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by
Joel Welser
#14 Tennessee
Volunteers
Southeastern Conference
2006 Record: (9-4, 5-3)
Coach: Phillip Fulmer (137-41 at Tennessee,
137-41 overall)
Starters Returning: 13 (7 offense, 5 defense,
1 specialist)
Offensive Starters Lost: WR Robert Meachem,
WR Jayson Swain, OL Arron Sears, OL David Ligon
Offensive Starters Returning: QB Erik Ainge,
HB LaMarcus Coker, TE Brad Cottam, TE Chris Brown, OL Josh McNeil, OL Anthony
Parker, OL Eric Young
Defensive Starters Lost: DT Turk McBride, DT
Matt McGlothlin, LB Marvin Mitchell, CB Jonathan Wade, CB Antwan Stewart, S
Demetrice Morley
Defensive Starters Returning: DE Xavier
Mitchell, DE Antonio Reynolds, LB Ryan Karl, LB Jerrod Mayo, S Jonathan Hefney
Starting Specialists Lost: K James Wilhoit
Starting Specialists Returning: P Britton
Colquitt
Tennessee spent last season keeping their reputation
as one of the best football schools in the nation and this year they want to
make things even better in Knoxville. However, quarterback Erik Ainge, who
suffered a torn MCL early in spring, lost his top two receiving targets and the
defense will be without six starters from a year ago.
Offense:
Replacing wide receivers Robert Meacham and Jayson
Swain will not be easy. Sophomore Austin Rogers has the only start of the
returning group, but there is some talent with players like Lucas Taylor, Casey
Woods and Quintin Hancock. Ainge’s job looked easy at times when Meacham, Swain
and Bret Smith bailed him out, but that may not happen with this year’s
receivers.
Luckily for the Volunteers, they have an experienced
line and a few talented tailbacks to rely on. LaMarcus Coker, Montario Hardesty
and Arian Foster all return after sharing the workload last year. Coker has the
big play potential, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and finding the endzone five
times in 2006. Hardesty and Foster were not far behind Coker in the carries
department and, barring an injury or a late run up or down the depth chart, each
should play a big role for Coach Phillip Fullmer’s running game.
Defense:
The main concern for the Volunteer defense last year
was getting to the quarterback. With another year of experience under their
belt, senior ends Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds should be better prepared
to rack up a few sacks. The interior of the line will look different without
Turk McBride and Matt McGlothlin, but J.T. Mapu and Demonte’ Bolden are expected
to replace them without much of a problem.
The linebackers, led by Jerod Mayo and Ryan Karl,
could end up to be one of the best in the conference, but the same cannot be
said about the secondary. Safety and return specialist Jonathan Hefney will be a
starter for his fourth season and anchors the backs, but the rest of the
starters are gone. The main concern is at the corners where Antwan Stewart and
Jonathan Wade did a decent job last year. Roshaun Fellows has 12 starts under
his belt, but missed the 2006 season due to an injury. Antonio Gaines and
Marsalous Johnson are the favorites to see some action, but even incoming
freshman Art Evans will get a fair shot.
The Bottom Line:
As usual, Tennessee will reload. Led by the front
seven, the defense has enough talent to get by despite the deficiencies that may
linger on the corners. Yet, the new starters will not have much time to adjust
with trips to California and Florida in September. One often overlooked weapon
on Tennessee is punter Britton Colquitt. It is easy to take a Colquitt at
Tennessee for granted, but his 44.9 yard average and great punting placement
will once again often move the field position game in favor of the Volunteers.
Colquitt may even take over for departed placekicker James Wilhoit. |
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