Strange: Freshmen amplify Kiffin's message

• Former NFL coach Sam Wyche on Jonathan Crompton. (GoVolsXtra audio)
• Former UT running back Gerald Riggs Jr. (GoVolsXtra audio)
• Monte Kiffin talks to the media about UCLA (GoVolsXtra audio)
• Austin Ward and Dave Hooker interview offensive coordinator Jim Chaney (GoVolsXtra audio)
• Lane Kiffin talks about Monte Kiffin, facing off against UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow (GoVolsXtra audio)

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Lane Kiffin talks the talk when the subject is playing freshmen. Unlike some of his colleagues, he walks the walk as well.

Kiffin's message, of course, is directed at recruits: Come to Tennessee and play now. Eleven true freshmen saw action in UT's opener.

Some of his comments this week sounded to me like they might have been for Marlon Brown's ears as well.

Brown was the star receiver prospect out of Memphis who chose Georgia over the Vols last signing day, the culmination of a heated recruiting battle.

At his Tuesday press conference, Kiffin's answer to a question didn't mention any names, but pointed out that prospects monitor which freshmen get to play at what schools and which don't:

"What's this great player who went to this school doing? Is he sitting on the bench the whole game not catching one ball? Or is he in the game being the team's leading receiver?''

For the record, Brown sat on the bench the whole game in Georgia's loss at Oklahoma State and didn't catch one ball. Marsalis Teague, who switched his commitment from Florida to Tennessee, started and was UT's leading receiver with six catches against Western Kentucky.

Another receiver prospect who de-committed from Tennessee, Je'Ron Stokes, debuted at Michigan on Saturday. I don't know if he sat on the bench the whole game, but he is third string on the depth chart and didn't catch one ball.

I don't think Bryce Brown would have sat on the bench anywhere opening day. That includes the Titans' or Steelers' bench Thursday night.

UT's freshman tailback gained 104 yards on 11 carries against Western Kentucky for a 9.5 yard-per-try average.

It was the best outing by a UT true freshman since Aaron Hayden gained 109 against Louisville in 1991, a game in which fellow freshman James Stewart rushed for 101. (Reggie Cobb rushed for 138 against Iowa in 1987, but after a redshirt season).

Kiffin isn't the only coach playing freshmen. Brown, in fact, ranked only fourth among true freshmen in the SEC on Saturday.

Auburn's Ontario McCalebb rushed for 148 yards. Vanderbilt got 133 from Zac Stacy and 105 from Warren Norman.

Auburn coach Gene Chizik stopped well short of saying McCalebb is the next Bo Jackson.

"We're not going to put a lot of stock in a guy rushing for a hundred yards one time,'' Chizik said. "If you do it six or seven times, you've got our attention.''

Speaking of prolific rushing, UT's Montario Hardesty ranks No. 3 nationally after his 160-yard day.

Four schools produced a tandem of 100-yard backs Saturday and three of them were in the SEC: UT, Vandy and Auburn (McCalebb and Ben Tate). The other was UConn.

Notable Stats: UT leads the nation in total offense (657 yards) and ranks third in total defense (83 yards). The 574-yard differential was a school record.

The Vols were the only school among 110 ranked in Football Bowl Subdivision that did not punt on opening day.

Smashing Hits: What do Eric Berry and John Belushi have in common? Check out UT's new musical video to promote Berry's Heisman campaign.

It ends with Berry getting up from the weight-room bench, snatching the guitar from the musician who has been playing throughout the video and smashing it into the barbells.

Much as Belushi did in "Animal House," the 1978 comedy classic. At least Berry's not on double-secret probation.

Game of the Week: South Carolina at Georgia. The Bulldogs are in danger of their first 0-2 start since 1996 unless quarterback Joe Cox and the offense can solve the Gamecocks' defense.

A couple of touchdowns and a field goal should be a winning formula. The victor in the series has scored more than 20 points only once in the past eight years. The winner's average score the past five years is 17 points.

Week One Winners: Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame quarterback. He ranks No. 1 nationally in pass-efficiency at a staggering 303.67 after a 15-of-18, four-touchdown day against Nevada. Michigan should bring that score down a bit.

Stephon Gilmore and Greg Reid. Two blue-chip secondary recruits the Vols pursued, had big-time debuts for South Carolina and Florida State, respectively.

Week One Losers: (Besides the obvious, LeGarrette Blount of Oregon.) David Cutcliffe. A Duke home crowd of 33,011 was the largest since 2001. But it watched Cutcliffe's second Blue Devil team lose to Richmond, 24-16.

Ron Zook. Illinois looked awful in a 37-9 loss to Missouri. Welcome back to the hot seat.

Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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