Quarterback JT Shrout - Shrout is an intriguing addition. He's the sort of player who checks all the boxes as far as his technique, size, footwork, etc., but his stats don't fill fans with confidence. Shrout only started a single season in high school as a senior, but he did get some work as a backup during his sophomore and junior seasons. For his career, he's accounted for 3,304 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions with 311 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. At 6-3, 190, Shrout isn't a burner on the run but he can be reasonably effective in creating enough with his legs to take what the defense is giving him. He has pro-level mechanics and an arm that can launch a deep pass. Shrout's high school offensive line wasn't anything particularly great, and he was often left to do work on the move. His receivers also weren't anything special, so he would have to force things at times. Given how many good throws I saw from him with defenders right in his face, it is a bit more difficult to blame him for the fact that he had a low completion percentage and high interception rate. On paper, he's raw. On film and in person, he looks like a future professional quarterback. Given good protection and decent receivers, he could be a quarterback who puts up big numbers.
Running back Jeremy Banks - Talk about a guy who exploded as a senior! Banks had a good but unspectacular junior season. Certainly nothing that would make him an elite recruit. 140 carries, 815 yards, and 16 touchdowns. Good numbers, but really the kind of numbers that make you think SEC talent. Then he had that elite senior campaign. 198 carries, 1,941 yards, and 32 touchdowns. Only 58 more carries, but more than double the yards, nearly 10 yards per carry, and twice the touchdowns. For anyone wondering why he saw the huge jump in his numbers, he split carries with Lincoln University of Missouri freshman running back Harold Lacy, who led LU in touchdowns and was second in rushing yards last season. This past season, Banks ran the show, with the next closest running back in carries having 80 for 707 yards and six touchdowns. At 6-2, 215, Banks is a load with constantly churning legs and better than expected speed. His forty times have been all over the place as far as listings go, but when it comes to playing speed I'd guess he's probably somewhere in the 4.55 range. His poor running at The Opening Regional in New Orleans doesn't line up at all with the speed he shows on film. He's a willing and brutal blocker with the power to rip through arm tackles and the athleticism to leap over guys trying to tackle him low. He fits the new model of running back that Jeremy Pruitt wants to work into the mix with the smaller, faster running backs already on the roster.
Wide receiver Alontae Taylor (EE) - Taylor is the most intriguing name among the early signees. He is an insanely productive athlete who looks to play wide receiver for the Vols. He sincerely did a bit of everything for Coffee County, passing for 1,746 yards, running for 6,000 yards, catching for 479 yards, returning kickoffs to the tune of 172 yards (on just six returns), and tossing in some solid defensive play for good measure. He tossed 10 touchdowns as a passer, and had 75 as a runner, receiver, and returner. He genuinely does it all, and he is somewhat reminiscent of Randall Cobb. He's a true offensive weapon that gives the coaches flexibility to run trick plays. He's not the biggest player. He's not the fastest. He's not the strongest. He's just a playmaker, no matter what position he's playing. At 6-0, 184, he's going to be a good sized receiver, whether he's out wide or in the slot. He's still raw as a receiver, but he's going to be virtually impossible to keep off the field next season. He's just too productive.
Tight end Jacob Warren (EE) - Right now, Warren looks more like a wide receiver than a tight end, but at 6-6, 211 he has room to grow and then some. He has the willingness to work as a blocker and really doesn't have the speed for wideout, but he can easily grow to 240-250 pounds. Over the last two seasons, he had 68 receptions for 1,138 yards and 17 touchdowns. Warren averaged 16.5 yards per reception, so as tight ends go he's definitely a big play threat. He has had a career long reception for 75 yards coming this season. Although he will probably need time to build up his body in order to play tight end, if he can add good weight in a hurry, he could find a way to be a weapon, either at tight end or as a large possession receiver.
Tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (EE) - This 6-5, 245 pound former high school quarterback joins Tennessee ranked as the #1 tight end coming from the JUCO ranks. He wasn't wildly productive from a pure numbers standpoint, but he was second on Arizona Western in receptions last season and third in yards and touchdowns for a team that didn't pass nearly as much as they ran the ball. He's a dynamic receiver when given the chance to be and a willing and capable blocker. In two seasons, Wood-Anderson had 43 receptions for 476 yards and four touchdowns while helping to pave the way for a strong rushing attack. Alabama's coaches had drawn the comparison to OJ Howard with Wood-Anderson. Vol fans can only hope he can be that productive for the next two seasons.
Offensive lineman Tanner Antonutti - Once a tight end, Antonutti began to make the transition to offensive tackle last season, and at 6-5, 275 pounds he's on his way to growing into the role. He allowed fewer than 5 sacks through his ten games as a senior, so it's clear his athleticism is translating to his new role. It's not hard to find a highlight of him clearing a running lane and moving the defender, and he's not yet at ideal size for the role. He's been working to add good weight, and if he can arrive on campus close around 285, he should at worst be able to help offer some depth on the offensive line.
Offensive lineman Jerome Carvin (EE) - 6-4, 330 pounds of road grading offensive guard/right tackle is everything you want from a big bodied blocker. Carvin thrives on doing his job, but he truly thrives on putting the defender on his backside. He's a strong, brutal blocker who always makes a point of finishing the block and keeping his defender out of the play. He may not have enough length to play left tackle, and his future is likely at guard. That said, he could play right tackle if needed. He is somewhat similar to Kyler Kerbyson as far as his versatility is concerned in that he can help out at a few positions as needed. Carvin has a real chance to help this team out right away, and I wouldn't be shocked at all if he happened to be starting at guard when the season begins.
Offensive lineman Ollie Lane (EE) - Lane is a strong interior lineman with decent leverage and a good finish on his blocks. He moves well for his size (6-5, 285) and has the potential to play guard or center. As an early enrollee, he'll be able to get a jump on strength and conditioning as well as transitioning to center if that is ultimately the plan for him. Lane is a guy who could prove to be a steal, in the same way that Brett Kendrick was for the Vols. Don't be surprised if Lane outplays his ranking.
Defensive lineman Greg Emerson (EE) - Emerson is currently the highest ranked defensive signee for the Vols, and highest ranked signee overall. That despite having to sit out his senior season following an injury at The Opening. Emerson is a big, athletic end at 6-3, 280 and is more than capable of fitting in as a 3-4 end and even a 4-3 end when the front shifts. He is big, but having run a 4.84 forty at The Opening before getting hurt he's plenty quick enough to contribute as an end in either scheme. In fact, it's faster than Derek Barnett's forty at the NFL Combine. Emerson might be the signee who committed to Butch Jones who could benefit most from the coaching change because he's completely suited for the new scheme.
Defensive lineman Kingston Harris (EE) - Harris was one of the first players with no relationship with Tennessee's previous staff to jump on board with Pruitt and company. Harris was a productive player for IMG Academy, which is almost like snagging a guy out of the JUCO ranks. That's how IMG runs their show. They're being prepped for the college game. Harris is a big guy at 6-4, 272 and he's probably not going to wow anybody in a Combine setting, but he gives 100% every play. On a defensive line with three 5-star recruits lining up around him, Harris still did more than his fair share of work in two years with the program with 40 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. As a freshman and sophomore at Orlando Christian Prep, he put up 93 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Harris is probably best suited to play end right now, but as an early enrollee the staff may be able to work on trying to reshape his body to be able to play inside at nose, where his lack of elite athleticism will be less of an issue as a run stuffer. Regardless, as with many early enrollees, he could be a candidate to contribute early.
Defensive lineman Brant Lawless - To say that Brant Lawless was a productive high school defensive lineman is something of an understatement. 159 tackles, 48.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and 5 fumble recoveries in four seasons. To give some perspective, if rounded out, that's 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks per season. Those are numbers that put guys in the NFL. It's hard to say for certain how Lawless might fit in the new defense long-term, but at least next season he's likely to get his start at end at 6-3, 285. Lawless shows the ability to be very disruptive, and that may allow him to stick at end long-term while shifting inside in a 4-3 look. Lawless is someone I'd be willing to say will continue to be a productive defender in his college career.
Linebacker/defensive end Jordan Allen (EE) - How quickly can a player morph into another position? Consider this: as a high school senior, Allen was a wide receiver and defensive back while participating in basketball and track and field as well. Now he heads to Tennessee ranked as the #2 weakside defensive end in the JUCO ranks at 6-5, 230. He started off redshirting at UC Davis before transferring to City College of San Francisco. Last season he had 27 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 2 pass break ups in nine games played. His athleticism has translated well to his new role, and he looks poised to spend the next three years making plays from the edge as a 3-4 linebacker and 4-3 end.
Punter Paxton Brooks (EE) - A big leg, good hangtime, and the ability to flip the field as well as pin the opponent deep in their own territory. It's become the expectation of Tennessee punters over the past several years, and Brooks seems to check all the boxes of recent excellent punters in Knoxville. Brooks averaged 41.8 yards per punt as a junior and 42.4 yards per punt as a senior despite being a lanky punter at 6-5, 170. Now he's set to enter a collegiate strength and conditioning program that will help him build on his leg strength while receiving coaching to improve his technique overall. Brooks arrives on campus at a time when the Vols are looking to replace their excellent punter Trevor Daniel, who finishes his time at Tennessee with a career 45.9 yard per punt average and 82 punts downed inside the 20 and 76 punts of 50+ yards. Brooks looks to be the next great punter for the Vols, who put their last three punters into the NFL.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Tennessee Basketball: Tourney Time in Tennessee
Tennessee has been mired in frustration in most sports for years now. Whether it has been the decade of football frustration, the illness and loss of Pat Summitt, Bruce Pearl and Donnie Tyndall's NCAA misadventures, or the steep decline of Tennessee baseball, really only softball has remained as an annual beacon of hope. Tennessee fans across all sports have steadily begged for improvement, and with each new hire their hope has been renewed, yet their faith has seldom been rewarded. This is about men's basketball, however, and it's worth talking about life during and after Pearl leading up to the impending season.
Bruce Pearl took over a Vols program with low expectations and turned them into a perennial tournament team, starting with his first season in Knoxville. He finished his time in Knoxville with a 145-61 overall record, 65-31 in conference play, and made the tournament in each of his six seasons in Knoxville. Barring his final, tumultuous season at Tennessee, he won 21 or more games every season. He also took the team to two Sweet Sixteen exits and an Elite Eight departure.
After his termination at Tennessee, the Vols were taken over by Cuonzo Martin, who had just finished a rebuilding project at Missouri State. He took over a newly depleted Tennessee team that had lost their top three contributors and seven of the top ten players from the year before and helped the team to finish second in the SEC, although they just missed out on the tournament after failing to win an SEC tournament game. The next season the team started slow and finished fast, sitting on the bubble heading into the SEC tourney. A second round loss left them as one of the first four out. Then 2014 happened. A team with high expectations got off to a poor start, and at the point at which they were sitting at 16-11, enraged fans began a petition to see Martin terminated. The team rallied to a 5-1 finish and were one of the first four round participants. In the end, the team barely fell in the Sweet Sixteen to Michigan. While the motives can be questioned, Martin resigned following the season's conclusion and took the head coaching job at Cal.
Donnie Tyndall would be the next head coach. He took over a team with only one returning contributor. Roughly one-third of the roster were new players he brought on board. He led the team to a 16-16 record and then he was terminated due to allegations and evidence stemming from his prior stop at Southern Miss. Back to the drawing board yet again for Tennessee basketball.
Luck struck finally for the Vols as Texas terminated their long-time coach Rick Barnes. The Vols swooped in and snatched up the highly successful coach. At this point, the Vols were in full rebuilding mode after three coaches in as many years, and they finished with a 15-19 record. Last year, they finished 16-16 despite some significant personnel issues in the post and at point guard.
Now it's time to find out what the 2017-18 team will be able to do. The Vols return six of their top ten scorers from last season and seven players who averaged double digit minutes per game a year ago. Also back are four of the top five rebounders from last season and their top two players in assists. Jalen Johnson is coming off a redshirt season and represents a long guard capable of making plays from the wing. Forward John Fulkerson is on the mend following a serious injury to his right arm last season, leading him to a redshirt after averaging 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds through the first 11 games.
Rick Barnes and staff got to work on the recruiting trail and made major strides in helping this year's team in terms of scoring and play in the paint. Redshirt senior graduate transfer James Daniel III was the NCAA scoring leader two years ago, averaging 27.1 points per game. For his career, he's averaged 21.5 per game. He brings an immediate scorer to the guard position. Chris Darrington is a bit more of an unknown commodity for the upcoming season, but he was a quality player for Vincennes University in the JUCO ranks, averaging 20.7 points per game, 5.1 assists, and hitting on just over 43% of his three point attempts. He was the Vols leading scorer during their European exhibition tour with a 14.3 point per game average.
In the paint, the Vols brought in at least two players ready to make an impact this season, and one of them may already be positioned to start for the Vols after a big trip to Europe. Derrick Walker may be the missing piece in the paint for the Vols, averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds per game during the European tour. He and last season's freshman phenom, Grant Williams, provide a big bodied duo with solid height at 6-8 and 6-7 respectively. The Vols dipped into the international waters to bring in Yves Pons, a Haitian native who played his high school ball in France. The 6-5, 205 pound wing player is an athletic slasher who can jump out of the building and rack up blocks. They added height in Zach Kent, who at 6-10, 224 probably could stand to redshirt and build on his frame. He's a flex player comfortable playing both in the paint and from behind the arc, hitting on 40% of his three point attempts during his junior season while also averaging nine rebounds per game.
Let's dive into things position by position now, beginning with point guard. Following averages of 7.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game in 23 games played (17 starts), Jordan Bone is the presumed starter at point guard entering the season. Bone appears to have earned the faith of head coach Rick Barnes to serve as the floor general, although he would do well to keep an eye over his shoulder. Lamonte Turner is a bit more of a combo guard, but he played in all 32 games last season with averages of 8.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. For now, he appears to remain entrenched at point guard, but there are options among the new faces on the team. Chris Darrington and James Daniel III, despite also being combo guards, are also strong options at the point. At least early in the season, expect all four to get significant looks as the staff attempts to identify their best lineup ahead of SEC play.
At shooting guard, Jordan Bowden looks to lead the way. The 6-5 guard gives Tennessee length they've lacked at times since the departure of Jordan McRae and Josh Richardson. Bowden averaged 7.9 points per game and 2.9 rebounds last season while starting in 28 of 30 games played. Darrington and Daniel, although mentioned with regard to the point guard position, are both probably more natural shooting guards and will see plenty of minutes there as well. 6-7 guard Jalen Johnson is an option at the two or the three once he recovers from off-season surgery. He's a slashing guard in the mold of McRae when he first arrived on campus.
Small forward. Wing. Call it what you may, but this is perhaps the most athletically gifted spot on the roster right now. Little big man Admiral Schofield has a good case for holding the starting job down here all season. Despite only standing 6-5, the 238 pound forward looks like an SEC caliber defensive end physically and he plays with that kind of tenacity. Last season, he only got one start following the move of Robert Hubbs III to wing, but despite that he improved on his freshmen averages, putting up 8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game following a freshman campaign in which he started 22 games but only put up 7.6 points per contest and 4.0 rebounds. A newcomer to this mix is Yves Pons, who doesn't have the same physically imposing physique but has ridiculous athleticism. The aforementioned Jalen Johnson is also an option here, where he would be the tallest option but also the skinniest.
Power forward might be the most exciting spot on the roster right now. Last season, Grant Williams, an underheralded freshman, forced his way onto the Freshman All-SEC team with a dominant campaign in which he averaged 12.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while also averaging just shy of 2 blocks per game and tacking on almost a steal per game for good measure. Hearing that, you'd assume the 6-7, 241 pound forward would be a lock to start, and yet a new freshman phenom may very well have unseated him. 6-8, 238 pound big man Derrick Walker arrived on campus ready to play and quickly established himself as a force on the floor during an overseas trip to Europe in which he averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. A third strong candidate for minutes is working his way back from a major injury suffered last season. John Fulkerson was the early standout among the young forwards last season, breaking through quickly with 4.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game through 10 games and 6 starts. He was also averaging almost a block per game and just over a steal per game. He was also proving to be a decent distributor from the paint with an assist per game. Regardless of which of these three is on the floor, fans should feel comfortable that the job is in good hands.
Center has an experienced starter in Kyle Alexander, but he's also someone who has been working to get his legs under him. The big man hails from Canada and has shown steady improvement following each season, but he may have truly taken a significant step this summer when he averaged 9 rebounds per game in Europe. Alexander averaged 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and a block per game last season, one in which he registered 23 starts after starting just 11 contests the year before. Particularly against teams with smaller frontcourts, it's possible Walker, Fulkerson, or Williams could supplant him to start those games. An intriguing possibility to play this season might be Zach Kent, a player many thought might be on his way to a redshirt. A 6-10, 224 pound freshman, Kent is a big man with the shot to knock down threes. Kent has been mentioned by Barnes as a candidate to play at power forward as well in order to allow him to step outside. He's been mentioned as possibly the most improved freshman over the summer, so he may have a shot to avoid the redshirt.
All that sounds great, but ultimately people want to know what they should expect from the team. While the November 2nd exhibition against Carson-Newman will give us our first look at the team, the best preseason test will come against Clemson in South Carolina on Sunday. At a glace, I see six likely losses. The two meetings with Kentucky, on the road against Purdue, home against North Carolina, and home contests with Texas A&M and Florida. I'd say at this point a realistic expectation for the team is probably something along the lines of 18-12 to 20-10, which would likely leave them firmly sitting on the bubble around 4-6 in the SEC standings. That assumes reasonable health and steady progression from returning players and significant contributions from the newcomers. This is the first team Barnes has had in Knoxville with the size to compete as well as the shooting and athleticism to keep up with the majority of teams they'll face.
For a bit of perspective on how close Tennessee was last year to a big season, they lost by 8 points to Sweet Sixteen participant Wisconsin, 2 points to eventual national champs North Carolina, 10 points to national runner up Gonzaga, 4 points to tournament team Arkansas, 10 points to Final Four team South Carolina, beat Kentucky at home...well, you get the point. A late season collapse last year had much to do with poor shooting averages and injury issues. A stronger frontcourt and deeper group of guard who can hit threes and attack the rim should allow Tennessee to finish off some of the opponents they faded against down the stretch last season.
Assuming a true best case scenario, there's a slim chance for Tennessee to wind up with a 24-6 record (only counting on regular season games definitely scheduled). At that point, Tennessee would likely be a top three SEC team and a lock for the SEC tournament. That's no doubt too much to hope for, but 18-20 wins certainly seems reasonable for a team that finished last season at 16-16 and returns five of their top seven scorers and four of their top five rebounders. At some point, the solid recruiting and development will lead to wins, and I'd wager this is the season in which fans see returns on their emotional investments.
Bruce Pearl took over a Vols program with low expectations and turned them into a perennial tournament team, starting with his first season in Knoxville. He finished his time in Knoxville with a 145-61 overall record, 65-31 in conference play, and made the tournament in each of his six seasons in Knoxville. Barring his final, tumultuous season at Tennessee, he won 21 or more games every season. He also took the team to two Sweet Sixteen exits and an Elite Eight departure.
After his termination at Tennessee, the Vols were taken over by Cuonzo Martin, who had just finished a rebuilding project at Missouri State. He took over a newly depleted Tennessee team that had lost their top three contributors and seven of the top ten players from the year before and helped the team to finish second in the SEC, although they just missed out on the tournament after failing to win an SEC tournament game. The next season the team started slow and finished fast, sitting on the bubble heading into the SEC tourney. A second round loss left them as one of the first four out. Then 2014 happened. A team with high expectations got off to a poor start, and at the point at which they were sitting at 16-11, enraged fans began a petition to see Martin terminated. The team rallied to a 5-1 finish and were one of the first four round participants. In the end, the team barely fell in the Sweet Sixteen to Michigan. While the motives can be questioned, Martin resigned following the season's conclusion and took the head coaching job at Cal.
Donnie Tyndall would be the next head coach. He took over a team with only one returning contributor. Roughly one-third of the roster were new players he brought on board. He led the team to a 16-16 record and then he was terminated due to allegations and evidence stemming from his prior stop at Southern Miss. Back to the drawing board yet again for Tennessee basketball.
Luck struck finally for the Vols as Texas terminated their long-time coach Rick Barnes. The Vols swooped in and snatched up the highly successful coach. At this point, the Vols were in full rebuilding mode after three coaches in as many years, and they finished with a 15-19 record. Last year, they finished 16-16 despite some significant personnel issues in the post and at point guard.
Now it's time to find out what the 2017-18 team will be able to do. The Vols return six of their top ten scorers from last season and seven players who averaged double digit minutes per game a year ago. Also back are four of the top five rebounders from last season and their top two players in assists. Jalen Johnson is coming off a redshirt season and represents a long guard capable of making plays from the wing. Forward John Fulkerson is on the mend following a serious injury to his right arm last season, leading him to a redshirt after averaging 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds through the first 11 games.
Rick Barnes and staff got to work on the recruiting trail and made major strides in helping this year's team in terms of scoring and play in the paint. Redshirt senior graduate transfer James Daniel III was the NCAA scoring leader two years ago, averaging 27.1 points per game. For his career, he's averaged 21.5 per game. He brings an immediate scorer to the guard position. Chris Darrington is a bit more of an unknown commodity for the upcoming season, but he was a quality player for Vincennes University in the JUCO ranks, averaging 20.7 points per game, 5.1 assists, and hitting on just over 43% of his three point attempts. He was the Vols leading scorer during their European exhibition tour with a 14.3 point per game average.
In the paint, the Vols brought in at least two players ready to make an impact this season, and one of them may already be positioned to start for the Vols after a big trip to Europe. Derrick Walker may be the missing piece in the paint for the Vols, averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds per game during the European tour. He and last season's freshman phenom, Grant Williams, provide a big bodied duo with solid height at 6-8 and 6-7 respectively. The Vols dipped into the international waters to bring in Yves Pons, a Haitian native who played his high school ball in France. The 6-5, 205 pound wing player is an athletic slasher who can jump out of the building and rack up blocks. They added height in Zach Kent, who at 6-10, 224 probably could stand to redshirt and build on his frame. He's a flex player comfortable playing both in the paint and from behind the arc, hitting on 40% of his three point attempts during his junior season while also averaging nine rebounds per game.
Let's dive into things position by position now, beginning with point guard. Following averages of 7.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game in 23 games played (17 starts), Jordan Bone is the presumed starter at point guard entering the season. Bone appears to have earned the faith of head coach Rick Barnes to serve as the floor general, although he would do well to keep an eye over his shoulder. Lamonte Turner is a bit more of a combo guard, but he played in all 32 games last season with averages of 8.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. For now, he appears to remain entrenched at point guard, but there are options among the new faces on the team. Chris Darrington and James Daniel III, despite also being combo guards, are also strong options at the point. At least early in the season, expect all four to get significant looks as the staff attempts to identify their best lineup ahead of SEC play.
At shooting guard, Jordan Bowden looks to lead the way. The 6-5 guard gives Tennessee length they've lacked at times since the departure of Jordan McRae and Josh Richardson. Bowden averaged 7.9 points per game and 2.9 rebounds last season while starting in 28 of 30 games played. Darrington and Daniel, although mentioned with regard to the point guard position, are both probably more natural shooting guards and will see plenty of minutes there as well. 6-7 guard Jalen Johnson is an option at the two or the three once he recovers from off-season surgery. He's a slashing guard in the mold of McRae when he first arrived on campus.
Small forward. Wing. Call it what you may, but this is perhaps the most athletically gifted spot on the roster right now. Little big man Admiral Schofield has a good case for holding the starting job down here all season. Despite only standing 6-5, the 238 pound forward looks like an SEC caliber defensive end physically and he plays with that kind of tenacity. Last season, he only got one start following the move of Robert Hubbs III to wing, but despite that he improved on his freshmen averages, putting up 8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game following a freshman campaign in which he started 22 games but only put up 7.6 points per contest and 4.0 rebounds. A newcomer to this mix is Yves Pons, who doesn't have the same physically imposing physique but has ridiculous athleticism. The aforementioned Jalen Johnson is also an option here, where he would be the tallest option but also the skinniest.
Power forward might be the most exciting spot on the roster right now. Last season, Grant Williams, an underheralded freshman, forced his way onto the Freshman All-SEC team with a dominant campaign in which he averaged 12.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while also averaging just shy of 2 blocks per game and tacking on almost a steal per game for good measure. Hearing that, you'd assume the 6-7, 241 pound forward would be a lock to start, and yet a new freshman phenom may very well have unseated him. 6-8, 238 pound big man Derrick Walker arrived on campus ready to play and quickly established himself as a force on the floor during an overseas trip to Europe in which he averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. A third strong candidate for minutes is working his way back from a major injury suffered last season. John Fulkerson was the early standout among the young forwards last season, breaking through quickly with 4.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game through 10 games and 6 starts. He was also averaging almost a block per game and just over a steal per game. He was also proving to be a decent distributor from the paint with an assist per game. Regardless of which of these three is on the floor, fans should feel comfortable that the job is in good hands.
Center has an experienced starter in Kyle Alexander, but he's also someone who has been working to get his legs under him. The big man hails from Canada and has shown steady improvement following each season, but he may have truly taken a significant step this summer when he averaged 9 rebounds per game in Europe. Alexander averaged 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and a block per game last season, one in which he registered 23 starts after starting just 11 contests the year before. Particularly against teams with smaller frontcourts, it's possible Walker, Fulkerson, or Williams could supplant him to start those games. An intriguing possibility to play this season might be Zach Kent, a player many thought might be on his way to a redshirt. A 6-10, 224 pound freshman, Kent is a big man with the shot to knock down threes. Kent has been mentioned by Barnes as a candidate to play at power forward as well in order to allow him to step outside. He's been mentioned as possibly the most improved freshman over the summer, so he may have a shot to avoid the redshirt.
All that sounds great, but ultimately people want to know what they should expect from the team. While the November 2nd exhibition against Carson-Newman will give us our first look at the team, the best preseason test will come against Clemson in South Carolina on Sunday. At a glace, I see six likely losses. The two meetings with Kentucky, on the road against Purdue, home against North Carolina, and home contests with Texas A&M and Florida. I'd say at this point a realistic expectation for the team is probably something along the lines of 18-12 to 20-10, which would likely leave them firmly sitting on the bubble around 4-6 in the SEC standings. That assumes reasonable health and steady progression from returning players and significant contributions from the newcomers. This is the first team Barnes has had in Knoxville with the size to compete as well as the shooting and athleticism to keep up with the majority of teams they'll face.
For a bit of perspective on how close Tennessee was last year to a big season, they lost by 8 points to Sweet Sixteen participant Wisconsin, 2 points to eventual national champs North Carolina, 10 points to national runner up Gonzaga, 4 points to tournament team Arkansas, 10 points to Final Four team South Carolina, beat Kentucky at home...well, you get the point. A late season collapse last year had much to do with poor shooting averages and injury issues. A stronger frontcourt and deeper group of guard who can hit threes and attack the rim should allow Tennessee to finish off some of the opponents they faded against down the stretch last season.
Assuming a true best case scenario, there's a slim chance for Tennessee to wind up with a 24-6 record (only counting on regular season games definitely scheduled). At that point, Tennessee would likely be a top three SEC team and a lock for the SEC tournament. That's no doubt too much to hope for, but 18-20 wins certainly seems reasonable for a team that finished last season at 16-16 and returns five of their top seven scorers and four of their top five rebounders. At some point, the solid recruiting and development will lead to wins, and I'd wager this is the season in which fans see returns on their emotional investments.
Monday, September 18, 2017
Butch Jones: Time for Change or Nah?
The Butch Jones era at Tennessee has been a mixed bag. It's seen Tennessee progress from a perennial 7 loss team to back-to-back 9 win seasons, but those 9 win seasons have also come with heartbreakingly disappointing losses. Tennessee has the talent to be a top program in the SEC, but have yet to have better than the 2nd place in the SEC East or the 4th best record in the conference overall. That was enough for fans at one point as the rebuild was showing improving results, but now the rebuild is into year five and the pieces appear to be in place. Tennessee has a culture of winning and certainly the expectation of such, they have the talent and facilities, and despite spending big they also tend to earn big most years. That swings the focus to the man at the helm of the football program.
I'll start with my opinion on Jones, and understand that this is precisely that. I didn't want him in 2013, but at the same time we were swinging and missing with most other targets of note. In the end, Butch Jones was a beacon of hope in a storm of negativity surrounding the program after the blight that was the Derek Dooley era (or better put error) at Tennessee. He wasn't what you'd want for a program like Tennessee, but he was much better than the alternative of hiring another middling Group of Five type coach. Remember, Cincinnati was still in the Big East at that time and that conference was still considered a premier one for the most part despite the loss of a number of bigger name programs to other conferences. He was a hire that made sense, for the most part. That said, I had always noted his propensity to lose big games and felt he'd usually backed into most of his conference titles. He also seemed to have trouble managing personnel decisions and those issues were of concern to me. Thus far, he is who I thought he was, and that was a step up from where we were, but not a return to the glory days of old.
That brings us to the question of whether or not to make a change, and my answer is a bit involved. Tennessee tends to have strong budgets and annual earnings, but they also tend to have large expenditures that nearly keep pace with the earnings. In 2015-16, Tennessee earned over $140 million, but they also spent over $128 million. This year's anticipated athletic budget is close to $134 million, but that before upcoming earnings versus upcoming expenditures, and those expenditures can easily grow, especially if Tennessee is forced to make a change in significant programs. Well, firing a football staff and then hiring a new one is a pretty significant expenditure, and it's impossible to pretend that football is the only program in Knoxville facing a possible change at the top. Butch Jones still has a sizable buyout, and with all his new hires they could potentially add another huge hit to the budget and possibly even the surplus, which at last check was around $12 million. In essence, getting rid of Jones and company could run anywhere from $8-10 million, and while that doesn't all have to be paid out at once and can be reduced as they find other jobs, it's still a big hit against what can be spent on a new coach and staff.
Tennessee also has an impressive recruiting class in the works, and while that could change and if it does the argument may change, right now a change in staff would have a very detrimental impact on that class, one that current stands at #6 nationally and tops in the SEC. Current players would no doubt transfer and it would result in a setback that would have to be countered by a new hire of note, one that brings energy and strong recruiting chops. Such a hire would likely take a fair amount of money to bring on board, along with the cost of their new staff. If the finances aren't in order to make a change, doing so for the sake of doing so would mean a significant risk of regression in the program.
That said, there is a point at which the results become so poor or the internal turmoil of the program such that a change is necessary. If players are transferring, if there is a clear lack of effort by the team, if there are fights within the program, if recruiting begins to fall apart, Tennessee's hand will be forced regardless of the financial situation. While fans and boosters like to think they can influence change, that external temperature matters little unless people become willing to fund the change they want to see. That doesn't mean that they can't force an athletic director to make a change; it means that they may force a change that doesn't match their vision of the future for the program. Change is not always a good thing. Remember the Fulmer to Kiffin to Dooley transition? Change can go sideways on a program in a hurry if that program isn't prepared to vet and pay for the right coach and staff.
Where does that leave things? I don't think we really know yet. The frustration is palpable, but wins over the next three games would have the effect of dousing those flames. Beyond Alabama, no program looks untouchable, so the ultimate measure of the program is internal. Does the team rally behind Jones and push to win moving forward? Can the players overcoming coaching errors, or can the coaches overcome injuries and personnel issues? If not, does the whole thing fall apart?
If Tennessee is sitting at 3-3 and 0-3 in the SEC on October 15th, the damage inside and outside the program may be such that no financial considerations will save Jones. However, muster an 8-4 or 9-3 finish, and I think the buyout and finances will save Jones for another season at least. However, I would expect athletic director John Currie to be setting aside the money for a future change heading into and through the 2018 season. At this point, it would take winning the East and 10+ games to truly solidify Jones's position at Tennessee. Not one or the other, but both. The road is tough to see that happening by the end of this season, but it's also difficult to gauge whether or not the internal and external issues will force Currie's hand.
On this end, I'm fine with change if and when it makes sense financially and functionally. If the team isn't ready for change and the money isn't there, a big setback will be in the cards. However, if the money and the pulse of the team is such that a change can be made without significant transfers and with sufficient money in place to make a quality hire, we've probably seen as good as it gets with Butch Jones.
When the time comes to part ways, for my part I will say goodbye with a thank you. He made us a force in recruiting again. He re-energized a fan base that had been beaten to a pulp emotionally by the prior two head coaches. He made us an annual bowl team and a team of note once more, and oversaw our return to the top 25. While we may never get over the championship hump with Jones, we do owe him a debt of gratitude for what he did do for us, and we should never forget that. Unfortunately, good isn't good enough at Tennessee, a place where conference and national championships are part of the standard.
I'll start with my opinion on Jones, and understand that this is precisely that. I didn't want him in 2013, but at the same time we were swinging and missing with most other targets of note. In the end, Butch Jones was a beacon of hope in a storm of negativity surrounding the program after the blight that was the Derek Dooley era (or better put error) at Tennessee. He wasn't what you'd want for a program like Tennessee, but he was much better than the alternative of hiring another middling Group of Five type coach. Remember, Cincinnati was still in the Big East at that time and that conference was still considered a premier one for the most part despite the loss of a number of bigger name programs to other conferences. He was a hire that made sense, for the most part. That said, I had always noted his propensity to lose big games and felt he'd usually backed into most of his conference titles. He also seemed to have trouble managing personnel decisions and those issues were of concern to me. Thus far, he is who I thought he was, and that was a step up from where we were, but not a return to the glory days of old.
That brings us to the question of whether or not to make a change, and my answer is a bit involved. Tennessee tends to have strong budgets and annual earnings, but they also tend to have large expenditures that nearly keep pace with the earnings. In 2015-16, Tennessee earned over $140 million, but they also spent over $128 million. This year's anticipated athletic budget is close to $134 million, but that before upcoming earnings versus upcoming expenditures, and those expenditures can easily grow, especially if Tennessee is forced to make a change in significant programs. Well, firing a football staff and then hiring a new one is a pretty significant expenditure, and it's impossible to pretend that football is the only program in Knoxville facing a possible change at the top. Butch Jones still has a sizable buyout, and with all his new hires they could potentially add another huge hit to the budget and possibly even the surplus, which at last check was around $12 million. In essence, getting rid of Jones and company could run anywhere from $8-10 million, and while that doesn't all have to be paid out at once and can be reduced as they find other jobs, it's still a big hit against what can be spent on a new coach and staff.
Tennessee also has an impressive recruiting class in the works, and while that could change and if it does the argument may change, right now a change in staff would have a very detrimental impact on that class, one that current stands at #6 nationally and tops in the SEC. Current players would no doubt transfer and it would result in a setback that would have to be countered by a new hire of note, one that brings energy and strong recruiting chops. Such a hire would likely take a fair amount of money to bring on board, along with the cost of their new staff. If the finances aren't in order to make a change, doing so for the sake of doing so would mean a significant risk of regression in the program.
That said, there is a point at which the results become so poor or the internal turmoil of the program such that a change is necessary. If players are transferring, if there is a clear lack of effort by the team, if there are fights within the program, if recruiting begins to fall apart, Tennessee's hand will be forced regardless of the financial situation. While fans and boosters like to think they can influence change, that external temperature matters little unless people become willing to fund the change they want to see. That doesn't mean that they can't force an athletic director to make a change; it means that they may force a change that doesn't match their vision of the future for the program. Change is not always a good thing. Remember the Fulmer to Kiffin to Dooley transition? Change can go sideways on a program in a hurry if that program isn't prepared to vet and pay for the right coach and staff.
Where does that leave things? I don't think we really know yet. The frustration is palpable, but wins over the next three games would have the effect of dousing those flames. Beyond Alabama, no program looks untouchable, so the ultimate measure of the program is internal. Does the team rally behind Jones and push to win moving forward? Can the players overcoming coaching errors, or can the coaches overcome injuries and personnel issues? If not, does the whole thing fall apart?
If Tennessee is sitting at 3-3 and 0-3 in the SEC on October 15th, the damage inside and outside the program may be such that no financial considerations will save Jones. However, muster an 8-4 or 9-3 finish, and I think the buyout and finances will save Jones for another season at least. However, I would expect athletic director John Currie to be setting aside the money for a future change heading into and through the 2018 season. At this point, it would take winning the East and 10+ games to truly solidify Jones's position at Tennessee. Not one or the other, but both. The road is tough to see that happening by the end of this season, but it's also difficult to gauge whether or not the internal and external issues will force Currie's hand.
On this end, I'm fine with change if and when it makes sense financially and functionally. If the team isn't ready for change and the money isn't there, a big setback will be in the cards. However, if the money and the pulse of the team is such that a change can be made without significant transfers and with sufficient money in place to make a quality hire, we've probably seen as good as it gets with Butch Jones.
When the time comes to part ways, for my part I will say goodbye with a thank you. He made us a force in recruiting again. He re-energized a fan base that had been beaten to a pulp emotionally by the prior two head coaches. He made us an annual bowl team and a team of note once more, and oversaw our return to the top 25. While we may never get over the championship hump with Jones, we do owe him a debt of gratitude for what he did do for us, and we should never forget that. Unfortunately, good isn't good enough at Tennessee, a place where conference and national championships are part of the standard.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Indiana State Grades
Quarterbacks - Quinten Dormady was somehow both better and worse in this game than against Georgia Tech. If that doesn't make sense, I'll do my best to explain. Dormady was much more efficient against Indiana State on fewer passing attempts, tossing two touchdowns. However, he was also a bit more careless with the football, coughing up a fumble and throwing a pick. Jarrett Guarantano got his first real action and it was both underwhelming and impressive. He should have had two more passes end in completions, and he threw a nice touchdown pass to Jeff George among his four completions, but completing 33% of his passes and only rushing for six yards wasn't exactly an overwhelming performance. Dormady completed over 72% of his passes and the two quarterbacks combined for 3 touchdowns through the air. Not a great outing, but far from a bad one. The caliber of the opponent dings them on this one. They shouldn't have had the mistakes. C+
Running Backs - This is a mix of old and new news. Old news: John Kelly is still really good at football and the University of Tennessee's web team is still really bad at keeping the players straight on the stat sheet. New news: Ty Chandler, Tim Jordan, Trey Coleman, and Carlin Fils-aime are more than just serviceable backups, combining for 15 carries, 86 yards, and 2 touchdowns along with 2 receptions for 12 yards. Fils-aime has been a particularly impressive player in his limited career touches, with 17 carries for 99 yards and 4 touchdowns over the past two seasons. When it comes to Tennessee's game on the ground, there's been almost nothing to complain about. A
Receivers - Tennessee had 5 wide receivers that they rotated against Indiana State and...they did alright. The wideouts accounted for all the touchdown receptions. The running backs handled the rest of the receiving work with the exception of one reception by Eli Wolf, which resulted in Wolf missing the remainder of the game with an ankle sprain. I'll give the grade a bump for the limited receivers available combined with a solid performance, but I also have to deduct points for the lack of presence by senior tight end Ethan Wolf. He has to be a weapon for this team, and it hasn't materialized yet. B-
Offensive Line - All in all, the offensive line has been just fine. 8 tackles for loss allowed in 126 plays run, one sack allowed in 67 passing attempts, and a 5.22 yard per carry average. They've cleared the way for 6.06 yards per play with a mostly new group of playmakers at quarterback, receiver, and running back. They've been discombobulated at times, but they had a rough camp with regard to injuries. All things being equal, I have little to complain about. That said, they haven't been perfect by any means. B
Defensive Line - I think it's been hashed out more than enough that the defensive line has been playing off the ball and plenty of people don't like it. I would venture to say that given Georgia Tech's offense and the heavy shifting by Indiana State, it's been somewhat understandable. The question now is how the defensive line has handled their business, and against Indiana State the answer is more or less. Indiana State didn't pass much, so there wasn't much opportunity to bring a consistent pass rush, meaning they only had 2 quarterback hurries and one sack, but that's against only 19 passing attempts, so not great but not awful either. More noteworthy is the 11 tackles for loss mixed in among the 38 rushing attempts by Indiana State, who only averaged 3.2 yards per carry. Not the best game, but far from awful given the defense played pretty vanilla most of the day. B-
Linebackers - Tennessee has had 12 tackles for loss on the season. 7.5 of that has come from the defensive line or defensive backs. In other words, the linebackers have not been making many plays behind the line of scrimmage. My point being that although they've racked up the tackles, they've been making plays after gains by the offense. The top three linebackers are also the Vols top tacklers, so it hasn't been all bad by any means, but when only 3 of the 71 tackles are tackles for loss, something isn't quite kosher. C-
Defensive Backs - It's been hard to get a real feel for how good or bad this group may be. So far Tennessee's opponents have accounted for 62 rushing attempts and 14.5 passing attempts per game. The secondary has barely been called to action, and unfortunately that has led to the group losing focus at times. Clearly that's less than ideal, but they've only allowed a 48.3% completion percentage and one touchdown through two games. If I were being totally honest, this grade should be an incomplete, but given the help in run support from the safeties and nickel and the completion percentage, I'll settle for giving this group a C+ and re-evaluate them as we go forward and see more opponents who can pass more than 20 times in a game.
Special Teams - Still special. Trevor Daniel is one of the best punters in the country. Tennessee is 12th nationally in kickoff return average despite Evan Berry not yet being 100%. Marquez Callaway is 21st nationally in punt return average despite only having four returns so far. Tennessee is tied for 16th nationally in kickoff average and 19th in touchback average. They haven't kicked a field goal yet but Aaron Medley is perfect on PATs despite having kicked 12 through two games, good for 15th nationally in PAT attempts per game. Basically perfect so far. A
Coaching - This wasn't perfect, but all things considered the plan was solid, it worked well, the rotation of the quarterbacks and running backs was fine, there were no major injuries, and there weren't any significant coaching flubs. Nothing special occurred, but nothing problematic did either. Solid B.
Running Backs - This is a mix of old and new news. Old news: John Kelly is still really good at football and the University of Tennessee's web team is still really bad at keeping the players straight on the stat sheet. New news: Ty Chandler, Tim Jordan, Trey Coleman, and Carlin Fils-aime are more than just serviceable backups, combining for 15 carries, 86 yards, and 2 touchdowns along with 2 receptions for 12 yards. Fils-aime has been a particularly impressive player in his limited career touches, with 17 carries for 99 yards and 4 touchdowns over the past two seasons. When it comes to Tennessee's game on the ground, there's been almost nothing to complain about. A
Receivers - Tennessee had 5 wide receivers that they rotated against Indiana State and...they did alright. The wideouts accounted for all the touchdown receptions. The running backs handled the rest of the receiving work with the exception of one reception by Eli Wolf, which resulted in Wolf missing the remainder of the game with an ankle sprain. I'll give the grade a bump for the limited receivers available combined with a solid performance, but I also have to deduct points for the lack of presence by senior tight end Ethan Wolf. He has to be a weapon for this team, and it hasn't materialized yet. B-
Offensive Line - All in all, the offensive line has been just fine. 8 tackles for loss allowed in 126 plays run, one sack allowed in 67 passing attempts, and a 5.22 yard per carry average. They've cleared the way for 6.06 yards per play with a mostly new group of playmakers at quarterback, receiver, and running back. They've been discombobulated at times, but they had a rough camp with regard to injuries. All things being equal, I have little to complain about. That said, they haven't been perfect by any means. B
Defensive Line - I think it's been hashed out more than enough that the defensive line has been playing off the ball and plenty of people don't like it. I would venture to say that given Georgia Tech's offense and the heavy shifting by Indiana State, it's been somewhat understandable. The question now is how the defensive line has handled their business, and against Indiana State the answer is more or less. Indiana State didn't pass much, so there wasn't much opportunity to bring a consistent pass rush, meaning they only had 2 quarterback hurries and one sack, but that's against only 19 passing attempts, so not great but not awful either. More noteworthy is the 11 tackles for loss mixed in among the 38 rushing attempts by Indiana State, who only averaged 3.2 yards per carry. Not the best game, but far from awful given the defense played pretty vanilla most of the day. B-
Linebackers - Tennessee has had 12 tackles for loss on the season. 7.5 of that has come from the defensive line or defensive backs. In other words, the linebackers have not been making many plays behind the line of scrimmage. My point being that although they've racked up the tackles, they've been making plays after gains by the offense. The top three linebackers are also the Vols top tacklers, so it hasn't been all bad by any means, but when only 3 of the 71 tackles are tackles for loss, something isn't quite kosher. C-
Defensive Backs - It's been hard to get a real feel for how good or bad this group may be. So far Tennessee's opponents have accounted for 62 rushing attempts and 14.5 passing attempts per game. The secondary has barely been called to action, and unfortunately that has led to the group losing focus at times. Clearly that's less than ideal, but they've only allowed a 48.3% completion percentage and one touchdown through two games. If I were being totally honest, this grade should be an incomplete, but given the help in run support from the safeties and nickel and the completion percentage, I'll settle for giving this group a C+ and re-evaluate them as we go forward and see more opponents who can pass more than 20 times in a game.
Special Teams - Still special. Trevor Daniel is one of the best punters in the country. Tennessee is 12th nationally in kickoff return average despite Evan Berry not yet being 100%. Marquez Callaway is 21st nationally in punt return average despite only having four returns so far. Tennessee is tied for 16th nationally in kickoff average and 19th in touchback average. They haven't kicked a field goal yet but Aaron Medley is perfect on PATs despite having kicked 12 through two games, good for 15th nationally in PAT attempts per game. Basically perfect so far. A
Coaching - This wasn't perfect, but all things considered the plan was solid, it worked well, the rotation of the quarterbacks and running backs was fine, there were no major injuries, and there weren't any significant coaching flubs. Nothing special occurred, but nothing problematic did either. Solid B.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Georgia Tech Coaching Grades
This isn't about individual players but about the game plan and adjustments made in the game. My grades will be influenced by how the staff adjusted during the game in order to better execute. Let's dive in.
Offense: This was definitely a tale of two halves in this game, but I think it actually showed something very promising; Larry Scott has a clear understanding of how to make adjustments during the game. The first half saw the offense account for grand totals of 28 plays, 94 yards, and 3.36 yards per play. Their lone first half touchdown came following a fumble recovery. John Kelly had 10 touches for 53 yards and a touchdown. The second half and overtime? 31 plays, 287 yards, and 9.26 yards per play. That is an enormous swing, and considering that quarterback Quinten Dormady went into the half having completed a bleak 8-20 for 52 yards yet finished the game by throwing for 12-17 for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half plus overtime. John Kelly's second half/OT? 14 touches for 110 yards and three touchdowns. While that first half production was pretty plainly a D or worse grade, his second half was a solid A. I'll split the difference and give Larry Scott and staff a grade of C+ for the game. The initial game plan was severely flawed, but the adjustments made in the game were excellent.
Defense: The early results were fairly promising. Tennessee was containing the Yellow Jacket offense. They appeared to have a great plan of attack. The defense was flying to the football and showing aggressive play. Then TaQuon Marshall hit Ricky Jeune on a 44 yard pass in which corner Justin Martin was out of position and everything fell apart. Prior to that moment, Tennessee had limited Tech to 11 plays and 32 yards. The floodgates were open after that moment. Tennessee had opted to have the defensive linemen play off the football, giving them time to read and react. The linebackers prior to that pass play were attacking and aggressive. The defensive backs played loose coverage in order to better beat potential blocks so that they could react to option plays to the edge. Suddenly, everyone was playing tentatively. The defense had been knocked back on their heels and with the exception of a couple forced fumbles, Tennessee would never fully regain form in the game. The entire defense became reactive instead of proactive, meaning they could no longer disrupt plays and were going to constantly give up yards in chunks. Georgia Tech is tough to defend at the best of times, but the initial instinct of Bob Shoop to attack with the linebackers, give the defensive line a cushion to react to the blocks, and have the defensive backs offer up a cushion to react. However, the defensive backs gave too much cushion. There is a big difference between 3-4 yards off the receiver and 8-10 yards off. The linebackers were too quick to let off the aggressive approach when a big play finally happened. The defensive ends were solid, but the defensive tackles were too content to be space eaters. The intentions weren't terrible, but the plan was abandoned too quickly and the adjustments never came. Shoop lost control of his defense in this game, and that cannot be allowed to happen the rest of the season. I'll give Shoop a C- only because of the forced turnovers. It's obvious he worked with the defenders on stripping the ball, and three forced fumbles and two recoveries is worth a bump in the grade.
Special Teams: After something of a rough season on special teams last year compared to seasons past under Jones, Tennessee looked every bit their old selves against Georgia Tech. Trevor Daniel regularly flipped the field. Evan Berry and company handled returns well. Paul Bain's blocked field goal was the cherry on top, and Aaron Medley continued to be sure-footed on kickoffs and PATs. I have nothing bad to say about the results here at all. Solid A performance. Keep it up, boys.
Head Coach/Game Management: Butch Jones continues to be frustratingly inconsistent when it comes to game management, but he does seem to motivate his team to play, even when, or perhaps especially when, the odds are against them. Even so, Jones has to become a better game manager. He bailed out Georgia Tech at one point when they were looking at a delay of game. At the end of the first half, he failed to utilize his two timeouts despite having the potential to score had he done so, running a play without any further planning along the sideline before going for it on 4th and 2. Game management continues to be one of Jones's biggest weaknesses, and at this point it seems unlikely to be an area he improves in. However, as Les Miles proved at LSU, you can win in spite of that particular weakness. For keeping his team motivated and believing they could win, I'll go ahead and give him a bump to a C+, but if this were a loss he'd be solidly in D territory.
Overall: This was incredibly ugly. Despite the special teams excellence and strong close, Tennessee failed to show up to start the game and Butch Jones neglected to properly manage the clock. The defense really didn't show up at all after the first couple GT possessions other than some standout individual performances that led to turnovers. Tennessee needed to come out and have a stronger showing, but yet again I'm left wondering if that will ever be the M.O. of a Butch Jones coached team. I'll assign a C grade because they got the win, but even against a frustrating Georgia Tech offense, they made that defense look too good for too long and failed to capitalize on excellent field position numerous times.
Offense: This was definitely a tale of two halves in this game, but I think it actually showed something very promising; Larry Scott has a clear understanding of how to make adjustments during the game. The first half saw the offense account for grand totals of 28 plays, 94 yards, and 3.36 yards per play. Their lone first half touchdown came following a fumble recovery. John Kelly had 10 touches for 53 yards and a touchdown. The second half and overtime? 31 plays, 287 yards, and 9.26 yards per play. That is an enormous swing, and considering that quarterback Quinten Dormady went into the half having completed a bleak 8-20 for 52 yards yet finished the game by throwing for 12-17 for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half plus overtime. John Kelly's second half/OT? 14 touches for 110 yards and three touchdowns. While that first half production was pretty plainly a D or worse grade, his second half was a solid A. I'll split the difference and give Larry Scott and staff a grade of C+ for the game. The initial game plan was severely flawed, but the adjustments made in the game were excellent.
Defense: The early results were fairly promising. Tennessee was containing the Yellow Jacket offense. They appeared to have a great plan of attack. The defense was flying to the football and showing aggressive play. Then TaQuon Marshall hit Ricky Jeune on a 44 yard pass in which corner Justin Martin was out of position and everything fell apart. Prior to that moment, Tennessee had limited Tech to 11 plays and 32 yards. The floodgates were open after that moment. Tennessee had opted to have the defensive linemen play off the football, giving them time to read and react. The linebackers prior to that pass play were attacking and aggressive. The defensive backs played loose coverage in order to better beat potential blocks so that they could react to option plays to the edge. Suddenly, everyone was playing tentatively. The defense had been knocked back on their heels and with the exception of a couple forced fumbles, Tennessee would never fully regain form in the game. The entire defense became reactive instead of proactive, meaning they could no longer disrupt plays and were going to constantly give up yards in chunks. Georgia Tech is tough to defend at the best of times, but the initial instinct of Bob Shoop to attack with the linebackers, give the defensive line a cushion to react to the blocks, and have the defensive backs offer up a cushion to react. However, the defensive backs gave too much cushion. There is a big difference between 3-4 yards off the receiver and 8-10 yards off. The linebackers were too quick to let off the aggressive approach when a big play finally happened. The defensive ends were solid, but the defensive tackles were too content to be space eaters. The intentions weren't terrible, but the plan was abandoned too quickly and the adjustments never came. Shoop lost control of his defense in this game, and that cannot be allowed to happen the rest of the season. I'll give Shoop a C- only because of the forced turnovers. It's obvious he worked with the defenders on stripping the ball, and three forced fumbles and two recoveries is worth a bump in the grade.
Special Teams: After something of a rough season on special teams last year compared to seasons past under Jones, Tennessee looked every bit their old selves against Georgia Tech. Trevor Daniel regularly flipped the field. Evan Berry and company handled returns well. Paul Bain's blocked field goal was the cherry on top, and Aaron Medley continued to be sure-footed on kickoffs and PATs. I have nothing bad to say about the results here at all. Solid A performance. Keep it up, boys.
Head Coach/Game Management: Butch Jones continues to be frustratingly inconsistent when it comes to game management, but he does seem to motivate his team to play, even when, or perhaps especially when, the odds are against them. Even so, Jones has to become a better game manager. He bailed out Georgia Tech at one point when they were looking at a delay of game. At the end of the first half, he failed to utilize his two timeouts despite having the potential to score had he done so, running a play without any further planning along the sideline before going for it on 4th and 2. Game management continues to be one of Jones's biggest weaknesses, and at this point it seems unlikely to be an area he improves in. However, as Les Miles proved at LSU, you can win in spite of that particular weakness. For keeping his team motivated and believing they could win, I'll go ahead and give him a bump to a C+, but if this were a loss he'd be solidly in D territory.
Overall: This was incredibly ugly. Despite the special teams excellence and strong close, Tennessee failed to show up to start the game and Butch Jones neglected to properly manage the clock. The defense really didn't show up at all after the first couple GT possessions other than some standout individual performances that led to turnovers. Tennessee needed to come out and have a stronger showing, but yet again I'm left wondering if that will ever be the M.O. of a Butch Jones coached team. I'll assign a C grade because they got the win, but even against a frustrating Georgia Tech offense, they made that defense look too good for too long and failed to capitalize on excellent field position numerous times.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Recruiting Update, 8-22
Tennessee has added a couple of commitments since my last recruiting update, and that has helped to make the recruiting picture a little bit clearer as well. First, let's look at the two new names on the board.
Paxton Brooks was the first to join the class on the 17th. Brooks has been ranked by the 247Sports Composite as a 3-star kicker, although he is expected to punt for Tennessee. According to Kohl's Professional Camps, Brooks is the #2 punter in the nation in the class of 2018, averaging 41.8 yards per punt during his junior season. Brooks is currently awaiting the update to the specialists on 247Sports as well as awaiting rankings from Scout and Rivals. ESPN has Brooks as the #5 kicker in the nation and the top rated punter. The 6-5, 170 pound has been working on improving his hang time, something the Vols staff has asked him to do. He will likely compete with current freshman Joe Doyle for the punting job next season as they vie to be the player to replace senior Trevor Daniel.
Up next was Shocky Jacques-Louis, who pulled the trigger for Tennessee yesterday. The 6-1, 175 pound wide receiver is a former and now future teammate of freshman linebacker Shanon Reid. Among his many offers were Kentucky, South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, and Georgia. As a junior, Jacques-Louis had 20 receptions for 314 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns along with a touchdown on a kickoff return and one on a punt return. He is a player who fits the mold of what the staff was looking to add this cycle, a speedy receiver who can make deep plays. He should be the last receiver in the class.
Now, Tennessee's staff, one way or another, is of the belief that they can squeeze 24 into this class. I don't see how, but they've proven their magical ability to exceed expectations with their past classes, so at this point I'm assuming they have some plan of attack for this. That means that without attrition, they have two spots remaining. One of those two spots seems likely to go toward a defensive end. The other spot left in the class likely has two possibilities: Jerome Carvin or a defensive end. Under the number crunch, in order to take Jaycee Horn or their seeming backup plan in Dashon Bussell, they would probably have to cut loose someone somewhere. I don't know that they have this as high a priority at this time as some might think, and they could very well be pursuing another corner as a luxury rather than a necessity. Another option could be adding Carvin and dropping another offensive line commit.
Of course, the staff is likely to have a couple battles ahead of them to keep certain guys in the fold. Anthony Grant, Lyn-J Dixon, and Dorian Gerald are players who certainly haven't closed the door on looking around at other options. That's not to say that any of them are likely to flip, as at this time I wouldn't consider any of them imminent threats to decommit, but it's something to keep an eye on. South Carolina, Louisville, and Florida are teams pursuing Gerald. Clemson is certainly pursuing Dixon, and Georgia has offered Grant.
Some are still holding out hope for Tennessee to get 25 into the class, but at this point I'm not seeing that as being realistic so much as wishful thinking. However, if that were to happen, it would certainly help with the numbers as Tennessee would be in a situation where they could add needs and luxuries to round out the class. I'm not currently seeing anything that I would consider an imminent commitment, but as we've continued to see with this cycle, anything is possible.
Paxton Brooks was the first to join the class on the 17th. Brooks has been ranked by the 247Sports Composite as a 3-star kicker, although he is expected to punt for Tennessee. According to Kohl's Professional Camps, Brooks is the #2 punter in the nation in the class of 2018, averaging 41.8 yards per punt during his junior season. Brooks is currently awaiting the update to the specialists on 247Sports as well as awaiting rankings from Scout and Rivals. ESPN has Brooks as the #5 kicker in the nation and the top rated punter. The 6-5, 170 pound has been working on improving his hang time, something the Vols staff has asked him to do. He will likely compete with current freshman Joe Doyle for the punting job next season as they vie to be the player to replace senior Trevor Daniel.
Up next was Shocky Jacques-Louis, who pulled the trigger for Tennessee yesterday. The 6-1, 175 pound wide receiver is a former and now future teammate of freshman linebacker Shanon Reid. Among his many offers were Kentucky, South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, and Georgia. As a junior, Jacques-Louis had 20 receptions for 314 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns along with a touchdown on a kickoff return and one on a punt return. He is a player who fits the mold of what the staff was looking to add this cycle, a speedy receiver who can make deep plays. He should be the last receiver in the class.
Now, Tennessee's staff, one way or another, is of the belief that they can squeeze 24 into this class. I don't see how, but they've proven their magical ability to exceed expectations with their past classes, so at this point I'm assuming they have some plan of attack for this. That means that without attrition, they have two spots remaining. One of those two spots seems likely to go toward a defensive end. The other spot left in the class likely has two possibilities: Jerome Carvin or a defensive end. Under the number crunch, in order to take Jaycee Horn or their seeming backup plan in Dashon Bussell, they would probably have to cut loose someone somewhere. I don't know that they have this as high a priority at this time as some might think, and they could very well be pursuing another corner as a luxury rather than a necessity. Another option could be adding Carvin and dropping another offensive line commit.
Of course, the staff is likely to have a couple battles ahead of them to keep certain guys in the fold. Anthony Grant, Lyn-J Dixon, and Dorian Gerald are players who certainly haven't closed the door on looking around at other options. That's not to say that any of them are likely to flip, as at this time I wouldn't consider any of them imminent threats to decommit, but it's something to keep an eye on. South Carolina, Louisville, and Florida are teams pursuing Gerald. Clemson is certainly pursuing Dixon, and Georgia has offered Grant.
Some are still holding out hope for Tennessee to get 25 into the class, but at this point I'm not seeing that as being realistic so much as wishful thinking. However, if that were to happen, it would certainly help with the numbers as Tennessee would be in a situation where they could add needs and luxuries to round out the class. I'm not currently seeing anything that I would consider an imminent commitment, but as we've continued to see with this cycle, anything is possible.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
2017 Season Prediction
I confess that I'm still on the fence about many things and really nailing down a prediction isn't proving easy for me. There are still plenty of questions surrounding this team. In the end, it's come down to one of a handful of options: the safe choice, the pessimistic result, or the best-case scenario. So how to choose and evaluate my feelings on the projections for this season is now the big thing left to decide.
I'll be the first to admit I have questions about Butch Jones. I have since he was hired. I never thought his ceiling was going to be as high as fans would want it to be, and I long suspected he would become a victim of the renewed championship expectations in Knoxville once things stabilized. That still may be the case, but he did address one of my bigger criticisms; he went out and started making the best possible hires instead of just hiring his friends.
In fact, his impressive new hires are really the biggest reason I think Jones might just exceed his past limitations. Some head coaches make their assistants better like Nick Saban has always done, but a good group of assistants can elevate a head coach to a different level, which is very much what I think has taken place at Clemson under Dabo Swinney. Right now, Butch appears to have assembled a staff with the capacity to do that for him.
The roster has talent. It has a surprising amount of experience. It's still pretty unproven, however. Few of the highest rated former recruits on the roster have performed up to their high school rankings yet. However, proven production aside, the talent is present and the upside for the team is pretty obvious. Well, as long as they're healthy, which was a big issue last year.
Then there are the opponents. Georgia still has to prove they have playmakers at receiver, an improved offensive line, and a defense that can stop opponents consistently. Florida has to have their team on the field instead of suspended, replace the bulk of the defense, and settle on a quarterback. South Carolina has arguably the SEC's least ideal defensive end situation. Georgia Tech is banking on a new quarterback to lead the offense. LSU has a new head man, a roster being battered by attrition, and a quarterback situation that they wish included a game manager. In fact, they've converted the #1 safety in the last class into a wide receiver just trying to make the passing game better. Bottom line, aside from maybe Alabama, no opponent is unbeatable.
Tennessee has a pretty solid situation at the offensive skill positions and quarterback, and a very strong situation on the offensive line (when everyone is healthy and at practice). They have two five stars and a four star leading the way at end to replace 1st round draft pick Derek Barnett. They return the defensive tackles, who are healthier than at the end of last season. The linebackers are fairly deep and pretty talented. The secondary is settled at safety and deeper at corner than a year ago. The corners aren't a finished product yet, but they appear to be improved over last season with a new position coach.
So will I play it safe, go all in, or low ball it in order to keep people happier regardless of the outcome? Well, I'm not much of a gambler, but not because I haven't done it before. In fact, I used to do it too much, especially playing poker. I was a very aggressive player, which meant that I either won big or lost big. In a true gambler's spirit, I'm going all in on this team. The truth is that there really is a limit on being snakebit unless you're the Cubs or Red Sox, and even they overcame the unlucky streaks eventually.
10-2 regular season with losses to Georgia and Alabama. As much as I would love to see Tennessee top the Dawgs again, at some point talent matters and Georgia has it for days. They have experience as well. None of their question marks appear to be crippling, so overcoming them looks pretty practical. Alabama is...well, Alabama. I'd love to tell you that Tennessee is as talented as them, but we aren't that talented. I'd love to say we had a coach on Saban's level, but aside from maybe Urban Meyer that doesn't exist. They are proven at every level on both sides of the ball in Tuscaloosa, same as usual because even the backups played and played well last season. Alabama may not be running the table, but as far as Tennessee's schedule goes, they're the best on the slate.
I think the Georgia Tech hand-wringing is a bit overblown. GT can certainly catch teams off-guard, but this idea of them as some explosive giant slayer is certainly a myth. Last season, their biggest win over a Power 5 opponent was 15 points against Kentucky in the bowl game. That was their biggest win since their 15 point bowl win in 2014. That 11-3 campaign in 2014-15 is as good as it's gotten for the Rambling Wreck. Under Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets have averaged 7.8 wins overall and 4.7 conference wins per season with an average division finish of 2.6 in the standings. The last two seasons have represented their worst division finishes under Johnson and the conference appears to be leaving Georgia Tech behind and everyone appears to be figuring them out.
Unfortunately, that probably means no SEC title game again. I've tried finding two losses on Georgia's schedule, but if they are playing up to the level they should Auburn, Tennessee, and Florida are probably the only possible threats and I would guess that Auburn is the only likely loss if one is coming in the regular season. I feel the same way for Alabama, ultimately, and that may actually mean Alabama fails to make the title game too if they drop the Auburn game. Time will tell if Auburn is fool's gold, but I have to admit that they look bright and shiny right now. I'm saying the title game is Georgia versus the winner of Alabama-Auburn. I would also place Alabama and Auburn on alert against their respective ACC foes. Both look pretty dangerous to draw early in the season.
Now, missing out on the division title might be a blessing in disguise, especially if there is a season finish in which no SEC team has fewer than two losses, which is certainly possible. Tennessee would then have the earliest loss of the bunch and arguably the best standing in the rankings at that point. That's not to say the Vols are heading to the playoff as I think that would likely go to the conference champ, but it would very likely put them first in line for a New Year's Six bowl. The Sugar Bowl is part of the playoff this year, so although I'm guessing here I think the Peach Bowl would be the likely landing spot. I'm of the opinion that Florida State wins the ACC and represents them in the playoff, but I don't think Virginia Tech will be that far behind and I am of the opinion that they will represent the ACC in the New Year's Six bowls against the Vols in a rematch of the 2009 Peach Bowl. That particular bowl has been particularly unkind to Tennessee, with the Vols going 1-4 in their five appearances, but I think this gives them their second Peach Bowl victory in front of another impressive crowd.
This pushes Butch Jones to his first 11 win season since 2009 at Central Michigan and first double digit win season since 2011 at Cincinnati. I would expect some staff turnover following the season, but I think Jones will also see a nice raise and extension that will either please or anger fans depending on their take on Jones. It would be Tennessee's first 11 win season since 2001 and also their first double digit winning season since 2007.
Another thing worth noting is this: since Butch Jones arrived at Tennessee, I've predicted the team to go 5-7, 7-6, 9-4, and 12-2. With the exception of last season, I've generally had a pretty good bead on what the team would do under Jones. This season is a lot tougher to get a read on, but I'm generally optimistic because I think the changes that have taken place in Knoxville have been for the better. We'll see if my optimism is ultimately rewarded.
I'll be the first to admit I have questions about Butch Jones. I have since he was hired. I never thought his ceiling was going to be as high as fans would want it to be, and I long suspected he would become a victim of the renewed championship expectations in Knoxville once things stabilized. That still may be the case, but he did address one of my bigger criticisms; he went out and started making the best possible hires instead of just hiring his friends.
In fact, his impressive new hires are really the biggest reason I think Jones might just exceed his past limitations. Some head coaches make their assistants better like Nick Saban has always done, but a good group of assistants can elevate a head coach to a different level, which is very much what I think has taken place at Clemson under Dabo Swinney. Right now, Butch appears to have assembled a staff with the capacity to do that for him.
The roster has talent. It has a surprising amount of experience. It's still pretty unproven, however. Few of the highest rated former recruits on the roster have performed up to their high school rankings yet. However, proven production aside, the talent is present and the upside for the team is pretty obvious. Well, as long as they're healthy, which was a big issue last year.
Then there are the opponents. Georgia still has to prove they have playmakers at receiver, an improved offensive line, and a defense that can stop opponents consistently. Florida has to have their team on the field instead of suspended, replace the bulk of the defense, and settle on a quarterback. South Carolina has arguably the SEC's least ideal defensive end situation. Georgia Tech is banking on a new quarterback to lead the offense. LSU has a new head man, a roster being battered by attrition, and a quarterback situation that they wish included a game manager. In fact, they've converted the #1 safety in the last class into a wide receiver just trying to make the passing game better. Bottom line, aside from maybe Alabama, no opponent is unbeatable.
Tennessee has a pretty solid situation at the offensive skill positions and quarterback, and a very strong situation on the offensive line (when everyone is healthy and at practice). They have two five stars and a four star leading the way at end to replace 1st round draft pick Derek Barnett. They return the defensive tackles, who are healthier than at the end of last season. The linebackers are fairly deep and pretty talented. The secondary is settled at safety and deeper at corner than a year ago. The corners aren't a finished product yet, but they appear to be improved over last season with a new position coach.
So will I play it safe, go all in, or low ball it in order to keep people happier regardless of the outcome? Well, I'm not much of a gambler, but not because I haven't done it before. In fact, I used to do it too much, especially playing poker. I was a very aggressive player, which meant that I either won big or lost big. In a true gambler's spirit, I'm going all in on this team. The truth is that there really is a limit on being snakebit unless you're the Cubs or Red Sox, and even they overcame the unlucky streaks eventually.
10-2 regular season with losses to Georgia and Alabama. As much as I would love to see Tennessee top the Dawgs again, at some point talent matters and Georgia has it for days. They have experience as well. None of their question marks appear to be crippling, so overcoming them looks pretty practical. Alabama is...well, Alabama. I'd love to tell you that Tennessee is as talented as them, but we aren't that talented. I'd love to say we had a coach on Saban's level, but aside from maybe Urban Meyer that doesn't exist. They are proven at every level on both sides of the ball in Tuscaloosa, same as usual because even the backups played and played well last season. Alabama may not be running the table, but as far as Tennessee's schedule goes, they're the best on the slate.
I think the Georgia Tech hand-wringing is a bit overblown. GT can certainly catch teams off-guard, but this idea of them as some explosive giant slayer is certainly a myth. Last season, their biggest win over a Power 5 opponent was 15 points against Kentucky in the bowl game. That was their biggest win since their 15 point bowl win in 2014. That 11-3 campaign in 2014-15 is as good as it's gotten for the Rambling Wreck. Under Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets have averaged 7.8 wins overall and 4.7 conference wins per season with an average division finish of 2.6 in the standings. The last two seasons have represented their worst division finishes under Johnson and the conference appears to be leaving Georgia Tech behind and everyone appears to be figuring them out.
Unfortunately, that probably means no SEC title game again. I've tried finding two losses on Georgia's schedule, but if they are playing up to the level they should Auburn, Tennessee, and Florida are probably the only possible threats and I would guess that Auburn is the only likely loss if one is coming in the regular season. I feel the same way for Alabama, ultimately, and that may actually mean Alabama fails to make the title game too if they drop the Auburn game. Time will tell if Auburn is fool's gold, but I have to admit that they look bright and shiny right now. I'm saying the title game is Georgia versus the winner of Alabama-Auburn. I would also place Alabama and Auburn on alert against their respective ACC foes. Both look pretty dangerous to draw early in the season.
Now, missing out on the division title might be a blessing in disguise, especially if there is a season finish in which no SEC team has fewer than two losses, which is certainly possible. Tennessee would then have the earliest loss of the bunch and arguably the best standing in the rankings at that point. That's not to say the Vols are heading to the playoff as I think that would likely go to the conference champ, but it would very likely put them first in line for a New Year's Six bowl. The Sugar Bowl is part of the playoff this year, so although I'm guessing here I think the Peach Bowl would be the likely landing spot. I'm of the opinion that Florida State wins the ACC and represents them in the playoff, but I don't think Virginia Tech will be that far behind and I am of the opinion that they will represent the ACC in the New Year's Six bowls against the Vols in a rematch of the 2009 Peach Bowl. That particular bowl has been particularly unkind to Tennessee, with the Vols going 1-4 in their five appearances, but I think this gives them their second Peach Bowl victory in front of another impressive crowd.
This pushes Butch Jones to his first 11 win season since 2009 at Central Michigan and first double digit win season since 2011 at Cincinnati. I would expect some staff turnover following the season, but I think Jones will also see a nice raise and extension that will either please or anger fans depending on their take on Jones. It would be Tennessee's first 11 win season since 2001 and also their first double digit winning season since 2007.
Another thing worth noting is this: since Butch Jones arrived at Tennessee, I've predicted the team to go 5-7, 7-6, 9-4, and 12-2. With the exception of last season, I've generally had a pretty good bead on what the team would do under Jones. This season is a lot tougher to get a read on, but I'm generally optimistic because I think the changes that have taken place in Knoxville have been for the better. We'll see if my optimism is ultimately rewarded.
Monday, August 14, 2017
15 Players to Watch in 2017
These guys aren't in any sort of order other than how they stand out to me in my mind. Some will make huge impacts. Others won't stuff the statsheet but will play major roles as the season progresses. These are the relative unknowns (outside the program, anyway) who appear poised to be a big part of Team 121.
Marquez Callaway - I cannot emphasize this enough: Callaway looks like the best candidate to serve as Jauan Jenning's #2 this season. Josh Malone wouldn't have had the season he had last year without Jennings garnering attention, and Callaway has to be able to provide that for Jennings this season. I personally think he will. Callaway is an athletic specimen with the frame you love to see in a wide receiver. He has length, speed, and leaping ability, and his hands have progressed a fair bit from last season. He's still not a finished product, but he's probably not far off from where Jennings was last season. Callaway has guys pushing him to be better, and he seems to be answering the call while coming out of his shell more and more. He has star potential.
Ty Chandler - This seems obvious, but he really does bring an explosive element that the roster needed in order to help replace the loss of Alvin Kamara to the NFL. He's not the most impressive looking player physically right now, but despite looking a bit like a large slot receiver or small wideout, he runs out of the backfield like the type of speed back every team would love to have. He's not small, but he's not nearly as big as he'll become, and he doesn't look like he'll lose any of his speed and quickness as he grows and develops. Where most running backs are either quick or fast, Chandler is both.
Josh Palmer - If there's a threat to Callaway's chances of starting, it might very well come in the form of this true freshman. He looks much further along both physically and technique-wise than anyone, the coaches included, could have hoped for. Palmer was a consensus 3-star, not the biggest or fastest of the receivers in the class, but he does seem to be the one making the most noise now. Of course, he was a late-bloomer for St. Thomas Aquinas, but when he came on he finished the season as one of the team's best despite being part of a group of seniors that included players who committed to Miami, Ohio State, Illinois, FAU, and Kent State, and that was just the running backs and receivers. Quarterback Jake Allen is now enrolled at Florida, another running back landed with Iowa, and others landed with Notre Dame, Pitt, Michigan State, Mississippi State, and...oh yeah, Tennessee, in the form of Kivon Bennett. Bottom line, this is a very good team and Palmer still managed to shine in the second half of their season. Palmer has looked smooth, fluid, and mature at receiver, and on top of all that he's really only played one full season of American football as he is originally from Canada.
LaTrell Bumphus - This tight end came in well ahead of schedule, and he has looked very much like a freshman that can play right away. So much so, in fact, that he may be pushing Jakob Johnson, who is now fighting for the #2 job after essentially walking away as the clear second tight end after spring practice. Bumphus is big, athletic, and a willing blocker. He brings the tenacity of a high level defensive lineman to the tight end position, which makes sense considering he was recruited by many schools to play defensive end.
Marcus Tatum - Brett Kendrick may be the likely right tackle, but he's also had some trouble in the past staying healthy. Logic would say that Tatum won't just play this season, but he'll likely start at some point. He did last year too at maybe 265. Now he's close to twenty pounds heavier while remaining the athletic specimen he was coming out of high school. If Tatum can get back to where he was before missing a few practices, he might even be able to push Kendrick for the job. Probable backups like Tatum, Boulware, and Thomas give the staff a level of security they probably wouldn't have had a year ago.
Ryan Johnson - He was one of the higher rated commitments in the 2016 class, a 6-6, 280 pound, 4-star offensive lineman who was the top signee on the OL. Even so, he ultimately redshirted as a true freshman as he worked to convert into an interior lineman. Now, he's in position to become a potential key reserve at one of the guard spots while also getting work at the center position. Johnson is up over 300 pounds and is displaying the aggression and toughness that made him such a coveted recruit.
Matthew Butler - I feel like I've definitely mentioned him before, but this young man has looked good being lined up at all four spots on the defensive line. When he arrived on campus, he declared to the whole team that he could play anywhere on the defensive line, then he stepped on the field and proved it was more than just talk. He looks every bit of his 6-4, 274 pounds, and he has a high motor and good athleticism. He still needs to add to his arsenal of pass rush moves, but whether he's at end or at tackle, he can torment quarterbacks. If you're worried about him defending the run, he also had 100 tackles for loss in three seasons in high school. He looks like he was designed in a video game, and if reports from camp are any indication he can play like it too.
Deandre Johnson - Unheralded, oft-forgotten, and yet he is very likely to be in the two deep week one. Johnson arrived as an early enrollee at 6-4, 235 who wasn't exactly the top name on anybody's list of freshmen to watch, yet he was the second player to lose his stripe this spring after 5-star Trey Smith. He's close to 260 now and looks every bit the part of a college defensive end. He's motivated, talented, and has picked up on everything very quickly, which will likely mean he finds himself thrust into the two deep with two former 5-stars in Jonathan Kongbo and Kyle Phillips as well as 4-star Darrell Taylor.
Elliott Berry - Believe it or not, the forgotten Berry brother has been quietly having an excellent camp. It's hard to say exactly how he'll be used, but my suspicion is he might get looks as a nickel linebacker at his new, svelte 5-11, 206. He had a strong season last year after being forced into action due to injury, starting 4 games and playing in all 13 while racking up 34 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pass defended after playing almost exclusively on special teams before that. He won't necessarily supplant Quart'e Sapp or Cortez McDowell, but he could have special packages designed to get him on the field to take advantage of his skill set.
Will Ignont - I don't know exactly what role Ignont will play this season yet, but I do know that he will play. In fact, his rapid progression throughout fall camp is actually opening up a possibility that the staff has tossed around: Darrin Kirkland and Daniel Bituli on the field at the same time. Kirkland and Bituli are two of the bigger and more physical linebackers on the roster along with Austin Smith, all of whom also have the athleticism to hold their own in coverage.
Kivon Bennett - Tennessee may have struck gold with this defensive line class, and the truth is none of the guys I've mentioned were their highest rated signee on the DL. Bennett, however, does come with a pedigree, and quite a good one at that. His father, Cornelius Bennett, was a big time player at Alabama and later in the NFL, and the younger Bennett will look to carve out his own legacy. He's not off to a bad start at all either, occasionally flashing on the field despite being a bit undersized at defensive tackle at 6-1, 275. He may not be the most physically imposing player, but he certainly is making a move on finding a spot in the rotation.
Theo Jackson - While not the biggest name in the class among the defensive backs, Jackson might now be positioning himself to make the biggest early impact. He has plenty of length at 6-2, and despite being on the skinny side at 178 he was a do-everything athlete in high school. He excelled on defense, picking off eight passes in two seasons while playing quarterback, receiver, and whatever else Overton High needed him to do. Jackson has picked up right where he left off in high school and he is breaking through at a spot where he isn't needed, but is very much welcomed.
Justin Martin - Emmanuel Moseley isn't yet 100%, Shaq Wiggins is still trying to figure out exactly how the coaches want him to do things in Knoxville, and the freshmen are, well, freshmen, but the player who has become the one constant right now at corner is Martin. He's always had all the physical tools you could want, but now he's figuring out the technique required to excel at corner in the SEC. Better late than never as he brings safety size, wideout speed, and the attitude you want to the corner spot. If he brings the technique to match, he could be an all-conference performer.
Tim Jordan - Chandler may have taken over the #2 spot behind starting running back John Kelly, but the #3 spot is up for grabs...or is it? Carlin Fils-aime is still fighting to be the #3 with Jordan, who is bigger, stronger, and might just be faster too. What he's not is as experienced as Fils-aime, but running back is usually a pretty quick transition from high school to college. Usually the physical demands of college football is what gets to a kid the most, but that doesn't seem likely to be an issue for Jordan, who looks like a senior physically. We'll see who really does spell Kelly and Chandler when the season kicks off, but right now I'm leaning toward Jordan.
Evan Berry - It's odd to say that a former All-American is a player to watch, but he may very well be. The emergence of Jackson at safety may be freeing up Evan Berry to become even more of a weapon than he already was. There's a chance that he will get looks on offense as the team tries to find the best ways to make use of the 5-11, 205 pound speedster. Offense, defense, and returns. Hmm...sounds like a nice way for a senior to build up a resume before he auditions for the NFL.
Marquez Callaway - I cannot emphasize this enough: Callaway looks like the best candidate to serve as Jauan Jenning's #2 this season. Josh Malone wouldn't have had the season he had last year without Jennings garnering attention, and Callaway has to be able to provide that for Jennings this season. I personally think he will. Callaway is an athletic specimen with the frame you love to see in a wide receiver. He has length, speed, and leaping ability, and his hands have progressed a fair bit from last season. He's still not a finished product, but he's probably not far off from where Jennings was last season. Callaway has guys pushing him to be better, and he seems to be answering the call while coming out of his shell more and more. He has star potential.
Ty Chandler - This seems obvious, but he really does bring an explosive element that the roster needed in order to help replace the loss of Alvin Kamara to the NFL. He's not the most impressive looking player physically right now, but despite looking a bit like a large slot receiver or small wideout, he runs out of the backfield like the type of speed back every team would love to have. He's not small, but he's not nearly as big as he'll become, and he doesn't look like he'll lose any of his speed and quickness as he grows and develops. Where most running backs are either quick or fast, Chandler is both.
Josh Palmer - If there's a threat to Callaway's chances of starting, it might very well come in the form of this true freshman. He looks much further along both physically and technique-wise than anyone, the coaches included, could have hoped for. Palmer was a consensus 3-star, not the biggest or fastest of the receivers in the class, but he does seem to be the one making the most noise now. Of course, he was a late-bloomer for St. Thomas Aquinas, but when he came on he finished the season as one of the team's best despite being part of a group of seniors that included players who committed to Miami, Ohio State, Illinois, FAU, and Kent State, and that was just the running backs and receivers. Quarterback Jake Allen is now enrolled at Florida, another running back landed with Iowa, and others landed with Notre Dame, Pitt, Michigan State, Mississippi State, and...oh yeah, Tennessee, in the form of Kivon Bennett. Bottom line, this is a very good team and Palmer still managed to shine in the second half of their season. Palmer has looked smooth, fluid, and mature at receiver, and on top of all that he's really only played one full season of American football as he is originally from Canada.
LaTrell Bumphus - This tight end came in well ahead of schedule, and he has looked very much like a freshman that can play right away. So much so, in fact, that he may be pushing Jakob Johnson, who is now fighting for the #2 job after essentially walking away as the clear second tight end after spring practice. Bumphus is big, athletic, and a willing blocker. He brings the tenacity of a high level defensive lineman to the tight end position, which makes sense considering he was recruited by many schools to play defensive end.
Marcus Tatum - Brett Kendrick may be the likely right tackle, but he's also had some trouble in the past staying healthy. Logic would say that Tatum won't just play this season, but he'll likely start at some point. He did last year too at maybe 265. Now he's close to twenty pounds heavier while remaining the athletic specimen he was coming out of high school. If Tatum can get back to where he was before missing a few practices, he might even be able to push Kendrick for the job. Probable backups like Tatum, Boulware, and Thomas give the staff a level of security they probably wouldn't have had a year ago.
Ryan Johnson - He was one of the higher rated commitments in the 2016 class, a 6-6, 280 pound, 4-star offensive lineman who was the top signee on the OL. Even so, he ultimately redshirted as a true freshman as he worked to convert into an interior lineman. Now, he's in position to become a potential key reserve at one of the guard spots while also getting work at the center position. Johnson is up over 300 pounds and is displaying the aggression and toughness that made him such a coveted recruit.
Matthew Butler - I feel like I've definitely mentioned him before, but this young man has looked good being lined up at all four spots on the defensive line. When he arrived on campus, he declared to the whole team that he could play anywhere on the defensive line, then he stepped on the field and proved it was more than just talk. He looks every bit of his 6-4, 274 pounds, and he has a high motor and good athleticism. He still needs to add to his arsenal of pass rush moves, but whether he's at end or at tackle, he can torment quarterbacks. If you're worried about him defending the run, he also had 100 tackles for loss in three seasons in high school. He looks like he was designed in a video game, and if reports from camp are any indication he can play like it too.
Deandre Johnson - Unheralded, oft-forgotten, and yet he is very likely to be in the two deep week one. Johnson arrived as an early enrollee at 6-4, 235 who wasn't exactly the top name on anybody's list of freshmen to watch, yet he was the second player to lose his stripe this spring after 5-star Trey Smith. He's close to 260 now and looks every bit the part of a college defensive end. He's motivated, talented, and has picked up on everything very quickly, which will likely mean he finds himself thrust into the two deep with two former 5-stars in Jonathan Kongbo and Kyle Phillips as well as 4-star Darrell Taylor.
Elliott Berry - Believe it or not, the forgotten Berry brother has been quietly having an excellent camp. It's hard to say exactly how he'll be used, but my suspicion is he might get looks as a nickel linebacker at his new, svelte 5-11, 206. He had a strong season last year after being forced into action due to injury, starting 4 games and playing in all 13 while racking up 34 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pass defended after playing almost exclusively on special teams before that. He won't necessarily supplant Quart'e Sapp or Cortez McDowell, but he could have special packages designed to get him on the field to take advantage of his skill set.
Will Ignont - I don't know exactly what role Ignont will play this season yet, but I do know that he will play. In fact, his rapid progression throughout fall camp is actually opening up a possibility that the staff has tossed around: Darrin Kirkland and Daniel Bituli on the field at the same time. Kirkland and Bituli are two of the bigger and more physical linebackers on the roster along with Austin Smith, all of whom also have the athleticism to hold their own in coverage.
Kivon Bennett - Tennessee may have struck gold with this defensive line class, and the truth is none of the guys I've mentioned were their highest rated signee on the DL. Bennett, however, does come with a pedigree, and quite a good one at that. His father, Cornelius Bennett, was a big time player at Alabama and later in the NFL, and the younger Bennett will look to carve out his own legacy. He's not off to a bad start at all either, occasionally flashing on the field despite being a bit undersized at defensive tackle at 6-1, 275. He may not be the most physically imposing player, but he certainly is making a move on finding a spot in the rotation.
Theo Jackson - While not the biggest name in the class among the defensive backs, Jackson might now be positioning himself to make the biggest early impact. He has plenty of length at 6-2, and despite being on the skinny side at 178 he was a do-everything athlete in high school. He excelled on defense, picking off eight passes in two seasons while playing quarterback, receiver, and whatever else Overton High needed him to do. Jackson has picked up right where he left off in high school and he is breaking through at a spot where he isn't needed, but is very much welcomed.
Justin Martin - Emmanuel Moseley isn't yet 100%, Shaq Wiggins is still trying to figure out exactly how the coaches want him to do things in Knoxville, and the freshmen are, well, freshmen, but the player who has become the one constant right now at corner is Martin. He's always had all the physical tools you could want, but now he's figuring out the technique required to excel at corner in the SEC. Better late than never as he brings safety size, wideout speed, and the attitude you want to the corner spot. If he brings the technique to match, he could be an all-conference performer.
Tim Jordan - Chandler may have taken over the #2 spot behind starting running back John Kelly, but the #3 spot is up for grabs...or is it? Carlin Fils-aime is still fighting to be the #3 with Jordan, who is bigger, stronger, and might just be faster too. What he's not is as experienced as Fils-aime, but running back is usually a pretty quick transition from high school to college. Usually the physical demands of college football is what gets to a kid the most, but that doesn't seem likely to be an issue for Jordan, who looks like a senior physically. We'll see who really does spell Kelly and Chandler when the season kicks off, but right now I'm leaning toward Jordan.
Evan Berry - It's odd to say that a former All-American is a player to watch, but he may very well be. The emergence of Jackson at safety may be freeing up Evan Berry to become even more of a weapon than he already was. There's a chance that he will get looks on offense as the team tries to find the best ways to make use of the 5-11, 205 pound speedster. Offense, defense, and returns. Hmm...sounds like a nice way for a senior to build up a resume before he auditions for the NFL.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Tennessee's 2017 Opponents, Part 2
- Alabama: If you're looking for a bunch of good news for Tennessee in this one, I'm sorry in advance. A quarterback? Check. Running backs? Definitely check. Wide receivers? Yep. An offensive line? Is the Pope Catholic? Yeah, the bottom line is that this is set to be quite a good offense, even with a new offensive coordinator. Jalen Hurts is an early favorite to be first team All-SEC. Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough are a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back. Calvin Ridley is still looking to breakout at receiver, but he was very good last year, catching 72 passes for 769 yards and 7 touchdowns. Cam Sims and Robert Foster will be part of the plan to replace Gehrig Dieter and ArDarius Stewart, who combined for 69 receptions, 1,078 yards, and 12 touchdowns. The talented seniors have shown flashes of the players they can be, but they'll have to hold of younger players like Jerry Jeudy, who has already made some noise since his arrival on campus. Lengthy freshman Tyrell Shavers may be another player to keep an eye on. While finding wide receivers to toss to and running backs may not be an issue, tight end may prove to be. Replacing the production of O.J. Howard will likely take more than just a single player, and Hale Hentges and Miller Forristall look to be among the top candidates to try and provide production from the tight end spot. The staff would no doubt like to see those two pushed for the role, either by one of two freshmen (Major Tennison, Kedrick James) or one of the returning players, the best candidate being Irv Smith. The offensive line appears to be just fine. Perhaps not as proven as offensive lines in the past, but certainly one that should be able to keep Hurts upright and create holes for the backs. The defense has a few more questions. Da'Shawn Hand and Da'Ron Payne are proven commodities entering starting roles for the first time, and they look to be joined by massive but unproven Raekwon Davis. While the top three options all look very good, beyond Isaiah Buggs the depth needs to materialize more than it has up to this point. Still, as long as three of the top four are healthy I expect them to be pretty strong. Terrell Lewis, formerly Hall, looks very much like the type of elite pass rushing outside linebackers Alabama is accustomed to having. Christian Miller is a similar player likely to fit in at the Sam linebacker. Anfernee Jennings looked good in limited opportunities last season and should fill in as the new Jack linebacker. Lots of talent here, but mostly unproven. The inside linebackers are Shaun Dion Hamilton and Rashaan Evans. They are proven. They are good. They are a problem for opposing offenses. In the secondary, Anthony Averett, Trevon Diggs, and Tony Brown look to handle the corner and Star/nickel duties. Averett and Brown are relatively proven commodities, but Diggs is a bit of an unknown. He's getting an opportunity at corner due to the fact that the Alabama staff is looking at Minkah Fitzpatrick at strong safety, a role he could excel in. If Diggs were to struggle, it's possible Fitzpatrick could be moved back to corner, but that would likely move unproven safety Deionte Thompson to strong safety. Ronnie Harrison returns to man the free safety spot, where he is a strong early candidate for All-SEC honors and maybe even national recognition. Redshirt senior Andy Pappanastos is the likely new placekicker, and JK Scott returns to provide one last season of booming punts. Trevon Diggs is the early leader to handle both punt and kickoff return duties.
- Kentucky: Kentucky is one of the few programs to have released an official preseason depth chart, so this is one situation where there is really no guesswork. Stephen Johnson will continue to be the top man at quarterback, and while the Wildcats would love to see him progress further, he wasn't bad last year, passing for 2,037 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions while also running for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns. Benny Snell returns at running back having rushed for 1,091 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Sihiem King will be called upon to provide a strong #2 runner to Snell, but he's thus far done relatively little. Starting receivers Dorian Baker and Garrett Johnson return, but it's hard to oversell the loss of Jeff Badet as a graduate transfer to Oklahoma. Badet averaged 21.6 yards per receptions last year and caught four touchdowns. Tavin Richardson and Charles Walker were listed as the other likely starters at receiver, but a couple of true freshmen in Isaiah Epps and Josh Ali have impressed early. When the Wildcats use a tight end, C.J. Conrad is expected to retain his starting job, shadowed by Greg Hart as he was last season. Offensive tackles Cole Mosier and Kyle Meadows return along with right guard Nick Haynes and center Bunchy Stallings. Haynes is facing some stiff competition from tackle turned guard George Asafo-Adjei, who would be the third starter at least six feet tall if he does win the job. Left tackle Cole Mosier is also facing some competition at left tackle as Landon Young, a lengthy sophomore, has been getting significant first team reps as well. Logan Stenberg, who was named to the freshman All-SEC team, is set to take over at left guard after playing in 12 games for the Wildcats last year as a key reserve. This could be a very good offense if the receivers can come through for Johnson. The defensive line for Kentucky currently consists of starters Adrian Middleton, Naquez Pringle, and T.J. Carter. Middleton and Pringle are returning starters from last season with Carter stepping up following graduations and dismissals ahead of him. Josh Allen returns at strongside linebacker after posting 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks last season. Hybrid DE/OLB Denzil Ware is back as well after posting 70 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks himself. The inside linebackers were two of the top three tacklers for Kentucky last year, combining for 185 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. In the secondary, second leading tackler Mike Edwards returns to lead the group at strong safety, joined by returning starters Chris Westry and Derrick Baity at corner (both are 6-3 or taller). Former 4-star recruit Darius West appears poised to finally emerge at free safety after returning from an injury last season. Senior Kendall Randolph is the projected starter at nickel when they go to that look. Sure-legged kicker Austin MacGinnis is back along with punter Grant McKinniss, who will need to display more power this season. Sihiem King and Charles Walker should continue to handle kickoff and punt return duties respectively.
- Southern Miss: The Golden Eagles said goodbye to last year's starting quarterback Nick Mullens, who signed a UDFA contract with San Francisco. They appear poised to turn the keys to the offense over to JUCO transfer Kwadra Griggs, although last year's #2 Keon Howard continues to compete for the job. Griggs has talent, but he's far from a finished product, showing severe accuracy issues at times throughout his JUCO stay. The same has been true of Howard, however, so Griggs, the bigger, stronger quarterback, looks like the current answer. Regardless of who wins the job, expect them to lean heavily on senior running back Ito Smith, who has piled up 3,2123 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Smith is also an accomplished receiver, catching 100 passes for 1,050 yards and 5 touchdowns. Junior Tez Parks and senior George Payne will help to carry the load along with Smith. Top returning receiver Allenzae Staggers is back and should provide a nice security blanket to the quarterback. He will be joined by Korey Robertson and Isaiah Jones, who combined last year for 57 receptions, 768 yards, and 5 touchdowns. At tight end, Julian Allen and Jay'Shawn Washington will man the duties. The tackles have SEC size, and right tackle Ty Pollard has a year as the starter under his belt. Devin Farrior has plenty of experience and should be a steadying presence in the middle of the offensive line as he is the only player returning with more than 13 starts under his belt. The Eagles offensive line has to be viewed as a question mark at best. Defensive end Xavier Thigpen will lead the defensive line as the only returning player who started every game last season. The tackles combined for 11 starts last year, and projected starting end Paxton Schrimsher had no starts and limited production last season. Sherrod Ruff was productive last year in mostly a reserve role at linebacker and he will now look to take hold of a starter's job. Jeremy Sangster is the other likely linebacker, although he had a similar season to Schrimsher last year. Travarius Moore and Demetrius Market are the projected new safeties. Moore had two interceptions last year in limited play, but Market was considerably less productive. Nickel Picasso Nelson is back and should be a leader for the secondary after finishing third last year in tackles. Starting corner Cornell Armstrong is back and will be joined by part-time starter Curtis Mikell. The projected starters in the secondary combined for 7 interceptions last season. JUCO transfer Tyler Flathau is expected to take over the punting duties and will compete with returning placekicker Parker Shaunfield for the kickoff duties. Tez Parks and Allenzae Staggers are likely to maintain their jobs returnign kickoffs and punts respectively.
- Missouri: Mizzou fans are looking for anything to be positive about after a 4-8 season that saw them only win two SEC games, and there are some reasons to expect improvement. Most of that positivity has to be centered around the returning talent on offense, beginning with quarterback Drew Lock, who needs to improve on his completion percentage but otherwise had a good season under center, passing for nearly 3,400 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. Lock keeps getting better, and last year he added the ability to take advantage of open field with his legs when the defense leaves him room to run rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown. At running back, Missouri appears to be in good hands with Damarea Crockett and Ish Witter, who combined for 1,812 yards and 16 touchdowns on 315 carries, with Crockett averaging an impressive 6.9 yards per carry. The top four receivers return this season, having combined for 152 receptions, 2,341 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Kendall Blanton is back as the starting tight end after catching 16 passes for 161 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first year as the starter, and the 6-6, 265-pounder is likely to only improve. The running backs weren't much of a factor in the passing game last year. Jonah Dubinski steps in to start at center after starting the last two games there last season. Tackles Paul Adams and Tyler Howell return after being part of an OL that allowed the fewest tackles for loss in the nation and fewest sacks allowed in the SEC. Guards Adam Ploudre and Kevin Pendleton are also back after garning the bulk of the starts at guard a year ago. Bottom line, any defense had better be darn good to handle this offense. Defensively, there aren't many sure things beyond Anthony Sherrils, Marcell Frazier, Terry Buckner Jr., Cale Garrett, Eric Beisel, and Brandon Lee. That's a defensive end, a defensive tackle, a safety, and three linebackers who are probably sure things to start. The secondary could see the faces change week-to-week, and redshirt freshman defensive end Tre Williams may ultimately take the other end spot that is currently projected to be handled by walk-on Jordan Harold. A.J. Logan is the favorite for the other defensive tackle spot, but Rashad Brandon will push him for the job. I don't see this defense getting better. If anything, it might be worse, which means the offense either has to be even better to reach a .500 season. It's possible, but right now I think 5-7 might be the safer bet. They have winnable non-conference games, so if they find 2 SEC wins again a bowl game might be in the cards.
- Louisiana State: One of the big questions each of the last several seasons for LSU has been the quarterback. This season, the answer appears to be fairly definitive unless the true freshman Myles Brennan pulls of a coup. Danny Etling was the starter for the Tigers for ten games last season, throwing for 11 touchdowns against 5 interceptions while completing 59.5% of his passes. Etling also ran for a touchdown last year. While he's not exactly the most dynamic of passers, he proved efficient last season. However, if LSU is going to take a step forward from last season's 8-4 record, they need better than efficient at the quarterback position, and Myles Brennan is a dynamic passer and capable runner, completing 67.3% of his passes over three seasons in high school for 15,027 yards, 165 touchdowns, and just 25 interceptions while running for 1,141 yards and 23 touchdowns on 188 carries. Brennan has impressed so far in camp, and if he ends up being the starter the offense of the Bayou Bengals could be deadly. At running back, Derrius Guice is so good he became a household name while sharing carries with Leonard Fournette. Darrel Williams is back as well after serving as a very capable third man for the last couple seasons. Speaking of Fournette, his younger brother Lanard has been making strides to earn more carries in camp along with Nick Brossette. Unless the offensive line collapses, the Tigers are dangerous on the ground. Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural are gone, leaving D.J. Chark as the most proven receiver for the Tigers. Russell Gage looks likely to start alongside him at this time, but elite defensive back recruit JaCoby Stevens has moved from safety to receiver and he's certainly capable there as evidenced by his 34 receptions for 689 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior in high school. LSU is struggling right now to find wide receivers, which isn't good news regardless of who the quarterback might be. Foster Moreau may have to be a big part of the equation as far as sparking the passing game is concerned from his tight end spot. Soooo...about that offensive line that I said something about collapsing...it's not looking great right now. Will Clapp is the most proven offensive lineman, and he's moving from guard to center this season. K.J. Malone was the starting left tackle last season, and he looked very good as a run blocker and serviceable as a pass blocker. Beyond those two, there's pretty much little to no experience and most of that offensive line will be unproven. Quality depth also appears to be an issue. How about that defense though, right? Well, Arden Key is still in limbo to some degree as he recovers from a shoulder surgery. Greg Gilmore is back to man the nose tackle spot, and Christian LaCouture is back from injury to man one of the end spots and Frank Herron is expected to step up and take hold of the other spot. If Key is healthy, he should man one of the outside linebacker spots with Corey Thompson and K'Lavon Chaisson competing for the other spot. Devin White and Donnie Alexander are the current favorites to man the inside spots, but keep an eye on Jacob Phillips to make a run at one of those spots as a true freshman. Donte Jackson returns at one of the corner spots, and Kevin Toliver II returns to health and should take over the other starting spot. John Battle should handle the starting duties at strong safety after starting seven games a year ago, but there is still plenty of concern over how the Tigers will replace Jamal Adams. If freshman Grant Delpit, who has continued to encroach on a starting job, can take one, look for him to handle the strong safety role and Battle to move over to free, which might be the best case scenario. Kickoff specialist Cameron Gamble returns as does punter Josh Growden. The placekicker job is open, but look for redshirt Connor Culp to handle the duties. Donte Jackson may add punt return duties to his already existing kick return duties.
- Vanderbilt: Kyle Shurmur is going to be the starting quarterback again, but Vandy fans hope he'll be a better version of himself. He has talent, but he's thrown 14 touchdowns to 13 interceptions so far in his career and has yet to surpass 3,000 yards passing through 18 starts. In Shurmur's defense, his receivers haven't been great up to this point, but his top 9 receivers are back from last season so there's reason for optimism. Vanderbilt's top two rushers return from last season, and they're a pretty good duo, combining for 347 carries, 1,732 yards, and 23 touchdowns. Ralph Webb is a dynamic open-field runner with the toughness to run between the tackles, while Khari Blasingame is a big back who will fearlessly run it up the middle. The right side of Vanderbilt's offensive line returns, but they will have new starters at center, left guard, and left tackle. How well those spots get filled will have a lot to say about how well the offense performs. The nose tackle and one defensive end are back. Jonathan Wynn and Nifae Lealao were solid but unspectacular last season. Dare Odeyingbo was solid last season and will be the top candidate to replace sack leader Adam Butler at the other end spot. Oren Burks is the only regular starter back at linebacker. There are a lot of questions surrounding this group as Charles Wright was the best of the new starters with 13 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Corner Tre Herndon returns as do starting safeties LaDarius Wiley and Ryan White. Arnold "Tre" Tarpley is also a strong safety candidate who has been very productive when on the field. Sophomore corner Joejuan Williams is expected to step in for the departed Torren McGaster, who signed a UDFA deal with the Bengals. Placekicker Tommy Openshaw is back as is punter Sam Loy. Both were solid last year. Kalija Lipscomb returns to handle punt returns, but finding a replacement for departed kick returner Darrius Sims may prove a tall task. Ralph Webb may be the best option if the team is willing to risk him on special teams.
Friday, August 4, 2017
Week One Camp Wrap
If you are here for drama, that's not what I deal in. I don't really do rumors either. These are the notes I've heard or things I've seen summarized. Simple, straightforward, and drama-free.
Quarterbacks - Quinten Dormady certainly seems to be the favorite to win the job. He appears to be the player most consistently working with the top center candidates and the guy who goes first through drills. He also appears to get the bulk of Mike Canales' attention. That isn't to say Guarantano won't play early in the season or that he won't be utilized in certain packages throughout the season, but it is to say that I think the team may unofficially have it's starter. Will McBride continues to show a good arm and more maturity than one might expect from a freshman. Despite his ranking last cycle, he looks like a steal for the Vols.
Running backs - Despite the rave reviews for Tim Jordan, don't think for a second that means that Ty Chandler or Trey Coleman aren't impressive in their own rights. All three freshmen have looked capable of helping the team this season despite their youth. Coleman is a big back with good footwork. Jordan looks impressive and goes through drills with confidence. Chandler is ridiculously explosive and picks things up quickly. All three are very good receivers to boot. Speaking of good receivers, John Kelly looks like a slot receiver when it comes time to catch the ball but he also leaves no doubt that he is very much a running back. He is also the clear leader of the group. Carlin Fils-aime has looked good in his own right, but his explosion that he showed in high school is still something that needs to materialize.
Wide receivers - Marquez Callaway is looking like an early favorite for a starting job alongside Tyler Byrd and Jauan Jennings. That's not to take anything away from the other receivers, because among the players who have looked very good are Josh Smith, Brandon Johnson, Josh Palmer, Jordan Murphy, and Latrell Williams. If nothing else, it looks like Tennessee won't have any problem putting together a strong rotation at receiver. They are young as a group, but they haven't made too many terrible mistakes and they've done a pretty good job overall of securing the football against the air. Butch has had them go toe-to-toe against the defensive backs today and they split the drill with the defenders, but the wins the offense didn't get were due to very good coverage rather than any failings of the receivers.
Tight end - Early returns seem to suggest that Ethan Wolf has had his best offseason and his focus and performance is better than ever. Jakob Johnson has turned the corner after spending time working with the wide receivers in the offseason to improve his hands. Eli Wolf and Austin Pope look capable of helping the team out. However, the biggest surprise might be how fluid and athletic freshman LaTrell Bumphus has looked. It's not a stretch to believe he could be the heir apparent to Wolf and Johnson after this season as he simply looks like everything you could hope for from an SEC tight end. That said, he's still a bit raw and this next year will be important in his development as he works to master the craft of playing tight end.
Offensive line - Brett Kendrick, Drew Richmond, and Trey Smith seem to have starting jobs all but locked down at right tackle, right guard, and left tackle, but there is a very real pair of competitions for the starting jobs at left guard and center. Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas appear to be the likely candidates at center, although others are getting work there, perhaps most notably redshirt freshman Ryan Johnson. At left guard, the candidates are clear in Jack Jones and Venzell Boulware. What's less clear is who is most likely to win the job. I don't think either of these competitions will wrap up easily and could keep going long into camp. Jack Jones did miss practice Sunday, but he's been out there every practice since. Kendrick, Smith, and Marcus Tatum missed the first practice in pads, but it didn't sound especially serious as two of the three might return as soon as tomorrow. Robertson seems to be the top option to replace Smith at right guard if necessary. Chance Hall will redshirt this season, which was hinted at previously with his second opinion. Rarely does that mean anything good.
Defensive line - Most of the news here is fairly good. Matthew Butler has gotten looks at every position on the defensive line and looked capable of helping at each one. Shy Tuttle isn't doing everything but is going through some position drills. Kyle Phillips looks the healthiest he's been since arriving on campus, and the same is true of Kahlil McKenzie. Jonathan Kongbo is becoming a leader both in his words and actions. Darrell Taylor is still a freak athlete, but now he's also very much a defensive end. Kendal Vickers has looked very good. Quay Picou can help the team this year. Deandre Johnson looks the part. All-in-all, good news across the defensive line.
Linebacker - Camp started with news the fans really didn't want to hear, with Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Daniel Bituli out for the first week. They are well on their way to being back and could well be full go by next week. Quart'e Sapp is looking good in his return. Cortez McDowell looks like a different player after dropping some weight. Dillon Bates is in the mix to potentially see playing time at strongside linebacker. Austin Smith is an athletic freak at outside linebacker. Shanon Reid and Will Ignont look very good for freshmen. Again, mostly good news across the board.
Defensive backs - I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but again the news is pretty good. Evan Berry, Nigel Warrior, Todd Kelly Jr., and Micah Abernathy have things locked down at safety, and freshmen Theo Jackson and Maleik Gray have looked good. Jackson is a more natural safety than Gray right now, but Gray had been a high school linebacker so that's to be expected. Things are looking up at corner, with both real competition taking place and old liabilities looking improved. Justin Martin is looking better and better. Emmanuel Moseley is doing well despite performing in a non-contact jersey. Marquill Osborne, Baylen Buchanan, Cheyenne Labruzza, and DJ Henderson are performing well, as is Shaq Wiggins (to nobody's surprise). Terrell Bailey and Shawn Shamburger have flashes here and there, but among the freshmen corners Labruzza has a clear edge.
Special teams - Theo Jackson is pushing to be the top option at punt returner, pushing previously presumed top dog Marquez Callaway. Both can flash in that role. Evan Berry is the kick returner, obviously. Trevor Daniel is the punter, of course. Aaron Medley is supposedly being pushed by freshman Brent Cimaglia. I'm not sure how much I believe that. It strikes me as coach speak for the most part, but perhaps there's a nugget of truth in there.
Coaches - We've all seen how the staff changes have helped in recruiting, but the early returns on the field have been pretty positive as well. Hoke and Warren have supposedly been huge upgrades on defense. Walt Wells is a teacher as well as a coach on the offensive line, and the receivers look a lot better under Beard. Mike Canales seems to have the quarterbacks performing well. As far as injuries and the like are concerned, Butch Jones is being fairly forthcoming, perhaps even more than most coaches this time of year. His gag order with the media hasn't really come into play too much.
All things considered, so far so good in camp. There haven't been any serious new injuries, it seems. Mostly some minor dings that have prompted the staff to hold guys out in order to keep a minor injury from getting any worse. I think if the season started tomorrow, the only guys who wouldn't play would probably be Shy Tuttle and Chance Hall, and that's where you'd like to be since neither are new injuries.
Quarterbacks - Quinten Dormady certainly seems to be the favorite to win the job. He appears to be the player most consistently working with the top center candidates and the guy who goes first through drills. He also appears to get the bulk of Mike Canales' attention. That isn't to say Guarantano won't play early in the season or that he won't be utilized in certain packages throughout the season, but it is to say that I think the team may unofficially have it's starter. Will McBride continues to show a good arm and more maturity than one might expect from a freshman. Despite his ranking last cycle, he looks like a steal for the Vols.
Running backs - Despite the rave reviews for Tim Jordan, don't think for a second that means that Ty Chandler or Trey Coleman aren't impressive in their own rights. All three freshmen have looked capable of helping the team this season despite their youth. Coleman is a big back with good footwork. Jordan looks impressive and goes through drills with confidence. Chandler is ridiculously explosive and picks things up quickly. All three are very good receivers to boot. Speaking of good receivers, John Kelly looks like a slot receiver when it comes time to catch the ball but he also leaves no doubt that he is very much a running back. He is also the clear leader of the group. Carlin Fils-aime has looked good in his own right, but his explosion that he showed in high school is still something that needs to materialize.
Wide receivers - Marquez Callaway is looking like an early favorite for a starting job alongside Tyler Byrd and Jauan Jennings. That's not to take anything away from the other receivers, because among the players who have looked very good are Josh Smith, Brandon Johnson, Josh Palmer, Jordan Murphy, and Latrell Williams. If nothing else, it looks like Tennessee won't have any problem putting together a strong rotation at receiver. They are young as a group, but they haven't made too many terrible mistakes and they've done a pretty good job overall of securing the football against the air. Butch has had them go toe-to-toe against the defensive backs today and they split the drill with the defenders, but the wins the offense didn't get were due to very good coverage rather than any failings of the receivers.
Tight end - Early returns seem to suggest that Ethan Wolf has had his best offseason and his focus and performance is better than ever. Jakob Johnson has turned the corner after spending time working with the wide receivers in the offseason to improve his hands. Eli Wolf and Austin Pope look capable of helping the team out. However, the biggest surprise might be how fluid and athletic freshman LaTrell Bumphus has looked. It's not a stretch to believe he could be the heir apparent to Wolf and Johnson after this season as he simply looks like everything you could hope for from an SEC tight end. That said, he's still a bit raw and this next year will be important in his development as he works to master the craft of playing tight end.
Offensive line - Brett Kendrick, Drew Richmond, and Trey Smith seem to have starting jobs all but locked down at right tackle, right guard, and left tackle, but there is a very real pair of competitions for the starting jobs at left guard and center. Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas appear to be the likely candidates at center, although others are getting work there, perhaps most notably redshirt freshman Ryan Johnson. At left guard, the candidates are clear in Jack Jones and Venzell Boulware. What's less clear is who is most likely to win the job. I don't think either of these competitions will wrap up easily and could keep going long into camp. Jack Jones did miss practice Sunday, but he's been out there every practice since. Kendrick, Smith, and Marcus Tatum missed the first practice in pads, but it didn't sound especially serious as two of the three might return as soon as tomorrow. Robertson seems to be the top option to replace Smith at right guard if necessary. Chance Hall will redshirt this season, which was hinted at previously with his second opinion. Rarely does that mean anything good.
Defensive line - Most of the news here is fairly good. Matthew Butler has gotten looks at every position on the defensive line and looked capable of helping at each one. Shy Tuttle isn't doing everything but is going through some position drills. Kyle Phillips looks the healthiest he's been since arriving on campus, and the same is true of Kahlil McKenzie. Jonathan Kongbo is becoming a leader both in his words and actions. Darrell Taylor is still a freak athlete, but now he's also very much a defensive end. Kendal Vickers has looked very good. Quay Picou can help the team this year. Deandre Johnson looks the part. All-in-all, good news across the defensive line.
Linebacker - Camp started with news the fans really didn't want to hear, with Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Daniel Bituli out for the first week. They are well on their way to being back and could well be full go by next week. Quart'e Sapp is looking good in his return. Cortez McDowell looks like a different player after dropping some weight. Dillon Bates is in the mix to potentially see playing time at strongside linebacker. Austin Smith is an athletic freak at outside linebacker. Shanon Reid and Will Ignont look very good for freshmen. Again, mostly good news across the board.
Defensive backs - I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but again the news is pretty good. Evan Berry, Nigel Warrior, Todd Kelly Jr., and Micah Abernathy have things locked down at safety, and freshmen Theo Jackson and Maleik Gray have looked good. Jackson is a more natural safety than Gray right now, but Gray had been a high school linebacker so that's to be expected. Things are looking up at corner, with both real competition taking place and old liabilities looking improved. Justin Martin is looking better and better. Emmanuel Moseley is doing well despite performing in a non-contact jersey. Marquill Osborne, Baylen Buchanan, Cheyenne Labruzza, and DJ Henderson are performing well, as is Shaq Wiggins (to nobody's surprise). Terrell Bailey and Shawn Shamburger have flashes here and there, but among the freshmen corners Labruzza has a clear edge.
Special teams - Theo Jackson is pushing to be the top option at punt returner, pushing previously presumed top dog Marquez Callaway. Both can flash in that role. Evan Berry is the kick returner, obviously. Trevor Daniel is the punter, of course. Aaron Medley is supposedly being pushed by freshman Brent Cimaglia. I'm not sure how much I believe that. It strikes me as coach speak for the most part, but perhaps there's a nugget of truth in there.
Coaches - We've all seen how the staff changes have helped in recruiting, but the early returns on the field have been pretty positive as well. Hoke and Warren have supposedly been huge upgrades on defense. Walt Wells is a teacher as well as a coach on the offensive line, and the receivers look a lot better under Beard. Mike Canales seems to have the quarterbacks performing well. As far as injuries and the like are concerned, Butch Jones is being fairly forthcoming, perhaps even more than most coaches this time of year. His gag order with the media hasn't really come into play too much.
All things considered, so far so good in camp. There haven't been any serious new injuries, it seems. Mostly some minor dings that have prompted the staff to hold guys out in order to keep a minor injury from getting any worse. I think if the season started tomorrow, the only guys who wouldn't play would probably be Shy Tuttle and Chance Hall, and that's where you'd like to be since neither are new injuries.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Recruiting Wrap, August 2nd
It's been a busy week in recruiting, and I guess I should start off with Tennessee's three newest commitments, Tanner Antonutti, Trey Dean, and Matthew Flint.
Antonutti is a 6-5, 260 pound offensive tackle from Nashville who is making the move to offensive line from tight end as he continues to outgrow his old position. Antonutti is very much a guy the staff took because of what he can become rather than what he is now. He lacks the athleticism to play tight end collegiately, but he brings great athleticism to the offensive line along with a good mentality for blocking and plenty of ability in that regard. He shows flashes as both a run and pass blocker in dealing with defensive ends and linebackers, and although he is a project he's a project schools were becoming increasingly interested in taking on as evidenced by offers from Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, and Missouri among others. Tennessee had previously been hesitant to accept a commitment from him, but once it became increasingly likely that he would land with another SEC team if he wasn't in Knoxville, they needed to bring in the life-long Vol fan or risk dealing with him for four years.
Trey Dean was a player who had at least been offered by many of the big name programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas, and on and on. His commitment wasn't necessarily one people were expecting at this time, but it does sound like some programs may have been slow-playing things with Dean while Tennessee was all in with him. Dean plays a lot of corner in high school, but he projects as a safety in college. He is a long player at 6-2 and is a rangy safety who is likely to project as a free safety long-term. He doesn't have particularly soft hands, so he tends to pile up break ups rather than interceptions. He is a strong tackler who can deliver big hits at times. He could also be a candidate to play nickel and maybe even boundary corner in a pinch.
As for Matthew Flint, Tennessee has been interested in him for quite a while. A natural athlete, Flint plays both wide receiver and outside linebacker/inside linebacker/safety for his Madison County High team, performing fairly well at both. In fact, Flint recorded 85 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles last season on defense while he also caught 28 passes for 437 yards and nine touchdowns. He ran an electronically timed 4.57 forty at The Opening regionals and he reported that he ran a sub-4.5 forty during a trip to Ole Miss. He has the speed and ability to excel in coverage, is a solid yet unspectacular tackler, and performs better in the box than in the open field. He uses his speed to make plays for negative yardage. He does have some weaknesses, of course. At 6-0.5 and 213, he will obviously need to add weight and it's currently unclear how that added weight will impact his speed long-term. He also needs to add pop to his tackling. Despite his five sacks, he hasn't been asked to blitz much at this point, so that is a skill set he will have to develop. All-in-all, he's not that dissimilar from Jalen Reeves-Maybin coming out of high school, although he is obviously lacking the fanfare of the current Detroit Lion.
So where does that leave the class? At this point, it appears that Tennessee will only be able to take 23 this cycle, and the additions of Antonutti, Dean, and Flint bring the Vols to 20 in the class. How they will use their remaining three scholarships will be worth watching. Tennessee is still very much interested in adding another corner to the class, specifically Jaycee Horn. I was also of the belief that they would like to add another defensive end and they are definitely set on adding another wide receiver. However, the staff could have a decision to make if Jerome Carvin or even Jordan Davis want into the class. Are they willing to burn someone already in the class to do that? If they can land Horn, Carvin, and Davis will they be content to only take two receivers? Is Carvin still a take at this point or do the coaches believe there are bigger needs? I don't have the answers to that just yet, but perhaps I will next week when I do my next recruiting wrap.
At present, the 2018 Vols recruiting class consists of the following:
2 quarterbacks
2 running backs
2 wide receivers
1 tight end
3 offensive linemen
5 defensive linemen
1 linebacker
4 defensive backs
Of Tennessee's current 20 commitments, 9 currently plan to be early enrollees and at least a few others are exploring the option. There's a chance that half or more of the Vols signing class next year will already be on campus come January. Here's hoping for a drama-free signing day with a near top ten class coming on board.
Antonutti is a 6-5, 260 pound offensive tackle from Nashville who is making the move to offensive line from tight end as he continues to outgrow his old position. Antonutti is very much a guy the staff took because of what he can become rather than what he is now. He lacks the athleticism to play tight end collegiately, but he brings great athleticism to the offensive line along with a good mentality for blocking and plenty of ability in that regard. He shows flashes as both a run and pass blocker in dealing with defensive ends and linebackers, and although he is a project he's a project schools were becoming increasingly interested in taking on as evidenced by offers from Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, and Missouri among others. Tennessee had previously been hesitant to accept a commitment from him, but once it became increasingly likely that he would land with another SEC team if he wasn't in Knoxville, they needed to bring in the life-long Vol fan or risk dealing with him for four years.
Trey Dean was a player who had at least been offered by many of the big name programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas, and on and on. His commitment wasn't necessarily one people were expecting at this time, but it does sound like some programs may have been slow-playing things with Dean while Tennessee was all in with him. Dean plays a lot of corner in high school, but he projects as a safety in college. He is a long player at 6-2 and is a rangy safety who is likely to project as a free safety long-term. He doesn't have particularly soft hands, so he tends to pile up break ups rather than interceptions. He is a strong tackler who can deliver big hits at times. He could also be a candidate to play nickel and maybe even boundary corner in a pinch.
As for Matthew Flint, Tennessee has been interested in him for quite a while. A natural athlete, Flint plays both wide receiver and outside linebacker/inside linebacker/safety for his Madison County High team, performing fairly well at both. In fact, Flint recorded 85 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles last season on defense while he also caught 28 passes for 437 yards and nine touchdowns. He ran an electronically timed 4.57 forty at The Opening regionals and he reported that he ran a sub-4.5 forty during a trip to Ole Miss. He has the speed and ability to excel in coverage, is a solid yet unspectacular tackler, and performs better in the box than in the open field. He uses his speed to make plays for negative yardage. He does have some weaknesses, of course. At 6-0.5 and 213, he will obviously need to add weight and it's currently unclear how that added weight will impact his speed long-term. He also needs to add pop to his tackling. Despite his five sacks, he hasn't been asked to blitz much at this point, so that is a skill set he will have to develop. All-in-all, he's not that dissimilar from Jalen Reeves-Maybin coming out of high school, although he is obviously lacking the fanfare of the current Detroit Lion.
So where does that leave the class? At this point, it appears that Tennessee will only be able to take 23 this cycle, and the additions of Antonutti, Dean, and Flint bring the Vols to 20 in the class. How they will use their remaining three scholarships will be worth watching. Tennessee is still very much interested in adding another corner to the class, specifically Jaycee Horn. I was also of the belief that they would like to add another defensive end and they are definitely set on adding another wide receiver. However, the staff could have a decision to make if Jerome Carvin or even Jordan Davis want into the class. Are they willing to burn someone already in the class to do that? If they can land Horn, Carvin, and Davis will they be content to only take two receivers? Is Carvin still a take at this point or do the coaches believe there are bigger needs? I don't have the answers to that just yet, but perhaps I will next week when I do my next recruiting wrap.
At present, the 2018 Vols recruiting class consists of the following:
2 quarterbacks
2 running backs
2 wide receivers
1 tight end
3 offensive linemen
5 defensive linemen
1 linebacker
4 defensive backs
Of Tennessee's current 20 commitments, 9 currently plan to be early enrollees and at least a few others are exploring the option. There's a chance that half or more of the Vols signing class next year will already be on campus come January. Here's hoping for a drama-free signing day with a near top ten class coming on board.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Tennessee's 2017 Opponents, Part 1
- Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets/Rambling Wreck are an intriguing team and a popular darkhorse ACC Coastal pick. Unfortunately that is probably mostly predicated on the fact that Georgia Tech exceeded expectations last season while ignoring some important personnel losses like quarterback Justin Thomas, who put up 7,157 yards of total offense and accounted for 62 touchdowns over the last four seasons. Here's the kicker: Georgia Tech has no clear-cut replacement for Thomas, with the two most likely candidates being Matthew Jordan and TaQuon Marshall, a pair of juniors with little experience at the quarterback position between them. Now, the news on offense certainly isn't all bad as a dynamic trio of backs returns in Dedrick Mills, Clinton Lynch, and JJ Green. Mills handles the B-back duties and is a bigger back who is very capable of picking up the tough yards. JJ Green and Clinton Lynch are the A-backs and both offer up good change of direction skills. Qua Searcy is another quality option at the A-back, but Georgia Tech lost a very good player in Marcus Marshall, who was the #2 rusher by yardage last year and third on the team in all-purpose yards. Marshall has transferred to James Madison. Tech also needs to replace the center and left tackle on the offensive line but the staff seems to be optimistic about the OL, hoping to build on the second lowest rushing yard per game average in Paul Johnson's tenure at 258.1 yards per game. The starting wide receivers return for whatever that's worth. A-back Clinton Lynch was the leading receiver last season with wideouts Ricky Jeune and Brad Stewart accounting for 25 receptions, 427 yards, and a touchdown and 19 receptions, 382 yards, and no touchdowns respectively. The days of Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas at GT have clearly come and gone. Defensively, Tech has questions to answer throughout it's front six. The presumed starting linebackers combined for a whole 6.5 tackles for loss last season. Their projected starters on the defensive line accounted for an unimpressive 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. That means that last season the anticipated starters for Georgia Tech's front six were far from impressive. However, pass against the Tech secondary at your own risk as all five of the starters return after combining for 13 interceptions and 32 passes broken up. Georgia Tech will likely be relying on freshmen to take over the kicking duties this season. As much as people are picking the Jackets to match or even improve on last season, it's equally possible that they will fail to match last season's win total and could take a step back.
- Indiana State: The Sycamores went 4-7 last season in the Missouri Valley Conference, and I feel like that's probably the best possible starting point here is to establish that Indiana State isn't on Tennessee's level at all. In the spring game, ISU's quarterbacks combined for 23-55 with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Issac Harker, last season's starter, went 5 of 13 for 33 yards. Freshman Zach Larkin got a fair bit of work and might be Harker's top competition for the #1 job. The Sycamores will be looking for a new top running back. Dimitri Taylor is the returning leading rusher with 451 yards and a touchdown on 107 carries in 2016, but in the spring game he seemed to give up some ground to another former top back at ISU in LeMonte Booker (missed last season with an ACL tear) and perhaps even a true freshman in Jason Berango. The Sycamores are hoping to see overall improvement in their running game this season after only managing 1,729 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. All of last season's starting wideouts are gone, but #2's Bob Pugh and Kelvin Cook return along with starting tight end Jacquet McClendon, although McClendon is primarly a blocker. The interior of the offensive line returns, but replacements must be found for three of the top four offensive tackle options from last season. The defensive ends and a linebacker return in the front six of ISU's 3-3-5 defense. The returners in the front six combined for 105 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks, so there is some talent to work with, but finding people to fill the remaining holes will be important in trying to improve on last season. In the secondary, the nickel and both safeties must be replaced, but the starting corners from last season return. All of last season's key specialists return, and LeMonte Booker has excelled on kickoff returns in the past.
- Florida: Any conversation about a team begins with the quarterbacks, and opinions vary greatly on the Gator's current quarterback situation. Luke Del Rio didn't exactly set the world on fire when he was playing last season, with Austin Appleby ultimately producing the better numbers after Del Rio's season officially ended with an injury. Felippe Franks was a top quarterback recruit in the 2016 class who ultimately redshirted last year before throwing his name very much in the mix this spring. Then, because that quarterback room wasn't already crowded and complicated, Florida added graduate transfer quarterback Malik Zaire from Notre Dame. Zaire is known to have plenty of talent but he's yet to really put things together yet. So that's three possible starters and no clear answer as to how things will pan out. Florida has options at running back, the three best appearing to be Jordan Scarlett, Mark Thompson, and Lamical Perine. An interesting possibility is Kadarius Toney, who got looks at running back in the spring. Antonio Callaway, Brandon Powell, and Tyrie Cleveland appear to be the top receiving options out wide, having combined for 113 receptions, 1,406 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Top two tight ends DeAndre Goolsby and C'yontai Lewis chipped in 5 touchdowns on their 56 receptions and 526 yards. Those five have and likely will continue to provide the bulk of the receiving production. Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond will also continue to have roles in the rotation. There has been some shuffling along the offensive line with Martez Ivey moving from left guard to left tackle, prompting Fred Johnson to replace Ivey. T.J. McCoy takes over at center full time. There is a fair bit of experience up front for the Gators and they should be an asset to the quarterbacks. Quality depth does appear to be a potential concern if injuries pile up. Defensively, Florida is looking for defensive tackles, outside linebackers, corner, and to find a permanent solution to the revolving door at end opposite CeCe Jefferson and Jordan Sherit. Cece Jefferson is still looking to finally deliver fully on his promise after being a highly touted recruit. Sherit has been solid but unspectacular. Promising redshirt sophomore Jabari Zuniga only started three games last year but is the Gators returning leader in tackles for loss and sacks. Physically impressive upperclassmen Khairi Clark and Taven Bryan appear to be the top options to take over at defensive tackle, but both have plenty to prove as the two juniors have a combined 59 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks to their credit. Freshmen like Elijah Conliffe, Kyree Campbell, and Zachary Carter have opportunities present for playing time on the defensive line. David Reese appears to have things pretty well locked down at middle linebacker, but the two outside jobs are very much up for grabs. Redshirt sophomore Kylan Johnson appears to be a strong candidate to win one of the open spots with redshirt freshman Jeremiah Moon positioning himself well for the other job. Moon was on his way toward playing a fair bit as a freshman before a season-ending injury. Former nickel Duke Dawson appears likely to take over at one of the starting corner spots while season-ending starting safety Chauncey Gardner Jr. appears to be the frontrunner for the other vacant corner opening. Nick Washington should take over at one of the safety spots after starting six games there before having his season derailed by injury, and Marcell Harris should carry over his starting role from last season into this one. Second team All-SEC placekicker Eddy Pineiro returns as does All-American punter Johnny Townsend. It's not set in stone, but Antonio Callaway is likely to handle return duties on both kickoffs and punts.
- Massachusetts: One of the few remaining independent programs in the FBS, UMass struggled last season but returns a much more experienced team in 2017. However, it's not a team without some flaws, as one would expect from a team that won two games in 2016. Quarterback Andrew Ford, a Virginia Tech transfer, had a pretty respectable season for his part, completing 60.8% of his passes for 2,665 yards and 26 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. His favorite target is high school teammate and Penn State transfer Adam Breneman, a 6-4 tight end who averaged 11.5 yards per catch while collecting 8 touchdowns on his 70 receptions. Ford's second favorite target Andy Isabella also returns after collecting 62 passes (12.9 ypr) and 7 touchdowns. The other two receiver jobs appear to be fairly wide open, but Sadiq Palmer and Brennon Dingle are the likely candidates. Last season's starting running back Marquis Young returns after accounting for 898 yards and 4 touchdowns. UMass has all of four running backs on their roster and of them only two have carried the football in a game. Only their both tackles and a guard return on the offensive line. All four defensive linemen who ended the season as starters return, having combined for 151 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks last season. Downey was a starting linebacker last year, moving down to end this season under new defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham, who has scrapped the 3-3-5 in favor of a more traditional 4-3 scheme, creating an opportunity for Shane Huber, who had 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and an interception in 4 games played and 3 starts last season. Colbert Calhoun and Steve Casali will continue to man the other two linebacker spots, where they accounted for 163 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. Lee Moses and Jesse Monteiro look likely to hold down their safety jobs with Jackson Porter continuing to hold onto the corner job he ended the season with, joined by returning starter Isaiah Rodgers. UMass has some nice pieces to work with to potentially improve on last season, but there is a big talent disparity between the Vols and Minutemen.
- Georgia: Georgia is tough to pin down. They have an excellent group of running backs and some wide receiver talent, and quarterback Jacob Eason showed some flashes as a freshman. Of course, that offense was pretty bad, the running backs haven't been able to stay healthy, and the offensive line was pretty well gutted from last season. Oh, and leading receiver Isaiah McKenzie took his talents to Denver, leaving for the NFL. Jacob Eason has been believed to be pushed by freshman Jake Fromm. The running backs have to stay healthy. Talented receivers have to step up. And last but definitely not least the offensive line has to do their best to keep the running backs and quarterback upright. Bottom line: the offense is mostly one big question mark. Things look pretty bright as far as returning talent goes on defense, but whether or not that defense can take the next step is a little less clear. The defense needs the linebackers to step up and produce more like 3-4 outside linebackers. Trenton Thompson is a standout on the defensive line, but the defense needs him to go from very good to consistently dominant. Georgia is a few steps away from being very, very good and taking control of the top of the SEC East, but it's hard to say for sure whether or not that will happen this season. I'm of the opinion that there may be too many questions for them to take command of the division, even if they do manage to win it.
- South Carolina: Well, if I know anything about South Carolina, it's that they have a quarterback they like and believe is ready to lead the team as a true sophomore. Jake Bentley is a name Vol fans wish they didn't know as well as they do. The Gamecocks should have plenty of weapons at running back as well, adding UNC transfer Ty'Son Williams to go with Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner. A two tight end base consists of former walk-on Hayden Hurst and K.C. Crosby, who combined for 833 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns last year. The top two wideouts are back in Bryan Edwards and Deebo Samuel. Just for good measure they also return four of five starting offensive linemen. On paper, this offense should make significant strides. On defense, this is not one of Will Muschamp's Florida defenses. Certainly not at defensive end. South Carolina had 21 sacks last year, but 9 of them left with Darius English. In fact, players who produced 12 of the 21 sacks are gone. At this point, there doesn't appear to be much help coming from the 2017 class, so look for help to come from returning players or some serious struggles this season. The defensive tackles are back but Ulric Jones and Taylor Stallworth were largely unspectacular last year. The secondary returns in good shape with all four expected starters getting at least six starts under their belt last year. Skai Moore is back after redshirting last year with a neck injury and he will join Bryson Allen-Williams as leaders of the defense. Rashad Fenton looks to frequently be the 11th man as the nickel.
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