Overall, Tennessee's football season was a mild success

The Tennessee Volunteers were a mystery team in early September, but the team showed progress as the season unfolded. Though a 7-5 record is nothing to have a parade about, it was an improvement on last year's 5-7 record. We are going to a bowl, and the coaching staff has shown it can recruit and develop talent.

The best example of talent development was the growth of quarterback Jonathan Crompton. After wandering in the wilderness in 2008 and struggling in September, he blossomed beginning with the Georgia game and was a top-level SEC quarterback the rest of the season. He threw 26 touchdowns, and I will take that every year from a quarterback competing in the toughest conference in the country.

Running back Montario Hardesty remained healthy enough to stay on the field all season, and he delivered big time. He gained more than 1,300 yards, but perhaps more importantly, he was a good mentor for young runners like Bryce Brown and David Oku. Hardesty showed them the amount of hard work and commitment it will take for them to succeed in the SEC.

The season itself had moments of greatness and frustration. The 45-19 waxing of Georgia and the 31-13 win over South Carolina were the best performances of the year. Some will point to the narrow 12-10 loss to Alabama as a high point, but I disagree. When we start looking at moral victories as high points, then we are heading down the wrong path.

The most frustrating game was the 19-15 loss to UCLA. The offense had no mojo, and it cost us the game. There is no question in my mind that if we had played them in late October we would have won by two touchdowns. I know; I'm experiencing the bitter taste of sour grapes.

So, 2009 was a small step forward for the Volunteers. Let's hope a larger one is coming in 2010.

Tennessee, Georgia game begins series of must-win games for Volunteers

The rest of Tennessee's football season would have been much more manageable if the Vols had beaten Auburn last week. Of course, that did not happen. Tennessee is now 2-3, and qualifying for a bowl has to be considered only a 50-50 proposition at this point.

The Volunteers have to find a way to win four of their next seven games to qualify for a bowl. For a team incapable of functioning consistently on offense, this will prove a challenge. This week, a good Georgia team visits Neyland Stadium. Considerable improvement is needed if the Vols are to win.

Though the criticism of quarterback Jonathan Crompton has been well-chronicled, we saw last week that his wide receivers are not providing much help. Sitting in the crowd, it was frustrating to watch open receivers drop balls. The receivers were not open that often, and many of them had problems creating separation. In other words, our offensive woes aren't all Crompton's fault.

Defensively, we have been playing well enough to win. However, that unit is not creating enough turnovers, sacks, or defending well on third down. We have also done a poor job of pressing the kicking game. Last week, the kickoff coverage team was awful again, and it allowed a long return late in the game that led to Auburn's game-clinching field goal.

Obviously, this posting has a lot more to do with Tennessee's problems than with Georgia's strengths. Don't get me wrong; Georgia is a good team. They took fourth-ranked LSU to the wire last week, and likely would have won if not for a questionable celebration penalty late in the game.

Still, the winner of this game will be dictated by what Tennessee can do on offense. If the Vols somehow pull it together, they have a chance. Otherwise, oh well...

The pick: Georgia 28 Tennessee 14

Other SEC picks: Florida over LSU, Alabama over Ole Miss, Auburn over Arkansas, South Carolina over Kentucky, Mississippi State over Houston, Vanderbilt over Army

Last week: 6-1 (.857), Overall: 36-4 (.900)

Auburn game may make or break Tennessee's season

Heading into the Auburn game, the Tennessee Volunteers are banged up and searching to find consistency. The conventional wisdom regarding last week's game against Ohio was that it would provide a tune up to prepare for the teeth of the conference schedule.

However, that did not happen. The Bobcats pushed the Vols deep into the fourth quarter before Tennessee pulled it out 34-23. Several key injuries occurred and the most important one was the knee injury suffered by middle linebacker Nick Reveiz. In the second half, the Vols were missing five starters from their defense.

Tennessee needs to get healthy in a hurry as unbeaten Auburn brings its powerful spread offense to Knoxville on Saturday. The Tigers are 4-0 and new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has revived their attack. Auburn was as bad as Tennessee on offense last year, but this year, they have already put 54, 49 and 41 points on opponents.

Quarterback Chris Todd looks born again as the starter. Last year, he appeared lost, but this year he has passed for 1012 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last week, he passed for a personal best 287 yards and five touchdowns against Ball State.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is still looking for offensive consistency. Running back Montario Hardesty has been the bright spot averaging more than 100 yards a game, including 140 last week. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton still remains a mystery, and the Vols need him to avoid making critical turnovers. This year, he has seven touchdown passes, but eight interceptions.

The Volunteers really need this game. With a loss, they will fall to 2-3 and with the next two games against Georgia and Alabama, they could be staring 2-5 in the face. A win over Auburn might generate enough momentum to beat the Bulldogs or Bama.

Though Auburn is 4-0, this is their first road game, which is a big challenge for any team. However, the Tigers should be able to put enough points on the board to win. As long as Tennessee's offense remains unreliable, it will be tough to pick them in big games. Shootouts are not the Vols specialty.

The pick: Auburn 27 Tennessee 17

Other SEC picks: Georgia over LSU, Alabama over Kentucky, Ole Miss over Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech over Mississippi State, South Carolina over South Carolina State, Arkansas over Texas A&M

Last week: 7-1 (.875), Overall: 30-3 (.909)

Vols seek to avoid Florida letdown as Ohio comes to Knoxville

Tennessee played hard and showed improvement during last week's loss to Florida, but it was a loss nonetheless. Though we were competitive, I have been distressed this week as some Volunteer fans have talked with glee about the game as a moral victory.

Moral victory? Is this what it has come to? Say it isn't so. The Tennessee football program is one of the elite programs in college football history. We rank in the top ten when it comes to all-time wins, bowl appearances, and bowl wins. Let's drop the talk about moral victories. We should set the bar higher.

As for the team, we pretty much know what the Vols are at this point. We have a good defense, a limited offense, and so-so special teams. The team still has a long way to go.

This week, Ohio University from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) comes to Knoxville. They are 2-1 and are coached by former Nebraska Head Coach Frank Solich. The Bobcats defeated Cal Poly last week 28-10, and their only loss was in the season opener to Connecticut 23-16. Quarterback Theo Scott has passed for 397 yards and six touchdowns this season, but he has only completed 50 percent of his passes. Running back Chris Garrett leads the rushing attack with 169 yards for the year, including 91 yards last week.

Not a lot of analysis is needed for this game. This is a game Tennessee has to win if it is serious about having a winning record. The Florida game was so emotional that the Volunteers will likely be a little flat to start the game. And, as we all know, teams from the MAC relish the opportunity to knock off big-time programs in their stadium.

It won't be pretty, but the Vols will find a way to win.

The pick: Tennessee 24 Ohio 16

Other SEC picks: Alabama over Arkansas, Florida over Kentucky, Georgia over Arizona State, LSU over Mississippi State, Ole Miss over South Carolina, Vanderbilt over Rice, Auburn over Ball State

Last week: 8-1 (.889), Overall: 23-2 (.920)

The Volunteers face a serious whipping this Saturday at Florida

I have been a serious college football fan for about 30 years, and the Florida Gators may be the best team I have ever seen. I know some of the Miami and Florida State teams get the nod from many experts, but the Gators appear as impressive as both those programs when they were at their peak. Florida won both the SEC (the nation's toughest conference) and national championships last year. They return almost their entire defense, and also have quarterback Tim Tebow who may go down as one of the top five college football players in history.

This Saturday the Tennessee Volunteers go to the Swamp to play Florida as both teams open SEC play. Last week, the Vols' offense melted down in a 19-15 loss to UCLA at Neyland Stadium. If Tennessee could only manage 15 points at home against the Bruins, can we expect them to do better at Florida? No. The Vols weren't as good as their opening game thrashing of Western Kentucky sort of indicated. Really, the Vols aren't much better on offense than they were last year (at least at this point).

Much has been made out of the derogatory comments Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin made about Florida's program earlier this year, but this will not impact the game much. The Gators have more talent, better depth, and better coaches than the Volunteers right now. It is as simple as that.

Saturday will be a day to forget for Tennessee fans, but in the long run, maybe it will do some good. Maybe a thrashing on national television will convince more recruits to come to Knoxville because they will have a better chance to play as freshmen next year.

Let's hope there will be at least one silver lining in Saturday's dark cloud.

The pick: Florida 45 Tennessee 6

Other SEC picks: Georgia over Arkansas, Vanderbilt over Mississippi State, Auburn over West Virginia, Kentucky over Louisville, LSU over Louisiana-Lafayette, Ole Miss over Southeastern Louisiana, South Carolina over Florida Atlantic, Alabama over North Texas

Last week: 5-1 (.833), Overall: 15-1 (.938)

Volunteers will beat UCLA to avenge last year's disaster

If a person wanted to pinpoint where Tennessee's season starting going wrong last year, all he would have to do is revisit the opening game loss at UCLA. Despite effectively establishing the running game, the Vols insisted on throwing the ball too much. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who was only making his second career start, wound up throwing 41 passes as Tennessee lost 27-24 in overtime.

It is highly unlikely Crompton will throw that much this week as UCLA visits Neyland Stadium. The only way this will happen is if the Volunteers fall way behind and have to make a big comeback.

As we learned in last week's win against Western Kentucky, Tennessee is committed to running the ball and has the horses in the backfield to do it. Montario Hardesty looked the best he has ever looked, and Bryce Brown showed flashes of what he might become. Those two combined for 271 yards rushing by themselves.

True, Western Kentucky is a struggling team, and fans should not get too pumped up over a thrashing of a small program. Still, the Vols effort and intensity were pleasing. And it was great to seek Crompton throw five touchdowns and have a smile on his face while doing it.

As for UCLA, the Bruins opened with a 33-14 win against San Diego State. They fell behind early 14-3 before rallying. Quarterback Kevin Prince passed for 176 yards and a touchdown. Ironically, he is the quarterback Tennessee would have faced last year if he had not blown out his knee.

Though Tennessee's 63-7 win last week has generated a lot of excitement, a little perspective is needed. Throughout the first quarter against Western Kentucky, the Vols' offense looked similar to the 2008 team. A fumble, a muffed punt, and a tipped pass that was intercepted highlighted a frustrating quarter. An eight-touchdown win overshadows mistakes like that, but the team showed it is still capable of inconsistency.

Because of this, don't fall into the trap of believing Tennessee has come further than it really has. The Volunteers will win this week, but it will be rough going.

The pick: Tennessee 24 UCLA 20

Other SEC picks: Georgia over South Carolina, Auburn over Mississippi State, LSU over Vanderbilt, Alabama over Florida International, Florida over Troy

Last week: 11-0 (1.000)

Tennessee will beat Western Kentucky, but don't get too excited

Saturday's battle between Tennessee and Western Kentucky is the most anticipated season opener for the Volunteers in several years. Of course, Lane Kiffin is making his sideline debut as new head coach, and his approach has fans excited about what they will see.

However, 'caution' is likely the most important word to remember as the season starts. True, there has been a good vibe coming out of Tennessee's camp in recent weeks, but everybody (fans, media, coaches, players, etc.) must be careful not to allow the hype to get ahead of reality.

The Vols were bad on offense last year, and until proven otherwise, we must assume this is what we will get this year. In 2005, the Vols flopped on offense, and after that, it was thought that those problems were fixed. Unfortunately, a lot of the same problems returned last year. Inconsistent quarterback play and an inability to consistently run block doomed the Vols in those seasons.

All eyes will be on freshman running back Bryce Brown to see if he can deliver what is expected. Between him and senior Montario Hardesty, the Vols are deep at running back. This is probably the healthiest Hardesty has been during his Tennessee career.

Reports during preseason practice regarding quarterback Jonathan Crompton have been promising. At this point, all the Vols want from him is consistency. The Southeastern Conference has some real issues when it comes to quarterback play. Other than Florida's Tim Tebow and Ole Miss' Jevan Snead there isn't a lot of depth league wide. If Crompton is consistent, he could be one of the conference's better quarterbacks.

As for the Western Kentucky game, the Vols definitely have more talent despite depth concerns at some positions. Because of this, the Vols should win, but don't expect a lot this early. This is basically the same team that lost to Wyoming and narrowly beat Northern Illinois last year.

Until we see differently, the Vols can't be expected to post big wins even over small opponents.

The pick: Tennessee 24 Western Kentucky 10

Other SEC picks: Alabama over Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State over Georgia, LSU over Washington, Vanderbilt over Western Carolina, Ole Miss over Memphis, Arkansas over Missouri State, Auburn over Louisiana Tech, Florida over Charleston Southern, Kentucky over Miami (OH), Mississippi State over Jackson State

It will be Florida and the five stooges in the SEC East this year

The Florida Gators will dominate the SEC Eastern Division this year. They are clearly the best team in the division and will beat Alabama in December in the SEC championship game.

In looking at the East, the Gators will likely be better this year while the other five teams will be the same or regress compared to 2008.

Here is how it should shake out:

1. Florida -- Quarterback Tim Tebow is the best SEC quarterback since Peyton Manning, and he should have won the Heisman Trophy last year. All starters return on an athletic and aggressive defense. Last year, the Gators beat their SEC East rivals by an average of 39.8 points per game. The most challenging game they will likely face is when they play at LSU in early October. There are not many sure things in sports, but Florida looks like one.

2. Georgia -- The Bulldogs should finish in second place, but they will take a step back this year because of the loss of quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno. True, Georgia has an experienced and solid offensive line, but they have lost too many playmakers. Wide receiver A.J. Green is excellent, but can new quarterback Joe Cox get him the ball enough? We will find out in a hurry because Georgia has road games at Oklahoma State and Arkansas in September. The home games that month are not easy ones either: vs. South Carolina and Arizona State.

3. Tennessee -- The time for talking is over for new Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin. The Volunteers will have a new look this year, but will it translate into more wins? Quarterback Jonathan Crompton has been solid in fall practice. If he can just be consistent this year, it will benefit the team greatly. If freshman running back Bryce Brown's eligibility can be cleared up, he should give them a much needed boost when it comes to providing big plays. Their first big test is on Sept. 12 against a much improved UCLA team.

4. South Carolina -- Has college football passed by Gamecocks' head coach Steve Spurrier? Entering his fifth season at Carolina, he has not been able to recapture the magic he had at Florida. He has not developed a first-rate quarterback while there. Current quarterback Stephen Garcia likely has the best raw talent of any signal caller Spurrier has had at Carolina. However, he has not blossomed. If he does not, it looks like another seven-win season for the Gamecocks.

5. Vanderbilt -- Coach Bobby Johnson has done a remarkable job building the Vanderbilt program. Most would agree that the Commodores have more quality depth than at any other time in the program's history. In the SEC, this is a must. If Vanderbilt wants to visit another bowl game, it must find a way to steal a conference game on the road. The Commodores have done this in recent years, and South Carolina may be the best opportunity this year. Vandy won there in 2007.

6. Kentucky -- Offense could be Kentucky's undoing this year. Quarterback Mike Hartline has to be better this year, and the Wildcats need more production from their running backs and wide receivers. The defense looks solid and will be led by cornerback Trevard Lindley, linebacker Micah Johnson, and defensive end Jeremy Jarmon.

Despite coaching change, same problems face the Tennessee Volunteers heading into '09

There has been a lot of change in Knoxville since last year. Coach Phillip Fulmer, arguably the second most important figure in Tennessee Volunteer football history, was let go after the team collapsed and staggered through a 5-7 season.

Enter Lane Kiffin. He has an impressive resume when it comes to recruiting and making headlines, but he has no experience leading a major college football program. However, it is his challenge to get the Vols' program back on track.

His hiring has generated a lot of excitement, and reports indicate that the returning players have embraced his approach. Enthusiasm is nice, but the Vols still face the same problems that hampered them most of last year.

The offense was abysmal in 2008, and much of the same personnel return this year. Seven starters including quarterback Jonathan Crompton are back. Tennessee was held to 14 points or less in seven of its 12 games last year. Just a little more output and the Vols would have posted a winning record and gone to a bowl. Tennessee better hope incoming freshman super recruit Bryce Brown can contribute sooner rather than later.

The defense returns only five starters, but fortunately for Tennessee fans, one is free safety Eric Berry. Berry is one of the top five players in the country. In a perfect world, he would be right in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, but voters for that award are notoriously stupid. Click here to see UT's web site touting Berry's Heisman candidacy.

In some respects, the Vols catch a break with this year's schedule. Here it is:

Sept. 5: vs. Western Kentucky
Sept. 12: vs. UCLA
Sept. 19: at Florida
Sept. 26: vs. Ohio
Oct. 3: vs. Auburn
Oct. 10: vs. Georgia
Oct. 24: at Alabama
Oct. 31: vs. South Carolina
Nov. 7: vs. Memphis
Nov. 14: at Ole Miss
Nov. 21: vs. Vanderbilt
Nov. 28: at Kentucky

Eight of Tennessee's 12 games are at home, including five of the first six. The opener against Western Kentucky looks inviting, but the Vols lost at home to Wyoming last year and struggled to beat Northern Illinois. So, don't mark that one down as an automatic win. The loss to UCLA in last season's opener set the tone for the year, and payback would be sweet with a win in week two.

The Vols must go 3-1 in September. There is no way they will beat Florida so wins against the other three are mandatory if they want a winning season and a trip to a bowl.

Tennessee should be able to squeeze out seven wins this year. The toughest games are on the road (Florida, Alabama, Ole Miss) so they will have to clean up at home.

This is definitely a transition year for the Vols.