 #24 Tennessee Volunteers Preview NCAA analyst Brock Murphy breaks down the Tennessee Volunteers and gives his opinion on what he feels the Vols are capable of in 2008. After two early losses, the Vols came back to win 10 games in 2007. The question is if they can improve on their 10-4 mark of a year ago.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
HEAD COACH- PHIL FULMER
2007 Record- 10-4 (6-3 SEC)
2007 REVIEW
Having lost their opener to California by two touchdowns and, two weeks later, dropping the Florida game by 39-points, a 10-win season seemed unlikely for Tennessee. However, the team regrouped, posting a three-game winning streak including a surprising three-touchdown win against Georgia. But then, another blow-out loss (41-17) occurred, this time to rival-Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Yet again, though, the Volunteers rebounded and finished out the season 6-1. However, it must be said that two of those wins were in overtime (South Carolina and Kentucky) and Tennessee edged in-state rival, Vanderbilt, by only a single point. The Vols met Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl and hung on to win after two quick touchdown strikes in the second quarter. Curiously, the same line that led the way to pedestrian rankings in total offense (54th) and rushing offense (73rd) happened to lead the country in protecting the quarterback, allowing a scant .28 sacks per game.
Uncharacteristically, Tennessee finished 10th or worse in the SEC in five different statistical categories - every one of them on defense (including total defense, pass defense and tackles for a loss).
TEAM MVP
Tailback Arian Foster (6-1, 215; Sr.). Only three starters were lost from last year's offense but one of them was the quarterback. While Jonathan Crompton adjusts to life as a starter, the offense will no doubt turn to Foster to give it some breathing room. Foster quietly topped 1,000 yards in 2007 (1,162), including a 98-yard, three-touchdown effort against Georgia, and has been named to several preseason All-SEC teams.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Crompton (6-4, 220) has played in 14 games during his career but has failed to complete half of the passes he has thrown (38 of 78). He has also thrown only one fewer interceptions than touchdowns (four to five).
Crompton battled for snaps this spring with freshman B.J. Coleman (6-3, 210). Coleman, a four-star recruit from Chattanooga, was named to the Tennessean's Dream Team following his senior prep campaign. A high-school option quarterback, he brings a different athletic dimension to the offense though it is interesting to note what seemed to lead him to Tennessee was his relationship with the now-departed David Cutcliffe.
Of course, Cutcliffe left after 2007 to take over the reigns of Duke which means Crompton and Coleman will have to adjust to a new system. Richmond's former head-man, David Clawson, has taken over the Volunteer offense and hopes to be unpredictable while trying to open up receiving spots in defenses forced to constrict to stop Tennessee's rushing attack.
Running Back
The focus on the running game is, of course, music to Foster's ears. While the team's feature back, he still had fewer than 20 carries in nine contests last season. He averaged just under five yards per carry (4.87) though he was held scoreless in his last four games and failed to score against Florida or Cal at the start of last season. He and the line will certainly have their sites set on reaching paydirt against UCLA and Florida in the first few weeks of 2008.
Montario Hardesty (6-0, 210; Jr.) has struggled with knee and ankle ailments throughout his career. His health status restricted his play last season but he still posted 89 carries and his three touchdowns came against quality defenses (Cal, Georgia and South Carolina).
Lennon Creer (6-1, 202; So.) is a young and eager back who surprised fans by finishing as the third-leading rusher in 2007 with 214 yards. More than half of those yards (109) and Creer's only score occurred against an exhausted and outmatched Louisiana-Lafayette team in the game's final quarter but he certainly left the field that night a more confident runner. He tallied 59 yards on ten carries in the spring game and will be a very capable reserve player this season.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
The most pleasant surprise of 2007 was the performance of what was expected to be a challenged youthful receiving corps.
Lucas Taylor (6-0, 185; Sr.) went from 14 catches for 101 yards his sophomore season to 73 catches and 1,000 yards in 2007. Austin Rogers (6-2, 185; Jr.) and Josh Briscoe (6-3, 183; Sr.) saw similar spikes, the latter going from five catches in 2006 to 56 catches (for 557 yards and six touchdowns) last year.
Together, the aforementioned trio hauled in 185 passes for 2,181 yards and 15 scores. Fortunately, for Tennessee, they are all back and ready to chase after even bigger numbers in 2008.
Clawson declared this spring that he would like to use a six-receiver rotation in 2008. There is no doubt that Gerald Jones (6-0, 185; So.), the athletic and versatile former quarterback who took a few snaps under center last year for the Vols, will be included in that rotation.
Denarius Moore (6-1, 185; So.) caught a touchdown pass from Crompton early in the spring game. He seems a good bet to see the field in 2008.
Tight end Brad Cottam graduated after catching 5 passes for 125 yards (25 yard average!) and a score last season (all of the passes coming in Tennessee's final three games). Interestingly, his younger brother, Jeff (6-8, 260; Jr.) started more games last season (because Brad was recovering from a wrist procedure) and could be the player the offense turns to in its new system, which is designed to make good use of tight-ends. He broke his right leg early in spring practice but is expected to return for 2008.
Clawson was clear he will use some two tight-end sets so it is likely that Jeff Cottam will line up at times with Luke Stocker (6-6, 245; So.). Stocker was the unintended beneficiary of Jeff's broken-leg drawing most of the snaps with the starters this spring and subsequent praise from his coach and the offensive staff. He is no stranger to the field as he played in every game last season and even scored on a three-yard strike against Alabama.
Offensive Line
As mentioned in the 2007 summary, Tennessee's line was the best in the nation last season at protecting its quarterback (only four sacks surrendered all year). For 2008, the philosophy changes under Clawson's scheme, where linemen will line up on the 'quick' and 'strong' sides rather than 'left' or 'right.' Protection schemes theoretically simplify although that requires a player to be able to 'flip' the scheme in his head to account for the fact that he may be on the left or right side on a given snap.
Still, Tennessee's unit returns five players with starting experience, including guard Anthony Parker (6-3, 200; Sr.), a preseason All-SEC lineman who had to regroup after a January arrest for disorderly conduct. Parker has struggled with knee injuries and had to have clean-up work done on both knees when spring came to a close. Ironically, he took most of his spring snaps at center while last year's center, Josh McNeil (6-4, 280; Jr.), recovered from… you guessed it, knee surgery.
Ramon Foster (6-6, 325; Sr.) started every game last year and projects as a starting tackle for 2008. He is versatile, however, and has taken numerous snaps at guard during his Tennessee career.
Chris Scott (6-5, 310; Jr.) came in mid-season to replace the injured Eric Young at tackle and performed very well. Still, Scott battled Ramone Johnson (6-5, 315; So.) all spring for a tackle spot and they were listed as co-starters when the practices ended - a testament to depth at the position rather than a drop in Scott's performance.
Vladamir Richard (6-4, 300; Jr.) seems the most likely to start at guard opposite Parker this year. Richard was listed as a co-starter at both guard spots when spring ended (a nod to the contingency that Parker may have to stay at center if McNeil does not fully recover). Regardless, Tennessee fans will certainly get a healthy dose of Jacques McClendon (6-3, 320; Jr.) at one of the guard positions in 2008.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Demonte Bolden (6-5, 290; Sr.) played in and started a dozen games last year at tackle. The problem, of course, is that Tennessee played 14 games last season and Bolden missed the Louisiana-Lafayette contest and the bowl game due to a rules violation and academic ineligibility, respectively. Bolden has to be a leader and he emerged from spring practices as a co-starter with Walter Fisher (6-3, 275; Sr.) who has played in 22 games during his career but has never started.
Dan Williams (6-3, 310; Jr.) is the only other tackle with impressive size and experience. He started nine games last season and six of the last seven. From that, he collected two sacks and three quarterback hurries.
Robert Ayers (6-3, 270; Sr.) and Wes Brown (6-4, 256; Jr.) will start at the two defensive-end spots. Brown has played in every game the past two seasons but has never started. Ayers, meanwhile, had 12 tackles for a loss and three quarterback hurries to go with his four sacks. Testament to Tennessee's struggles up front last season, Ayers' sack total led the team.
The staff commented that Ayers, Brown and sophomore, Ben Martin (6-3, 240) bring a lot more speed off the edge than the Vols brought to the field last season. The clear question, then, is whether that speed is combined with enough size and anchor to keep opponents' running games at bay. In 2007, Tennessee finished 64th in the country in rush defense (164 ypg) thanks to giving up an uncommon number of big plays. That will not be tolerated by defensive coordinator John Chavis in 2008.
Linebackers
Tennessee lost two key contributors to graduation in Jerod Mayo (All-SEC; 10th overall selection in NFL Draft) and Ryan Karl (two-year starter). The Vols, therefore, will have a somewhat green set of linebackers at the start of 2008.
Ellix Wilson (5-10, 225; Sr.) and Rico McCoy (6-1, 221; Jr.) will start in the middle and weak-sides, respectively. McCoy is the lone returning starter and a preseason all-conference candidate after posting 106 tackles and four broken-up passes in 2007.
Wilson is a wise veteran in his fifth season who made his first start at linebacker in last year's bowl game. Six tackles later, he and the staff gained confidence in his ability to hold down a starting spot.
Nevin McKenzie (6-2, 215; Sr.) injured his knee this spring but was still named a co-starter with Adam Myers-White (6-2, 215; Sr.), from Ohio. Identical in size and both seniors, McKenzie and Myers-White assure the strong-side of solid depth this season.
Secondary
Like Parker, Foster and McCoy, strong safety Eric Berry (5-11, 195) has been named a preseason all-conference candidate. A mere sophomore, the future looks bright for the Volunteer backfield. In his freshman campaign, Berry collected 86 tackles, broke up four passes, intercepted five more (returning one 96 yards for a score against Florida) and picked-up 55 yards on two fumble recoveries. Clearly, he is one of those players with a sixth sense for opportunity and who is always near the ball.
At free safety, Tennessee lost Jonathan Hefney to the NFL but they get Demetrice Morley (6-2, 195; Jr.) back from an academically ineligible 2007. In 2006, Morley made 51 tackles and broke-up eight passes - returning one of his two interceptions for a touchdown against LSU. The trade of Morley for Hefney could be close to even.
The cornerback spots will be manned by any combination of four players who return with starting experience. When spring came to a close, both corner spots were filled with co-starters - DeAngelo Willingham and Marsalous Johnson at one spot and Dennis Rogan and Brent Vinson at the other.
Johnson (5-9, 180; Jr.) started seven games last year but a knee injury against Alabama forced him to miss the rest of the season and this spring. Vinson (6-0, 190; So.) started ten games last year despite battling through a shoulder injury suffered against Georgia.
Rogan (5-10; 185; So.) is the team's top kick returner who began to see extended snaps on defense last year beginning with the Louisiana-Lafayette game. Willingham (6-0, 200; Sr.) is the only senior and the largest corner candidate. He started eight games last season picking up 38 tackles, breaking up four passes and forcing two fumbles.
Special Teams
Rogan will handle the return duties again. He averaged nearly 10-yards per punt return last year. Punter Britton Colquitt averaged over 41 yards per punt in 2007 but will have to sit out the first five games of 2008 (which includes the UCLA, Florida and Auburn games). Daniel Lincoln was one of 2007's biggest surprises, having set a school mark with 115 points as a mere freshman.
2008 Outlook
Much experience returns to an offense led by a super-talented line. The clear questions are whether Crompton can run Clawson's new system and, just as important, whether the linemen can adapt to a scheme which forces them to switch sides on any given play-call. Early games against some of the nation's top defenses (UCLA, Florida and Auburn) will be extreme tests. The rest of the schedule eases up a bit though the defenses of Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky will present their own stiff tests. Defensively, Tennessee has a solid starting front-seven but is thin at tackle and linebacker experience. Games that require them to push deep into the fourth quarter could wear on the defensive front though the backfield should be solid all season long. It is easy to pick losses against Florida, Auburn and Georgia. The rest of the games are winnable but the East is solid this year and the Alabama game always presents a sincere challenge. Tennessee will be bowl-eligible in 2008 but it seems too optimistic to project ten wins into this year's schedule.
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