Dear Bud Adams: Attitude Reflects Leadership

It was a miserable season in Tennessee no matter how you slice it. The Titans, coming off a 9-7 record in 2011 struggled to win 6 games and were blown out repeatedly, losing by double digits in most games and struggling to score points or stop other opponents from scoring.  Coming off the bye week, the team lost to a one win Jacksonville Jaguars team and were grossly outplayed and out-coached by the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The Titans won one division game in 2012.

To add insult to injury, the Titans were unable to defend their home stadium, winning only 4 games at LP Field. Once a bastion of wins for Titans teams, LP Field was the site of one of the team's worst losses since moving to Nashville, a 51-20 annihilation by the Chicago Bears on November 4 where Adams noted there were more Bears fans than Titans fans in the stands. Attendance was so poor the stadium wasn't even half full on the last game of the season but Adams wouldn't know that since he didn't bother to show up himself.

So how does Adams respond to the dismal season and the waning support and interest by fans? He fires the executive VP and COO of the Titans! Why you might ask? Mike Reinfeldt didn't deliver Peyton Manning to Adams on a silver platter. Yeah that makes sense and will totally fix the situation with the Titans. Am I right?

An organization is only as good as the leadership at the top and Adams has long been viewed as a big part of the issues plaguing first the Oilers in Houston and now the Titans in Nashville. Adams has a problem taking responsibility for his actions and that has certainly been reflected by the attitude of many Titans, especially some players who were expected to provide a boost and leadership in the past.

Adams never wants to admit he is wrong and you see that in past decision-making. Exhibit A: Young, Vince. He let that situation simmer and boil over to the point it divided the team and ultimately cost him millions of dollars, a high draft pick and longtime coach Jeff Fisher. 

For the record I like head coach Mike Munchak. I think he is a standup guy and a complete departure from the lack of accountability shown by his owner. He was thrown into an unenviable situation taking over for Jeff Fisher and I think he has done his best to coach the Titans to the best of his ability. However, the coaching in 2012 was substandard and the Titans underperformed badly. Adams himself acknowledged this more than once.

Despite that, once again Adams can't or won't acknowledge that perhaps he made a mistake. He will sacrifice another year to an experiment that may or may not work without consideration of the effect. The promise of changes to staffing doesn't inspire much confidence since that means the current situation may  become even more entrenched. I realize Munchak has only had 2 years but nothing about this season inspires you to think the Titans are headed in the right direction.

Now would have been the perfect opportunity to move on and hire an experienced coaching staff but that would require accountability that is sadly lacking. Attitude reflects leadership Mr. Adams. Where is yours?

The Recruiting Fix: Running back clutter

 

Welcome back to the Recruiting Fix. Not as much to talk about today. There hasn't been very much in the way of news, but there are some things we should cover.

This running back situation merits writing about I think. It has even me confused about who is going where and if this guy commits to school A does prospect B fall to us or them. So I'm going to do my best to break it down as far as who is in the running for whom.

I really think David Williams will be one of our running backs this year though I think we would take two. Recently Williams said that Tennessee and South Carolina stand out and that he has a great relationship with Coach Graham at Tennessee. I don't think Williams commits until he takes his official visit. That's reportedly what he has told Jalen Reeves-Maybin. And Williams has yet to schedule an official visit.

Derrick Henry likely ends up at Alabama. I don't know why he would go there with two highly recruited running backs already committed, but that's what I think happens. There is still a chance we can win him over when he officials the week of the UF game but Bama has a big lead.

Henry is also visiting Alabama the week after the UT visit and not announcing until his team plays on ESPN on September 28^th. Even more reason to think that he ends up at Alabama.

Derrick Green is somewhat of a mystery. Some say he nearly committed to Auburn on a visit recently. Others say Michigan is going to be tough to beat. I think he's a long shot for us but we are right up there with Auburn and Michigan. He is planning to official here though he has yet to set up a date. Coaches want him here for the Florida game. That's when Henry is coming which is strange to have two top running backs here for the same game, but I think the coaches feel better about their chances of landing Green.

He says he will definitely official to Tennessee and Auburn and he already has a Michigan date set for the Michigan State game. Should be a good atmosphere.

Alvin Kamara likely ends up at Georgia from everything I hear but anything can happen. His top 3 is UT, Bama, UGA. Tennessee will get a visit. Beyond that, I'm guessing. He could fall into our lap if Bryant ends up at Georgia though. It is certainly possible.

Greg Bryant is still out there after decomitting from Oklahoma and I think he ends up in the SEC though I cannot tell you where. Georgia is an option but they are also in it for Kamara which is interesting. Alabama likes Bryant as a defensive back for no other reason than they plan on having Henry, Tenpenny, and Tyren Jones at running back in this class and they are full up when that happens.

Auburn is a possibility as well as it was Auburn fans who predicted he would decommit and then commit to them, but if that happens Green likely lands elsewhere as Auburn would then have Wilkins and Bryant committed and I think they are done after that.

South Carolina is another possibility for Bryant. They are looking for a big time running back in this class to add to Jamari Smith whom they have committed. Don't count them out.

Tarean Folston was close to committing to Tennessee on his visit it has been said. He's a good running back who is going to have a great season. He blocks well, he catches well out of the backfield. I don't know if he's a guy you can hand the ball to 20+ times a game but perhaps we don't need a workhorse anyway. South Florida is high on this Florida running back's list as is Miami. I dare not offer a prediction on where he ends up at this point.

AJ Turman is another 4 star running back we have yet to mention. UGA is high on his list as is Tennessee. Some said Florida State was where he would end up early but it looks like they will not take another running back. He wants to visit Clemson and he wants to decide early in the season where he will go so he can concentrate on his high school season.

I'll only mention Marquez Grayson to say he is probably not a take. I think we land two of the guys above. He would like to be a Vol but I do not see it happening.

In other news Jalen Reeves-Maybin has been bumped to a 4 star player on Rivals due to his work at safety in camps this summer, which is his likely position at the next level. Rivals analysts like his size and instincts. While we are on the subject of Reeves-Maybin, he was nearly unstoppable in his game vs. Rossview Friday night rushing for 343 yards and four touchdowns. Fans in the stands at the Clarksville school sang Rocky Top in celebration of the 34-20 victory.

Chauntez Jackson is a guy we haven't talked about but that is my fault. There is definitely mutual interest. He is listed as a defensive end on most sites but we are recruiting him to play tight end here. The Vols lead and have for awhile. He is also interested in Arizona.

He has good size for tight end at 6'4 235 lbs and would be a good addition to the class. Rivals has him listed as a 3 star defensive end.

Toby Johnson is in the process of narrowing his list to 10 schools. He does say he wants to take an official to Tennessee now but he wants to do it after the season. He and Cordarrelle Patterson speak on a daily basis and he talks to the Tennessee staff once a week. His roommate at Hutchinson is Ben Bradley who is already committed to Tennesseee. I don't see how this guy ends up anywhere but here.

Jatavius Stewart says West Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee are his three favorite schools.

“My father is a big Georgia fan and someone from my high school went to Tennessee. West Virginia
always had an up-tempo offense that I liked." He told Rivals.

Stewart will definitely take an official to see Tennessee as well as officials to West Virginia, Georgia, Kansas State, and Arkansas.

I continue to see no reason Stewart doesn't end up a Vol. He followed me on twitter which I find interesting and kind of cool. But he's got former teammates here and current teammates that are committed here. I fully expect him to commit to Tennessee.

There is another JUCO receiver who popped up, Jaelen Strong. He is close with David Williams which is why he is now in the picture. They would like to play at the same school.

Strong is trying to get his schooling done by May which would allow him to enroll in 2013. I think it is more likely that he will be an early-enrollee in the 2014 class. No Vol offer yet, but the coaches are keeping an eye on him and will evaluate him in person at one of his games. He is 6'4” 205 and reports a 4.5 40 time.

Myles Autry is a 2014 guy who is teammates with Alvin Kamara which means also that he is a former teammate of Jason Croom. Has a Vol offer early in the process and has some other good offers as well such as Florida State, Georgia, and Georgia Tech. He has a brother who plays for Tech so they are definitely a school to watch out for. 247 rates him as a 4 star athlete.

He is 5'11” 175. Most are recruiting him at running back.

Another 2014 guy to keep an eye on is linebacker Petera Wilson, a teammate of current UT commitment David Carr and Tennessee target cornerback/wide receiver Donald Gray. He's 6'3” 214 going into his junior year.

Brendan Langley who commited to South Carolina recently says he'll visit Tennessee this fall. I don't see anything changing there though.

Receiver Kris Comas is ineligible to play in JUCO this year. That being the case you can basically cross him off of Tennessee's list. I don't think he was a take anyway.

JUCO wide receiver Jonathan Rumph will official to Tennessee on September the 22^nd.

Linebacker Jermaine Grace set up an official visit to Tennessee. I'm not sure of the date though.

We are no longer in offensive lineman Dorian Miller's top 3. That's as of now. Who knows if he will official here, but his stated top 3 currently is Rutgers, Uconn, and North Carolina. I think he ends up staying home and playing for Rutgers. But do not forget about Kohler. We have him pretty much in the bag already. Just waiting for his moment in the sun.

Defensive end Demarcus Walker committed to Alabama Friday. He claims Auburn was a close 2^nd and I don't see this one being completely over yet. I doubt we land him but Florida and Auburn are both going to still recruit him.

Another guy off the board is Mack Weaver who committed to Vanderbilt. He will probably end up on the defensive line there. I think we were wanting him to play tight end.

Da'Rick only the Latest

No one knows the whole story behind why Da'Rick Rogers is no longer with us, although it is clear the two parties left on pretty bad terms. But with his dismissal from the team, he joins a cast of characters that would make a pretty damn good team by itself of wasted talent to come through the UT pipeline.

Cameron Clear was a promising prospect at Tight End and a four star prospect according to Rivals who was the most recent dismissal from UT until Rogers. His dismissal was for breaking into fellow student-athlete's dorm rooms and stealing high priced electronics, eventually earning attention from Knoxville police. His presence on the team is hard to replace and with a rash of injuries to Tight Ends this offseason makes it sting even more.

Janzen Jackson was a second team all-SEC selection at strong safety in 2010 prior to his dismissal in August of 2011 by Dooley for conduct detrimental to the team. Which in Janzen's case meant multiple failed drug tests.

Some forget how much that one hurt. Jackson had made 22 starts in 23 games in two seasons, and was expected to be a key part of the secondary. There's no doubt that we felt that loss in the corresponding column in the record books.

He was on his way to being a high draft pick should he have come out after his junior year as was expected, but he ended up in Giants' camp as an undrafted free agent and then cut from the team in the preseason.

Jackson was a consensus 5 star talent coming out of high school, recruited by Lane Kiffin.

Bryce Brown seems to be making a go of it in the NFL now after playing one game for the team for which he left Tennessee. He is in Eagles' camp after being selected in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft and impressing. His road to the NFL is dissimilar from most though.

Brown was a 5 star talent coming out of high school and the #1 player in the country according to Rivals.com. He ended a lengthened recruiting process which would mirror his unconventional career by selecting Tennesseee after being committed to Miami for much of the year.

Lane Kiffin had big plans for Brown and immediately inserted him into the UT offense, giving him carries when resting Montario Hardesty who amassed over 1300 yards the same season.

It has been said afterwards that Kiffin promised Brown a Heisman campaign as part of his recruiting vows. This obviously never materialized as Kiffin left a depleted roster under NCAA investigation for the head coaching job at USC and Brown subsequently transferred to Kansas State after rushing for only 460 yards in his career at Tennessee.

Then there's LaMarcus Coker. He had all the talent in the world at the running back position and the ability to break one for a big gain every time he touched the ball. One of the fastest tailbacks to ever play at Tennessee, Coker had some electrifying runs during his career which was over before it really ever got started.

Coker was Freshman All-American after leading the Vols in rushing in 2006 with 696 yards on 108 carries.  He was named the starter over Arian Foster in 2007 before getting the boot for yet another failed drug test. He most recently played in the Canadian Football League after a brief trial with the Cincinnati Bengals.

James Banks career at Tennessee began as a five star dual-threat quarterback recruit who saw action in 8 regular season games his freshman year, some at quarterback.

Tennessee saw his potential at wide receiver and he was undoubtedly talented there as well. He led the Volunteers in receiving in 2003 and made national highlight reels with his Hail Mary touchdown catch on the final play of the first half at Florida.

But like Coker and Jackson, Banks could not stay away from the weed and transferred to Carson-Newman following a dismissal at UT. He was briefly on a practice squad in the NFL but never made a 53 man roster.

The warning signs were there for Rogers. He had only to look at the wasted career of his arch-nemesis the Honey Badger for warning of what was possible at UT. Now he will try his luck with Tennessee Tech and try and make the NFL in a manner which few UT cast-offs have. I hope he has better luck than they did. History is certainly not in his favor.

UPDATE: Since writing this article, Rogers has come out and admitted to "a couple of failed drug tests." This will certainly hurt any chances he had of being drafted. I think staying at Tech for a senior year and showing maturity is in his best interest. That's something he was unable to do here especially on the maturity standpoint. There was a very heated discussion between he and Dooley when informed he was getting suspended which made it apparent to both parties that a reconciliation was unlikely.

The Recruiting Fix: Looking ahead

Welcome back to the Recruiting Fix. Thank you for reading. There is a lot of information to cover today so we will get right to it.

With High School football starting up I thought it would be a good time to start talking about 2014 prospects. Especially instate players so here are a few names to remember and start watching.

Wide receiver Josh Malone out of Gallatin, Tennessee (Station Camp) has had a UT offer for awhile.

His coach is reportedly a big Tennessee fan who would love to see him play for the Vols.

Malone is 6'2.5” 181 and reportedly runs a 4.48 40.

Barton Simmons of 247 calls him one of the top receivers for the 2014 class. Brent Hubbs described him as freakishly athletic.

Malone loves the Vols and has been to Knoxville several times including the Orange and White game.

Has offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Michigan, and Western KY.

He camped at Nike Football Training Camp in Atlanta and was said to be the best wide receiver there.

Not only is he one of, if not the best prospects in Tennessee for 2014, he will be one of the top rated wide receivers in the entire country. Dooley is already on top of this one as he will need to be because this is the kind of talent we have to continue to land. Malone is a key component to what looks to be a real good class next year.

Running back/defensive back Jalen Hurd of Beech Senior Grew up a Vols/Gators fan. He is 6'2” 190 lbs going into his junior year of High School and has already amassed a slew of offers among them Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Ole Miss Mississippi State, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, as well as Tennessee.

Some say he is built more to play wide receiver than running back though we are supposedly recruiting him to play running back which he plays currently in high school and it has been said, where his heart is at. A few other schools are recruiting him as a wide receiver. He has been to Knoxville to visit and said his visit was “really great.”

He said that Tennessee has always been his #1 college and his family are big Tennessee fans but he wants to take his time and pick the right school.

"I’ve always been a Tennessee fan," Hurd recently told Rivals. "I stayed a Tennessee fan throughout the years. To have an offer from them is great. You always have that preference for your hometown school."

Supposedly a good student, there should be no issues with him qualifying to play college ball.
He claims that Alabama leads. Winning would do a lot for this situation as it would with many prospects.

Cornerback Vic Wharton is a guy without a Tennessee offer but one the coaches are watching closely.

He is the nephew of Brandon Wharton, point guard for the basketball team 1995-1999.


Wharton is close with another prospect we will talk about and one that's higher on Tennessee's list, Todd Kelly Jr. The two have talked about playing together in college since they were in middle school.

"It's been pretty crazy. He's been talking about me playing with him again," Wharton told Rivals. "We played little league football together in sixth grade and since then we've always talked about how we were going to UT. But, we didn't know we were going to have all these offers, too."

"It's great because I already know Todd Kelly and I know Evan and Elliot from running track with them," Wharton said. "We've always had a friendship with each other and today we were helping each other with our footsteps and everything, with me and Evan being in the same group. It was fun, a lot of competition out there."

The coaches are going to continue to evaluate Wharton though there are likely several players higher on the board at his position.

Speaking of Todd Kelly Jr., this is a guy the Volunteers absolutely must land. He plays at Webb School of Knoxville in our own backyard and is the son of Vol great Todd Kelly.

Kelly Jr. is 6'1” 190 lbs and runs a 4.5 40. He already has offers from just about every SEC school and about a dozen more top schools not in the SEC.

His sister is a cheerleader at Alabama because they have a competitive cheerleading squad and Tennessee does not.

We could go on and on about his accomplishments. I think this guy is a for-sure 5 star player and top 5 defensive backs in all the country and his dad played for UT. He says he's going to play his recruiting out and give schools a chance but I see no way this guy isn't suiting up for the Vols in the future. He's as close to a lock as you're going to get.

Now if things go south with Dooley and there is a coaching turnover, things could change, but as long as Dooley wins as he is expected to this year then we will be fine with Kelly.

Alex Bars from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville is the younger brother of Blake Bars (future Michigan OL) and Brad Bars (Current LB at Penn State).

He is 6'6” 255 lbs.
He told Rivals upon getting his Tennessee offer "I started off on defense this morning. The coaches told me they liked my balance and my quick feet. In the afternoon they switched me over to play offensive tackle and I think they liked me there, just with my base and my footwork.”

“I just wanted to come up and try my hardest. I wasn't hung up on getting an offer or anything. I'm glad they did though. It's really exciting to get that first offer, but I really didn't expect it."

"It's still really early for me, it's exciting to get this offer, especially from a school like Tennessee, that's big, but I plan on taking my time and going through the process a little bit," Bars said of a recruitment that's in the earliest possible stages. "I've got a lot of family and friends that are Tennessee fans, so getting this offer was a big deal."

He holds offers from Michigan, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

His offer to UT is as an offensive tackle.

Certainly a guy to keep an eye on and one we really would like to land, but with brothers spread out across the country there's no guarantee he'll end up at UT. Still a top prospect in the state and one we would love to have. Here's that word again, it comes down to winning.

It's pretty clear Tennessee is looking to build depth at tight end which is clearly a position of need. We cannot afford to swing and miss on one prospect so there are a couple of new names that have come up whom we are recruiting.

I don't know a lot about Standish Dobard other than he committed to Miami fairly early in the process. I do know that we are going after him hard despite the fact that he is committed to Miami.

Dobard is a 6'5” 235 lbs tight end out of New Orleans.

Tennessee is setting themselves up well with a couple of different Miami recruits/commits preparing for severe sanctions to be levied upon them so this is a guy who could fall our way in that scenario.

We are late to get in on JUCO tight end Beau Sandland, but the coaches are trying with him. He is an early-enrollee so he has to make a decision before December at the latest. He plans on taking all of his official visits and says Tennessee is in position to get one of those visits.

Sandland is 6'6" 250 lbs with a 4.6 40 out of Pierce Community College in Woodland Hills, California. His offer list stretches a mile.

The saying goes better late than never and if we can get Sandland here on a visit anything can happen.

Tennessee is still trying with California defensive end Joe Mathis.

Mathis is a 6'4” 254 lb prospect out of Upland High School in Upland, California.

He committed to the University of Washington early in the process before backing off of that recruitment when the coaching staff turned over. Washington is still getting a look and will get one of his official visits.

Mathis claimed a top ten in June of Michigan, Nebraska, Washington, Alabama, USC, Miami, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Tennessee, and UCLA.


The fight is getting one of those valued official visits and putting a good product on the field this year. With USC full, the fight is on for this heralded prospect.


Jerrol Mobley projects as a nose tackle in Tennessee's defense and there is certainly need for another nose to add depth to the rotation.

Mobley is a big body at 6'4” 315 lbs and is hard to move off the ball with his size.

Tennessee stands out as his biggest offer, but he is a big body who can help us in the middle.

"Coaches-wise, they don't lie to you, he told Rivals. “They keep it real. Full, 100-percent honest with you. I like that about them. The stadium is cool. It's not too country, but it's not too city. It's a good balance to keep me out of anything as far as trouble. I like the balance of it."

"Right now, they're on top," Mobley said of the Vols. "Just the vibe. They're good people. Don't get me wrong, there are other schools out there and I haven't hit them, but as of right now they're on top."

Mobley wants to decide before the season meaning if he is a take, there is a chance of a commitment soon.

When asked by 247 what schools were on Donald Gray's mind, he mentioned Tennessee and Ole Miss.

He says Ole Miss is recruiting him the hardest and mentions that he has a lot of friends at Ole Miss. He feels comfortable at both schools, and he would like to take his visits. He would also like to take in a game at LSU.

Alvin Kamara told 247 that he will decide in September, but that's "just a feeling."

When talking about Tennessee, he referenced former teammate Jason Croom, and that he thinks Derek Dooley is a great guy. He says Tennessee is staying in touch.

He talked about his attendance at DawgNight and that he's close friends with Shaq Wiggins and Tray Matthews.

Kamara still likes Bama, and they're recruiting him hard. He realizes two running backs are committed there but is not afraid of competition.

5 star Auburn commitment Dee Liner is, again, in trouble. He was apparently kicked off his high school team.

Supposedly he went off on a trainer for not taping up his shoe properly. An assistant coach stepped in and told him to knock it off or run sprints. He cussed at the coach and threw water bottles around and walked off.

His mother brought him back to talk with the head coach whom he subsequently cussed out. The coach told him he was off the team and planned to talk to the team to determine what they thought was in the best interest of the group.

This is in addition to being arrested last month for criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor.

It looks like we are back in the mix for linebacker Cameron Toney as Auburn has several inside linebackers commited which is where Toney is projected to play.

He is 6'3” 210 lbs but has a frame that can put on a lot of weight.

Toney is still commited to Auburn but the coaches have his attention because he is looking at playing early. He would certainly have a better shot here.

He has visted Knoxville and the visit went real well.

Toney wants to major in engineering and knows Tennessee is a great school for that.

Derrick Ansley is his lead recruiter but he also has a “great connection” with coach Sal Sunseri. This is a kid who Sal Sunseri really likes.

He has offers to Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Vandy

As a junior he had 119 total tackles, 8 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 7 quarterback hurries, and 3 passes defended.

Derrick Green has been taking visits including one to Georgia where he had a great time with "his boy" Shaq Wiggins.


He's also been to Auburn which he also enjoyed. He hung out with Rueben Foster and says that Foster is recruiting him hard to Auburn.

His only official visit setup so far is to Michigan October 19^th when they play Michigan State.

Defensive end Demarcus Walker has been active on twitter lately. He recently tweeted
“I'm really feelin orange and white lately. Knoxville might need to make some room for me “

Walker is probably just playing the game trying to build suspense for his announcement but he did also tweet a picture of him next to a pic of Reggie White so he's familiar with Tennessee's history along the defensive line.

Recent Ole Miss decommit, linebacker Mario Mathis was on an unofficial visit Sunday to take in the Vols' practice.

Mathis was really impressed with Tennessee. He enjoyed getting to hang with the coaches and really liked coach Sal.

Tennessee hasn't offered and is waiting to see his film after this season because of his ACL tear last season. Tennessee will continue to remain in contact with him. He will be able to go 100 percent in his team's fourth game of the season.

CB Brendan Langley who is committed to South Carolina scheduled an official visit to see the Vols October 20^th which is the Alabama game.

Tennessee continues to be in good shape with defensive tackle Rod Crayton.

I told you guys this guy was strong. How strong? How about 20 full-bench reps at 325 pounds, 10 reps at 405 and eight reps at 450?

It has been mentioned that Crayton might not be a take if we land Toby Johnson but I do not think this is true at all. Crayton is a four year guy vs. Johnson being a two year guy and one shouldn't affect the other.

Watch running back David Williams closely especially when it comes time for him to take his officials. He really likes the Vols.

Tight end Lucas Wilson is reportedly considering becoming a jet pilot which could factor into his decision. He recently visited Air Force on an unofficial.

Florida lost another commitment in 4 star guard Joshua Outlaw. Gator fans claim it was mutual.

There is a possibility we only take one running back this cycle if it's the right guy. That's the pitch the coaches are giving to some of these guys, it is being said. I think it is much more likely that in the end we take two running backs given the loss of Davante Bourque -- however we get there. I would not at all be disappointed if we just landed Derrick Green though and shut it down, but somehow I doubt Green would be deterred by another back in the class.

That's all I have for now. Follow me on twitter @Sabanocchio for breaking news and follow the blog @BIYLF so that you don't miss a single article.

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

Sentimore: Very Disruptive

Darrington Sentimore is a player whom Bama fans were foaming at the mouth over and looking forward to seeing him start as a sophomore after playing in 11 games as a redshirt freshman while recording nine tackles, forcing a fumble and hurrying the quarterback four times.

Then he was suspended indefinitely for undisclosed reasons and chose to transfer. But Darrington Sentimore knew he wanted to play in the SEC. And he wanted the chance to show Alabama what they missed out on. So he transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for a year and decided to join Tennessee as an early-enrollee.

Showing up in December, Sentimore was at around 300 pounds and slightly out of shape being away from SEC-level play for a year. He has since trimmed down according to Sal Sunseri.

“I think he's lost about 15 to 20 pounds since spring ball and it's made a difference for him.”

Going through Spring Practice and summer drills was key for Sentimore in showing up in shape and ready to go for Fall camp and he's made the most of his opportunity.

“I think his level of maturity has gotten so much better the kid knows now exactly what to do how to do it and why he's doing it and he's doing it at a pace that is extremely fast which is very disruptive.” said Sal.

Having experience in the 3-4 defense which Sal has borrowed from Alabama to create Tennessee's defense this year didn't hurt his development any either and has really given Sentimore a head start on his competition. When asked who was stepping up on the team as a leader, Sunseri had this to say, “The guy that really has come in here and done a fantastic job is Sentimore. “He's come in and he's in better shape. He's been very, very reckless with his body. I'm extremely proud of him – the way that he's been practicing. Kinda setting the tone for the defense.”

He is a fantastic pass-rusher and is also incredibly strong and quick for his size. Barring injury, Sentimore is going to be something we did not have last year and that's a guy who can stop the run as effectively as he can put pressure on the quarterback. He is going to be key down the stretch as we get into the meat of the schedule and I think he's poised to have an incredible season.

“I think he's understanding the game more he's not just going out there and doing it on his own. He knows where he has to be but I'm extremely proud of him.”

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.

On Daniel McCullers

Plenty of questions surrounded Daniel McCullers the JUCO transfer from Georgia Military college coming into fall camp. You hear 6'6 380 lbs and you think 'Okay this kid's going to show up out-of-shape' or 'Is he going to be able to get his pad level low enough to get leverage.' One of these questions was answered as soon as pics of the monstrosity started to surface. He wears his weight well (has 25% body fat), doesn't appear to be out of shape, and most importantly HE'S HUGE. This is a guy whom Alabama, running a very similar defense to the one which we will this year employ, fought tooth and frigging nail for. Tennessee fans are going to be glad we won that battle.

How do you knock a guy McCuller's size off the ball? You don't. And with his height, pushing 3 or 4 yards into the backfield, he is going to disrupt passes over the middle. This guy can be a big factor in our defense.

This is arguably the most important recruit of this past class. Outside of McCullers, we really have no pure nose guard. To run the 3-4 defense it is paramount that the nose takes up space. You aren't going to see double digit sacks out of him, that's not really his job. His job is to take on multiple blockers so that the linebackers can be freed up to make plays. So far this camp, he has been doing just that. He is pushing around an offensive line that has been the highlight of camp and we are talking about seasoned players. The guy is just flat-out bigger and stronger and is on a mission to prove it.

I see McCullers getting early playing time in the opener and probably limiting his reps a bit to see what he's capable of handling then increasing his playing time once you figure it out. One thing is certain, you'll know where he is on the field on every play.


photo courtesy of mod of feelslike98.com

One Will Shoulder the Load

From left to right, runningbacks LaMarcus Coker, Arian Foster, and Montario Hardesty

There were many concerns for the Volunteer Nation headed into fall practice. Who is going to step up and be the guy at right tackle, which of the new receivers is going to separate himself from the rest and demand a starting spot? The only thing, it seemed, that wasn't a concern was whether or not there would be enough talent at the running back position.

LaMarcus Coker had just come off a year which saw him run for nearly 700 yards and scoring 5 touchdowns while not even starting most games, not playing at all in many of the early games, I would add, and averaging a healthy 6.4 yards per carry.

Montatio Hardesty would be one year removed from a severe knee injury that clearly hampered him in 2006, and fresher than ever.

And Arian Foster had been getting all kinds of praise throughout the Spring, gaining many hoorahs from the coaching staff and Phillip Fulmer in particular for his effort, his work ethic, and his determination to excel. Many speculated that the praise rained on Foster was intended to motivate the younger, and more prone to mishap, Coker. Speculation which looks all the more founded considering the situation Coker now finds himself in.

Just before Fall practice began Fulmer announced the indefinite suspension of LaMarcus Coker for a violation of team policy. Inside information has revealed that most likely a drug test discovered marijuana in his system. He has been ordered to rehab and his return to the team is conditional and the length of his absence indeterminable.

So the weight then falls on the two aforementioned backs and true Freshmen to try and make up for the loss of Coker. No small task to say the least. But I am of the opinion that the third running back is going to see very few carries by the time it is all said and done for one key reason: Arian Foster is perfectly poised to have a break-out year.

Foster is the prototypical NFL rusher at 6'1" and 225 lb.s and he has proven that he can be durable.

After taking over the starting position in 2005 for the injured Gerald Riggs, Foster proceeded to run for nearly 150 yards each of the last five games and looked like the next great thing at running back at the University of Tennessee.

He was a preseason second-team All-SEC pick coming into 2006 but he injured his ankle in the second game of the year against Air Force and was plagued by the injury for several weeks afterward. He finally regained his form in the Outback Bowl vs. Penn State only to fumble on a key drive at the opponents 12-yard line in a 10-10 tie. The Nittany Lion's Tony Davis recovered the fumble and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown. Penn State won the game 20-10.

After the game Foster said "I feel like I let my team, the coaching staff, and everybody that came on this trip down. I put it on my shoulders. It's going to be a chip on my shoulder for next year." Exactly the reaction you would want from a player with Foster's up-side and he is staying true to his word.

Instead of hanging his head Foster has used the game as motivation and is more determined than ever to play at a superstar level in 2007. He has a picture of the ill-fated fumble that he keeps in his locker and looks at each time he leaves for practice for motivation.

"I don't remember working this hard in the off-season." Foster has said. "I worked myself to death this season. Last year was tough. I'm over that. That's the past, and I'm just ready to kick it into gear and go to California."

One of the factors that has me convinced Foster is back to his 2005 form and is going to be a featured back is that, despite Coker playing extremely well last year and despite his big-play potential, he couldn’t beat out Foster in the spring. Foster cemented himself first on the depth chart with an impressive showing in the Spring game when he rushed for 63 yards on eight tries.

“This is why he’s No. 1,” Cutcliffe said. “He runs the football well. He breaks tackles. He’s got enough moves to make you miss.

“He’s a heckuva pass protector and a heckuva receiver. That’s what you are looking for in an every-down back.”

Don't be surprised to see this year's Vol team resemble teams of old when they would hand the ball off almost every play, demonstratively driving down the field in a dominant fashion. Foster is the perfect fit for David Cutcliffe's offense and he will be a star in the 2007 season.

On an interesting note, Arian Foster did not give himself any credit whatsoever for the 63 yard performance in the Spring game. So was it his offensive line he credited? Was it the lead blocking of the H-backs? None of the above. It was all Spencer Douglas according to Foster.

"I'm Spencer Douglas. There ain't no Arian here. I changed my name about two weeks ago. I just changed it.” It seems he has adopted an alter-ego akin to Clinton Portis' noted role-playing.

When asked after the spring game where he thought the offense was right now, Douglas replied “They're probably in the locker room because we just had a spring game.”

A Tribute to Arian Foster

Taking a "dump" on Tradition

Living deep in the heart of Bama country, AlabamaVolunteer from the Volnation message board will jump at any opportunity to "stick it" to the Bama Nation. His latest endevour involves one of Bama's most prized traditions, the houndstooth hat made famous by the late Bear Bryant.

"I found a guy at a flea market that had the blank hats. Then I went to Lids...and had it embroidered. Was only like ten or twelve bucks for the whole thing."

"I've got some interesting comments and have truly made some bammers irate. But I am 6'4" and 275 lbs. I can get away with being an [ass] from time to time."

Keep up the good fight, AlambamaVolunteer.