You can learn a lot about college football from Tennessee senior centers Josh McNeil and Cody Sullins.
You can learn that it's a game of adjustments, perseverance and attrition. You can learn that it doesn't necessarily end the way it started.
Sullins became a starter this week. McNeil's career is in doubt following exploratory surgery.
That's not what anybody had in mind in 2005 when both enrolled at UT - McNeil as a highly recruited high school All-American, Sullins as a walk-on.
Both were redshirted, but for altogether different reasons. McNeil had surgery to repair an injured shoulder. Sullins had to begin the mountainous climb that every walk-on undertakes.
A year later: McNeil made freshman All-American; Sullins made the travel squad.
Two years later: McNeil extended his starting streak to 23 games; Sullins played in three games.
Three years later: McNeil's streak reached 35 games; Sullins played in two games.
So it went for four years: the high school All-American starting, the walk-on hanging on.
At the end of the fourth season - despite all the change and turmoil it produced - there was still no reason to suspect it would change the order of things in the middle of the UT offensive line.
On the periphery of UT football, the old order prevailed. McNeil made the All-SEC second team in preseason. But inside UT football, the old order was being challenged by new head coach Lane Kiffin.
Former UT coach Phillip Fulmer was all about seniority and loyalty. Kiffin and his staff are all about performance.
The McNeil-Sullins competition for the starting center position became a metaphor for the change in philosophies. Seniority no longer mattered. Neither did the last year or the last three years.
Sullins didn't win the competition in the spring or just last week. He won it over the last four years when he ignored the odds practice after practice and season after season.
He practiced what Woody Allen preached: "80 percent of success is showing up." Sullins kept showing up, kept grinding it out.
He was rewarded with a scholarship first, and a first-team promotion later. His family, including twin brother and teammate Cory, and friends can revel in those rewards more than he can. When you have been climbing uphill as long as Cody, you don't stop to take a bow. You keep grinding.
College football has been a grind for McNeil, too.
A shoulder betrayed him before the knee did. And it wasn't as though he had shoulder surgery as a freshman and was good to go for the rest of his career. He missed a year of weight lifting and conditioning. He missed an opportunity to put another layer of armor between him and the SEC competition.
Despite the 35 consecutive starts, he never looked the part. He didn't have the upper body of your typical offensive lineman and was light by SEC standards.
Under the old regime, in less demanding spring and preseason practices, maybe McNeil could have made it to the season opener with his status on the depth chart intact. But Camp Kiffin didn't allow for that.
The camp hasn't been easy for anyone. It has been even harder for someone who didn't know if his knees could carry him through the next drill.
McNeil could be out a month, or he could be out for good. But either way, the starting streak is over.
And Sullins' streak - four years in the making - is just beginning.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 29
Greer_Vol_22 writes:
blatant irony
smashmouth98 writes:
I hope Josh can come back & play this season.
Laydbakvol writes:
OL is hard on the knees. Wish McNeil the best. On a side note. Has anybody seen how E. Berry has been during these scrimmages? We hear a lot about the big plays of the freshmen and QBs but not much from our Heisman candidate.
VOLuptuous writes:
What a truely classless article to appear right above the announcement of this young man's surgery and the implications it might have on his career. John, I have hung with you on some articles, but this is truely the lowest of the low. You represent all that is wrong with journalism today. I am truely ashamed that you are the editor of sports for KNS. I am glad for Sullins that he is going to get his shot, but to essentially bash a UT player who truely did give his all (his body) for UT is above and beyond classless. You should be fired on the spot for this drivel.
EHSvols23 writes:
I have to agree with VOLuptuous on this one. It's one thing to congragulate Sullins on his effort. It's a "Rudy" story for sure. However, Josh McNeil didn't have the job because him and Fulmer with pals, he earned it. He didn't just make All-American and All-SEC lists because he was a highly touted recruit, he worked his tail off for that. I take nothing from Josh McNeil. If he is done, then that is life. He was a great player for UT and I hope he will cherish his time as a VOL. As for Cody Sullins, congrats to the young man, but let's not make take away from McNeil. A classless piece Adams, next time, have a little more taste and sense of timing when you write your garbage.
secsecsec writes:
Even though he likes to stir the pot, I usually find humor in Mr. Adams' articles. But I can't figure this one out. This article almost reads as if Adams believes that McNeil was only a starter because Phil Fulmer was playing favorites. But yet, Mr. Adams contradicts that argument by acknowledging that other members of the SEC (either coaches and/or the press) must have also recognized that McNeil was a great center because McNeil was yearly awarded pre and post season awards.
The most startling part of the article to me was this sentence: "Despite the 35 consecutive starts, he never looked the part. He didn't have the upper body of your typical offensive lineman and was light by SEC standards." If that is so- then the young man deserves more praise for his outstanding play- to be "undersized" but still an all SEC performer- demonstrates to me that the the young man had a lot of heart and bled Tennessee Orange.
Wow, this is an article that I cannot figure out at all. It just seems mean spirited. And I am sure that wasn't Mr. Adam's intent- but it sure seems as if he had an "axe to grind" with McNeil.
bluetick writes:
I agree about the bad timing on the article regarding starting over McNeil due to his surgery, but do agree with the whole idea of using the BEST player for the position and NOT seniority only.
secsecsec writes:
Mr. Adams begins his article with this sentence:
"You can learn a lot about college football from Tennessee senior centers Josh McNeil and Cody Sullins."
It should be rewritten to:
"You can learn a lot about a college football writer when he writes a denigrating article that questions the worth of a young man's football career just as that young man is on the eve of going under a surgeon's knife that may end that career forever."
nmbr1vol writes:
Adams - when was the last time that you wrote an article that the vast majority of the readers weren't calling for your head? You're pitifull, shamefull and worthless drivel... GO AWAY! Do not pass go and collect $200, just GO AWAY!!!!
nmbr1vol writes:
What do people think about starting a petition to get this corrected (i.e. Adams out!). ...perhaps through the UT Alum group on LinkedIn? I'm sure that other media outlets (Rivals, ESPN, etc) will pick up on it and report it whether KNS wants to ackowledge it or not.
I think that it's high time that we have some sports writers in this community that demonstrate some class/respect and report on our program with a glass that's half full!
I've had enough of this garbage!
Volinsider writes:
It's nothing more than John Adams being a big nerd who never played a down of football in his life. He's like the movie critics who can't write, act, direct or produce anything for cinema, but highly criticize those who do. Ferret face!
OrangeAppeal writes:
Classless
knoxvol98 writes:
you know what would be funny? adams trying to get an interview with any offensive lineman after this
tennezz writes:
Blah! Blah! Blah!
junder13 writes:
What's wrong w/ you people?!?!? Seriously?!?!
This is a great article. It's talking about two completely different players on different paths and how their roles have reversed. Adams didn't do anything to contribute to how things have played out. He's simply reporting it. It's a great perspective. An unheralded walk-on who comes to UT to play the same position as the #1 recruit in the country 4 years ago and then is on the verge of starting his first collegiant game as a fifth-year senior! What remarkable perseverence! And you can't really tell the story w/o including the unfortunate (potentially tragic) injury-ridden career of McNeil--that #1 recruit who started 35 consecutive games and seemed destined to make it 47.
It's a really great story for Sullins and very sad for McNeil but no one knows how it will end and it could change completely again later this season. Who knows. That's all he's saying. Chill out, nutjobs!
tnqball writes:
Well put Junder!!!
GOBIGO72 writes:
I agree - this is life. One person's misfortune turning into someone else's opportunity.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
How in the WORLD could you have interpreted that article as a slam on Josh!!! All it said was that he had battled injuries all through his career, hung on despite being underweight and hobbled by injuries, and just kept coming back for more. We ALL knew he was light for the position, but few of us knew just how bad his injuries were. The point about how he was treated by the previous staff simply meant, IMHO, that PERHAPS he could have survived even WITH all the injuries because of the relatively more laid-back practice regimen of ex-CPF and staff and would not have been pushed out of his starting position by a walk-on. To me, the article said that Josh had given all he had to give, but the string just may have run out. Your reaction to the article seems to be like that of so many on here whose brains just freeze up when they see the name "Adams" on an article and are thus completely unable to put any but the worst possible spin on anything he writes. Sheesh!
marinevol writes:
Mr. Adams, for the past 2 years you have made your central theme very clear to all of us: you don't like Phil Fulmer. OK, we get it. But to imply that the only reason that Josh McNeil was a starter for the last 3 years is that Coach Fulmer "was all about seniority..." is ludicrous and just plain stupid. He started as a freshman, what kind of seniority system is that. Then you go on to imply that Sullins is starting ahead of McNeil because, unlike Fulmer, "Kiffin and his staff are all about performance." Sullins is starting ahead of pre-season All American Josh McNeil because McNeil is injured and had knee surgery, which may end his career. Again, everyone is aware of your childish hatred for Phil Fulmer, but he's gone now. Is this hatred going to continue to cloud every column you write for the rest of your career? To the extent that you would even diminish the contributions of one of the best players we have had the past few years? I think it's time for you to move on, and grow up.
rockytopatl writes:
Well put, Junder. Some of our so-called fans seem to have a major reading comprehension problem. Football is a game of ironies and ups and downs. Anytime Adams looks at a down, he's a demon. I've said this before, but our fans who don't understand what sportswriting is supposed to be should limit their reading to the UT Sports Information site.
GerryOP writes:
Good article JA. Don't see that he is denigrating Josh in any way. Nice personal interest perspective on what is going on with UT football and the radical change of coaching philosophy.
9 -- Fear The Kiffin...
VOLuptuous writes:
You assuming that I am a John Adams mindless hater is way off base. I have supported many of his articles, and sit somewhere in the middle in my opinion on him. Having just read the article prior about Josh having surgery and potentially being out for the rest of his career, I found the timing of this article to be poor at best. But to say he wasn't bashing Josh is off base as well. I think this says it all,
"Despite the 35 consecutive starts, he never looked the part. He didn't have the upper body of your typical offensive lineman and was light by SEC standards.
McNeil could be out a month, or he could be out for good. But either way, the starting streak is over."
Comments like these are just inappropriate when talking about young men who are giving their all, including their bodies, while representing our great university. Maybe you and others read it differently, but, then again, we are all entitled to our opinions. I just don't go onto assume that because mine is different from yours that your mind "freezes up". SHEESH!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, to be clear, I didn't say YOUR mind "freezes up", I said your reaction was LIKE that of those whose minds seem to HAVE frozen. As for the quote in the middle of your comment, what Adams seemed to be saying, to me, is that DESPITE the shortcomings of weight and health, all of which have been extensively commented on by posters on this site and documented by many competent observers, Josh continued to battle and was rewarded with a long starting streak and being placed on several all-star teams in his career. Now injuries MAY have finally brought all that to an end.
As to everyone being entitled to their own opinions, I agree completely. Maybe I read more into your comment than was there. For myself, sometimes I agree with Adams and sometimes I don't. However, if you have been on this board for any length of time, you have seen that some posters on here will NEVER be satisfied with ANYTHING Adams writes, whether or not they actually read the article in question. If I erroneously put you in that category, I apologize.
richvol writes:
Agreed...I am no fan of Adams but Josh did all he could until he body gave out. Unfortunate situation but I am glad to see the Sullins boy get his chance.
GhostofRobertNeyland writes:
Revenge of the Nerds - starring Woody Allen as John Adams.
dma38256#264746 writes:
Couldn't agree more....
dvols writes:
sometimes you feel like a nut....sometimes you don't
i want to know what the qb's think...to heck with what john adams thinks...
marinevol writes:
"Former UT coach Phillip Fulmer was all about seniority and loyalty. Kiffin and his staff are all about performance.
The McNeil-Sullins competition for the starting center position became a metaphor for the change in philosophies. Seniority no longer mattered. Neither did the last year or the last three years.
Sullins didn't win the competition in the spring or just last week. He won it over the last four years when he ignored the odds practice after practice and season after season."
Some of you people seem to be struggling very hard to say the article does not say what it clearly says. Some of you worship John Adams because you share his hatred for Phillip Fulmer, but that does not change what the article says, no matter how much you spin it. This is not that complex.
footballtime writes:
Adams you are terrible why mention fulmer why down play a team leader like Mcneil? sounds liek you have deeper issues than you let on please resign we are tired of your sop called writing
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.