What do you think of this year’s football team?” I’m asked that about 10 times a day. And much to the chagrin of the folks behind the queries, I don’t think there’s a simple answer to the question.

In fact, there are actually several answers that I usually give. Here are a few of them, listed at random.

1: The fact that Tennessee continues to toy with a 3-4 defense, in addition to their normal 4-3, tells me that the coaching staff still has a lot questions about the team’s talent and depth at defensive tackle. Even if the 3-4 is just a change of pace, why break from a 4-3 that’s been so successful in the past?

Because of a lack of proven talent and depth at defensive tackle, that’s why. And that makes me wonder whether or not the defensive line will be better at stopping the run in 2007 than it was in 2006. If not, then I can’t see UT improving very much on last year’s 9-4 record.

2: The recent flip-flop on the offensive line does not inspire confidence in the fact that the O-lineman will be improved in the ground game this season. Last year, the Vols’ most glaring weaknesses were the inability to stop the run and the ability to run the ball themselves.

A solid ground attack would appear to be a must early in the year when young receivers are trying to pick up the offense. Flat out, quarterback Erik Ainge will need more help on the ground in 2007. Will the O-line (and not just one side of it) be ready to provide that help?

3: You will see more action from the tight ends early in ’07 than you have ever seen before at Neyland Stadium. In 2006, tight ends replaced fullbacks in the offense. This year (with the athleticism of Brad Cottam and Chris Brown) they should help to shoulder the load for the wide receivers until the newbies get up to full speed.

4: The idea of creating a “menued” system for wide receivers is a great one. The young wideouts will have more work to do than most folks think and it’s not THAT easy to simplify the offense without handcuffing the quarterback. Therefore, putting some vets on the field (who’ll be running option routes) with the young kids (who’ll probably have simpler routes with less options) should help. Smart.

5: I don’t buy the mobile quarterback package. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. From Eric Locke to Jeremaine Copeland to Lucas Taylor, these “change of pace” plans never seem to be implemented. And they haven’t been effective when they have made a rare in-game appearance. If things hold true to form, this a lot of talk about something you’ll rarely see.

6: I do buy into the idea of more no-huddle offense in 2007. If Ainge has become the leader/on-field coach that so many on campus say, then the no-huddle is a no-brainer.

David Cutcliffe worked miracles with his quarterback last year. If his quarterback is ready to take another leap forward this year, the best option is to allow him to have more freedom at the line of scrimmage, posing more problems for opposing defenses (including substitution woes).

7: LaMarcus Coker will still be the Vols’ leading rusher in 2007. His indefinite suspension means that Coker still has a chance to come back quickly. He’d better.

The coaches are desperately looking for playmakers to replace the Robert Meachems of the world. Coker is a bonafide playmaker. That’s why he’s been seen in the backfield and in the slot this summer.

And IF the Vol offensive line is no better at opening holes than it was last year, then once again Coker’s cutback ability will be a major aid. Of course, that’s IF he can keep himself on the field and out of the doghouse. Time to start using your noggin Mr. Coker.

8: Former Vol captain Mike Stowell’s concerns about UT’s increased use of zone blocking has begun to concern me, too. New Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski (who has been a coach for both of the NFL’s best zone blocking teams — the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons) believes that you’re either a zone blocking team or you’re not. Mixing and matching isn’t the best way to succeed in his view.

Jagodzinski’s history with successful zone blocking is better than mine (and UT’s coaches, for that matter), so I’ll agree with him and apply it to UT. The Vols should either try to be the big, mean, man-blocking team they used to be or go completely toward the agile, athletic zone blocking scheme.

Could they be moving toward zone blocking because they no longer have mean road-graters up front? That’s my guess.

9: Last week, a few folks looked at the numbers and records that I used in my column and decided that I was calling for Phillip Fulmer’s head. I was not.

Fulmer deserves the chance this year to turn things around and get Tennessee back inside the top 10 and into the SEC title race. However, the point of my column was to say that all the “good guy” factors Fulmer has working in his favor (a Tennessee native, a former UT player, no NCAA probations, etc) will mean absolutely nil unless his record improves.

I thought it was pretty clear. But then again, I’m a TV guy, not a writer by trade.

10: Since LSU has rotated off of Tennessee’s schedule for 2007, there is not a single team on the schedule that looks to be head-and-shoulders better than the Vols. That’s not to say UT will finish 12-0. In fact, read above for some of my concerns.

But the schedule could help Tennessee put together the type of season that will get people off the head coach’s back.

John Pennington hosts The Hall’s Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.