Column topics aren’t always the easiest things to come up with. You’ve probably noticed that I often refer to my columns being based on conversations that I’ve had.
Usually, those conversations are with Tennessee fans. But this week, I was struck by something someone inside the UT athletic department said to me.
“There are only a couple of sure wins on this year’s schedule,” the fella told me. Seems he wasn’t feeling too good about what we might see inside Neyland Stadium this year.
But wait a minute. “There have to be more sure wins than that,” I thought.
In looking at the schedule, I’ve broken UT’s games into three different danger classes: TNT (could inflict serious, deadly damage), Firecracker (could be dangerous if you’re dumb enough not to take it seriously), and World War II Dud (one in a million chance that it somehow goes off on you).
TNT Games
At California: The Vols played their finest game of last season against Cal, exorcising the demons of their 5-6 2005 campaign. This year, Cal is the team that has spent a full year pointing toward their season opener. Last year, Cal had no idea what they were up against in Tennessee and the SEC. Do they know better this year?
Southern Miss: Southern Miss is a solid program with a solid coach. But I rate this as a TNT game because of where they fall on the schedule. Last year, sandwiched between Cal and Florida, Tennessee barely nipped an Air Force team that finished 4-8 (31-30 was the palpitation-inducing score). If the Vols’ minds are on Florida, don’t be surprised if the Golden Eagles don’t give Tennessee another tough game (as they did in 2000, falling 19-16 in Neyland Stadium).
At Florida: That’s three dangerous games in a row at the top of the schedule. Yes, Florida is young and will be untested, but no trip to Gainesville is anything less than a TNT game. The Swamp is the powderkeg of the conference.
Georgia: Another monster game in terms of the SEC East race. After losing three in a row to Mark Richt, Phillip Fulmer has turned the tables and beaten Georgia two of the last three times they’ve played. But everyone at the top of this division can beat one another. That makes this game as dangerous as a TNT-charged arrow fired from the window of the General Lee.
At Alabama: Did I say everyone at the top of the East can beat one another. Try anyone in the top half of the East and West. The Vols pulled out a 16-13 win at home against a 6-6 team last year. That team was coached by Mike Shula. This Alabama team will be coached by Nick Saban. And this game will be at Alabama, not Neyland Stadium.
South Carolina: Face it. If Steve Spurrier coached football at Pellissippi State you’d have concerns about him leading a team against your Vols. Danger, Will Robinson. Danger.
Arkansas: This is the opposite of the Cal game for Tennessee. Last year, they were throttled and thrashed by Arkansas. Now, the Hogs have to come to Knoxville. John Chavis’ staff will be looking to make bacon out of Darren McFadden after last year’s debacle. But will the Vols be better at stopping the run in 2007?
Firecracker Games
At Mississippi State: You may read in a tip sheet somewhere that Tennessee is just 4-4 all-time in Starkville. True, if you count at the days before Harry Truman. The Vols are 3-1 in their last four trips to play the Bulldogs since 1951. This is a danger only if Tennessee doesn’t take State seriously. Thanks to Jackie Sherrill’s reign and the NCAA sanctions that followed, Mississippi State has become what Vanderbilt used to be … the SEC’s doormat.
Vanderbilt: Speaking of the Commodores, Bobby Johnson’s team won’t be winning the East this year and they probably won’t be reaching any bowl games, either (despite some magazine predictions). But they should be good enough to upset one or two conference foes this year. Again, this is a dangerous game only if Tennessee looks down their noses as the Nashville bluebloods.
At Kentucky: Rich Brooks’ team should have a great offense. And the ’Cats have played the Vols closer than a touchdown in two of their last three meetings. Eventually, there will be a year when Kentucky beats UT again (although they couldn’t even do it in 2005 when even Vandy managed to snap their mega losing streak to the Vols). But like a firecracker, I can’t see the Wildcats being a real danger unless the Vols do something really stupid. Take ’em seriously, avoid turnovers, and UT will hang number 24 in a row on the Cats.
World War II Dud Games
Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette: These teams are serious duds, buried deep beneath the heavy dirt of the college football landscape. Only an errant backhoe and some extremely bad luck could uncover one of them, much less set them off.
A loss would be on par with Tennessee’s 1975 loss at home to North Texas State (I still can’t believe that actually happened).
According to one pre-season publication, Arkansas State is ranked number 109 out of 119 Division I football schools heading into the season.
Even Louisiana-Lafayette is better than that. They’re No. 103 with a bullet (that they’re probably forced to keep in their shirt pocket). We’re not even talking, “What’s a Rutgers” here.
After breaking it all down, I guess I have to agree with the worrier I was talking to earlier this week. There really are just two SURE wins on Tennessee’s 2007 schedule. But there are three more that absolutely SHOULD be wins.
That’s five wins. If Tennessee can go 4-3 in their seven TNT games, that’s another 9-3 finish in 2007. And that’s just about what you can expect the Vols’ final record to be.
John Pennington hosts The Hall’s Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE. This week’s show starts at 11:30 a.m.
Memorable moments in Pat Summitt's…
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 96
inquiry writes:
Oh Man..
Pennington, good article.. I like someone that can get the hard truth out early in Knoxville vs those lap dogs everywhere else.. I'm afraid too.. see you in California.. 702-743-4130.. bunch of guys from the Gaming business formely from UT will be there and we're not so sure how we'll bet on this first game..
Thanks.. (Paladin_havegunwilltravel@yahoo.com)
inquiry writes:
Did I say betting in College? We're doing all ours legally in Reno at Harrah's (wink)..and coming by Amtrak to the game over the Sierra Nevada's..
Bigger_Al writes:
WRONG on GA, Big Guy. Indeed, we lost 3 in a row to Richt, not 4 as you mistakenly report. You can look it up. Get this right, or risk not being taken seriously.
kaplan#211944 writes:
Georgia beat Tennessee in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. That's four in a row.
snafu14u#241639 writes:
As far as the money goes,if UT is the underdog and on national TV against a higer ranked team, always take the Vols. It's money in the bank as far as betting goes. Always remember that this information is for entertainment purposes ONLY and not intended as a replacement for a sound financial managament plan.Good Luck. bonzaivol
volfan73120#211815 writes:
Wasn't Donnen the coach of Georgia in 2000?
Southland writes:
I would hope we did finish 9-3 except that would mean we would go to a good bowl and we all know how well Phil has the boys to play in bowl games.(how embarrassing) I think 8-4 is where UT will finish and wouldn't be suprised if we finished 7-5. I hate saying that but unless we actually have some fire instilled in the players we will not rise to the top again. Don't be suprised if UK beats UT this year. I would hate it with a passion, I like in Kentucky so I would hear about until I am fortunate enough to move back to Tennessee.
CoverOrange writes:
Interesting that the update time is still the same as the publishing time although it looks like Phil Kaplan corrected the Richt error. The Kentucky game impression is colored by last year's close game which I see now was a prelude to the Penn St. debacle. After beating up Vandy and being eliminated from SEC contention, UT sleep-walked against the Wildcats (I was there and it felt like I was watching a HS game). That carried over to the bowl game. How we do this year depends how well Fulmer can keep the energy up.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Anyone else feel overwhelmed at this point before the season kicks off by all of the predictions out there?
One thing is for sure, I am as glad as heck that at the end of the day, the games still have to be played and the outcomes have not one bit to do with what the 'experts' say before the games are played! So many things can change the outcome of the games, injuries, crazy events, a star rising out of nowhere, among other things! I just can't wait to see how the season unfolds.
GO VOLS!!!
andy112382#209793 writes:
TouchdownTN - you do realize we didn't have our senior QB during the orange and white game, correct? Not to mention several guys being held out just to be safe from surgeries they had during the winter. I think we will be just fine.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Surely you aren't basing how a season will be by going on how our spring game went. I distinctly recall Cutcliffe noting he does not use but a handful of plays in the spring game being careful not to show all we have. That is not a game, you have QBs in no-contact jerseys, not everyone is on campus that can have a big impact on the season (Eric Berry and some JUCO players for example) and key guys sitting out from surgeries. My point being you can't go by the orange and white game, it is just a slight step up from basing your reviews off of the orange and white drill and summer workouts (which, btw, the guys have shown tremendous work ethic and unity from what all has been posted about those workouts and drills) I was really impressed by Mayo and Ainge getting the freshmen together in the summer and holding scrimmages of their own to get the guys up to speed.
The scrimmages this fall have sounded much, much better than last year at this point, and we had a very nice rebound last year from the disaster before. But be careful, you can not base you previews of the season on the scrimmages either, for example the coaches telling Ainge to throw deep no matter the coverage in some situations just to see who will react and how, those lead to INTs, but you can not say 'oh no! Ainge stinks! He threw an INT!'.....that would not be accurate because it was a designed drill/play in scrimmage, the whole point of spring and fall drills and scrimmages.
Can't wait for the season to start!!! This team can win 10-11 games, hands down. GO VOLS!!!
andy112382#209793 writes:
TouchdownTN - Just to let you know, that wasn't like some personal attack or drilling, most of that was meant to be generally speaking.... plus, I just watched the FSN Tennessee 2007 preview and got even more pumped! haha... this countdown to kickoff is taking too long! But I think it will be well worth the wait!
vol4jesus writes:
jwraymond take your depression med and go to bed for you simply hit your head...quiet much better instead than some of what erupts from ewe to be read . Over the top wanting someone to fail/squirm. I'm sxure parents of players enjoy this garbage. Someone wants their child to fail. Don'e say that is not what you said! You want the coach to fail the Players don't get separated. Doesn't work that way in my office at work.
thevol writes:
JW it will be more fun watching YOU squirm as we win and you can not enjoy it because you lost your love of the Vols. I am looking forward to a NEW season. I can't wait for it to start, college football(esp. the Vols) is the greatest sport on Earth. Go Big Orange!
FatherVol writes:
I saw a mag at Barnes & Noble that predicted the Liberty Bowl would be Tennessee vs. Houston. That's NOT where I hope we end up.
wkjq#213863 writes:
Funny thing is Bigger_Al, the article said Richt beet us 3 in a row. Maybe you should read more carefully BIG GUY!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Touchdown and Andy....all good comments but different predictions. I was very down after the O & W game...I too saw an extreme lack of talent that day. What ever happened to the days of us scoring 35-40 points a game and holding opponents to less than 200 YPG. I see 7-5 or 8-4 at the very best and then the "loss" at the bowl game.
thevol writes:
Well said Sjt and Marc. Have you guys checked out Volnation.com? A really good forum for UT discussions.
I just don't see Florida beeing able to win the east. Their defense is what won it for them last year and they have to replace nearly everyone. I think we are in position to win it, we just have to make the big plays in the fourth quarter. A much improved running game and O-line should allows us to pull the close games off. Being 5 deep at running back(when Coker is back)is going to come into play with our SEC schedule. Any word on how Crompton and the other QB's look? Only 12 days left. Go Big Orange!
BOASoldier writes:
Well you say tomato and I say Orange ... I don't think it's going to be a bad season at all ... you say our freshman may do well next year and then cite Tebow against our D last year ... he was a freshman then so who is to say our freshman can't or wont step up this year ... oh well differences of opinion ... you may look for Basketball season ... I can't wait for Sept. 1 at 8 eastern on ABC
Sheepscape writes:
The only problem when bringing up other schools using frosh talent is that we aren't those schools. Oh sure, we've had a few times...2004 with Ainge/Shaeffer come to mind, but that's the exception to the rule: that frosh talent rides the pine at UT. Especially at receiver for example...speaking of which, anyone overly optimistic about the season might want to address the unpleasant topic of drops the other night. We had what? 8 by some counts? That's bad. If we can't stretch the field, we'll be facing lots of stacked fronts in the SEC.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
sjt18, what you don't understand is that TNTOUCHDOWN and myself went thru the program back in the early 1980's. The Spring period back then was as serious as fall..and we actually played a true game as well. It was everybody not just the underclassmen. This is how we grew up with the program and judge it!! We are not predicting doomsday but both of us are guarded about this year. We play a lot of good teams regardless of what they lost last year and both afraid of losing the close ones!!
Basketball_Jones writes:
Great article and alot of great comments. Being part of this site since it's beginning(don't be fooled by my screen name it applies only to hoops, I love the Vols as well), I tend to see less and less people wearing those orange colored glasses. I think 2005 really opened alot of eyes, then with so many people pointing out about some flaws in coaching, lack of talent being brought in, discipline issues, and what seems to be the lack of ability for players to get better. I think 8-4 and Vol fans should be happy. Just like last year, this team will have the opportunity to go 11-1 or 12-0 but it is also capable of being 7-5 or 6-6....should be a crazy year
Sheepscape writes:
sjt18,
What history are you referring to in regards to the TE's? Chris Brown was pretty servicable last year, but we've never been a big tight end school historically. Witten's a big name, and Dustin Johnson helped out in certain situations in the late 90s. Before then, it's a ways back to Von Reeves. I hope you are right, but if they play as they practice(like the old adage says) then we are in trouble. We need the TE's to step up this year like never before. They need to block well if we use them in lieu of a fullback, they'll need to catch everything thrown at them if we don't have a receiver to stretch the field. Etc and so forth. Huge challenge, so I hope they are up for it.
Sheepscape writes:
Yep, we need to get UF and UGA this year...08 and 09 don't look at all favorable.
Sheepscape writes:
There are concerns for this season(as well as 08 and 09) that are also under the radar, or at least not taking the lion's share of attention like pressing questions like How is the OL? Can the DL stop the run?...and so forth.
I'm talking about special teams of course...we've been bad at returns, and mediocre in coverage. I think we are really going to miss Wilhoit.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
marc ash, nobody is saying that the spring game dictates the season...but you would have expected the same intensity as they are "apparently" doing now. What is probably more important is what were they doing in December getting ready for Penn State? If they treated it like the spring game then no wonder we lost. We have talent in some key postions but lack of depth in others. I miss the days of scoring 35-40 point a game and playing stealth defense in the SAME season. I would love to see 12-0 but I'm trying to be a realist.
BOASoldier writes:
didnt DeShawn play against us last year ... has he improved that much?
Colliervol writes:
Personally, I think the East is wide open and it depends upon the usual circumstances- injuries, luck, turnovers, etc. No magic bullet there. With so little info coming out of practice, I don't know how anybody can make a judgement on their progress. But we'll darn sure know after the first 3 games, won't we? (And I agree. Watch out for Southern Miss. That's a trap game for sure if they aren't ready.) And, at that point, we'll all be happy campers or we'll see howling worse than 2005. Should be interesting.
One note: If we count on the media's predictions, we (and Fulmer) are dead meat. As noted the other day, the "Countdown" Show on CSS picked us 5th in the East (with Georgia amazingly winning) and Ron Higgins (a pretty reputable columnist) picked his SEC upset of the year as being UT falling to Mississippi State. If either of those happen, look out. 2005 will look like a kindergarden picnic compared to that. Hopefully, the media will be their normal inaccurate selves.
BOASoldier writes:
my bad I aint bin houked on fonics for a whyle that and I'm horrible with names ... pardon me DeSean if you are reading this ... I apologize
Colliervol writes:
I don't know that we are "solid across the board" but I also don't think FL, GA or South Carolina are either in terms of defense. Florida and Georgia have a ton of inexperience on that side of the ball. Add Bama to that list as well and the Castille kid (their best defensive player) was arrested last night for something. He'll probably be back by our game though.
invisiblekid writes:
The defensive and offensive line will be the deciding factors on how this season goes in my opinion. If we finish 72nd against the run and 96th running the ball again then it will be a very long year. It's hard to expect improvement from units when they lose talents like Sears, McBride, and Harrell but that's where we stand. I have more confidence that the defensive line will step up than the offensive line at this point. Bolden has the talent, he just needs to wake up and realize it. Mapu should rebound with a year of conditioning under his belt and Dan Williams should be better with another year of experience as well. The wild card is Chavis. He couldn't have been happy with the performance last year and has proven over the years to be able to motivate better than any other coach at UT. On the offensive side, Young and Parker need to show more than they have at this point, they haven't been bad but they need to step it up significantly for this to be a championship caliber team. I think McNeil will be fine but I don't expect to see the other two positions settled until midway through the season.
Colliervol writes:
Agreed IVK. It always comes down to line play in the end and who wins the trenches.
invisiblekid writes:
Interesting that Higgins predicted us to lose to MSST Collier. I was voicing some concern over that game as well last week. I don't necessarily think that is a game we will lose but it sure sets up as the type the Vols have taken lightly the past several years. Sitting between a game with what will surely be a motivated group of Bulldogs and a game that almost always ratchets up the P factor in Bama, I have a feeling this will be one of those games that is much harder than it should be.
gaVOLman writes:
IVK, we lost Harrell in the second game so our D-line was never the same. Now Mapu is back to his old self and the rest of the D-line is more experienced than last. This year's O-Line certainly sounds more prepared than last year's. Young is going to make you forget Sears and the rest of the line is getting better and better now that Foster has moved to ROT. I agree that the games are won in the trenches and that's why I like our chances this year. GO BIG ORANGE.
invisiblekid writes:
sjt18, not sure who the 265 lb #3 guy is at tackle unless you are referring to Fisher. Williams, Mapu, Bolden all go 290 plus. I also think Langley may fit into the equation at some point. Regardless, your points don't fall on deaf ears, or blind eyes as the case may be. We aren't in the days where we could start rotating 2-3 sets of defensive tackles into a game midway through the second quarter. As far as the offensive line goes, I'll fall into the category of believing it when I see it. Johnson, Foster, McClendon and Scott all have limited game experience and it remains to be seen how they respond or who grabs the starters position by the throat. All in all, it's nothing but pure speculation at this point though, I figure we will have a good idea where this team stands after game 3.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Question to those in doubt of our potential for this season based on the youth that we will likely rely on:
Are you also factoring in the defense in florida will be all new guys with the exception of one returning starter as well as the fact they replace 2 of their top 3 WRs and their RB?
How about UGA replacing just about their whole fron 7 on defense and a QB with 'potential' written all over him but still got roughed up last year and WRs still in doubt there?
My point is, you could argue that youth will bring down a team with just about any team out there if you pick them apart and analyze each position. Granted, sometimes years come along with like Florida last season, their defense won them that title, hands down. Without that veteran defense, they lose to SC, Tennessee and a good shot at losing to LSU as well. Don't forget they also just about lost to Vandy at home two seasons ago, but some phantom flag called on Cutler and his 'Dores ruined that, but they didn't exactly run Meyer out of town despite that and losing at SC.
I think we can all agree you certainly can not go by the spring game as a way of judging how the season will unfold. It just does not work that way for many reasons, several in which I listed above in a previous post. The QB is the general out on the field for the offense, and I have long considered the MLB to be a key position for the defense, looking at that, you have Ainge and Mayo, two guys I'd let lead my team into battle any day and I can't wait to see what is to come from this upcoming season, I see the potential for an excellent season! 9 wins at least, plenty of reason to think 10-12 is very possible, if not likely. GO VOLS!!!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Well, everything was going fairly smooth until sjt18 has to revert to name calling!! Just because someone comments about a weakness or concern about UT, you refer them as cowards? Would you like to share a beer sometime?
jdcvols#230433 writes:
sjt18, you over analyze everything. The point is that just because someone shares their thoughts rather it be positive or negative are just "their thoughts". That person should not be subjected to name calling...and by the way I did NOT say that you called me names personally...but you basically called everybody on the site a coward for offering opinions that are not seen thru rose colored glasses. There are many DI schools that would be thrilled to go 7-5 or 8-4, all we are suggesting is that this is quite possible this year for TN and that 7-5 or 8-4 is not acceptable. That makes us a coward or pessimist???
Basketball_Jones writes:
The truth about it is none of us know what is going to happen. I mean we all can speculate all day that becuase of this then this is what will happen, this team lost this and blah blah blah. Like someone said earlier, who would have expected what happened on 2005 to happen, I mean preseason #3, coaches talking NC, fans making plans to head to Tempe, then boom were 5-6 and watching from the recliner. Just like 1998, no one thought we would go 13-0, 8-5 would have been more like it.
We for one will need some young players to step up, possibly a receiver or DL. We'll need some balls to bounce our way and we'll need a little luck (just like 98). I hope we are in New Orleans playing USC or Texas or Michigan but only time will tell. GO VOLS!
vol4jesus writes:
Mommy Billy called me a bad name and hurt my feelings. Its ok honey he doesn't understand words do hurt or help people. I read in a great book that I'm not to let any incorrupt speech proceed from my mouth(keyboard) that won't provide grace to the hearer(reader) for the moment. So we will try to speak gently to Billy and not make him angry. Being humble is hard, but the results are less ulcers etc. GO VOLS!!!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
sjt18
"Unshakeably negative" or in better terms consistent. Negative would be like 2005, cautious is last year and this coming year. Are these terms acceptable to you? Yes, I stated 7-5 or 8-4 with a bowl loss. After losing 3 of the last four bowl games, our track record is not very good. I would love to win 10+ games and if we had won the bowl game last year....the tone of this article would be different. How far back do you have to go when we had a season with only 2 Lock games on the schedule?? I believe John's intent was to share caution to the wind about this coming season. I'm a "True Vol" and will support this team 100%.
ActiveDutyVol writes:
All this talk of optimism and pessamism is just part of sports. We all evaluate the information we have in a different way. It's hard to know whether someone's being chronically pessamistic just because they think we're realistically going to go 8-4 or 7-5 this year. Personally, though, I enjoy reading everyone's take on this team... it gives me a lot of food for thought and gets me excited about opening kick off less than two weeks away now.
I think we can all agree that no one would have predicted our undefeated NC year at this point, just like nobody would have predicted our losing record in '05 at this point. That's what makes this so exciting...all the speculation in the world means nothing right now. It's just guessing.
Other than a handful of teams who you pretty much KNOW will win 10 games and be competing for a BCS bowl, and a few teams who have chronic losing records, everyone else has hope right now. There are probably 6-7 teams that can realistically win the SEC this year. Those same teams all have the potential of losing 5+ games. There is much less disparity in college football then there ever has been. It makes it harder to know who will rise to the top, but it sure makes it a lot more exciting for all the teams bunched up in the middle who (at the beginning of the season) all think they have a realistic chance to be special.
Go Vols!! Let's hope that after the first 3 games, we can all be as hopeful and optimistic as SJT and others have been up to this point. THAT would be exciting!!!!
ActiveDutyVol writes:
South Carolina scares me too. Spurrier's got his own players now (for the most part), and has gone on record as saying he thinks the Gamecocks can win the east. With his record against Fulmer, that game could easily be a loss...
jcherrie#219531 writes:
10-2 -- senior quarterback, few distractions, improved running game.
ActiveDutyVol writes:
I think if we can get through our first 3 games at 2-1, we have a chance to put together a decent season. The DBs and WRs are young and inexperienced, but by the middle of the season they'll all be veterans. The big question mark remains the offensive and defensive lines. If we can't protect Ainge and open up some holes for our backs, and if we can't record more than 17 sacks (like last year) and stop the run, it could be a looooooooong season!
jandjhome#228397 writes:
TouchdownTN I agree with you except I think the Wilcats will take us in Lexington,but I believe we will beat Georgia, we always manage to win at least one of the big ones. 8-4 possibly 7-5.
Volunteer writes:
My God, are you guys Tennessee Fans or what. Those two strangers that climbed up Rocky Top are screamin at cha right now.
TouchdownTN: The Volunteers will win at least 9 games but my prediction is 10-2 and a trip to Atlanta to play LSU!
Does anybody else have the same feeling of last year? CAL this and CAL that. Get a life, tennesse will hit them in the grill and they will forget their whole game plan.
Florida lost 9 defensive starters. I would give UF 10 pts and still take my boys for $100.00
We will be 3-0 going into the Arkansas state game. I am much more worried about games against SC and poopy tide than I am concerned with CAL/FU!
Sheepscape writes:
8-4 or 9-3...we'll win one we shouldn't and drop one we should win.
Special teams are still pretty bad, the DL is thin...very thin, when was the last time anyone made a run at a championship with a lack of depth at DT?
RangerForSix writes:
1. 12-0
2. Enough of our 'key players' will stay healthy
3. We'll score 28-40 points a game; Chavis says that will be enough for his defense, maybe even 21 will be enough. "We'll see, but I love our 'D'!."
4. Just 'a couple' of freshmen will 'play big' all year, but that is good.
5. Running game will be solid, veteran center, several veteran linemen and excellent backs; but we need our #2 back to return by the Florida game. It's a coaches decision I believe!!
6. Passing game will be excellent, because of the improved running game, and a four year starter at QB.
7. Special teams will be special IF Colquitt is healthy, otherwise we'll have to win despite them. (Control the clock, move the chains, score 30 points a game, etc...)
8. Possibly 11-1...Whatever, were under-rated this year and that is just fine boys!
Colliervol writes:
Somehow I think some folks have some things twisted around here. I don't believe anybody (except some of those folks who blindly support UT no matter what happens) takes issue with folks that voice concerns. Heck, I've had concerns since 2005 and have voiced them. And I still have them today and would defy anybody to give me statistics as to how this program is as good as it was from 1995 to 2000. (That's impossible and you can't do it so don't try. It's a fact that we are not as good as we were during that time.)
HOWEVER, where I have an issue is with those "fans" who have NOTHING good to say about the program or Phil Fulmer. I have no time for people who are the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of fan who doesn't understand that this game is cyclical and nobody stays on top forever. There is too much parity in college football for that to happen anymore and I can cite program after program (starting with Bama, USC, Notre Dame, Penn State, etc) who have had down cycles.
Secondly, I have a big issue with those "fans" who have an agenda when it comes to Phil Fulmer (and you know who you are). Whether it's the fact he replaced Johnny Majors in an unpleasant situation or he is too conservative or he did something to their family, I don't know. We all know Phil is conservative but I also know he is the coach of this team and has put most of his adult life into this program and at least deserves respect for that. For those that want to constantly call him Phat Phil or Foolmer or whatever, they don't even deserve a response as we know where they are coming from (an agenda in their own mind). Bottom line is that Fulmer is the coach and his replacement and the timing will be decided by folks that dang sure aren't posting on here so I refuse to worry about that one. It'll happen when it happens and I'll support the next guy as well.
At the end of all that, I choose to worry and discuss how the Vols will do against a murderous schedule and I don't know about most of you, but I'll always choose the optimistic side rather than the persistently negative viewpoint. Fewer ulcers that way.
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