Around the SEC links

• James Franklin says if you're tired we'll pull you off offense not special teams.
• Arkansas Head Coach files for bankruptcy.
• Gator line rushes to protect.
• Vanderbilt trying to find #2 back.
• Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin cops-out on punishment.
• Robert Nkemdiche not solid to Clemson? Says he's 3 and done.
• Gurley tries to stay on straight and narrow at UGA.
• Running back Alvin Kamara names top 2.
• Nick Saban rants.
• Shaw could be gametime decison.
• Gator coaches studying 3 times as much film as normal.
•  Vanderbilt won't pass up long ball.

Thoughts from Tennessee vs NC State – Offense

In case you had any questions, last Friday showed everyone this is not the 2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team. It is easy to say the addition of one player or the subtraction of another is responsible but I think that’s an easy out. Regardless of the reason, it is safe to say this Vols team plays harder, more physical and with more teamwork than last years team. While it is hard to draw sweeping conclusions from one game, let’s hope this trend continues on through the season.

I think far more than anything the difference in this team is leadership. Last year’s team was short in that department. Not that guys like Tauren Poole and Austin Johnson didn’t try but there is only so much you can do. The issues last year were just hard to overcome and spoke to just how young that football team was both in age and maturity. This year’s team looks to be different in that department and it was sorely needed.

I know Tyler Bray has taken a lot of heat for being immature and rightfully so but I saw evidence in this game that he is stepping up to be a leader on offense. That is exactly what you want from your young quarterback and I look for big things from that young man. The talent was always there he just needed to grow into the QB job and he appears to have succeeded. Bray simply stellar and finished the night  27 of 42 for 333 yards, 2 TD’s and no interceptions. 

More on the offensive front, our passing game still needs some work but Justin Hunter, Cordarrelle Patterson and Zach Rogers played really well. Hunter is a little rusty but he will knock that off and have a stellar year. The thing I really liked was the effort at blocking but we still need some work there. Some blown assignments but fortunately nothing that we couldn’t overcome for the most part.

Patterson led the pack with with 6 receptions for 93 yards and 1 TD for an average of 15.5 yards per catch. Rogers was next with 87 yards on 2 receptions and 1 TD for an average of 43.5 yards per catch. Hunter had the most looks at 73 yards on 9 receptions and no TD’s for an average of 8.1 yards per catch.

The running game is better but still struggling. Marlin Lane had 9 attempts for 75 yards for an average of 8.3 yards per carry and no touchdowns. Rajon Neal had 22 attempts for 53 yards for a 2.4 yard per carry average and 1 touchdown. Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for 72 yards on 2 attempts in addition to his fantastic performance in the passing game. the spectacular end around resulting in a touchdown leaves him a the top of the stats for for rushing average at 36 yards per attempt. Devrin Young acquitted himself well in the return game with 2 kickoff returns for 45 yards and an average of 22.5 yards per return. He had one punt return for 5 yards.

The offensive line acquitted itself well. Tiny Richardson is going to be a beast on the offensive line and was noticeably excited about the game. Run blocking remains a bit of an issue but overall the line performed quite well. Those guys committed themselves to be a force on the offense and it certainly looks like that is a possibility.

Suffice it to say this Tennessee offense is going to be exciting to watch. These young guns are going to dazzle the nation and put the Tennessee Volunteers back in the mix in the SEC.

Analyzing 2012 Tennessee Vols Schedule

8/31/12                vs. North Carolina State        Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.)         W

09/08/12              vs. Georgia State                   Knoxville, Tenn.                           W

09/15/12              vs. Florida                             Knoxville, Tenn.                           W

09/22/12              vs. Akron                              Knoxville, Tenn.                           W
09/29/12                at Georgia *                                    Athens, Ga.                                          L 

10/13/12              at Mississippi State               Starkville, Miss. St.                      W

10/20/12              vs. Alabama                         Knoxville, Tenn.                             L

10/27/12              at South Carolina                 Columbia, S.C.                              W

11/03/12              vs. Troy                               Knoxville, Tenn                              W

11/10/12              vs. Missouri                         Knoxville, Tenn.                             W

11/17/12              at Vanderbilt                        Nashville, Tenn.                            W

11/24/12             vs. Kentucky                    Knoxville, Tenn                           W

Monday Links: Odds and Ends

• Gamecocks' thin secondary suffers a blow
• Special uniforms not necessary
• Five players in the SEC East with the most to prove
• Georgia beats out Stanford and Memphis for three star
• Georgia OL decommits from UF
• Vols give Greg King TE trial
• Titans pick Jake Locker as the starting QB
• Three Vanderbilt freshmen will play right away
• More trouble for Auburn commit Dee Liner
• Rivals has eight new 5 star players
• Defensive lineman Joe Fennell’s top three: Florida, South Carolina and Nebraska.
• Kevin Sumlin wasn’t happy with the energy level at Texas A&M’s weekend scrimmage
• Special teams “phenom” Solomon Patton is emerging as a pass catcher at Florida. 
• The Gamecocks will go with a receiver-by-committee approach in 2012.
• Missouri must "earn it's spurs" in the SEC East 
• LWS take on Davante Bourque

Around the SEC: Monday links

• OU decommit RB Greg Bryant says he'll play in the SEC
• Billboard from Austin, TX: This is SEC country
• Todd Kelly Jr. is busy on and off the field
• Vanderbilt flips Florida cornerback but did UF pull his offer?
• Jovon Robinson's transcript raises more questions than answers
• Who are the SEC's most irreplaceable players according to David Climer?
• Vanderbilt's projected starting linebacker Triston Strong leaves team
• Dismissed LSU player Tyrann Mathieu failed multiple drug tests for synthetic marijuana
• Florida has lost two commitments
• A look at LSU post-Mathieu
• Why 2012 could be the Year of the Quarterbacks in the SEC
• Tennessee should be higher in this ranking of the offensive lines
• Florida expects their secondary to be a strength
• Vols make an impression from a distance in first scrimmage
• Missouri forfeits an exhibition game vs. Dutch team
• The inferno of expectations: see the seventh circle
• Highlights of Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the newest Vol commit

Tauren Poole Shines in his NFL debut

Former Volunteer Tauren Poole showed exactly what Tennessee Vols fans knew all along. He can get the job done. Poole, who played for the Vols from 2008 to 2011, was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent on May 11, 2002.With limited resources and little help, Poole was the mainstay of the Volunteer running game in 2010 and 2011.

Poole's Panthers played the Houston Texans on Thursday, August 11, 2012 and he made the most of his opportunities. Poole had 26 yards on 4 attempts with a bruising touchdown run. Given the opportunity, Poole can make an impact. Congrats to that young man and I look forward to more of that in the future!

Vols First Preseason Scrimmage

The Vols held their first scrimmage of fall camp today at Science Hill High School in Johnson City. Dooley said he was pleased with the toughness and effort the players were playing with and said it was good to see. However he was disappointed with much of the administration of the game including some sloppy penalties and substitution issues.

"The offense did a really good job running the football today. And that was good to see. Made lot of big plays running the football."

Vols running backs accounted for 295 yards on the ground. 134 of those belonged to tail back Rajion Neal who had a 68 yard touchdown run. That's good news for a team that finished dead-last in the sec in rushing last year and Dooley, while tempered, was clearly pleased. Several players also noted freshman Que Watson's good game as he had 6 carries for 60 yards.

According to the stat sheet Da'Rick Rogers had 6 grabs for 105 yards including a touchdown while Justin Hunter caught 7 for 47 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson was still limited due to a shoulder injury but Dooley praised him for his toughness. He caught one ball -- a 26 yard gainer.

"I felt like the defense did a pretty good job preventing the big plays on the pass game. Although we threw the ball pretty decently, we didn't generate the yards per attempt that we're tying to get."

Dooley made a point to praise Junior College transfer Daniel McCullers saying he is really making progress, "I think he can help us inside."

The scrimmage also ended on a positive note with Tyler Bray driving down the field in a two minute drill into field goal territory where kicker Michael Palardy capped off a 4-4 day with a 48 yard field goal to win the game.

Dooley called it one of the best scrimmages he's been a part of since he's been here then added, "From a competitive standpoint."

Freshman running back Davante Bourque continues to be absent from the team and it is not clear at this point whether a return is likely.

You can view the scrimmage stats in their entirety here.