Posted by GreerVol22 on April 11, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, so thats why he had all those interceptions in scrimmage. Seriously, tough luck, get well soon.

Posted by hiresanders on April 11, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Kid has hardly played and he's already showing signs of being injury prone. This is the same surgery J Clausen had last spring that he never got over until after the season.

Posted by nivatne on April 11, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why does it seem all of our starters are haveing surgery now? This is a very auspicious start to football....get well soon so we can win some games!!!

Posted by jimr07 on April 11, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this is truly disturbing why can't we keep our players healthy? we seem to have more than our share of injuries. at least we can see what the other two can do now.

Posted by GreerVol22 on April 11, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

by the way, remember a QB named Ainge? Since the Cal game, he played with a busted shoulder if I remember correctly, and was still better than Crompton at full strength. Hmmm, like jimr07, I hope these other two start showing out.

Posted by alfrizzle097 on April 11, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Let the coaches worry about it...
Crompton is supposed to be back by the start of summer workouts. Regardless, he has been with the team four years now. With the new system the mental aspect is more important for him than the physical. Just work twice as hard on learning the offense.

Posted by BOASoldier on April 11, 2008 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought Ainge had a broken pinky finger during and after the Cal game. I thought it was the Notredame game a few years back that messed up his shoulder and took away his confidence that led to him getting rid of the football as soon as it touched his hands as not to get hit. I don't consider it toughness when you lose it every time adversity hits you at the end of a game, and you start throwing insane passes.... SEE TN vs. LSU when ainge was playing.

Posted by qwerty6969 on April 11, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

<<why can't we keep our players healthy?>>

Some very knowledgeble people would suggest that it has something to do with UT's strength/conditioning methods and philosophy. While UT's lifting style is very explosive (good for most positions), it is also very stochastic (not good for any position.) This is terrible for shoulders and elbows, especially on big guys. Crompton isn't a big guy, but given his strength, he probably tries to lift like one.

Posted by jplummartin on April 11, 2008 at 8:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

qwerty6969, I am right there with you on our strength program. Our tean has been manhandled many times and been injury prone since Stucky has been gone. That is one coaching position that needs a change in the worst way.

Posted by vscebail on April 11, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Uh-oh, Here goes the injury bug again... Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Al Wilson --- Oh, that's right - those guys all won a national championship!

Posted by volroadwarrior on April 11, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's Fulmer's fault!!!!

Posted by orangebloodgmc on April 11, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Y'all overreact. We know football is a contact sport, injuries happen, people get over them and move forward, as will Crompton.

Posted by tenndave on April 11, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Has anyone posted that his interceptions this spring may be because of the D he is facing rather than bad throws. I don't know about you but Moreley and Berry in the same secondary is scary.

Posted by Gigavol on April 11, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

He is a tough guy to play through this during Spring Practice! Crompton is DA FUTURE!

Posted by waterskier3 on April 11, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

well good or bad he is what we have.... i'm not sure how he will perform because i was unimpressed in the games he played but more reps means more exp which should show on the field.... I just hope for once our coaches got his talent correct when they recruited him....... we will need an upgrade at QB to have any chance at a BCS bowl... ainge choked and was soft..

GO VOLS!!!

Posted by GerryOP on April 11, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Some of you guys need to grow up and get a life. Like orangebloodgmc said, football is a contact sport, injuries happen...

Posted by sjt18 on April 11, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is more than likely not a contact injury.

Baseball pitchers have similar problems then go on to pitch for years after.

Let it become a "major" problem before trying to make it into one.

BTW, nowhere including here has anyone used this as an excuse for interceptions or anything else.

Posted by adamsck on April 11, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is not the injury Clausen had.

Posted by pdhuff on April 11, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Time marches on. We may have a red-headed signal caller. Is there another Cooter lurking to lead us to the heights the General refers to?

Methinks Lady Luck is stroking her chin deciding now what fate awaits us in 140 or so days. It will be interesting. Good luck, Crompton, with the surgery.

All is well.

Posted by TurboFan on April 11, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wasn't Jamal Lewis on the sidelines with a knee injury the year we won the NC?

Unlike the Cutcliffe years, I don't think Clawson needs a super high quality QB to make his offense go.

Posted by VOLS85 on April 11, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

An aside, but Mike Hamilton is on the money hungry move again. In an article released in the Daily Beacon today, it has been stated that students will be required to pay for football tickets next year.

A $90 charge for 7 games has been levied without the consultation of SGA or any other governing body. They have not removed the built in student activity fee, which was the athletic department's charge that's included in tuition, allowing students to enter games for free.

Sketchy behind the back move at best...

Posted by sg23 on April 11, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i heard sportswriter J. Adams let the air out of the football and caused the interceptions

Posted by sjt18 on April 11, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Jimmy Clausen didn't just stink because he had an injury. He was vastly overrated. He was surrounded by D1 prospects his whole HS career. He wasn't even the best player on his team (the RB was) much less the best player in the country.

Posted by sjt18 on April 11, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

waterskier3 said: "I just hope for once our coaches got his talent correct when they recruited him"

"for once"? Yeah... because they whiff so often in evaluating talent... give us a break! You can't even say something nice without some kind of negative jab.

Did they miss on Rogan, Berry, Parker, Mayo, and hundreds of other players?

Posted by utchris2003 on April 11, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There is absolutely no merit to blame the Strength and Conditioning Staff for these injuries. Coach Long knows what he is doing (he learned from Stucky after all) and is very well respected within the profession.

The injury that Crompton has is a wear and tear type injury. It is not due to a contact play or due to something in the weight room. It is a simple surgery and with our excellent Training Staff, JC will be healthy by summer. He wont be able to throw for a while, but that will not limit him from studying the playbook and learning the offense.

Posted by FWBVol on April 11, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Evaluating high school talent is one of the toughest things for a coach to do. It's easy for some recruiting talking head to give a guy 4 or 5 stars when he doesn't have to win games with the kid, but it's another thing for Phillip Fulmer or any other head coach to evaluate how a kid fits into the system.

Go back 5 or 10 years and look at the top 100 recruits in the country and in any given year 30-50 of them never live up to the hype. Some are complete bust and others just have average careers.

Some kids were never injured in high school, and didn't learn how to deal with things. When the get to college they have their first injury and it gets in their minds and they become injury prone.

I believe Crompton's a tough guy. I think he can play quarterback for us. I give the young man credit for sticking it out behind Ainge. There are some guys that would have transfered. Crompton waited his turn and now this is his team. I believe he'll get the elbow cleaned up and do just fine.

Posted by qwerty6969 on April 11, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

UTChris sounds like an insider. Perhaps I struck a chord. Remember (at least one reason) why Coach Long never played football after high school. He was injured.

Re: money-hungry Hamilton...most of the revenue that football generates is NOT spent on the football program. Surprised? I won't get into the breakdown of how much is spent on each sport, because I don't want to start an argument between supporters of various sports. But (almost?) none of that additional $90 from the students is going into the football program.

The expenses of many of the non-revenue sports (excuse me, "Olympic sports") are increasing at a much faster rate than those of football. Football is the only business unit over there that produces any meaningful profit. As a result, if you want to pay the huge increase in operating expenses for a new swimming facility, you have to increase the price of football tickets, either directly, by increasing the face ticket price, or indirectly, by increasing donor minimums.

I'm not picking on the new swimming building, you can insert the name of almost any sport. There are also a number of very predictable significant operating cost increases that I see in the very near future. These cost increases will be in sports that either generate no revenues or operating surplus. These increased costs will have to be funded from football.

My point is this: every time you get upset about an increase in football ticket prices, don't get upset about the expenses of the football program. Football covers its own expenses by almost a factor of three. Look around campus and see new athletic buildings; increasingly higher paid (non-football) coaches; and a growing administrative staff.

There is only one golden goose that can pay for those things.

Posted by VOLS85 on April 11, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If I do recall, our men's basketball program found a way to sell out more games this year than ever. Are we not generating revenue there? Why is it that UT students go from paying nothing to paying above average for tickets.

I think some people are forgetting that students are not the highest revenue generating part of the population. They are, however, the ones who are encouraged to donate to the athletic department after graduation, just to get on the list to buy season tickets. Now how are those students encouraged to pay for tickets in the future, when they cannot enjoy the experience as a student?

Fees are as such for our competitors:

Florida: $70 a season
Georgia: $48 a season
LSU: $84 a season
South Carolina/Vandy: Free

Also, none of these students, to my knowledge, pay an activities fee that goes towards student tickets (UT students still have to pay that fee). Forget the fact that we have the largest attendance of any school in the conference in football, and second in men's basketball.

I think this really takes away from our experience as students, and as workinlikeheck stated (though I don't usually agree with him, i do this time), we're going to have really light attendance as a result for the lower tier games, a la kentucky, vandy, wyoming, etc...

Posted by VOLS85 on April 11, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Also, I am not upset about the football team's expenses, I am fully aware that this goes to all of the athletic department, I'm just upset that a privilege has been taken away without consultation that really adds to the experience of being a student at The University of Tennessee.

Posted by FLAVOLS on April 11, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

That would be an outright slap in the face of current UT students if the Athletic dept. were to begin charging them to attend games. Is the University of Tennessee Athletic Department struggling to get by so much that they have to do this? Now the student activity fee is for what?

Posted by spam247buster on April 11, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Vol85-- the student attendance at the lower tier games is pretty poor anyway. While I disagree with many of the decisions made by AD Mike "Hamiltons and Franklins", this one could actually work out better for attendance, by making those unused student tickets available to the general public much earlier.

Posted by TommyJack on April 11, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The sky is not falling. No need to fire the muscle coach. Elbow chips are common with athletes that make thousands of throws (see major league baseball). John Smoltz has had 711 chips removed from elbow and can still bring it in the 90's. Sometimes fate is the culprit. Some of you mopes want to find a goat to bbq.
Crompton should be fine. If not, there are 2 other guys that show promise.
At least The Claw is not bound by promises to parents, uncles, etc as to whom he will play.
Selah

Posted by VOLS85 on April 11, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Spam - I just want to point out that the loudest part of the stadium can be found, where else, but the student section. This is about the experience, and many students will not have that luxury now, and I think it's a shame. There is a large outrage on campus today about this situation, because it has not once been discussed with the students how we could reach an alternative. I feel bad that others won't be able to experience what I did as a student...

Posted by givehim6 on April 11, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good news in coming new players, you might get a chance to be a starter! Never mind you are a back-up, just give it some time those starters will go down in due time. We might want to use that as a recruiting tool. ( a sad HAHA ) Get well soon guys.

Posted by KingsportVol on April 11, 2008 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen TJ.You did not come out and say it but I will. Crompton should have played over candy ass last year.I disagree with some that say he didn't because Ainge was a more talented QB.IMO there was more involved than talent.Crompton will prove alot of people wrong this season.At least the Athletic Department will save money on all the balls Crompton won't be launching in the stands when someone gets within 5 yards of him.

Posted by beachvol on April 11, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Given the high cost of college, I can't see an optional $90 fee for 7 games as that significant. Compared to the cost of a regular ticket, I'd say the activites fee is still discounting it tremendously.

I checked UF real fast, and there is definitely an activities fee. It's $8.16/credit hr., which would be almost $200 for a student taking 24 hrs. two semesters. As far as Florida's $70 fee (which will likely be higher this year), I know there is a student lottery to see which students will even have the opportunity to buy those tickets.

I'd rather see the $90 charged to students who want to go to the games rather than increasing tuition or the activity fee for all students.

Posted by objk1 on April 11, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

check this out
http://tennessee-volunteers.blogspot....

Posted by pdhuff on April 11, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, did TDTN promise Dupree he could play last year?

Did Clawson take down the "Stay the Course" sign in his Office?

Are $$$$$$ needed to fix the roof at Stokely?

Posted by Volchaz on April 11, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Coleman was going to overtake the starting spot after the spring game anyways. Crompton will get healthy, and make an excellent backup to B.J. for the next two years..

Posted by TommyJack on April 11, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kingsport: Exactly. For any good he did here, I can never forget that he allowed an INJURED Ainge to keep "leading" that team. I'm not even convinced that a healthy Ainge would have been the solution, but to keep JC on the bench was unforgivable IMO. Ainge family must have had some good poloroids....never mind.

PD: Lest I be way wrong about Clawson, the sign is down.

Posted by sjt18 on April 11, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Had Cut stayed, Coleman more than likely would have started.

Coleman and Stephens have been taking snaps almost exclusively with the 2nd and 3rd OL's. Crompton has worked almost exclusively with the 1st team OL. They've shuffled the skill players around to evaluate them... IOW's, they are using JC to help evaluate the WR's... interpretation- he's not being evaluated for his position on the depth chart. Coleman and Stephens are basically competing to see who #2 is.

I've heard that Stephens may be winning that battle.

IMHO, there's more chance that Coleman will transfer because of the depth chart next year than that he'll start this year without an injury... or two.

Posted by THE_VOL on April 11, 2008 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

EXCUSES! EXCUSES! EXCUSES! They're already starting! The Perfect Storm II is brewing again! This program is a joke and Crompton will never be a significant factor!

Posted by jimr07 on April 11, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THE_VOL--why am i not surprised at your vicious and negative comments. not a down has been played and you are already spreading the doom and gloom. why can't you find a florida or georgia blog to trash the vols. you are THE_JOKE

Posted by wagee12 on April 11, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Distinct possibility that elbow injury could be after effect of shoulder shoulder which caused altered throwing motion for some time. I think that BJ Coleman will be the better quarterback anyway!

Posted by GerryOP on April 11, 2008 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

QB story:

http://tennessee.scout.com/2/745258.html

Posted by pdhuff on April 11, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Doldrums having terrible time with settling this program down. They keep trying. Maybe no more news will pop up to settle or rile the faithful.

Ready for spring here on the farm.

Posted by GerryOP on April 11, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey pd, it's hard to keep a good faithful down. Seems like there's always something to arg ... er ... debate about.

Spring a little late in your neck of the woods?

Posted by invisiblekid on April 11, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Did I misread your post or did you say something about bbq goat fritters TommyJack?

Posted by invisiblekid on April 11, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kidding around aside, this surgery with Crompton doesn't sound like a major issue. As far as who takes snap #1 at UCLA, I still expect it will be Crompton. If the CEO's comments are to be taken at face value, then Stephens and Coleman still have work to do.

"Jonathan had good command of the scrimmage, the clock and huddle … The other two quarterbacks are just learning," Fulmer said of sophomore Nick Stephens and redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman. "They're a work in progress right now."

Interesting write-up on Nick Stephens GerryP, thanks for the link.

Posted by General_Watermelon on April 11, 2008 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DOUBLE DANG

Posted by General_Watermelon on April 11, 2008 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dupree may still be available. As soon as the Blue Light special is over, I plan to start recruiting him again. If he can throw a pigskin as fast as he can throw a fritter down, then we are good to go.

Posted by WestTennVol on April 11, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Alot of people on here should remember two years ago when Crompton came in to replace Ainge, who had an ankle injury, and almost beat a VERY good LSU secondary complete with Laron Landry and all their excellent seniors from this year,who will be playin pro-ball very soon. If not for two HORRIBLE 'no-holding' calls we in fact would have won the game...this was a Crompton with no starts and two less years of experience who came out and played a very toughed hard-nosed game. What it boils down to is NEW OFFENSE vs. John Chavis defence with renewed attitude (al la the secondary) Crompton has a gamer attitude and natural ability, please don't nay say until they have plenty of time to get comfortable...

Posted by cdldoc on April 11, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We still got THE GUN.

Posted by pdhuff on April 11, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gen F - poster may roil and rail but a good fritter always brings a smile. Wonder how long it will take glazed to make a comeback?

GerryOP, we've had enuf rain to make me start back on the ark plans. A little bird told me that this fall will be volatile. Kind remarks among the faithful will be volant. Hatches will be battened down.

Posted by GerryOP on April 11, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pd, I suspect you are right -- volatile indeed. I predict that by 10/1 lines will be drawn, sides will be formed, and the bandwagon will be looking for passengers. Between a green QB, a new offense, and a lack of D-behemoths defending our honor, it could be a tad ugly. Hope not, but...

RE: The Ark -- don't forget the unicorns

Posted by TommyJack on April 11, 2008 at 5:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kid: Never had a bad fritter.

Posted by Plasticman on April 11, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WestTennVol, I agree with you. Crompton is a tough , hard nosed kid that isn't afraid to take a hit. I think he will be fine. Coleman and Stephens can battle for 2nd team and will still have 2 years after Crompton graduates.

Posted by givim6 on April 11, 2008 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WestTennVol, Plasticman:

Ditto!

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 11, 2008 at 7:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Question(not meant to be criticism): Is the rash of injuries to our top players due to the speed of play, poor conditioning, the wrong conditioning, not giving student-atheletes time to heal, or something I didn't mention. Seems like we've had more than our fair share to our top student-atheletes recently...Schaeffer, multiple-Ainge, Meachem, Mayo, Foster, Poole, McNeil, Vinson, Karl, etc.

Posted by TommyJack on April 11, 2008 at 8:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RJ_: Don't have stats, but I suspect we're within the norm with other programs.

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 11, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TommyJack. I follow the Vols(obviously) more closely and I indeed may have a skewed view to this. However, IMHO we just seem to lose our star players earlier in the season. But you're right, we need stats in order to justify this one way or another. As I think about it, our schedule is front-loaded with more tough games which may contribute to losing players early and cause more chronic injuries. Plus, it's not like these guys are taking ballet lessons! They're having a car wreck with every hit. That might have something to do with it as well.

Posted by pdhuff on April 11, 2008 at 9:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ 8:43- Could you explain in less than 1000 words exactly what the norm is for this program?

Has it shifted from could and did to should and "get 'em next year"?

Posted by cdldoc on April 11, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Is Eric Berry tearing up this offensive team and injuring anyone who can touch the ball?

Posted by mikes70gto on April 11, 2008 at 9:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Everone and I mean EVERONE can forget Coleman or Stephens being the starter,AINT GONNA HAPPEN unless injuries take control.This O is designed for multiple looks for mutiple play-makers with the q.b. making quick reads before the D reacts. Crompton will be better than many "on here" will EVER give credit for,with time under Clawson could and WILL do better this year just like a Manning done with more attention paid by Cutt !!!!

Posted by mikes70gto on April 11, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ooops...EverYone....

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 11, 2008 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff. Respectfully, TJ is responding to the number of injuries on the field, not the state of the program.

Posted by pdhuff on April 12, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

aww, RJ Vol - ol' TJ will respond as soon as he has his steak and eggs in Boerne. He has an acute insight into the flow of the Vols.

And fritters.

Posted by TommyJack on April 12, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: The norm aparently is: Beat FL every 4-5 yrs.
Beat AL occasionally (not a big rival anymore!)
Have barnburners with Vandy and KY (what with parity and all) Escape defeat from lesser foes via Divine Intervention). Ignore needs of DL since DC "doesn't like to recruit".
From Burney, to Cookevegas, and all across the fruited plain, let mediocrity ring.

Posted by pdhuff on April 12, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ- the board realistista's salute you. However some may have slammed their kool-aid down at such effrontery and impudence. Where is your "next year" tee shirt? You should be on # 10.

Forshame, sir, to suggest that we are muddling along with the Wake Forrest. Boston College and Clemson ilks.

Wax the kevlar. All are welcome.

PS- You didn't even mention winning the SEC. LOL

Posted by TommyJack on April 12, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: Kevlar w/ceramic donned. Oh yeah, SEC title every 4-5 yrs. per the Hugger. Aim for the moon. Shoot for the stars. lol. Or as Adrian Monk says, "lol out loud"

Posted by philfan on April 12, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Those of you who would hope for a spread offense, like that at Florida or Auburn, had better think twice. Removing a loose particle from an elbow that has been overstressed by too much wear and tear is one thing. Continuously placing the quarterback in a position of having to scramble for yards is another proposition. I think Tebow is a fine person but he is not Superman. Last year he had an injured hand and shoulder. It is just a matter of time before he is seriously injured and will not be worth a plug nickel to the Gators, not to mention the pain and suffering Tebow himself will have to endure. The spread offense hopefully will go the way of the Model T and, as far as I am concerned, the sooner the better.

Posted by philfan on April 12, 2008 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Tommy Jack,

Your information is incorrect. Fulmer's record against Alabama is 11-4-1. Our record against Florida, overall, is 16-14. We have a respectable record against Florida since the year 2000. It is 4-5, with the Gators holding the edge. We have beaten Kentucky 23 years in a row. They occasionally play us tight. Tennessee has a winning record against every current SEC team, as far as overall records are concerned, except for Auburn and Aabama. Fulmer owns Spurrier since he has been at South Carolina. Someone back me up here. Before you get on this board and talk nonsense, you need to read a book or something and get your facts straight. Otherwise, you look foolish.

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 12, 2008 at 9:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just an average eleven years, huh?

Since 1997: SEC East Champs in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004*, 2007* (6 out of the last 11 seasons), 2 SEC titles, 4 SEC title games, 1 National Championship, CPF winning percentage .769 (third all time only behind Barnhill and Neyland), CPF 146 wins (second only to Neyland), 15 All Americas, Asst. Coach of the Yr. 2006 (Chavis), 1 Outland Tropy winner 2000 (Henderson), Home Depot Coach of the Year 1998 (Fulmer), Johnny U. Award 1997 (Manning), Maxwell 1997 (Manning), O'Brien 1997 (Manning), 9 New Years' Day Bowl games, victories of many programs (@ Miami, Notre Dame, @ Florida x 2 for the first times in forever, Michigan, Georgia last year who finished #2 in country, California, Florida State, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Alabama multiple times, etc.)

Rhetorical question: What team has had more success during the past eleven years in the SEC East, agruably the toughest division in NCAA football? It's us, respectfully.

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 12, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry, 5 SEC title games.

Posted by RJ_Vol on April 12, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Add... 12 out of 15 years finishing in the top 25(AP) including 6 "top ten" finishes and 3 "top five" finishes. Last year we finished #12 after winning the SEC East and defeating Wisonsin in the Outback Bowl. This all happened in the dawing age of "parity" in college football.

I might add that I was born around 1970. The only Tennessee success I could remember was a Bluebonnet Bowl loss to Purdue until I was ten. Yes, I was too young to remember the early 70's success and we were good then I realize...then lost our coach to Florida. We didn't beat Alabama until I was ten. As for the CPF era, I'm still looking for a more storied fifteen years in Tennessee football outside of the Neyland era.