Depth was going to be an issue for Tennessee in the 2011 football season, even in a best-case scenario.
The Vols were due to pay the piper for going through three coaching staffs in three years. Throw in a few key injuries and things get worse.
So, with time running out and wins hard to come by, let's consider which of the departed might have made a positive impact were they still in orange.
And while we're playing the what-if game, throw in the anemic running attack.
There are enough ex-Vol running backs out there to field a wishbone. In at least a minor upset, Lennon Creer is the most productive of the lot.
Bryce Brown was the most touted. His transfer to Kansas State didn't pan out. Two games, three carries, 16 yards, then he went AWOL.
The Wildcats haven't suffered greatly by his absence. They're 7-2 and should finish no worse than 9-3.
David Oku, as far as I can tell, isn't toting a football for anyone at the moment.
Creer found a home at Louisiana Tech. He went into the Ole Miss game Saturday with 815 rushing yards, 18 receptions and 10 touchdowns. That's solid.
The Vols could certainly have used a quarterback with game experience these past few weeks.
The great speculation, of course, is what would have had happened if Tajh Boyd, the one-time commitment spurned by Lane Kiffin, had ended up at UT.
He's been a hit at Clemson. Boyd is completing 61 percent of his passes this season, averaging 297 passing yards a game and has a hefty passer rating of 154.8, which is better than any current SEC quarterback.
Most UT fans, however, are happy with Tyler Bray and his promise. Bray, who suffered a broken thumb against Georgia, could be back in the huddle as early as next week against Vanderbilt.
During his absence, would B.J. Coleman, now a senior at Chattanooga, have fared any better than Matt Simms did against LSU and Alabama?
When Nick Lamaison, a Kiffin signee, left, his exit generated little commentary.
Would he ever have played for the Vols? Who knows, but he is starting at UTEP, averaging 213 passing yards a game with a rating of 135.2.
In Justin Hunter's absence, Tennessee could use another dynamic receiver.
Nu'Keese Richardson, had he been a Boy Scout, might have been a playmaker by now. Or not.
There is James Green, the juco signee who didn't get in school.
He's at Toledo but with only modest stats in a high-octane offense. Probably wouldn't have been the answer.
On the other side of the ball, one wonders what defensive tackle Montori Hughes might have become. He's playing at UT Martin, still yet to make a major breakthrough.
There is no doubt safety Janzen Jackson would make a difference were he still in a Tennessee uniform. Instead, he's trying to get his act together back home at McNeese State.
I'm not sure what has become of safety Darren Myles, who played at Hutchinson Community College last year. Mike Edwards is starting at cornerback and returning kicks at Hawaii.
That is a bunch of ex-Vols running around out there. Tennessee could use a couple of them running around here.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/strangemike44 and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/strange.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Softball: Tennessee 2, Georgia 1
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 19
SignalMtnVol writes:
The only one I would still like to have here is Lennon Creer (fast as lightning). Bray made wishing for Boyd a moot point until his injury. The rest are what they are. Just didn't pan out for them at UT (or anywhere for B. Brown)
BigVolFaninSC writes:
When you look at all the players that left this team since Fulmer's last year, it's a wonder this team has ANY wins! I know that Dooley and Co. don't want to make any excuses, because it is what it is! For that reason alone they deserve at least 4 years and we must remain patient! Trolls...SHUT UP and be gone with you! Go VOLS!
BTW, I like those checkers sleeves on the road unis!
DooleysOrangePants writes:
enjoyed the article. i was recently wondering what happened to the recent UT decomits/failures. now i know. not much. thanks for the good article mike
sambad writes:
I hope all of the naysayers who are constantly calling for Dooley's scalp read this.
Tau_of_Tennessee writes:
I am with you BVFiSC. The reason for the matress burnings when LK left is that we knew deep down all the change would set the program back four years minimum.
I also liked the checkered sleeves. If we join in the crazy uniform craze I think checker pants or checkers down the side would be cool. I do like the return to the buff (not shiney) jerseys and pants. Reminds me of the old Reggie White days.
budd#207344 writes:
With the exception of Boyd how many of these guys are playing for a D1 team and making a difference? Try zero. This article is a load of Cr**. With the exception of Janson Jackson none of these guys was D1. So they would not have made a difference. Mike Strange shame on you
BigVolFaninSC writes:
You can't predict what these players WOULD have done at Tennessee based on what they did or didn't do at another school! But, what you CAN predict is that they left a lot of holes in the program here for sure! That was the point that I took from another thoughtful article from Mr. Strange!...He should replace Adams!
budd#207344 writes:
If they are good they would have produced at another school. To think they would only have succeeded at UT is not realistic.
clvolfan writes:
And,Had Boyd been here,he would not have developed like he has at Clemson.
BigVolFaninSC writes:
Quit spinning what I'm trying to say! All I'm saying is that the only CERTAIN thing that you can predict is that they left very many holes in this program! What they would or would not have done is mere speculation!
arkyvol writes:
interesting. i wonder what dooley's excuses for not winning in the WAC were. better yet, i wonder what next year's edition is going to sound like.
BigVOLdaddyBVD writes:
Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis, Al Wilson, Peerless Price, Sean Ellis, Reggie White, Leonard Little and oh, maybe even toss in Willie Gault and I would feel alot better about our chances this season....GO VOLS, WE'RE STILL BETTER THAN VANDY, even if they come to Neyland and thump us.
TommyJack writes:
He best be prepared for more of it.
CrankE writes:
I did. Thanks!
So does this mean that there are some decent coaches out there who can take talented kids and . . . you know, actually coach them up?
iowavol writes:
Wrong.
Agree with the other posts, Hamilton and Kiffin set this program back years, with chased off players and loss of scholarships. This team will be much better next year. Lane will be much improved playing behind a more experienced line and QB, WR, TE will be set. Maggit and Johnson will both be much improved, and with Herman Lathers back, LB will much improved. DL still a concern. Need some big Juco guys to start immediately.
budd#207344 writes:
Nobody is saying the existing players will not improve. The article talks about players that are gone would have improved the program now. My point is if that were true they would be producing at other schools. They are not. Which means they were not as good as people would like to remember them and they would not have improved this team
asleep#212036 writes:
Agree. Creer is quick enough to slip through the modest holes our O-line creates and fast enough to make a defense pay in the open field. We don't currently have anyone who can consistently do either of those things. I think Lane has promise and Poole could have excelled in a Fulmeresque running game, ie., power man-on-man run blocking out of the I-formation. Neal doesn't look bad either but I still don't believe Chaney wants to establish the run first, like all the powerhouse SEC schools do. Even Auburn in 2010 and Florida in 2008 ran a "spread" offense but had a Heisman QB who was either a battering ram (Tebow) or a cat-quick sprinter (Newton). Would either of those teams won championships, SEC or national, without the running ability of those two? Rhetorical question of course. If we don't establish a run game, we can forget getting back to the upper echelons of our conference. In fact, in the SEC, if we can't establish a run game, we can forget winning more than 6-7 games per year. I think Chaney is gone after this year. If not, Dooley had better step in or both will be gone in a couple more. Go Vols!!!
twicevolalum writes:
You are correct BigVolFaninSC! You can't predict how productive these guys would have been at TN because it would have been completely different dynamics.
A1A writes:
Glad to see someone talking about dynamics. It's all apples and oranges to talk about how well a player does in another dynamic.
Not only that...but a lot of these players left under less than wonderful circumstances. JJ and NuKeese and Myles would all be solid depth at UT had they kept their respective noses clean. As it is...they are AWOL in D1...or anywhere in some cases. Great talent that would be contributing now...but just plain stupid.
Bryce Brown and the unmentioned Toney Williams could even be contributing or starting for that matter if they had stuck with UT. Same goes for Coleman.
But like the headline states, "woulda, coulda, shoulda..."
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.