College Football Preview Special Section
Articles
- It's no joking matter for Ainge
- Ainge extends wealth of four-year starters
- Staff stability key to success for Fulmer
- SEC championship hanging in the balance
- Adams: Southern Cal No. 1 until proved otherwise
- Adams: Count on Buckeyes for Citrus-bound Vols
- Fine line between Heisman glory and goat
- Top 10 Heisman hopefuls
Waiting until the last week to make a preseason football prediction sometimes has its advantages. This isn’t one of those times.
If you still don’t know what to make of the 2007 Tennessee football team, I can empathize.
The Vols have been ranked anywhere from first to fourth in the SEC East. They have been ranked as high as seventh nationally. They’ve also barely cracked some top 25s. Rarely is there so much debate about where the Vols will finish.
The uncertainty has nothing to do with the team’s 5-6 flop of 2005 or its bounce-back 9-4 season in 2006. It has more to do with the depth chart, which is chockfull of question marks — even at some positions of strength.
Senior quarterback Erik Ainge is talented and experienced. He also has yet to have back-to-back good seasons and has a history of injuries.
The running back corps of Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty, and LaMarcus Coker is versatile and experienced. But that doesn’t eliminate the questions about Hard-esty’s durability or Coker’s penchant for finding his coach’s doghouse as well as the opponent’s end zone.
The offensive line returns three starters and has a couple of promising backups. It also has a recent history of under-achieving.
Talented freshman wide receivers are expected to bolster the offense. But other than Kelley Washington, name a productive freshman wide receiver at UT.
The defensive line has promise but no obvious anchor. The secondary has All-SEC safety Jonathan Hefney, but new starters at every other position.
There are exceptions to the uncertainty. The linebacking looks solid and secure. Chris Brown is top-notch tight end. And you couldn’t ask for a better punter than Britton Colquitt.
Everywhere else, you have to wonder. And that includes the competition.
Florida and Georgia, UT’s traditional nemeses in the East, have plenty of question marks of their own. While up-and-coming South Carolina looks improved, it probably has the toughest schedule in the SEC. West rival Alabama also is sure to move up under new coach Nick Saban, but how far, how soon?
You won’t find many sure things on UT’s schedule, either. Two of UT’s first three games are on the road against nationally ranked Cal and Florida. Sandwiched be-tween those tough road trips, Southern Mississippi could cause problems at Neyland Stadium.
But difficult schedules are nothing new for UT, which plays in the toughest division of the toughest conference. Moreover, even if the Vols stumble early, they have a track record of overcoming adversity under coach Phillip Fulmer. The 2005 season was the exception, not the rule.
The failure of that season motivated last year’s team. And it should motivate this one as well. The veteran players on this year’s team know how quickly a season can go bad. They also know the increasingly fine line that separates winners from losers in the SEC. Inspired to make up for the 2005 season, last year’s Vols were at their best from the get-go — routing Cal, almost upsetting eventual national champion Florida and roaring past Georgia in the second half at Sanford Stadium.
Don’t expect as fast a start this season. But don’t expect the second-half decline, either. Instead, look for the young, talented players to help provide a strong finishing kick.
Prediction: A 9-3 regular season, followed by a victory over Ohio State in the Capital One Bowl and a top-10 finish.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.
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Comments » 35
DroopyDrawers writes:
Adams, there may be hope for you YET.
Good article. Not Great but good and a fair prediction. I would take it.
Hunter writes:
Don't count on losing to Florida. I think that we'll come out victorious over the hated Gators. As for Cal.....the picture is cloudy to say the least....
snafu14u#241639 writes:
Bingo.These Vols will get stronger as the season progresses. Maybe a little shaky at the start, but solid improvement each game if Ainge stays healthy.I agree we may get the Gators.Go Big Orange. bonzaivol
girdle1998#233171 writes:
"He hasn't had back to back good seasons"?..Gees John..this is only his second chance at that feat....
gvegasvol writes:
That was actually a good article and a fair prediction. Personally I think 9-3 would be good for this year and a bowl victory would be GREAT for a change!
BuckFama writes:
Strap 'em on. 6 days and counting! GO VOLS!
Bigger_Al writes:
My boss is a War Eagle alum, and he kept asking me my prediction. I had a hard time settling on one because of the points in Adam's article. We can win any game on our schedule, and there are a bunch of losable games as well. I finally settled on 9-3, and the War Eagle said he thought we would do better than that.
Side note: I like Bob Kesling, but I noticed some negativity toward him yesterday. How about John Adams as Voice of the Vols??
orangebass writes:
most likely vols will be 10-2 win the east and play for sec championship vs lsu. win or lose at cal, the vols are set up for the games vs fla ga and south carolina. and wins against those 3 would allow the vols to drop a game or two down the stretch and still play for the championship the next 2 or 3 years won't be this easy. it all comes down to atlanta in early december. even if the vols are underdogs another loss in the dome will set the tone for fulmer and the program for the next few years.....this may be the most important year for fulmer in his career.
we won't have to wait long to find out.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
This sounds like a great prediction and hope it comes true> We must win a bowl game this year.
vol4jesus writes:
meds...meds...meds. Please someone get the 'HAPPY' pills please hurry he can't go much longer. I don't want him hurt. No Johnny he can't watch the game saturday night over here. You know why, he drags everybody down with his pessimism. Granted I like him I just wish he could be happy about something other than Coach Fulmer no longer being on staff. Lets see how the week goes maybe I'll change my mind. I'm trying to be gentler/kinder.
SmokeDog72 writes:
There is no reason the Vols can't win the East. There is uncertainty all around the SEC East (How is Florida really going to be?, Are Kentucky and SC for real? Is Georgia that good?). I think the Vols 07 edition is hungry, talented, blue-collar and disciplined. They may not be perfect, but they are good enough to beat everyone on the schedule (pending solid execution and heart). I may be crazy, but I am sensing a big year.
I think Adams'article is half right. The SEC is a tough guess right now. But, he is still a nancy boy.
vol4jesus writes:
Is that Nancy Drew or like the way John Edwards is referenced as the'BRECK GIRL'?
thevol writes:
Cr- What if we lose to Florida by 1 on the road but won every other game convincingly? Florida gets blown out by one team,(LSU, Auburn , GA. etc) Florida St., and loses SEC championship to a 9-3 west team. UT goes to BCS possibly NC game and wins. Is that O.K.? No SEC championship but a highly successful season. Just curious on what constitutes a successful season for the Fulmer bashers. Go Big Orange!
GreerVol22 writes:
yep, but can we cover a kick?
DroopyDrawers writes:
Bigger_Al---How about John Adams as Voice of the Vols??
How about you bring him to Alabama.
This is about the 2nd decent article he has written since he has been here.
Too much negativity.
vol4jesus writes:
CRVOL be thankful you wake up each day! Not everybody who goes to sleep wakes up the next day.Reflection might change how some of us perceive life and whats REALLY important. GO VOLS beat them Bears!!!
hueypilot writes:
Your glass is pretty much always half empty, huh CR?
Your pessmistic comments notwithstanding, I'm looking forward to the trip to the left coast, going to the game at Berkeley, and coming back with (another) Pac 10 scalp. How bout you CR? Are you going out west to the game or are you just going to wallow in your gloom and doom?
Basketball_Jones writes:
You know most people who post here seem to think that Adams and Co. work for UT and all there articles should be pro-UT, thats a bunch of BS. Do most of you live in a world that is sugar coated at every corner? These guys give is their opinions on what they think about (insert sport here) for the upcoming season. Now I think if this team goes 9-3 and beats OSU in the Citrus Bowl, it won't be a great season but it will be a good one. If your memories have faded let me refresh them, we havn't won a bowl game since we won it all, so winning one is a step up if you ask me. Now if we say get to a BCS game that would be even better. Adams isn't writing that the Vols suck, he's just saying that there is alot of "what if's" and "gray" areas with this team. Lets face it were not Southern Cal but we have to start somewhere to get back to the level we were at 10-15 years ago.
bsvolfan#325031 writes:
Happy with 9-3? Not me...and no I'm not a Fulmer Basher. I don't want the guy to go anywhere. He has taken UT to greatness before...he can do it again.
I can't believe some of the complacency in the fans though. Back in the mid-90's a a 3 or 4 loss season was quite frankly a disappointment. I realize that we can't always be at that level...but it is something we as Vol fans MUST DEMAND.
If any season doesn't include an SEC Championship...it is by definition...a disappointing season. No...I don't EXPECT them to win it each year...but when they don't I consider it a failure to some degree.
Bowl games don't matter all that much to me unless they are BCS games. Big bowl wins (ex. Michigan following 01 and A&M following 04) don't always mean success the next season.
pabashia#208095 writes:
Probably about on target, although things could go South in a real hurry with the wrong injuries and/or losses to both Cal and Florida.
This is either a 10-2 season, or a 6-6. Not a whole lot of room in-between.
vol4jesus writes:
Haven't won a bowl game since NC in '98. Michigan and Texas A&M didn't count evidently. I agree if no BCS since '98 is what you meant. A new year another opportunity to support the VOLS!!! Sale at Walmart on 'half-empty glasses'. Pessimistic Bowl being held soon in Orlando for doom and gloomers. Backing off to be kinder/gentler poster. GO BIG ORANGE!!!
GreerVol22 writes:
I we go 9-3, lose to Cal, Florida and UGA, then what did we accomplish? Is it legitmate to call a 9-3 season succesful if you lose to arguably the only ranked teams on the schedule? I don't think it will happen, but as long as we are what iffin'.....
knoxtenor writes:
Yeah, John. People nay-sayed the 1997 championship team right up until the final minutes of the fourth quarter of the Tostitos Bowl. Of course, you already have copious experience eating crow, so why not crawl out on a limb? We'll be right behind you with the chainsaw.
bsvolfan#325031 writes:
It was 98.
BOASoldier writes:
There are a whole lot of what if's coming into this season and we will all find out in the end of the game on Sat. as far as the point spread on us .. I believe at this time last year it was the same and then came down to one or two in Cal's favor. I think the biggest thing the bookies in Vegas are looking at are the youth and unproven talent on this team ... most in the betting world do not like unknowns so as with those in Vegas ... we will see what comes up when the chips are down but I think we'll win it.
Sheepscape writes:
Time for a championship...going on 9 years and that is too long.
Stop with moral victory phooey, we're not Kentucky. Time to sheisse or get off the crapper.
vol4jesus writes:
Sheepscape go down to your local store and get some Immodium sense you are so caught up with bathroom stuff. 9 yrs is too long and hopefully things turn back our way this year. If not coach Fulmer will hear from Mr. Hamilton if they slide back like 2005.
Sheepscape writes:
Pitiful and personal. You do your moniker proud.
vol4jesus writes:
oops I forgot my intent not to get personal even though you made things as such with trash talk.One sentence and the other two back to topic.I should have just said clean it up other than hinting at it.
Sheepscape writes:
Trash talk? Where and what did I say? Personally I call it the truth. To paraphrase Harry Truman, "I'm not giving them hell, I'm telling the truth and they think it's hell."
vol4jesus writes:
marc_ash now,now. His post was obvious and if certain crass things don't offend you anymore then to borrow from another great line,"you have become comfortably numb." Things that used to offend we now accept as ok when they are still offensive. Some say,"we've grown and are better now so it no longer matters." Words already have meaning. I say dog and you don't stare blankly at the wall. You look or say what or where. It had meaning though innocently said. Yes, we can attach our perceptions to them ,but in most cases they have base meanings all usually accept and understand. Class dismissed for now. We hope the VOLS school the west coast bears. As usual, we agree to disagree. GO VOLS!!!
Sheepscape writes:
You thought that was crass? Thin skin I would say. I've read some of your posts elsewhere, they are pretty offensive in their own way. Point is, we all have free speech here and if you don't like it then don't read it. Judging by the responses above, not everyone agrees with you.
GerryOP writes:
My guess/prediction/SWAG -- 9-3. Which I would not find acceptable unless it gets us to Atlanta Dec. 1. Fulmer had his "hiccup/whoops/whatever" two years ago, we have a senior QB (who sometimes talks-the-talk without walking-the-walk), we have championship facilities, championship recruiting, and we pay championship coaching salaries. With the SEC East supposedly going to be a "down year" (please don't tell St. Steve Superior I said this!) it would seem like this would be the year for Fulmer to deliver on his promises. Furthermore, since Mikey has stated that he expects championships, we fans should expect no less. We'll see!
BTW, you would think that with all of the technology today that they would find some way to limit forums like this to reswponsible adults -- at least adults who do not feel it necessary to preach and impose their sanctimoneous, self-serving beliefs on everyone else. But, then again, I guess 36 year old sixth graders have to have something to do when they get home from school! Bring back Busybody and the gang down at Mickey D's and The King!!!
Colliervol writes:
I have yet to figure out why people are predicting Georgia to beat us and, further, how some are predicting them to finish first in the division. Decent running game and QB but no better than ours. Freshmen all over their O-Line. And their defense has more holes than ours. And we have them at Neyland. I must be missing something.
Sheepscape writes:
Colliervol: Regarding Georgia it is simple. You say we have them at Neyland, well that's not good. Richt has never lost to us in Knoxville is the crux of the matter. They had holes in 01, 03, and 05...didn't seem to matter. We had them in 01 until that horrible awful squib kick(rotten decision) 03 was 41-14 home blowout and 05 watched us give up another punt return that blew the game open in their favor. They find a way to win up here.
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