There are plenty of programs that would love to have the kind of year-in year-out success the Phillip Fulmer and the Tennessee Volunteers have had including the first BCS National Championship following the 1998 season. However 1998 was also the last time Tennessee won the SEC and a pair of 8-10 win seasons, barring the disastrous 2005 5-6 campaign that most at Rocky Top would like to call a Mulligan, have grown weary on Rocky Top. I can’t guarantee that things will be any sweeter in Tennessee this season as tough games in conference and out of conference face the Vols in the first two months of the season. Another season in the middle of the SEC East may get fans thinking Phillip Fulmer’s time as Head coach may be coming to an end.
Projected Record and Bowl Result: 10-3 Beat Iowa in Capital One Bowl
Who they’ll beat: Southern Miss (Home), Arkansas State (Home), Georgia (Home), Mississippi State (Road), South Carolina (Home), Louisiana-Lafayette (Home), Arkansas (Home), Vanderbilt (Home), Kentucky (Road)
Who’ll beat them: California (Road), Florida (Road), Alabama (Road),
When they Pass: Erik Ainge takes the torch from Chris Leak as the player who it seems has been playing college football for ten years even though its only been four. He only wishes his receivers were half as experienced. Robert Meachem and the rest of the receiving corps are gone leaving no receiver with more than 14 receptions in 2006 on the roster.
When they Run: LaMarcus Coker heads a Running Back committee but he is suspended indefinitely (ganja), Arian Foster should get the start in Berkeley when the Volunteers test themselves Week 1.
When their Opponents Run: While the loss of Justin Harrell is lessened in significance because he was rendered ineffective with a torn bicep, this unit ranked 72nd nationally against the run. The linebacker unit is one of the best in the nation and there is depth where there is almost none up front. This is why the scuttlebutt around the Vols program is about making the switch from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4.
When their Opponents Pass: Safety Jonathan Hefney leads a secondary that has loads of potential he’ll be asked to cover a lot of mistakes by first time starters in the brutal September Tennessee has scheduled.
When they Kick: Britton Colquitt is the latest of the first family of Tennessee punting. He’ll also be doing the kicking on field goals and kickoffs. Is there such thing as an “Ironman Kicker”? If not there should be.
When they call Timeout: Fulmer is a fine coach and with the exception of 2005 has kept Tennessee in the upper echelon of college football. But when Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama are going all-in with coaching coups, it gets harder and harder to justify standing pat as 1998 gets farther and farther away. OC David Cutcliffe would seem like a natural heir if Fulmer and Tennessee tire of each other it’s just a matter of how many Conference USA jobs can he turn down.
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