Some of my sportswriting buddies at The Sporting News had space to fill in their preseason football publication so they came up with a couple of pages of “smackdown” in which they debated various SEC issues, such as whether the Vols have become irrelevant.
Imagine that. The Vols won the SEC East just three years ago, have averaged better than eight victories per season the last five years and came agonizingly close to beating Florida and LSU — the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 teams — last season. And their relevancy is questioned?
Did I miss something? Did Neyland Stadium shrink? Did the Big Orange Army disband? Did the Vol Navy drown?
Obviously, this isn’t about tradition. It’s about what have you done lately. And it’s also about the competition.
South Carolina has Steve Spurrier for its head ball coach. Enough said.
Alabama hired a $4 million coach in Nick Saban and drew more than 92, 000 fans to its spring game.
Florida just won a national championship under Urban Meyer, who lost most of his defense but still has a dynamic offense and a charismatic quarterback in Tim Tebow.
Arkansas has the Heisman Trophy favorite in running back Darren McFadden.
LSU has lost only four games in the last two years and has the most dominant defense in the SEC.
Georgia has won two conference championships and three division titles in the last five years.
Auburn has averaged 10 victories per season the last five years, went unbeaten in 2004 and has won five consecutive games against Alabama.
Last year, Kentucky won more than seven games for the first time since 1984.
Two years ago, Vanderbilt beat Tennessee for the first time in 23 years.
Bottom line: In the last several years, every SEC school outside Mississippi has more to be excited about than UT does. Maybe that’s one of the reasons Sporting News columnist Matt Hayes refers to the Vols as “stale.”
So how does UT freshen up?
Obvious answer: Win a conference championship for the first time since 1998.
Less obvious answer: With its incoming recruits.
Florida wouldn’t have won a national championship last season without freshmen Tebow and Percy Harvin. Tebow gave the Gators a much-needed short-yardage threat. Harvin, a wide receiver/tailback, gave them a long-yardage threat.
New players energized other SEC programs as well.
Georgia’s season took a turn for the better when freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford began to blossom late in the season. Transfer BenJarvus Green-Ellis gave Ole Miss a 1,000-yard rusher and freshman Dexter McCluster gave them a game-breaker as a kick returner and wide receiver until he suffered a season-ending injury with six games to play. Freshman tailback Keiland Williams upgraded LSU’s running game in the second half of the season.
Players like that provide more than an immediate impact. They provide long-term optimism. UT needs that. And this recruiting class has the potential to deliver it.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer has long ranked as one of the best recruiters in the country. This year’s class, a year after a 5-6 season, enhanced his reputation.
Not only did the Vols sign a highly rated class. They signed outstanding prospects at positions of need.
No position is more needy than wide receiver. So what do Fulmer and his staff do? They signed receivers Kenny O’Neal, rated as the No. 3 junior college prospect in the country by one recruiting service; Brent Vinson, a five-star recruit who played at Hargrave Military last season; and Gerald Jones, another potential playmaker.
The secondary is another position of need. Enter: Eric Berry, rated as the No. 1 cornerback in the country, and junior college star DeAngelo Willingham.
These are fast, athletic players who also could bolster UT’s return game. But most of all, they could add excitement to a program that needs rejuvenation.
And maybe help convince the national media that the Vols are still relevant.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.
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Comments » 21
GreerVol22 writes:
John, I happen to agree. Since '98 its been about getting by. With addition of coach Cut were at least back in a position to contend. Question is, did we wait too long and consequently let the other half of the SEC catch up? Finishing second or third in the East, and losing badly to Clemson, Maryland and PSU in bowl games will make you an irrelevant team in most any conference race discussion. More so than any in the past, it is an on notice year with Phil...win the East.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Nice article, John. I'll have to agree with what you said. I believe this recruiting class has 'excitement' written all over it and has a lot of athletic playmakers, not to mention the pick-ups in areas of need. Plus, several guys have potential to play a number of positions, so it will be a situation to find the best at each position and just work through the class and get them where they need to be on the field to provide the biggest impact. GO VOLS!!!
VolHooch14 writes:
Good read John. One note here however...the dismissal last week of the walk-on QB is symptomatic of the continuing annual discipline problems we have. (You wrote an excellent column last year that addressed the disparity in this issue).No question that we have a great deal of talent to have a great year, but the distractions have become a standard not an exception.
GO VOLS!
waterskier3#226480 writes:
Yeah I just think since hamilton gave phil 3 years to win a championship phil will start choking as the year gets worse and we'll go backwards. we have a very difficult schedule to go along a pivital year so not sure how we're going to respond..... If we lose to CA look out.. if we win we could lose one sec game and still be in atlanta.
LiveToRide writes:
Well done, John. I tend to agree about the state of our program. It is a bit stale and lacking any sort of excitement outside of recruiting. Unless we actually start making some noise on the field instead of off it, I suspect "stale" might lead to a bit of "apathy" about the Vols football team. With the excitement generated by and surrounding both the mens and womens basketball teams of late, the football program has been playing third fiddle in terms of the spotlight unless there's an off the field problem to discuss. Here's hoping to bigger and better things from PF and co. in the coming years.
vick3333 writes:
It is hard to believe that a sportswriter is a homer and in denial about the status of UT Football.
1. My niece could recruit a Top 10 class to UT
2. It's what you do when you get them there...see Robert Meachem (easily the #1 receiver in the U.S. when UT recruited him), Gerald Riggs, and Eric Ainge (stupid coaching decisions stunted his growth...how about the last play of the half against ND...after they took a knee the play before and he dislocates his shoulder!!!) and so many more. (however, thank god for David Cutcliffe)
3. If you believe that Fulmer is in the class of Spurrier, Saban, Meyer, etc...you should start writing for the Daily Beacon...no, no, that wouldn't work....they are actually realistic.
4. UT should be in the same discussion with Texas, USC, Fla, Ohio St, LSU.....perception is reality and reality is reality....UT is not in the same area code as those programs....Penn St????? 07 will be a very tough year. Maybe then reality sets in.
seaplane#216536 writes:
Stale adequately describes the football program the last few years. I feel it's directly related to the lack of big time players who could make things happen anytime they got near the ball. The Mannings', the Prices', the Al Lewis' that would have you on your feet whenever they were on the field. Yeah, Meachem did a good job for us last year, but it's been a long dry spell recently. Because of that, the games have lacked excitement, and that's not Tennessee football. Hopefully, this new recruiting class will have another Reggie White or Donte Stallworth so we don't have to go to sleep remembering the "good ole days."
seaplane#216536 writes:
Jawbreaker it's been so long since we've had any impact players I've already forgotten their names. I meant Al Wilson when I said Al Lewis, but he was a monster on defense.
wally writes:
Wow, this article is right on target. I have never been so unexcited about an upcoming football season. However, I can't wait for hoops. Our football program is sorely lacking in passion. It has definitely gone stale.
ellisonfamily writes:
The one concern I have is how often UT has taken top level talent and produced good teams...but not great teams. We currently have 42 players playing in the NFL - many of those are starters. We are one of the top teams in America in having players drafted. Yet...we have not won the SEC since 1998. It seems that national championship caliber players have been used for 10-11 wins and a halfway decent bowl record.
agentorange writes:
if you're not excited about football season, you're probably short in the pants and like to watch American Idol.
DSaVol writes:
So what's the debate? UT football has become stale and irrelevant. So what if they've "AVERAGED" 8+ wins the last 5 years? So have about 50 other teams. It's about contending for championships and ALMOST beating Florida, LSU, et al doesn't get it done. Go through the draft from 1995-2001 and from 2001-now and the drop-off in the quantity of kids getting drafted as well as the draft position is indicative that this program has NOT been getting the best players out there and since it's also obvious we don't have the best coaches, well, we are what the standings say we are - a middle of the road team that hopes for a Peach Bowl bid instead of an Outback. Thanks Phil!
Volfan1 writes:
Well, many of you may be lacking excitement for this season, but I'm ready. I can't tell you we will win 13 games, but I can tell you this is still better than Majors or Battle, which covers over TWO DECADES of mediocre football. I also know Adams has taken what was meant to be a shot from Matt Hayes at the Vols being "stale" and made it into his article. FYI, Matt Hayes wrote for the FLORIDA Times-Union in Jacksonville, FLORIDA before he went to the Sporting News. In other words, he is a GATOR HOMER, and didn't miss a chance to dis the Vols. So all of you naysayers have played right into the hands of this Gator lover.
andy112382#209793 writes:
vick3333 - very sad post. Please back your reasoning on why Fulmer doesn't belong in the same class as Spurrier, Bowden, etc because I could give you a long list of why he DOES belong in that group. Second, you are going to criticize those positive about UT football on not being realistic as you say your niece could recruit a top 10 class to UT?!?!? Seriously. And UT isn't in the same class as those schools you listed????? You REALLY do not know many statistics and facts apparently, like no other school in the past....think it was 20 years I do believe....has put more WRs in the NFL through the 1st and 2nd rounds than Tennessee, that HAS to say something about the recognition and elite status, not to mention the consistency your program has. I can list all the fact to back up what I have to say if you insist, I just see it as a waste of time in many cases since some just appear happier being down all the time (I really don't get how that work in peoples minds, but oh well!) Anywho, can't wait for football!!! GO VOLS!!!
AllVol writes:
I don't know exactly what has to happen to put our beloved Vols back in their rightful place, but I just don't see how losing Coach Fulmer (at this point, anyway) does anything more to help the program than it does to greatly damage it. I think Phil out-recruited everybody in the 90's, and now they have caught up. I honestly don't know if he can outcoach them or not. I am ready for football. GO VOLS!
DSaVol writes:
llowry - READ YOUR OWN POST! "...this is still better than Majors or Battle." While it may be true, if that is your argument you MAKE the case in one statement! Sorry pal but there are a whole bunch of us (and the number is rapidly growing) that want and expect MORE than "better than Majors or Battle." It hasn't been happening for at least 5 years and there is absolutely NO reason (other than totally blind fandom) to believe it will happen this year either. But you can keep being happy if you like and keep attacking the writers who speak the unwanted truth.
Volfan1 writes:
DSaVol. Check back in December and we'll see who is right. And you keep feeding the Gator-loving Matt Hayes type writers with the idea that we haven't accomplished anything better than Ole Miss for the past ten years. They love to hear that from Vol "fans".
I will agree that we should do better, we haven't been a top 5 team in the last 5 years, and I desire more wins. But I am old enough to remember horribly inconsistent seasons to appreciate what we DO have and what we HAVE accomplished. We WON'T win every game every year and anyone who puts that kind of pressure on these kids & coaches is an unrealistic moron. And that is exactly what some "fans" do. Are you ready to dump Fulmer and sell your soul for a Nick Saban?
I feel sorry for you that, in your words, you have NO reason to expect better this season. Will we be the NC? Probably not. Do I have hope that every game on our schedule is winnable? Indeed I do. I didn't say we would win them all, but that they are all winnable. We are in a small number of colleges who can make that claim.
Go ahead and live in the doldrums with those who are never satisfied. Or as Coach Majors called them, "The legions of the miserable." I choose to look at the glass half-full, instead of empty. Go Vols!
lurch3461#661475 writes:
The football program may have fallen of a little but how do you say a consensus top-25 team is "stale"? Also if you look at the athletic program as a whole only one team failed to reach the post season (baseball). So there for I wouldn't just say the athletic program isn't stale, I say the are one of the counries elite.
DarthVol writes:
We're not stale or irrelevant imo. We may not win a championship but we'll probably have a say in who does. But the article does point out that while we think locally, the media thinks nationally. We've become an afterthought because we just haven't proven that we can get it done when it's on the line lately. I don't know how much mileage we can get from a championship that's 9 years old anymore. The problem is that after 14 seasons people know what you've got with Fulmer. He should be proud of his longevity in this league (it's proven that it's hard to come by). But at the same time, he is what he is. You shouldn't need 1 or 2 more seasons to figure out if he's still the coach for UT. If you think he is then you have the numbers to back you up. If you don't...you have the numbers to back your argument up as well. Imo, at this point in his career I believe he is as capable of winning another conference championship as he is of having another losing season. It's tough being good when you want to be great.
Colliervol writes:
llowry, not sure if you were on the old pay site or not since some names may have changed. But, if you weren't, relax. You'll get used to DSA and some of the other nattering nabobs of negativity. Most of us (the old crew) simply don't pay attention anymore as we have better things to cuss and discuss. (They've beaten the Fulmer "dead horse" until there is no corpse left.) Yes, they could have done better since 2001 and, yes, I expect better starting this year. Most of our reasonable fans gave him the benefit of the doubt that 2005 was an aberration and things would improve. I agree with Darth on his assessment for the most part. Last year was a step in the right direction and now they get to put up or shut up. And besides, Phil ain't going anywhere until a select group of boosters decides anyway so I choose not to waste my time any longer wondering about it. But since DSA is a well-known Majors fan, he just likes to take shots at Fulmer anytime he can. Huge waste of time but, hey, whatever gets him through the night.
Volfan1 writes:
Colliervol, Thanks! I visited every day under the old format, but rarely commented. I just couldn't let that DSA Gator-feeding junk slide. I agree with you 100%. BTW, with you saying DSA is a Majors man, I suppose he got nailed by his own medicine & couldn't respond to the "Legions of the Miserable" quote Majors used.
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