excited to be here," he said. "(Kansas and Minnesota) are two programs I would consider 'have-not' programs. We won at both of them. Now all of a sudden, I'm at a have program. Tennessee's what I would consider a 'have' program. "You've got all the tools and resources here to be successful and to play for championships and be in position where you ought to be coaching and playing for not only Southeastern Conference championships, but national championships. I'm anxious to experience it. At the end of the year, see where it takes me. See what happens.""

5/10/2009 3:10:04 AM

Whats up with all the players leaving UT? 11 and counting.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30648507

5/11/2009 5:06:08 PM

there should be a lot leaving... I would be worried if there werent...

If Kiffin is really going to change things up then the a lot of people that were there last year shouldnt be there this year.

Good article:

Quote :

"The way Tennessee football is losing players, you might be wondering who's next. Or, in a more extreme scenario, what's next. Will a couple of squares vanish from the checkerboard end zone at Neyland Stadium? Will the Pride of the Southland Band lose so many members, it can form only half a "T?" Will Smokey look elsewhere? Excuse the hyperbole. I just wanted to acknowledge the alarmists in the crowd. Mainstream Vol Nation shouldn't be alarmed. In fact, it would have more cause for concern if the Vols hadn't lost players. UT has lost 11 players since Lane Kiffin replaced Phillip Fulmer as coach. Some were booted, some quit over the raised expectations and demands, and others left because the depth chart they had in mind didn't coincide with the one assembled by the coaches. Will the attrition hurt UT? In the short-term, maybe. In the long-term, no. Kiffin didn't take over a budding dynasty. He took over a program that, after two losing seasons in the last four years, needed an overhaul. UT has suffered a significant drop-off in talent, as evidenced by last month's NFL draft when one player was taken and by last season's 5-7 record when one of the worst teams in UCLA history and a bottom feeder from the Mountain West Conference took a bite out of the Big Orange. So it's not as though the depth chart was stacked with future All-SEC players waiting for their turn on SportsCenter. Moreover, it's hardly surprising that a program which suffered from a lack of discipline would experience attrition when a new coach raised the demands and expectations. When you review the losses one-by-one, what did the Vols actually lose? Running back Lennon Creer had shown potential, but he was at a position of strength. Tauren Poole and Montario Hardesty both looked better this spring, and prize recruit Bryce Brown will join them in the fall. Safety Demetrice Morley is a great athlete with starting experience. But he was overrated and unreliable as a player. UT is better off without him. The loss of backup quarterback B.J. Coleman created the most publicity, because of his position and his background as a Chattanooga high school star. NFL scouts can't get it right when it comes to quarterbacks, so who's to say how his post-UT career will go? However, in watching two scrimmages and five other spring practices, I didn't see evidence that he should be the No. 1 quarterback. And I don't subscribe to the theory that Kiffin would start a senior quarterback (Jonathan Crompton) next season so he wouldn't scare off a hotshot quarterback prospect for the 2010 class. None of UT's quarterbacks would scare off a hotshot prospect. Kiffin might have manipulated the situation and kept Coleman on board. He also could have strung other players along out of fear of diminished depth. But Kiffin has raised more than the demands and expectations. He has raised the candor. My best guess is he has been brutally honest with players in regard to their playing status. That assessment is based, in part, on Kiffin's recruiting. Tajh Boyd, a highly recruited quarterback from Hampton, Va., committed to UT's former staff. He withdrew his commitment after meeting with Kiffin, who questioned whether Boyd would be happy in UT's pro-style offense. Kiffin's personnel decisions speak more to his confidence than his candor. He believes his staff will recruit better players than the previous staff did. Judging by how they finished what the last staff started in recruiting, I agree. Kiffin now has more to sell than UT tradition or his staff's NFL connections. The message couldn't be clearer: "Come and you shall play." Recruits don't have to take Kiffin's word for it. They only have to check the roster, which seemingly shrinks by the week. Talented running backs and cornerbacks are the most likely players to have an impact as freshmen. But UT's lack of depth in the offensive and defensive lines will create a rare opportunity for recruits. Defensive tackle Montori Hughes has taken advantage of that. He enrolled as a UT freshman in January. Two months later in spring practice, he was competing for a starting position. The lack of depth will become crucial in the offensive line in 2010. But a team weakness will serve as a recruiting strength. Some of the player losses also could produce short-term gains. If a veteran player isn't fully committed to the new staff and program, he becomes a liability, even if he is talented enough to start. Based on the attrition, UT won't have that problem this fall."

[Edited on May 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM. Reason : d]

5/11/2009 7:20:59 PM

Jose Jose haha

Quote :

"Lineman Jose commits to Vols Tennessee bested two of its SEC East rivals for one of the top offensive line prospects in the region. Jose Jose committed to be a Vol on Tuesday over scholarship offers from Florida and Georgia, who finished second and third, respectively, in the race for his services. UT extended an official offer to Jose long ago. "I got the offer three months ago," the 6-foot-3, 330-pounder said. "Ever since I got it, I've just been thinking. I was in class today and I felt like I just needed to go ahead and make it official." In making it official, the standout from Booker T. Washington High School in Miami selected the Vols over some other nearby suitors, namely Miami and Florida State, doing so was difficult. "It was because of how close the schools were, but what really caught my eye is the opportunity to play early," said Jose, who had 19 scholarship offers. Opportunity is plentiful for any incoming offensive lineman headed to UT. UT is in desperate need of offensive linemen for its 2010 class. The Vols have lost four offensive line backups in the coaching transition since last season and will lose four experienced offensive linemen from its roster following the 2009 season. That - and a new staff to impress - had Jose thinking Vols early and often. "They brought in a whole new coaching staff; there's a big opportunity for me to play early," Jose said. "I think can play as soon as I get there. Coach (Lane) Kiffin told me I just had to show them I could play and I'll be on the field." Another factor in Jose's decision was a childhood friend who lives in Knoxville. "He said it's pretty much like Miami, just a little bit colder in the winter so I think I'll enjoy it," Jose said. - HAHAHAHA Jose is an unusual prospect in that he wants to play offensive guard. Most highly touted prospects want at least a tryout at tackle before moving inside. Jose has played center, guard and tackle in high school but his favorite position is left guard. "Coach Kiffin told me he wants me to play a little guard," Jose said. Jose said he hopes to attend UT's summer camp in June. He said he isn't planning on taking any more visits to other schools. "I seriously doubt it," Jose said. "I don't think I will.""

5/12/2009 5:57:32 PM

His name is Jose Jose ?

Thats fucking awesome

5/12/2009 5:59:08 PM

yes yes

5/12/2009 5:59:32 PM

Apparently that 330 number listed above is a little generous, haha.

5/12/2009 8:20:29 PM

http://www.collegefootballtalk.com/2009/05/12/pahokee-high-kicks-vols-assistant-out-awaits-apology-from-kiffin/

Quote :

"Tennessee assistant coach Eddie Gran was told to leave Pahokee High School after traveling to the campus last week to offer junior wide receiver Antonio Ford a scholarship. School principal Ariel Alejo said that no one from Tennessee is welcome on school grounds until Vols head coach Lane Kiffin publicly apologizes to the school and community. “Coach Kiffin publicly apologized to Blaze Thompson, but I’m still waiting, and the community is as well,” Alejo told the Palm Beach Post. ” It’s what I think he owes the community of Pahokee and what he owes the school. His comments were made public, so now he needs to go publicly and retract those comments.” Kiffin created the stir when he spoke at a Vols pep rally to celebrate his first recruiting class. When speaking of celebrated recruit Nu’Keese Richardson, Kiffin threw a few barbs at Pahokee when addressing just how hard it was to recruit a player from that area. “Someone at the school was going to screw it up. The fax machine wouldn’t work, or they would have changed the signatures - all the things that go on in Pahokee… For those of you who haven’t been to Pahokee, there ain’t much going on. You take that hour drive up from South Florida, there ain’t a gas station that works. Nobody’s got enough money to even have shoes or a shirt on.”"

5/12/2009 9:27:59 PM

^This could get more interesting.

The best part about that story? Well, according to Chris Low's story:
"If you go to Alejo's bio page on the school's official Web site, his e-mail address is flanked by a Gators logo."

5/13/2009 9:33:04 AM

The principal changed his web page this morning. He removed his email and replaced the UF logo with the HS logo. I think he is starting to feel the heat.


[Edited on May 13, 2009 at 12:00 PM. Reason : ahole alejo]

5/13/2009 11:57:28 AM

landed the Marve kid from Miami. Itll be nice to have him start in 2010, 2011... recruit a stud, and have him redshirt in 2011.

5/14/2009 4:42:11 PM

^ that definite?

5/14/2009 5:07:33 PM

has Kiffin dissed any more high schools lately and gotten his assistant coaches thrown off campus?

5/14/2009 5:16:43 PM

by a principal who is a Florida alumni...

5/14/2009 5:29:37 PM

maybe the principal would be a little more reasonable if Kiffin hadn't said his school probably fucked up all their transcripts?

Its not always a conspiracy, Mr. Objective

5/14/2009 6:10:26 PM

maybe he said that because it was true...


and one person being biased isnt conspiracy talk... claiming that EVERY ref and EVERY writer is.

5/14/2009 6:42:30 PM

i thought you were more objective than this jaybee

oh well

5/14/2009 7:03:47 PM

as long as we all agree that I win

5/14/2009 7:09:13 PM

haha, like him already...

Quote :

"DE Copeland commits to Vols It’s safe to say that J.C. Copeland appreciates the violent nature of football. “Relentless. Pain. Fire,” Tennessee’s newest commitment said when asked to describe his game. “Trying to go kill somebody every play.” Copeland’s sudden pledge to be a Vol on Tuesday was somewhat surprising. Many thought the 6-foot-2, 240-pound defensive end/linebacker prospect was leaning toward committing to Auburn. Yet UT won out, partially because of its coaching staff and its NFL background — a common draw among high school prospects. “My dream is to play in the NFL but at the same time I want to get a good education,” said Copeland, who is from Troup County High School in La Grange, La. “Playing in front of 105,000 fans sounds good too.” Neyland Stadium’s appeal not withstanding, the abruptness of Copeland’s decision was also surprising. “It was a hard decision I had to make,” said Copeland, who was recruited by UT coach Lance Thompson. “I was going to commit later on in the season … but my coaches got with me and told me it was the best decision I’ve got right now.” Copeland said he is interested in a school that is close enough to his family that they can visit regularly. UT again fit the bill. “That was very important to me,” Copeland said. A pair of nearby schools declined to offer Copeland a scholarship: Georgia and Georgia Tech. “They say I’m too short,” Copeland said, referring to the Bulldogs’ coaches. “That really makes me mad but at the same time it motivates me to be a better player.” Copeland also had scholarship offers from South Carolina, Ole Miss, South Florida, Louisville, Maryland and Duke among others. All of those schools lacked star safety Eric Berry, who continues to help UT’s program even in the off-season. “One thing that really made me chose them was Eric Berry,” Copeland said. “I love him to death.” Despite his affinity for Berry, don’t expect Copeland to be star struck by college football players, especially if they’re above him on the depth chart. “I’m happy for anybody to have success,” Copeland said. “But if you’re in my position in front of me, I’m going to try to take it. I’m going to bring it to the table.” Copeland also declared he wouldn’t slack off just because he’s punched his UT ticket. “Just because I committed, I’m not going to get restless like some people I know,” Copeland said. “I’m going to still play 100 percent on the field and in the classroom and do my thing, period.” Likely a defensive end in college given his body frame, Copeland said he plans to focus on improving his pass rushing in the year before he enrolls at UT. “Other than that,” Copeland said, “I’m going to work hard at everything else I do: my relentlessness, getting to the ball, trying to knock someone’s head off.” p.m."

5/19/2009 4:50:37 PM

ANOTHER violation. How many is Kiffin going to commit before the season even starts? What a joke this guy is.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4181532

5/20/2009 11:56:01 AM

Quote :

"landed the Marve kid from Miami. Itll be nice to have him start in 2010, 2011... recruit a stud, and have him redshirt in 2011."

Looks like Marve is going to Purdue

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4180020

5/20/2009 12:06:51 PM

I bet Kiffin and Butch Davis are good buddies.

5/20/2009 12:46:18 PM

^^^ wasnt Kiffin that did it...

5/20/2009 1:21:02 PM

right, and it was an assistant who was on his first day and "didnt know any better"

haha whatever

5/20/2009 1:24:04 PM

damnit i thought Marve was a lock...

our next target is Newton from Florida i believe. It looks like this coaching staff really wants a transfer with atleast some knowledge of college football as opposed to an incoming freshman.

Regardless of the outcome, everything would have still been on Crompton's shoulders. So help us god.

5/20/2009 1:24:21 PM