|
RB
Arian Foster |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Phillip Fulmer
147-45,
16 years |
2007
Record: 10-4 |
|
at
California |
LOST
31-45 |
SOUTHERN
MISS |
WON
39-19 |
at
Florida |
LOST
20-59 |
ARKANSAS
STATE |
WON
48-27 |
GEORGIA |
WON
35-14 |
at
Mississippi State |
WON
33-21 |
at
Alabama |
LOST
17-41 |
SOUTH
CAROLINA |
WON
27-24 (OT) |
UL-LAFAYETTE |
WON
59-7 |
ARKANSAS |
WON
34-13 |
VANDERBILT |
WON
25-24 |
at
Kentucky |
WON
52-50 (4OT) |
SEC
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
vs.
Louisiana State |
LOST
14-21 |
OUTBACK
BOWL |
Wisconsin |
WON
21-17 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-12, Coaches-12, BCS-16
|
2008
Outlook |
Many
who follow this sport over long
periods of time have wondered
what recently happened in Knoxville.
A fixture in the final AP Polls
every year during the ‘90’s
– peaking out from ’95-’99
as they finished No’s.
3, 9, 7, 1, and 9, respectively,
in a decade they finished 98-22-2
(.803 winning percentage) regular
season and 6-4 in 10 consecutive
bowl trips – the last
eight years since then reflect
a 71-31 result (.696%), a 3-4
bowl record and only five Top
25 AP finishes. By many standards,
this isn’t anything to
bitch about, especially in the
modern days of recruiting parity
and first-rate speed throughout
even the smallest of FBS schools.
With all due respect, what may
pass for success for upstarts
like Cincinnati, Houston and
Tulsa doesn’t come close
to making the grade up here
in the Smokies. Here since 1992,
Philip Fulmer is the longest
tenured coach (on the same team)
in the league (sixth longest
in the nation), but rumors of
the modern game passing this
’72 alum by won’t
be the reason anymore for talk
of his departure.
Fulmer
secured Dave Clawson as his
new offensive coordinator this
past off-season, ostensibly
to put some of the “spread”
innovations of Clawson’s
into action here. Clawson is
part of the QB auditions, but
he is flexible in that it doesn’t
matter which candidate wins.
Clawson and Fulmer have three
sizable hurlers from which to
choose, two of whom have worthy
feet (though neither Crompton
nor Coleman is a true burner)
and another, Stephens, who is
a pure drop-back type. So, to
help them learn the huge amount
of info required to be the starting
QB, much of what we will soon
see has already been put into
motion so that the eventual
starter will be in front of
the proverbial eight-ball come
August. Fulmer referred to the
offense Clawson has put in as
"a west-coast offense.''
Most know this is a hybrid of
a two-back approach with the
newer spread looks, with execution,
TEs/FBs, subtleties and match-ups
being key for the system to
work. Crompton or Coleman will
work best; a running QB opens
up exponential possibilities
for what the playbook can do.
Foster and Hardesty are likely
to get the bulk of the carries,
though, some ground parity will
be seen with more reverses and
other carries by wide-outs marbled
in to keep LBs guessing. This
is a wait-and-see sequence,
but the QBs are good enough
to make us think the chosen
signal-caller will have his
feet underneath him come September.
The continuity within the receivers
and OL will guarantee this.
The
steady decline on D has to be
a focal point for fixing any
loose ends. DC Chavis gets a
nearly complete secondary returning;
off-season shifts meant only
one starter was back last year,
hence their poor showing. The
LBs flip two starters, meaning
the new DEs also have their
work cut out. Fulmer has gotten
better results at times over
his 17 years when his team looks
marginal, so we know enough
to point out the obvious and
then let Fulmer’s Vols
fill in the season’s blanks
with their destiny. Expect big
things from the Tennessee stoppers,
regardless of how much better
their rivals may seem on paper.
What
the Gators and Bulldogs bring
to the 2008 table will test
this defense, and with the major
part of the schedule coming
in the first six games, we will
know by the end of October if
this team can compete for their
SEC half and/or a BCS bid. The
game with UCLA looks interesting
– the Volunteers last
two trips to the western time
zone both resulted in losses.
It’s the kind of slate
that will either vault UT into
the top 10 quickly, or sink
them into oblivion, like we
saw in 2000, ’02 and last
year, only to then climb back
to prominence. The second-winningest
program in SEC history carries
itself with a real pride, but
what we will soon see won’t
remind many of the Tennessee
they’ve known for years…except
for the dominant winning part.
Still, while that part may take
‘til next year with the
new QB(s), the flashes on display
this year will signal the new
era of Volunteer football that
is now here.
Projected
2008 record: 8-4
|
|
TENNESSEE
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3 ?? |
DL
- 3 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 3 |
WR
- 4 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
TENNESSEE
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
73 |
9 |
Passing: |
35 |
2 |
Total
Off: |
54 |
5 |
Sacks
Allow: |
1 |
1 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
69 |
9 |
Passing: |
73 |
11 |
Total
Def: |
70 |
11 |
Sacks: |
79 |
8 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Jonathan Crompton, 7-12-2, 97
yds., 1 TD
Rushing: Arian Foster,
245 att., 1193 yds., 12 TD
Receiving: Lucas Taylor,
73 rec., 1000 yds., 5 TD
Scoring: Daniel Lincoln,
21-29 FG, 52-53 PAT, 115 pts.
Punting: Britton Colquitt,
62 punts, 41.6 avg.
Kicking: Daniel Lincoln,
21-29 FG, 52-53 PAT, 115 pts.
Tackles: Rico McCoy,
106 tot., 48 solo
Sacks: Robert Ayers,
4 sacks
Interceptions: Eric Berry,
5 for 222 yds., 1 TD
Kickoff Returns: Dennis
Rogan, 13 ret., 29.5 avg., 0
TD
Punt Returns: Dennis
Rogan, 17 ret., 9.7 avg., 0
TD
|
|
|
DB
Eric Berry |
|
|
|
TENNESSEE
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Erik Ainge-QB, Chris Brown-TE,
Brad Cottam-TE, Eric Young-OT |
DEFENSE:
Xavier
Mitchell-DE, J.T. Mapu-DT, Antonio
Reynolds-DE, Ryan Karl-SLB, Jarod
Parrish-SS, Jonathan Hefney-FS,
Jerod
Mayo-LB (NFL) |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
Like Auburn, Michigan and other programs
trying to join the growing trend of
spreading foes out with a mastermind
to pull the proverbial strings, Tennessee
vaults its offense into the 21st century.
"My basic belief is you get your
best players on the field, and you've
got to get your best players the ball.
You can't be so inflexible that you're
playing a lesser talented player because
of your system. You play to your strengths."
That's the philosophy of Dave Clawson,
who comes in from Richmond (I-AA semi-finalist,
lost to giant-killers Appalachian
State) after turning that program
around with his offensive innovations.
He will have solutions for whoever
wins the vaunted starting quarterback
spot, either a dual-threat or a more
traditional drop-back type. "I
don't care how many times we run or
throw it, just as long as we use our
personnel to the fullest," Fulmer
said recently after Clawson, who will
also coach the quarterbacks, came
on board. That's good since the battle
for the top spot has a few candidates
with different pedigrees. One guy
who can pull off both kinds of offenses
is Jonathan Crompton. Coming in as
the No.2 pro-style QB in 2005, Crompton
also ran it for his prep squad effectively
(800+ yards and 3 TDs on the ground
as a senior). His speed is decent,
but nothing to build an offense around
unless he's really improved, which
our research doesn't reveal. Hurler
Nick Stevens has the strongest arm
of the three up for the job, but B.J.
Coleman is the same kind of all-around
guy as Crompton, and Coleman has been
reported to really be thriving under
Clawson's guidance. This might be
the most intriguing QB race in the
SEC since all of these guys are viable
starters.
RUNNING
BACK
The superior skills of Arian Foster
got him the start every game last
year, and he does it all out of the
backfield with his large frame and
keen understanding of the game. Foster's
34 catches got him into open space,
the same goal Clawson will have with
his soft hands. Though they will likely
use Foster as a feature back, we also
expect a few more carries for the
other capable prospects. Montario
Hardesty is next in line, but Lennon
Creer, Old Spice Redzone Player of
the Year for Texas in 2006, also needs
touches since he is the highest rated
back to make the roster in the last
two incoming classes. Fullbacks/H-Backs
Holbert and Cooper are worthy ball
carriers if given some touches, especially
Cooper on third-down throws.
RECEIVER
The receivers will be doing more blocking
and more ball-carrying via the direct
hand-off/snap. We can't be sure of
this, but Lucas Taylor was a three-year
starter at QB in prep, while Austin
Rogers was Gatorade Player of the
Year as a RB/FL (2004). These were
the top two receivers last year, respectively,
and both are back. Backup Gerald Jones
will be back after a hamstring problem
limited his freshman campaign; he
was the 206 Gatorade Player of the
Year in Oklahoma as a QB, adding another
aerial facet Clawson can plug in.
The biggest name to soon (re)emerge
will be Kenny O'Neal, the former FSU
and then No.1-rated JUCO receiver
who is still trying to find someone
who will give him his chance. The
corps is stacked and ready with experienced
snarlers.
TIGHT
END
Speaking of big targets, 2004's in-state
Mr. Football and Gatorade Player of
the Year Jeff Cottam uses his 6'8
body to do it all (blocking kicks
for the former defender would be something
for which he should be tapped, too).
We expect heady Luke Stocker (6'6)
to also see lots of action in the
complex offense. Neither TE is a super
speedster (4.6 range in the 40), but
they will move laterally well enough
for play development and opening the
deep middle. Assuming he gets his
academics in order for fall practice,
keep an eye out for incoming transfer
Brandon Warren, a former five-star
recruit who becomes another transfer
from Florida State where he started
at TE as a freshman for Bobby Bowden.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
Guard Anthony Parker, who is good
enough to make our All-American list,
leads the OL. Parker took reps at
center with the needs there, but he
will be back at guard by August 30th.
He is joined by another Gatorade POTY,
Jacques McClendon, on the inside...he
started the last six games to prove
this line won't skip a beat. Chris
Scott filled the spot McClendon took
over when he was needed at left tackle,
a place he will probably stay. Josh
McNeil should be back at full strength
after minor knee surgery kept him
off the spring practice field. Parker
and RT Ramon Foster are the quickest
of the linemen, and the mobility of
the other three will be a contingency
for how much the offense can expand.
What we see when the curtain is pulled
back on August 30th will be, if nothing
else, exciting with so many skill
position players back and this experienced
line to give whichever guy is under
center the time to grow into the position.
|
|
OG
Anthony Parker
|
|
|
TENNESSEE
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Jonathan
Crompton-Jr (6-4, 220) |
Nick
Stephens-So (6-4, 215)
B.J. Coleman-Fr (6-3, 210) |
FB |
Kevin
Cooper-So (6-0, 240) |
David
Holbert-Sr (6-1, 250) |
TB |
Arian
Foster-Sr (6-1, 215) |
Montario
Hardesty-Jr (6-0, 210) |
WR |
Lucas
Taylor-Sr (6-0, 185) |
Denarius
Moore-So (6-1, 185) |
WR |
Austin
Rogers-Jr (6-2, 185) |
Quintin
Hancock-Jr (6-3, 200) |
WR |
Josh
Briscoe-Sr (6-3, 183) |
Gerald
Jones-So (6-0, 185) |
TE |
Jeff
Cottam-Jr (6-8, 260) |
Brandon
Warren-So (6-2, 220) |
OT |
Chris
Scott-Jr (6-5, 310) |
Ramone
Johnson-So (6-5, 315) |
OG |
Anthony
Parker-Sr (6-3, 300) |
Vladimir
Richard-Jr (6-4, 300) |
C |
Josh
McNeil-Jr (6-4, 280) |
Cody
Sullins-Jr (6-1, 285) |
OG |
Jacques
McClendon-Jr (6-3, 320) |
Jarrod
Shaw-So (6-4, 330) |
OT |
Ramon
Foster-Sr (6-6, 325) |
William
Brimfield-Fr (6-5, 320) |
K |
Daniel
Lincoln-So (6-0, 204) |
Devin
Mathis-Fr (5-11, 150) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
There
will be continuity from a coaching
standpoint on this side of things
- coordinator John Chavis, the 2006
AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year (FBS),
is an alum who is entering his 20th
year on the staff here. The DC since
1995, he has had five returning starters
in each of the past two years, and
the results since 2005 have declined,
hence the Vol's recent inconsistencies
on D. This year, he sees seven guys
with significant starting time back.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
The front seven has its obvious holes,
especially at end. Senior Robert Ayers
was 11th on the team in tackles and
tops in TFLs (12) as an oft-used sub,
so the losses are somewhat offset.
Wes Brown knows the ropes, bumping
outside permanently now to also fill
the void nicely. Ohio's 2006 Gatorade
Player of the Year Ben Martin and
converted-LB Chris Walker look like
real Vol ends in the great tradition
seen here, so this area doesn’t
look like a concern. Inside, the tackles
are just as good and much more experienced
than their outside brethren. Dan Williams
finished seventh on the team in tackles,
a great sign that this 300+ monster
will demand double-teams to free up
others. Demonté Bolden will
benefit from this, as will Walt Fisher.
Personnel turnover and the experienced
guys still here should equal a better
showing than allowing 164 rushing
yards per game, very un-Chavis numbers.
LINEBACKER
The linebackers look experienced,
but also still needing to prove they
are true starters. JUCO-transfer Nevin
McKenzie has bumped up nicely from
safety, but size issues in the SEC
will arise when 300-pound blockers
can run sub-five seconds in the 40.
Elix Wilson did much better in his
limited showings last year; his sprinter’s
speed allows him to match up well
when foes spread things out and to
make the tackle when the play develops
into a run. These two guys are seniors,
while the incumbent is a junior, All-SEC
WLB Rico McCoy. Another Gatorade POTY
(Washington D.C., 2004) and former
Freshman All-American, McCoy has constantly
gotten better each year. The backups
look capable, and each had 15 tackles
last year to give quality depth immediately.
Watch for the No.1 LB (inside) recruit,
Mike Donald, to see why he was American
General Mr. Football, a HUGE honor
that speaks volumes and sets the bar
high for the RS frosh.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
The DBs let in both more passing yards
and passing TDs last year than in
the prior one. Only one DB starter
was back in ’07, but the four
back this time assure improvements…especially
when the top freshman tackler in the
SEC, Eric Berry, is your strong safety.
Berry, an ex-QB, is yet another Gatorade
guy (Georgia, 2006), and last year’s
top DB recruit in the country lived
up to the hype immediately (222 INT
return yards was second in FBS). Hargrave-product
Brent Vinson also was a big hit right
off – his rumored move to offense
will have to be explored after he
returns from a shoulder problem post
spring, but he is a sure-thing at
corner. Also out this spring was Marsalous
Johnson (knee), whose speed offsets
his smaller size nicely. The corners
go even deeper with experience, but
the safeties may need McKenzie back
if an injury rash hits.
With
what the SEC East competition is doing,
this squad has to see itself achieving
at the levels seen here just three
years ago (ranked 7th for total D
in ’05) or risk being a liability
for an offense that is still trying
to find its own identity. All areas
look to be improved, but how fast
and how much they can all come together
to work as one well-oiled machine
will dictate more than anything else
(except for developments at the QB
spot) where the Vols finish the season
in their toughest of divisions.
|
|
LB
Rico McCoy
|
|
|
TENNESSEE
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Wes
Brown-Jr (6-4, 256) |
Chris
Walker-So (6-3, 230) |
DT |
Demonte
Bolden-Sr (6-6, 290) |
Walter
Fisher-Sr (6-3, 275) |
DT |
Dan
Williams-Jr (6-3, 310) |
Chase
Nelson-Jr (6-4, 270) |
DE |
Robert
Ayers-Sr (6-3, 270) |
Ben
Martin-So (6-3, 240) |
SLB |
Nevin
McKenzie-Sr (6-2, 215) |
Adam
Myers-White-Sr (6-2, 215) |
MLB |
Ellix
Wilson-Sr (5-10, 225) |
Nick
Reveiz-So (5-10, 225) |
WLB |
Rico
McCoy-Jr (6-1, 215) |
Savion
Frazier-So (6-2, 210) |
CB |
Brent
Vinson-So (6-0, 190) |
Dennis
Rogan-So (5-10, 185) |
CB |
DeAngelo
Willingham-Sr (6-0, 200) |
Marsalous
Johnson-Jr (5-9, 180) (inj.) |
SS |
Eric
Berry-So (5-11, 195) |
Anthony
Anderson-Fr (6-1, 180) |
FS |
Demetrice
Morley-Jr (6-2, 195) |
Daryl
Vereen-Fr (6-0, 200) |
P |
Chad
Cunningham-So (6-3, 210) |
Britton
Colquitt-Sr (6-3, 205) (susp.) |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Ex-QB
Chad Cunningham can handle the punting chore
for the first five games without anyone
missing Britton Colquitt. Net results might
actually improve, which is no slight to
Colquitt as much as it tells you how little
this area will drop off…none. Dan
Lincoln went 7-for-10 from 40-49 yards out,
and we think he will really hit with his
freshman year behind him. Tennessee has
an advantage in most return situations with
Dennis Rogan’s proven skills. Arian
Foster looks like he needs more touches,
though.
|
|