Imagine what must be going through an offensive mind like Jim Chaney.
The former all-conference nose guard has left the NFL and is now determined to be more dependent on running the football despite a history of coaching some of the most exciting passing offenses in recent memory.
In other words, there's a lot going on.
Chaney, 46, was one of the first hires Lane Kiffin made after being named coach at Tennessee.
Having spent the past three seasons coaching the offensive line and tight ends for the St. Louis Rams, Chaney comes to UT as its offensive line coach and offensive coordinator.
Fans may not know Chaney, but they've likely seen his handiwork. In nine seasons as Purdue's offensive coordinator, Chaney led the Boilermakers to a top-10 national offensive ranking six times and mentored standout quarterbacks Drew Brees and Kyle Orton.
Now, Chaney gets his shot at the SEC, which has long drawn his interest.
"That had a lot to do with it professionally," Chaney said Wednesday on the News Sentinel's radio show, The Sports Page, when asked why he made the move to UT. "I've watched what has been going on down here for years and always been intrigued."
"I can remember 10 years ago talking with (Purdue) Coach (Joe) Tiller, watching some SEC game and wondering why everyone is just handing off the dive play. Why wouldn't people be more creative offensively in the SEC with all the players they have?
"Here I am, I'm going to be able to answer those questions all myself. I'm excited to death about the challenges that are in front of us and I'm looking forward to them."
So that means Chaney is set to spread the field from sideline to sideline with receivers and throw the ball 50 times a game at UT, right? Not quite.
Purdue's offensive attack had a recruiting drawback. Why would a mammoth, run-blocking lineman want to play for an offense that would make pass blocking his primary responsibility?
"I believe philosophically, after leaving the NFL, the importance of winning the line of scrimmage is even more accentuated in my mind," Chaney said. "Running the football has become more of an issue in my mind.
"In retrospect, there were times in games when I put a lot of heat on those quarterbacks to win the games for us. Quite honestly if I had to do it again, I probably would have run the ball a little bit more.
"So I believe that you fundamentally have to run the ball more efficiently than what I was accustomed to at Purdue."
Chaney must also become accustomed to Kiffin, an offensive-minded coach who will handle play-calling duties. Chaney said that the two coaches' philosophies in the passing game are "very compatible".
Then comes the next challenge for Chaney, and every UT staff member. How does a talented, hodgepodge staff mesh where last season's offensive coaches didn't?
"I just think you get to know one another," said Chaney, who said he didn't know any of UT's other coaches before accepting the job. "If you're all working for the same cause - to try to get Tennessee football on top - I don't believe that will ever be an issue.
"With this staff right now, we're flowing pretty smoothly."
Being part of a super staff and competing in the SEC were just two reasons Chaney made the move to Knoxville. Both were professional.
Yet there were other reasons that pulled more at the heart than the resume. Chaney said he was part of an NFL franchise, not a community.
"In the professional level, you coach your position and you go home a lot of times," Chaney said. "I miss those relationships. I'm excited about getting back into the community and having fun with that."
"I got a chance to meet the people around here, it was an easy fit for me. I'm a country boy from Missouri."
That's where Chaney starred at Central Missouri State, although he takes exception with the term "starred" despite being named all-conference.
"There were only two teams in the conference and I think the other guy blew his knee," Chaney joked. "I wasn't a very good football player but I loved to play. All my college coaches said I should have played offense anyway because I couldn't get off a block.
"Maybe I've finally found home."
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Volscars 2012
Bruce Pearl through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 96
invisiblekid writes:
Hey there Griff.
yeavols#228407 writes:
And I can say with conviction and with accuracy..big 10 coaches have won more than Florida could ever hope to win. Not just one game against Ohio State..and we all know what I am referring to. What does it take to see that your words are merely nothing more than dust that can't find their way in the wind?
Down_The_Field writes:
didn't Flar-duh loose to the last 2 big ten teams they played???
hummmm....let's see MSU...yea...MSU...and gun slinging Plaxico Burress
then there was....hummm...Michigan..oh, i remember that one...Lloyd Carr's last game...
i'll bet you were singun the blues that day, or did you become a flar-duh fan last year?
MrBamSeydu writes:
I think the offensive strategy will be very interesting to watch. I remember Purdue's offenses in the late 90's. If you mix that type of passing attack with more of a solid run game, you're basically looking at what USC has been doing this decade. I like that model.
txvolsfan writes:
I really wish Gator Xtra could get their own site!!!
Maybe Tebow and the other players could take a pay cut and Fl. could afford a site of their own!!!
byobbio writes:
I think this guys will make us forget about Dave Clauson.
byobbio writes:
Oh, and Casey Clauson.
txvolsfan writes:
I already forgot about him!!!
1manningfan writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
byobbio writes:
Actually, i don't like it when people come into a situation thinking that the whole place has it wrong. I mean, seriously, we had no offense last year so one first down a game might be a positive trend. But, dude, we don't throw the ball on every down because in the SEC, we're expected to win the national championship every year. Not light it up for 70 points per game til you get to the big one. And, we have BCS Championship caliber games every week. You have to be ready to win every week in the SEC. IT's not necessarily that way in the Big Ten and Big 12. It's hard-nosed, smash mouth football. And the people who come in here and aren't ready for that will get beat. And beat bad by all the teams. Just look at what we had last year and you'll see that. Get ready to hand the ball off on first down and be ready for 3 yards and think that's a good thing. Still can't wait for the season!
allvol9 writes:
Welcome to Knoxville Coach Chaney. You've got quite a resume and can't wait to see what you can do with UT!
VolunteerPassion writes:
Yeah so? They stink. But still, I would be more ashamed if I lost to MSU or UM.
tums writes:
Michigan had no problem moving the ball on you all last year.
volsrm writes:
don't be hating on our coaching staff now. we all know your jealous gatorzz? Can't wait until we see Berry slobbernock Tebow this fall, and get watch it over and over again on youtube
99gator writes:
i'm sure tennessee's staff is a very good staff.
y'all need to give them some time to get the jimmy's and joe's.
saw a poster who said he knows how to stop meyer's spread.
so do i. so do a bunch of other people.
the way to stop florida's spread is to have superior personnel.
it's never about the system. it's about superior personnel who know how to run the system and run it properly.
the spread, the option, the fun n' gun, the run and shoot, the pro style offense, the pistol, etc, etc, etc.
doesn't matter.
i am willing to bet monte kiffin won't have much success against meyer's "system" in 2009. but, give him some time to get his players and have his players know what they are doing and then you may have something.
all of this will take time folks.
JohnsonCity_George writes:
Next year at this time, you will be singing the praises of the new UF coach that just arrived from the Big-10. I hope he comes from Ohio State cuz that would be more reason for me to dislike THE University of Florida.
VolunteerMan writes:
Has there been a reverse actually work since the early 90's. Is that you Majors? Have you finally thought about opening up your playbook a little bit?
Naaaaahhhhhhh. He couldn't figure out this internet highway thingy.
asleep#212036 writes:
Cheney will certainly get a taste of the SEC with an early trip to Gainesville next September. I think, Gatorzz, what you miss is that every offense is stoppable - eventually. The forward pass was considered unstoppable when it was introduced. Tennessee won a NC and 200 games running an unstoppable single wing. Then there was the wishbone that Bear Bryant, Bob Devaney, and Barry Switzer rode to glory - unstoppable. What about Spurrier's Fun-n- Gun? What Meyer brought to Florida was a new scheme that nobody in the SEC had ever seen. In fact, nobody in the country had ever seen it run with elite athletes. However, to think that there will never be anybody to figure it out and stop it is the height of hubris. Teams will recruit and plan around it. Then, funny thing, once it is relegated to the history books, there will be another new, "unstoppable" offense, and then another and another, etc.... One day, years from now, we may even see the spread again.
JohnsonCity_George writes:
So, Old Miss beat UF because of better talent, and we know who recruited those guys at Ol' Miss, soooo, thread closed.
volsrm writes:
Tebow was to chicken to run the ball last season on the Vols. I will not have to save the video tape because the highlight will be shown during every UT/FL game in Neyland Stadium for years to come.
99gator writes:
if you saw the game......
florida beat themselves.
you can't count on a team to beat themselves. it happens from time to time, but is not a reliable way to win.
tennessee also has a problem that ole miss never will.
for meyer, tennessee is a rivalry game. he circles the game on the calendar. florida will always be ready to play mentally, emotionally and physically against tennessee.
generally, the better team wins. for long term success, tennessee needs to become the better team and not cling to the hope that florida plays a bad game.
1manningfan writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
utchris writes:
We have a Code Orange Interloper Alert on the "Memphis focus on Rice, Tennessee" article. Requesting Backup..haha
smokey_vols#336011 writes:
What does being from the Big-10 have anything to do with it? A good coach is a good coach no matter where they come from.
VolunteerPassion writes:
Ok. Tennessee stunk this PAST year we all know that.
ChuckG writes:
You know guys if you all would not take the bait from the posters who are obviously for other schools then article after article would not get clogged up with all of this inane drivel and bickering that makes getting any good information all but impossible. I literally have to sift through page after page of refuse to find anything worth reading. Please all, act like grown ups and just ignore the posters who obviously come on this site to raze people into arguing!
volsrm writes:
That was not Berry's best game. However, the offense played away from him most of the game, which is smart. Berry is due and you know this to be true!
asleep#212036 writes:
Two things. Elite athletes are plentiful in Gainesville and rather scarce in Knoxville right now so my comments about defenses adapting has, in our case, a time factor involved. Georgia, Alabama, and LSU however... Second, I think we'll just stick with Monte, what with the million dollars we've promised him and all - LOL.
dc_4_ut writes:
These are my sentiments exactly. I am optmistic about this season and everything that is leading up to it has given us some momentum. However, the smoke and mirrors of things that led up to last season will make me watch the Spring and Summer more closely. I'm not going to put and Win/Loss record on these guys but I will however but very nervous about going into the Swamp next year....
JohnsonCity_George writes:
Say what???
1vol writes:
Better athletes does not mean a win just ask bama about Utah.
VolPatrick writes:
Eric Berry had 8 tackles (second on the team), one pass defended(of only 15 attempts all day) and a sack of Tim Tebow (the only one of the day) in last year's UT vs UF game. And, if memory serves, he was laying lumber long after the game had been decided, which in my mind was either right after the opening kickoff or after the Hardesty fumble. He might not have taken an int the other way for 6, again, but that is hardly a no show.
Now, our offense, on the other hand...
bowlinggreenvol writes:
Attention Tennesse fans!!! Please stop running your mouths about UF losing to Big 10 teams and even suggesting that they're jealous of us, as one poster did. They have won 2 national championships in 3 years while we've won 1 bowl game, and beaten us 4 straight, they have nothing to be jealous of. Yes, they lost to Michigan a year ago, how quickly we've forgotten that we lost to Penn St. just 2 years ago or how we squeaked by Wisconsin last year? When yall ramble on with arguments you have no chance of winning and use comebacks such as..."what's the matter gayyytors jealous?" you make us all look like idiots. These guys aren't causing trouble and are by far some of the most respectful and knowledgeable UF fans I've met in my life, and I should know seeing how I lived 22 of my 23 years in the state of Florida. Please, if you have nothing relevant to say, then don't say anything at all.
volunteers4life writes:
Shut up idiot. This is a UT message board and if you dont like what the UT fans are saying about the Gator fans on here go to the gator site. What the hell do whiney brats like this read these posts for anyway? It's always the same say after day, it's not like there some big secret to the way this works. If you don't like the conversation get lost, we won't miss you as you have not added anything to this conversation other than your desire to lick gator azz. Good riddance! Besides, who cares about Penn State, hell, that looks like a good loss now a days, in light of UCLA and Wyoming (thanks for tearing that one open again, Gatorzz!)
As for UF, the point the poster was making was not that Florida is jealous of our win-loss record but of the quite obvious impact our new, superstar staff is going to have on their own program in the future. No one wants to sit idley back and watch their competition grow stronger by the day. Do you really think that any of these Gator or Bama folks would come here so often if they hadnt unceremoniously creamed us for the past few years?? Doubtful.
BTW- No offense Gatorzz, DC, 99, or Bama987, you guys really arent that bad to put up with, we could do much worse. At least, most of the time, you guys are fairly respectful and try to spark dialogue/conversation rather, than bahaving like an adolescent with a god complex. Although, often times this "dialogue" arises at the expense of our beloved team. I can at least understand and expect where your loyalties can be found but, I for d*mned sure won't sit by and let another "supposed" Vol fan rail all the rest of us because he/she thinks they are so high and mighty enough to tell us what we should or shouldnt say to other team fans caught interloping on our own site. This is a message board for godsakes!!! As long as the general discussion is football oriented, that is the purpose of its existence. It was put here to allow us to bicker, pick, argue, and debate along with whatever else we want to do on here.
volunteers4life writes:
I am not saying that I even agree with the idea that you guys are jealous of anything at all regarding our Volunteers but, I do know that we are starting to feel some of the excitement/electricity that you folks have been enjoying for quite some time now with regards to your teams' programs and it feels great!!! Vol fans have had very little to hang our hats on success-wise lately. Our recruiting class last year was pitiful, our consistent OC turnover has nearly ruined the entire program and definitely tarnished our national rep. Our offense this last year was disappointing to watch even when we actually won a game. Our legendary coach was sent packing in a less than graceful way which seemed to draw the ire of the entire nation and many ex-vols themselves. We have lost games by embarrassing margins to the teams we consider our biggest rivals and lost games to teams we normally consider "gimmee games." To top it all off, we had the worst season record since I have been watching. Finally, the ship is beginning to appear to right itself. Now we just need to translate these happy feelings to a successful NSD, and eventually to on field performance. Then we just might get to actually make you guys jealous someday in the not too distant future...
gnm53108 writes:
D@mn good post.
txvolsfan writes:
Obviously you do, the site is called GOVOLSXTRA, did you notice the VOLS part. That should have been your first clue!!!
drwfocus#660070 writes:
Dammit. I hate that I missed most of these postings. Unfortunately (or not) I have a rule that if I see any reference, direct or implied, to gator or bama, whether from an interloper or a reply to an interloper, I scroll on by. I do enjoy comments from VOL fans and supporters.
MrKnoxville writes:
When you beat a Big-10 team, your beating a team with very little speed for the most part...their teams are usually built to be big and physical.
Besides that the offense is going to be the Pete Carroll system since CLK is a Carroll desciple Gator chump...the coach of the team Florida should have played for the National Championship...then Urban Meyer could see what he is in store for once we run Pete's system with NFL caliber athletes at almost every position.
SignalMtnVol writes:
is this what you mean by whiffed?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zfseY...
Docrok writes:
Look 99 you make a very good point on the personnel except for the fact that we have the personnel already on the defensive side of the ball! And you are right time will tell! And rest assured it wont be this five years you are preaching! I suspect the game next year will be quite a game and quite the surprise to you Gator fans
Docrok writes:
He was on defense when the offense was giving you guys the ball in the red zone!
McLifetimeVolfan writes:
in response to Alseep
You are dead on, all the new schemes, offenses run their course.Bear Bryant used the Wishbone in the 70's and dominated the SEC, Osborne had a run as well @ Nebraska,Barry and the Sooners had some great teams.What these teams had in common was all had great players and they played to their stengths,all the teams above had great
running backs and QBs that could run the offense.With that being said,I think THE Vols have quality players that need the coaching that has been missing for 7-8 yrs.Suburban Meyer has great players that are suited for the spread they have a great run going.CLK will recruit for his team,he is off to good start THE VOLS WILL BE BACK,last I come to this board or info on the program, I don't bother reading the gatorzz garbage post he has nothing to say, must be a middle school kid and needs to go away takes up way to much
space
RCanaMoonPie writes:
Good luck coach.
With this crowd though, if you don't hang 40 on Florida you might think about not unpacking all those boxes in the garage.
thevoice writes:
The most exciting word from this article: "creativity." Go Vols!!
blitzshoot writes:
I agree with the coach's comments, it is in the line of scrimmage. I really hope the OL will be better.
SemperVol writes:
You got that right, Chaney... pound the tater!!!! Matriculate the ball down the field...then rotate the spheroid with surgical accuracy!!!
"Here I am, I'm going to be able to answer those questions all myself. I'm excited to death about the challenges that are in front of us and I'm looking forward to them."
Gonna be a hard dose of reality on September 19, 2008 for the new staff. Let's hope that the WKU and UCLA games are a decent jump start.
Gonna be a bumpy '09 but I'm buckled in nice and tight...
SemperVol writes:
CORRECTION: "... September 19, 2009..."
(The new year always screws with me)
TommyJack writes:
BGvol: You piled up all that knowledge in 23 years on the planet? If you think the interlopers are respectful, then you, lad, are deficient in mental abilities.
KENVOL writes:
Well said.
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.