Lurking in the dark beneath thousands of tons of concrete in downtown Knoxville, there is a hideous beast slobbering on its callous paws. Over the last eight months, it’s been sharpening its hunting skills, and on the second day of September, it will be turned loose. Get the kids inside. Lock the doors. Turn on the TV. You know what time it is. Mr. Ward, I need to borrow this for a minute. It’s football time in Tennessee.

From the start of the off-season, Fulmer’s been a blue-collar man. Between recruiting, filling coaching staff positions, and formulating a battle plan for this year, Phil’s hands are stained with time clock ink. His hands aren’t the only dirty ones either. This off-season has seen QBs in full contact scrimmages, grueling physical conditioning, massive amounts of weight loss on the offensive line, even brick-catching receivers. Judging from the most recent scrimmages, it’s all starting to pay off in a big way.

When I recently asked Randy Moore of Rocky Top News how the receivers were performing he responded with: “I don't know if it's the Trooper Taylor influence or not, but the wide-outs caught the ball better this preseason, at least based on the scrimmages that were open to the media.” Combine that quote with the newest addition to our receiving crew, Quintin Hancock, and things are definitely looking good on the receiving front. For those of you who aren’t aware of Quintin yet, here’s a quote. "Quintin Hancock’s a guy that definitely will be in the mix,” head coach Phillip Fulmer said. “It’s exciting to see a young guy do that well. Physically, he doesn’t look like a freshman out there playing. He’ll make some mistakes mentally from time to time but he’s definitely in the mix.”

The “mix” he mentioned is the new five-receiver rotation that Phil and Co. have decided to employ this year. The idea is that, by giving fewer receivers reps, Ainge will be able to build rapport and confidence with them. Familiar names such as Swain, Meachem, and Smith should make the short list of course, but nothing is finalized.
This spring and summer have also shed some light on other freshmen offensive players who have the orange-blooded foaming at the mouth: Jacques McClendon (OL), LaMarcus Coker (RB), and most notably Jonathan Crompton, the high school All American quarterback who has really turned some heads this summer.

McClendon, listed at 6’3, 325 lbs, is a hoss of a man-child who, on scrimmage highlights, seems to overpower his foes one-on-one in the “Tennessee Drill”. The highly sought after four star prospect out of Chattanooga will be looking to make an early statement this year on the gridiron. Look for fellow freshman Ramone Johnson to help McClendon bolster a offensive line that coaches refer to as solid, but short on depth.
Coker, a redshirt frosh who was ranked nationally in the top five of his recruiting class, is on his way to locking up the second spot on the running back depth chart. Along with Hardesty, Williams, and Yancey, Fulmer should be able to create a duo, or even trio, to supplement rising star Arian Foster, the workhorse who accrued 800 plus yards in five games last year as a freshman. Senior Cory Anderson will lead the charge at fullback.

Between the offensive line reports, scrimmage highlights, and the backfield, it seems to me that the running game should be a physical juggernaut that puts lead into defenses cleats. Combine that with the progress made by the receiving crew, and we’ve got all the weapons we need to manage the clock, put up points, and even break the will of the adversary. Also, from what Fulmer and “Cut” (Cutcliffe) have said, look for the tight ends to be much more involved in the passing game.

“What of the quarterback situation?” you ask. Well, in the interest of keeping it simple, I’ll keep it simple. Ainge had a bad year, and he’ll be the first to tell you. Coach Cut is back. He’ll get things straightened out and we won’t see the situation we saw last year. The receivers are catching the ball, Erik’s looked increasingly confident in scrimmages, and they’re out there “just having fun” as so many offensive players have stated. So, quit being so pessimistic. We’re trying to have a good time here. Moving on.

It’s third and three. You’re standing in the backfield, helmet rattling and ears ringing from the fan noise, sweat stinging your eyes, knees shaking, and you’re also incontinent. Why? Because you’re the visiting teams running back, and on the other side of your offensive line is a pack of wild animals that want to eat your brain for lunch. That’s gross.
Don’t let the youth fool you. This year’s defense may not be very experienced, but they are fast, talented, and very, very aggressive.

Defensive end Robert Ayers (So.) has recently been elevated to first team status. This move allows flexibility with Turk McBride (Jr.), who can play either DE or DT. In addition to these guys will be familiar names Justin Harrell (Jr.), Antonio Reynolds (Jr.), Xavier Mitchell (Jr.) and ink-sleeved menace Matt McGlothlin (Jr.), who has re-earned his scholarship. There are not a whole lot of starts between them, but there is some playing time, and a great deal of quality practice time. By now, they know the system. They just need to execute. JUCO transfer Walter Fisher (So), who is recovering from a shoulder injury, should be back early in the season to give more depth on the end. Freshman Dan Williams has also worked hard to get into the tackle rotation. The front four should be solid.

As for the secondary, they’re in most media outlets’ top fifteen DB units, and on some top ten lists. Jonathan Wade has had a breakthrough summer and may have lock-down potential at the corner. The speedster could rack up on sacks and tackles for loss this season. On the other side, “Inky” Johnson (Jr.), who opened some eyes after taking over corner duty last year after Jason Allen’s Georgia game injury, hasn’t seen many passes thrown his way lately. This guy’s got a nose for the ball and seems to read the quarterback’s eyes with eagle-like instinct. He’s had several picks this summer, and is around the pass so much that the quarterbacks have learned to not even throw towards his general vicinity. The safety positions are no different. "We feel like we are playing with three safeties right now with (Demetrice) Morley kind of the swing guy," he said of the sophomore from Miami, Fla. "We want all three of those guys in the game to keep people fresh,” Fulmer said referring also to veteran safeties Jonathan Hefney and Antwan Stewart. “It's exciting," Fulmer continued, "In the first scrimmage they had two or three picks and two other take-aways. Today (Aug 24), we tried to run Cal stuff as close as we could on both sides and it was good to see them get their hands on the ball that much." Backups Antonio Gaines (Jr.), and freshmen Marsalous Johnson and Antonio Wardlow will most likely get some time at corner along with Morley.

The defensive backfield isn’t just ok. They should be supreme. And with their first class cover skills, they should open the door for the three-man wrecking crew of linebackers who have that mad dog, tear-your-head-off mentality that you want backing the d-line. Ryan Karl (Jr.) looks to be a key player in the scheme this year. Karl is a great coverage guy who was a running back in high school, switched to safety after coming to Knoxville, and then finally to strong-side linebacker. “Chief (defensive coordinator John Chavis) says if we go out there and go full speed every time, we’ll be in the right spot and make big plays,” Karl said. “If we don’t worry about being wrong – just go full speed all the time and have that nastiness – we’ll do what we need to do.” Senior Marvin Mitchell will anchor the group. He’ll be flanked, (most likely), by Karl on one side, and either sophomores Adam Meyers-White, Jerod Mayo, Elix Wilson, or frosh sensation Rico McCoy. All of these backers have what it takes physically to stuff the run and wreak havoc on the offense. Watch for a lot of rotation to keep them fresh. Also, watch for forced fumbles, big hits, and sacks.

Special teams should be special this year with more experience in the kicking game and input from multiple coaches. We might see Austin Rogers (So, WR) helping out on punt returns this year, but that’s the only change made public so far.

We’ll find out Saturday just how ferrell this beast can be. Get loud at the stadium folks, and throw this rabid bunch of hounds a raw ribeye.

Cal, get your rabies shots. Bring some spares too. There will be an animal on the loose,
and it ain’t happy.

It’s no secret to the vast numbers of Vol fans that the 2005 football season is one they’d like to forget. Of course, that’s easier said than done considering they were ranked as high as number 2 in the major polls early on but by the end of the season they weren’t even on the radar. The only thing that would even partially eradicate those unpleasant memories would be for the 2006 edition of the Volunteers to take themselves and their fans back to national prominence by beating a few good teams and getting a BCS bid. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?

That brings us to an intriguing question:

Just what is a realistic expectation for U.T. in terms of pre-season national rankings for the 2006 season?

That depends on who you’re talking to. Checking several pre-season publications and polls, the Vols are most optimistically ranked by one publication at 13th, while two other major publications have them ranked at 20th and 25th, and even another doesn’t have them ranked at all. That’s a pretty wide gap in opinions and let’s face it, polls and publications ARE simply opinions. To try to get a perspective here, let’s take a look at the ’98 National Championship team and compare it to the 2005 debacle.

The Vols took the first two games in ’98 by a grand total of 4 points against Syracuse and Florida. The Syracuse game was decided by a last second field goal by Jeff Hall while the Florida win was a 3 point overtime win. Either game could have gone the other way very easily. The ’05 season started with a slim victory against a less than mediocre UAB team, then a 9 point loss to the hated gators. Take away the mental and physical mistakes in that game and it’s a toss up just like the ’98 contest between the two perennial powers. What if, just WHAT if the Vols had lost either of those games in ’98? Chances are they would have never made it to the national championship game and football history would have been written about a different national champion. And conversely, what if the Vols had erased the mistakes and beaten the gators in ’05? Other notable happenings from the ’98 season was the fact that Arkansas had the Big Orange on the ropes and would have spoiled their hopes of an undefeated season. But, a gift from the Hog’s QB in the form of a fumble with time waning, allowed Travis Henry to punch it into the end zone for the win. In 2005 when playing ‘Bama, U.T. fumbled the ball through the end zone for a touchback instead of what appeared was going to be a touchdown for the win. Any of these games mentioned could have easily gone the other way. What if, what if, what if? Other than the wins vs. losses, the two seasons had similarities. In ’05 the Vols couldn’t win the close ones whereas in ’98 they did so. Who knows what would have happened in ’98 had they lost that game to Arkansas. Chances are they’d have lost others too because they’d have shown some vulnerability to their opposition while having their own confidence shaken a little. That’s a lot of comparisons but here’s the point. A good team has to be able to win the close ones and that’s something this year’s squad has yet to prove. Okay, that was then, and this is now.

Upon observation of the intra-squad scrimmage at Neyland Stadium this past Saturday, it appears that the offensive woes for the Vols could continue and most likely will at least until yet another change is made at QB. Eric Ainge looked very confused at times, thus making the entire offense look sloppy. He had to call a time out before the FIRST play from scrimmage! His passes weren’t sharp and lacked that good, tight spiral. He also threw a critical interception where there wasn’t a friendly jersey anywhere near. This sound familiar? Jonathan Crompton on the other hand came in and appeared to spark the team. Except for the start-up jitters (fumbling the first snap from center) he looked strikingly more poised and confident than Ainge. His passes were on the money for the most part and while throwing no interceptions he threw a touchdown to Lucas Taylor. It was obvious who the team rallied around. Even Bo Hardegree came in and threw two touchdowns. Isn’t he a third-stringer? Bottom line is that it won’t be Eric Ainge at the helm when and if U.T. returns to the national prominence it has enjoyed for so long now. On the UP side of the passing game, the receivers were actually extending themselves to go after balls. This is something that has been lacking lately. With few exceptions the receivers were running good routes.

The only things that might truly bring a smile to the faces of the Vol faithful this year are the running game and the defense. If Arian Foster stays healthy he could very well have a 1000+ yard season. With others waiting to give Foster a breather like Montario Hardesty, LaMarcus Coker and David Yancy, this year’s sqad could have the best “one-two” (three-four) punch since the glory days of Reggie Cobb and Chuck Webb. But the down side to that is that once the opposition sees that you’re primarily a running team and weak on the passing end, they will stack eight or nine guys close to the line and dare you to throw while slowing down or stopping the running game. Another bright spot is the defense. They looked like the ferocious U.T. defenses we’ve become accustomed to. John Chavis has a way of producing top ten defenses year in and year out. This year will be no exception. Kudos to MISTER Chavis!

If the Big Orange loses it’s opener to the Bears of California (and that’s a real possibility) look for yet another change at QB, especially if the offense sputters and has problems scoring. If and when this happens it will cause inconsistency in the offense and there will be a great resemblance to the 2005 team. Will they have another losing season? I doubt that, but they will struggle at times and deal with some of the same offensive frustrations from a year ago. Realistically, (with a lump in my throat while writing this) the Vols DO NOT deserve to be in the top 25 in pre-season polls. Until they develop some consistency offensively, beat the teams they should, and at least split with the likes of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and LSU, they shouldn’t be ranked with the elite. Hey guys, PLEASE prove me wrong!

U.T. Pre-Season Rankings by Publication:

Harris Interactive Top 25 (25)
Athlon (20)
Lindy’s (Not in top 25)
College Football News (13)

The sports pages, especially this time of year, are just full of them: comparisons of sports, namely football, to the military. You hear phrases like ‘fight songs’, ‘sideline General’, ‘air attack’, ‘light skirmish’, ‘two platoon system’, and ‘readying the troops for battle’. None of these reference the real life wars being fought by our heroes in the Middle East, but rather War’s younger brother—Sports.

There have been recent incidents, even, where the athletes themselves (a la` Kellen Winslow Jr.) have actually called themselves ‘soldiers’ and the like. This is justified to a few, offensive to many, and just amusing to most of the rest of us. All of it, however, begs the question: where did we get this neurotic obsession with the comparison of football with the military? And is it accurate at all, or just artificial aggrandizement? Should we hold those who persist in the use of this analogy in contempt, or is it something that can truly help us better understand the game, those who play and/ or coach in it, and ourselves?

Before we begin, I wish to say that, as a former proud member of the military (3 yrs. Active, 4 National Guard), I will never attempt to equate the exploits of our athletes with the sacrifices our military personnel daily undertake. I do not denigrate the efforts of those proud Americans who actually fight for our freedoms by comparing them with the achievements, however noteworthy, of those who are privileged to play warlike games due to the freedom provided by that same military. I honor the offerings of our public servants in the military and heartily wish each and every one of them the very best life can offer. I’ll never forget what they have done for me and my family.

With that being said, let’s move on to look at some examples of that comparison. For the sake of familiarity, I’ve drawn on some experiences from our local beloved sons: the University of Tennessee Volunteers. The obvious starting place is their very name: bequeathed originally as a nickname for a fighting unit, the army that answered President Andrew Jackson’s call for volunteers in the war with Mexico in 1812. The tradition did not die with that war, but has actually been earned again and again with each volunteer fighting force down through the ages. In every armed conflict where no draft has been instituted, Tennessee as a state has the reputation of sending, if not the largest, then one of the largest contingents of personnel on a volunteer basis.

On a lighter note, please allow me to offer some colorful additions to this legacy with a bit of hyperbole:

In our football tradition, all branches of the military are represented.
We have the Vol Navy, the diehard cocktail crowd that puts in for every home game at the back door to Neyland Stadium on the Tennessee River;
We have an air force (you can see them flying overhead every home game, dropping humanitarian messages such as ‘Eat at Vinny’s’ or ‘Advertise your company name here’);
We very definitely have an army, clad in orange and white and ready for the conflict;
We even have a marine corps, and I don’t mean just the band. I consider our special teams (punting, placekicking, kick coverage, etc.) to have a marine corps type of mission: they get us started, establish a ‘beachhead’ of sorts for follow-on operations of a larger force, and provide the initial resistance to the same type of efforts from our opponents.
Let’s not overlook the importance of the band (marine corps): we depend on them to supply a major portion of the esprit de corps so necessary to small unit success.
Our organizational structure also mimics a military table of organization and equipment:
We have a field captain, in charge of the troops and the tactics to directly confront the opponent (Coach Phil Fulmer).
His lieutenants, the assistant coaches, responsible for the smaller units’ direction and execution.
The field sergeants, enforcing the orders of the chain of command on the field and in the flow of action (player captains).
We even have a couple of cadets, or extensions of the commander onto the field and with decision-making capacity over and above even the captains of the field units. There are namely two: the quarterback, leader of the offense; and the middle linebacker, leader of the defense.
We have forward observers, taking pictures in the flow of action, viewing them with the larger perspective afforded them in the booth upstairs, and making recommendations to directly impact the flow of action on the field.
We have an intelligence arm, i.e. film study.
We have recruiting—no elaboration necessary.
We call our blocks of pre-season practice time ‘camps’ much like ‘boot camp’.
We even have a political organization:
We have a Congress: 110,000 strong and very vocal.
We have a Congressional oversight committee, i.e the Media. (Wow—when you put it in that kind of perspective, you wonder how one man—the head coach—puts up with having so many armchair quarterbacks joggling his elbow every week. By comparison, George W. Bush only has roughly 2000 or so to worry about. That’s counting Congress and the press corps.)

These are just some small examples, in some cases not limited to Tennessee, where the military culture has overlapped with and changed the culture of football. To stretch a point, we even encountered a comparison in Blackhawk Down where the Special Operations unit (3rd Ranger Battalion) was likened to the special, tough, hardnosed units used for a short yardage situation: “…when we git down on the five yahd line, you gon’ need mah Rangers.” At some point, the analogy will break down; however, we can see that it is definitely a significant comparison that resonates with a lot of people.

Furthermore, some of our greatest coaches had been significantly influenced by the military. Consider the following four coaching icons:

Woody Hayes, famous coach at The Ohio State University: enlisted in the Navy during WWII, July 1941, subsequently attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander;
Bo Schembechler, famous coach at Hayes’ nemesis Michigan University: served in the Army before earning his master’s degree and re-taking the field;
Paul “Bear” Bryant, legendary coach at Alabama: following Pearl Harbor, enlisted in the Navy and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander before rejoining the civilian population;
General Robert Neyland, legendary coach of the University of Tennessee and coach Bryant’s nemesis: served in WWII, eventually reaching the rank of Brigadier General before returning to Tennessee. His ‘maxims’ live on today as an object lesson in strategy, tactics, and inspiration for players and coaches alike.

Upon examining all these ways in which football seems to be particularly interwoven with the military, it seems almost impossible to imagine football without the military’s influence.

So, why does it matter? Why go through this intellectual exercise? At this time in our nation’s history, we are particularly sensitive to any and all military references simply because it is so pervasive. We are daily reminded of the impact of military operations on our lives and our national consciousness.

With all the ardor and focus of a younger brother ‘aping’ his older, revered sibling, football readily and willingly takes on the trappings and attitudes of the military with reckless abandon. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; if you accept this as true, then it can only follow that America still has a tacit pride in its ability to project force and shape the flow of events. Football, and the passion with which it is devoured by so many, proves it. Our love of the game is, at least on some level, a celebration of the military.

It also may serve as a proxy for projecting our need for victory. In the face of frustration at the lack of a quick resolution abroad to some of our nation’s conflicts, we turn inward instead to find victory over our simulated ‘enemies’, i.e. our football nemesis across the sidelines. The popularity of college football, in particular, is at an all time high. Can it be only coincidence that this is true when we as a political power seem to be, if not losing, at least not winning as quickly as we might like in real conflicts? If so, then football and other proxies for war take on magnified importance in our consciousness particularly at these times, and may explain in part why it is so satisfying to send a proud opponent down in defeat on the gridiron. For Vol fans, almost nothing can replace that long lasting feeling of pride and euphoria when pummeling the Gators to a bleeding, vaguely reptilian pulp, or muzzling the Bulldogs and sending them back sniveling to their doggy houses with their tails tucked. Much more than any candy bar could, VICTORY really satisfies.

Get used to it now, Volunteer fans. This is a 7-5 team this year. At best UT could wind up third in the SEC, out of contention for a BCS at-large bid and most likely playing before New Year’s Day, if at all in the post season.

Fans hoping for redemption from last season, in which our beloved Orange and White warriors roar back to place us back on the top shelf of the conference, will most likely be sorely disappointed. This is the Fulmer era; the changes, when they happen, will mimic his preferred style of play on the field. Low scoring, grind it out, no frills or flair, three yards and a cloud of dust, hardnosed, incremental gains. Dramatic turnarounds simply aren’t his style.

This year will be no different. There will be improvements, but he won’t air it out. For those fans impatient for glory—i.e. every last one of us, bless our arrogant, obnoxious hearts—this change will feel like we’re moving at a glacial pace. Get used to it—that’s Fulmer, and that’s your team.

The problem with the kind of change he’s managing is this—in that style of play, small differences are crucial. Inches can literally make or break a possession, a quarter, a game. A season. There’s little room for error, because if you give up a big play or fail to convert on a critical series, it’s not likely that you’ll have a wealth of time left to make it up. You’re down to counting on big plays and big mistakes (from the other team), which haven’t historically been the type of game Tennessee plays to create.

And because there’s so little tolerance for mistakes, you have to have DISCIPLINE in a big way. You have to be known for it. You have to have metronome precision and consistency.

This team does not have it.

Oh, I grant you that discipline has taken a turn for the better, due in no small part to the addition of David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator. He’s a drill sergeant type coach, and the players have definitely responded. However, we’re still faced with the undeniable reality of four arrests for UT players since May. Has the trend completely reversed?

Lack of discipline off the field translates to—that’s right, you guessed it: the same thing on the field. You’d be hard pressed to find a UT coach (especially in the face of last season’s debacle) or, I would argue, a coach nationwide that would dispute that statement. Lack of discipline on the field translates to costly penalties, hurried throws, interceptions, fumbles, etc. The SEC is an unforgiving conference to a mistake prone team.

So, here’s a list of the SEC foes that Tennessee will likely come unraveled against. (The fifth loss will most likely come in the first game from an out of conference opponent, Cal. Forget that it’s the first game. Forget that it will be hot, and Cal has to travel. Tedford will have his squad ready, and their discipline and running back duo will leave our proud warriors grasping for jersey.) So anyway, here you go:

1. Florida—Urban Meyer’s squad got by on guts and raw talent last year. Oh, that’s right, and UT’s mistakes. This year, however, the Gators are a year older and more experienced. Chris Leak is much more comfortable in Meyers’ scheme than last year, and is a likely Heismann candidate. Potential QB controversy notwithstanding—which Meyer should handle easily and not let it become an issue—this squad will be unified under the coach’s direction, and they have the talent to take it to the house. Cornelius Ingram will make life exciting for UT’s backfield, and solid rusher Billy Latsko is there to take up when DeShawn Wynn needs a breather. Defensive end Jarvis Moss will pressure Ainge early, and often. The only offensive question for the Gators is the offensive line, which had to replace four starters. There is a concern for depth at linebacker, but in the third game of the year that’s not likely to be much of an issue.
2. Georgia—UT has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this game. After all, the Bulldogs lost a lot of talent to the NFL last year. The quarterback position is still up for grabs, with several true freshmen and other untested gunslingers vying for the position. No matter how that shakes out, Richt is likely to be a tad more conservative offensively until the youngsters get a clue. Luckily for Richt, he has a solid stable of running backs to lean on. Thomas Brown will startle some people with his power and cuts, while Jason Johnson will make his mark as well. They’ve had to replace 3 starters, and depth may be limited up front. They’ve also had to replace 75% of their starting secondary with relative newcomers. On the plus side for Georgia, they’ve addressed a huge need by moving Mikey Henderson over to a receiver role, where they believe he will explode past most SEC foes. They have very imposing talent at defensive end with Charles Johnson, and Quentin Moses does not need any introduction to Tennessee players. They also look to have an embarrassment of riches on special teams, with proven veteran Thomas Flowers and newcomer Asher Allen expected to turn some heads. This last one is a particular concern for the Vols, whose persistent struggles on punt coverage are well known throughout the league. Expect this game to come down to 2 or 3 big plays, which Georgia will take full advantage of to get the victory. Oh, and it doesn’t help any that this game will be played between the infamous hedges at Sanford Stadium.
3. South Carolina—Steve Spurrier has his team in much better shape this year, and it’s their second year running his system. Sidney Rice has NFL size talent already, but the other receiver spots are less solid. There is the potential for this squad to be the best unit on the team this year, but it could go either way. They’ll either be stellar or vulnerable, if they have to build their strategy around a lone star in Rice. The signal caller is not going to be a nationally recognized name at the beginning of the year, but if Spurrier has a particular forte it’s in getting maximum production out of pedestrian quarterbacks. Cory Boyd, running back, will carry a lot of offensive production on his shoulders, and he looks to be more than capable. A new look for the ‘Cocks this year will be the expanded use of a tight end. They have a good one in Jared Cook, with lots of size and blocking ability along with nice soft hands. They have big questions on the offensive line—which was decidedly lackluster last year—and they’re replacing 3 starters. Their defense also has a lot to rebuild with the exception, in a big way, of the linebacking corps. OLB Marvin Sapp is a proven commodity, while big hitter Jasper Brinkley will cause Arian Foster et al big headaches up the middle. Expect Spurrier to rush these two to get to Ainge early. It doesn’t help any that this will be played in Columbia, where the fans are every bit as rabid and vociferous as any in Neyland Stadium. Ainge will get rattled and make at least one, maybe two costly interceptions here.
4. LSU—The Bayou Bengals are second maybe only to Florida in their ability to replace talent on an annual basis, just by opening the door. Despite a loss of three big contributors on both lines, they have several solid candidates to step in. Junior Glenn Dorsey already looks to fit the bill nicely on the defensive side, while LB Darry Beckwith is a bruiser. UT may match up evenly with the Tigers up front, but there are just too many offensive weapons. The Tigers are three deep in the backfield, with Jacob Hester a solid addition to an already stellar combo in Broussard and Vincent. Ditto for the QB rotation: JaMarcus Russell has locked up the starting job…for now. One falter early, and he’ll lose the job to Matt Flynn or Ryan Perilloux. Both are ready, and capable, to lead this team in dramatic fashion, despite playing second or third fiddle so far. Slot receiver Trindon Holliday will cause UT’s solid linebacking corps problems, leaving it up to the secondary to catch up to the elusive, diminutive comet. At 5’5”, 165 lbs., he’s easy to miss. He’ll also be the primary returner for the Tigers, so he’ll be another special teams nightmare for a Tennessee team not known for spectacular coverage. The best thing that could be said about this game for UT is that it will be in Knoxville, but the Tiger faithful travel well and they remember last year’s overtime loss to the Vols.

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