Lane Kiffin completes mediocre first year at USC

When former Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin dumped the Volunteers in favor of the University of Southern California, it was believed that prosperity awaited him. Unfortunately for him, the NCAA dropped the hammer and put the program on probation earlier this year. So, entering the season, it was known the Trojans could not go to a bowl. However, I do not believe many expected the lackluster season they just experienced.

USC closed the season last Saturday with a win against UCLA. The Trojans finished with an 8-5 record, and there were some puzzling losses. A close loss to Washington was inexcusable as well as a loss at home to Notre Dame. Of course, the Trojans did not have starting quarterback Matt Barkley for that game, but the Irish was playing with its back-up quarterback as well.

Also, USC got stomped by Oregon State and gave up more than 50 points to Oregon.

Despite the probation, the program is still deep in resources, so Kiffin should have delivered more this year. Years two and three are when the impact of the NCAA penalties should really hit home. Because of this, can we expect losing seasons out of USC in the near future?

As upset as Tennessee fans were when he left, it may not have been such a bad thing.

This year, Kiffin delivered a mediocre performance in a league that is vastly inferior to the Southeastern Conference. If he could not compete in the PAC-10, how could we have expected him to do so here?

I have no hard feelings toward Kiffin for jilting Tennessee. USC was his dream job, and he took it.

However, based on what I have observed this year, I am happier to have Derek Dooley as our head coach than Lane Kiffin.

'The Nightly Daily' nailed it: Tennessee finished 6-6 and will go bowling

Back on August 5, The Nightly Daily presented its annual preview of how the Tennessee Volunteers football team would do in the upcoming season (click here to read that). Though my predictions are often woefully off base, my thoughts regarding the team were pretty much on the mark this year.

In August, I picked the Vols to finish 6-6 and go to a bowl. With last Saturday's win against Kentucky, the Volunteers completed the regular season 6-6 and appear headed to the Music City Bowl. At this point, the Music City Bowl berth is not official, but that is where all the speculation is pointing.

All things considered, I think this is an outstanding achievement. On Halloween, the Vols were 2-6 and were headed nowhere fast. However, the team went 4-0 in November to become bowl eligible. I concede the Vols November schedule was weak (the four teams that were played completed the season with a combined 13-35 record). Still, a bowl is a bowl.

When breaking down the schedule before the season, I correctly picked five of the six teams Tennessee would beat. My only mistakes were saying we would beat Oregon and lose to Kentucky. Looking back, picking a win against Oregon appears ridiculous considering the Ducks have been near the top of the polls all year. However, Tennessee was tied with them in the third quarter before Oregon took advantage of several big plays to pull away.

As for Kentucky, I guess I should have known better. I went to the Tennessee/Kentucky game on Saturday, and I still can't figure out how we won. The Wildcats had a ton of talent on offense and better depth. Then again, Tennessee has not lost to them since 1984. I guess this is why Kentucky is considered a basketball school.

First year coach Derek Dooley got about all he could get out of this team. If I had known in August just how soft the offensive and defensive lines would be, I probably would not have picked them to win six. For all the gnashing of teeth that took place when Lane Kiffin bolted for USC after last season, I do not believe Tennessee would have won as many games this year if he had stayed.

Coach Dooley is a good coach. I look forward to watching him rebuild the program.

A Tennessee loss to Memphis would put football program at lowest point ever

Heading into this season, most Tennessee football fans had a realistic expectation about what was to come. Because of the flip-flopping of coaches and the attrition of players, the Volunteers were likely looking at a losing season.

Despite having this understanding, the winless October the team experienced was still hard to swallow. Blowout losses to Alabama and Georgia were the cherries on top of a wretched hot fudge sundae. The team, fans, and media all talked about making it to November because the schedule would get lighter and wins would be waiting.

Now that we have reached November, a very serious question must be addressed: Are more wins really waiting for the team? What have we seen in the last month that would indicate this team has improved to the point that it can play 60 good minutes?

In the aftermath of the South Carolina game, many have pointed to more productivity from the quarterback position and better defensive play as signs of improvement. However, we have to remember that the Vols still lost the game by two touchdowns. Is this the standard now being applied to Tennessee football? It seems fans are grasping for moral victories, which is something I thought I would never see in Knoxville. This team still has big problems.

The Volunteers stand 2-6 and are on the brink of their worst record since 1977's team went 4-7. This year's team has things in common with the 1977 squad. Both teams began the year 2-2. The 1977 team then went on an October losing streak that saw its record drop to 2-5. That team avoided dropping to 2-6 by beating Memphis State 27-14.

Coincidentally, the Vols play the same school this Saturday, and the Vols must win. Simply put, Memphis is awful. The Tigers are 1-7 and have lost their last five games by a combined score of 217 to 56. The only SEC team they have played is Mississippi State, and the Tigers got pasted 49-7. This score is in the neighborhood of some of Tennessee's SEC losses.

Given the terrible state of Tennessee's football team, a loss to an even worse Memphis team could be a body blow that propels the Volunteers to a 2-10 season. I do not see how the Vols could recover from a loss.

A loss would put the program at the lowest point in its history. Let's face it; the team is already on the borderline when it comes to being the worst in school history. A loss to Memphis would make it that much worse.

So, if somebody tells you that Tennessee has nothing to play for this week, tell them they are wrong. The team needs a win in the worst possible way. A one-point win would be good enough.

The big concern is that the team will not be emotionally pumped up. After four straight conference games, the Memphis Tigers are not a sexy opponent. In recent years, Tennessee has had trouble getting up for this team, and playing in a half-empty Liberty Bowl will not help any.

The stakes are high Saturday night, and a season hangs in the balance.

Perhaps there will be enough magic in the moonlight for the Volunteers to win.

Tennessee an appropriate 2-4 as first half of season ends

Entering the season, most people understood that the Tennessee Volunteers would have an uneven season based on its youth and lack of depth. Six games into the season, the Vols have been the walking definition of 'inconsistent' and have a 2-4 record.

Saturday's loss at Georgia was another example of this. After coming within one play of upsetting LSU the previous week, Tennessee laid a huge egg against the Bulldogs. The Vols barely had a pulse in losing 41-14. I hate to write this, but at times, the team played like it had no heart whatsoever. It was reminiscent of their performance in the second half of the Oregon game only this time it lasted the whole game.

The Volunteers have reached the middle of their schedule, and mercifully, have this Saturday off. If nothing else, the break will let the team rest. The Volunteers have to find some way to get better in order to qualify for a bowl.

Actually, that is a stretch. Tennessee does not look close to being a bowl team at this point so maybe the goal should be lower. Tennessee is one of only two major football programs to have never lost eight games in a season (Ohio State is the other). Maybe the focus should be on winning three of the remaining six games to keep that fact alive.

The next game is against Alabama. The Tide showed that they were mortal by losing to South Carolina. Can Tennessee beat them? I doubt it. In fact, the most drama on October 23 will be seeing how many Tennessee fans sold their tickets to Alabama fans. In 2008, it was disgraceful to see how many Tide fans found their way into Neyland Stadium.

Consider this a personal plea: Tennessee fans, please do not sell your tickets to Alabama fans if you are not attending the game. The team deserves more than to walk on the field and see 25,000 'Bama fans there. If necessary, take less money and sell your tickets to a Tennessee fan who has never seen the Volunteers play Alabama in person. Do the right thing.

The game following Alabama is a road trip to South Carolina. The Gamecocks are soaring after beating Alabama, and they will likely be a double-digit favorite to beat Tennessee. A loss here drops the Vols to 2-6.

Entering November, Tennessee has to find a way to win three out of four. The schedule lightens so it is doable, but will the Vols find the consistency to do it? The November games are at Memphis, vs. Ole Miss, vs. Kentucky, and at Vanderbilt. Of the four, the Kentucky game looks the most challenging. The Wildcats took Auburn down to the final play before losing on Saturday. They have not beaten Tennessee since 1984, and this could be the year they break their losing streak. If they do not beat us this year, then they never will.

Ole Miss is inconsistent. Will they play like the team that lost to Jacksonville State or the team that bounced Kentucky? Memphis is bad so a win looks probable there. Vanderbilt is about even with Tennessee when it comes to talent, but in recent years, Tennessee has played better in Nashville against the Commodores than it Knoxville.

The bottom line is that it will not be easy to get to five wins. It can be done, but the Vols have to turn it up a notch.

Volunteers have to improve quickly to earn a bowl berth this season

The University of Tennessee football team faces its most imposing rebuilding effort since Johnny Majors took over the team in 1977. Under normal circumstances, the Volunteers would be facing a lot of work this year. However, the schedule this year is brutal, making the rebuilding to be done all the more difficult.

As we begin, here is the schedule:

Sept. 4 -- vs. UT Martin
Sept. 11 -- vs. Oregon
Sept. 18 -- vs. Florida
Sept. 25 -- vs. Alabama-Birmingham
Oct. 2 -- at LSU
Oct. 9 -- at Georgia
Oct. 23 -- vs. Alabama
Oct. 30 -- at South Carolina
Nov. 6 -- at Memphis
Nov. 13 -- vs. Mississippi
Nov. 20 -- at Vanderbilt
Nov. 27 -- vs. Kentucky

Tennessee plays Oregon, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina all before November. Florida, LSU, and Alabama have each won national championships in the last four years, and Oregon is the reining PAC-10 champion. Tennessee has lost three consecutive games to PAC-10 teams, including against UCLA last year.

Tennessee has to win six games to become bowl eligible. So, who will the Volunteers beat this year?

In September, Tennessee must win at least two games, but most likely will need three. The Volunteers should beat UT Martin and Alabama-Birmingham (notice I wrote 'should' because nothing can be taken for granted this year). As for Oregon and Florida, the best bet for a win will be against the Ducks. Oregon is a solid program but is coming off a lot of off-the-field problems that resulted in their starting quarterback getting booted off the team. A cross-country journey and a hostile crowd could make the Ducks vulnerable. I know this did not help us against UCLA last year, but the power of Neyland Stadium can intimidate good teams.

Unfortunately, October looks like a mess. Who will we beat? Despite regressing under Les Miles the last couple of years, beating LSU on their field is unlikely. They still have a lot of athleticism and can physically beat up teams, especially teams like Tennessee that lack depth. Georgia is a trendy pick by many to be the dark horse team in the league and should be worked up to pay Tennessee back for the 45-19 pasting they received last year.

Alabama is the defending conference and national champion. Despite returning only two starters on defense, the Crimson Tide should be formidable this year. As for South Carolina, its success or failure this year will be because of its offense. However, if Tennessee loses there, it will be more because of the Volunteers shortcomings than the Gamecocks ability.

At this point, I must conclude that Tennessee will lose all four of its October games. Because of this, the Volunteers must win three or four games in November to become bowl eligible. The good news is the schedule lightens up in November. Memphis has a new head coach and is coming off a 10-loss season. Tennessee should be sufficiently fired up to repay Ole Miss for the loss at Oxford last year. Kentucky likely is better than Tennessee, but has problems breaking through on the field against the Volunteers. Vanderbilt is also breaking in a new head coach and coming off a 10-loss season.

Based on all this, I believe Tennessee will finish 6-6 and qualify for a bowl. I believe Tennessee will beat: UT Martin, Oregon, Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt.

That is not exactly the resume of a team that should go to a bowl, but these are the times we live in. Let's enjoy the season and make the most of it.

Volunteers facing a ton of questions as 2010 season approaches

The 2010 season is right around the corner for the Tennessee Volunteers. While that news usually produces rejoicing, this season may cause more pain than pleasure for Tennessee.

The team has many questions to answer. It starts at the top with new head coach Derek Dooley. While he has impressed many with his recruiting and decision making since taking over for Lane Kiffin, the true test comes now. For better or worse, we know Southeastern Conference coaches are defined by wins and losses. So, if Dooley cleans up all the off-the-field issues that have plagued the program, it will not matter if he does not win. I do not like that either, but this is the environment of college football.

Additionally, the Volunteers face a major rebuilding effort on offense. The offensive line lost all five starters from last year, which is bad news in the SEC. Right now, it appears that two freshmen and a sophomore will be among the new starters. In other words, this unit will be young and inexperienced. By examining Coach Dooley's work while head coach of Louisiana Tech, it shows us that he did a good job of developing the running game. His success doing this at Tennessee will define how far the team goes this year. To achieve this, the offensive line must quickly develop.

There are also big question marks at quarterback. Right now, junior college transfer Matt Simms is the starter. However, he was less than stellar during spring practice, throwing three interceptions in the spring game and completing less than a third of his passes in another scrimmage. Freshman Tyler Bray is likely the long-term solution at this position so it will be fascinating to see how much ground he gains during preseason practice.

There is some good news on offense. The Vols appear to be deep in talent at both the running back and wide receiver positions. Running back Tauren Poole does good things every time he touches the ball, but he had problems getting on the field under Kiffin. However, he will get his shot this year and so should backup David Oku. Oku provided some thrills returning kicks as a freshman last year.

At wide receiver, both Gerald Jones (46 catches last year) and Denarius Moore (40 catches last year) provide plenty of experience. Also, tight end Luke Stocker returns. Scouts say Stocker has pro talent and if that is so, he may become an important security blanket for whichever quarterback is throwing passes.

Six starters return on defense, but the bad news is safety Eric Berry and defensive tackle Dan Williams are both gone. Both were first round picks in the NFL draft. New defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox comes from Boise State where his defenses led the Western Athletic Conference in defense three years in a row. I can already read your mind: The SEC is not the WAC. I agree, but the important thing is that Wilcox has been successful wherever he has been.

On the defensive line, the strength is the ends. Defensive end Chris Walker is an All-SEC caliber player. At the other end, Ben Martin had 11 starts last year. However, the Volunteers are thin at defensive tackle and that could cause problems in a physical league like the SEC.

Middle linebacker Nick Reveiz returns from an ACL injury suffered in the Ohio game last year. Anybody who doubts how important he was to the team should watch a tape of the Auburn game. The Auburn game was the first game after his injury, and the Tigers' misdirection plays killed the Volunteers time after time after time.

The secondary could be good and is led by safety Janzen Jackson. If he has put his off-the-field problems behind him, he could become the next star on the Tennessee defense.

The kicking game is up in the air. Place kicker Daniel Lincoln lost his job late last season, and punter Chad Cunningham has been inconsistent at best. The Volunteers must get better in this phase of the game. Expect there to be a lot of competition for both these jobs during preseason practice.

(Note: My next posting will break down the upcoming schedule and analyze what the Volunteers have to do to earn a bowl berth. It won't be easy.)

Tennessee Volunteers might be fortunate to win six games this year

It is still almost three months until Tennessee's first game, but it does not hurt to look ahead a little. Obviously, more will be written on this as the season approaches, but a quick look at this year's schedule shows us the Volunteers face a stiff challenge.

Here it is:

Sept. 4 -- vs. UT Martin
Sept. 11 -- vs. Oregon
Sept. 18 -- vs. Florida
Sept. 25 -- vs. Alabama-Birmingham
Oct. 2 -- at LSU
Oct. 9 -- at Georgia
Oct. 23 -- vs. Alabama
Oct. 30 -- at South Carolina
Nov. 6 -- at Memphis
Nov. 13 -- vs. Mississippi
Nov. 20 -- at Vanderbilt
Nov. 27 -- vs. Kentucky

Tennessee will be breaking in a new quarterback as well as having to find five new starters on the offensive line. In many cases, this spells disaster for a team playing in the Southeastern Conference.

The Vols might have to sweat it out just to get the six wins necessary to become bowl eligible.

However, on the bright side, Tennessee will have a better shot at the national championship than Lane Kiffin's USC Trojans. As I am sure most of you know, the NCAA threw the book at USC, giving them four years' probation that includes no bowl games for the next two years.

That's a shame.

Tennessee's unlikely run through the NCAA tourney continues

A little more than a week ago, I wrote a posting discussing the four Southeastern Conference teams that were selected for the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

I was especially upset at what Tennessee received from the tournament selection committee. A sixth-seeding that likely would result in a second-round meeting with Georgetown in its own backyard was frustrating. However, it did not work out that way. After slipping past San Diego State in the opener, the Volunteers got a gift when Ohio upset Georgetown. In the second round, Tennessee played well in thumping Ohio 83-68. Now, a trip to the Sweet 16 awaits.

Tennessee plays second-seeded Ohio State Friday night. The key to the game will be if Tennessee can slow down Buckeye's standout Evan Turner. The 6-7 guard/forward leads Ohio State in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.

If the Vols get by the Buckeyes, things really start to get interesting. The Vols would then play either Michigan State or Northern Iowa for a trip to the Final Four. Of course, Northern Iowa is the team that upset top-seeded Kansas, but one has to wonder how long this small school can withstand the bright lights and the big stage of such a tournament. Michigan State has had a good season, but the Spartans are not as strong as they have been in recent years. They needed a buzzer beater against Maryland to advance, and they also lost to Florida earlier in the year.

Given Tennessee's poor track record in the tournament, cautious optimism is perhaps the best way to approach Friday's game. The Vols have never advanced passed the Sweet 16. Some will suggest that the Vols are due to break through, but it is not as easy as that.

Tennessee is always at its best when its back is against the wall, and nobody gives them a chance. All the well-earned kudos they have received recently might be the last thing the team needs to hear right now. Coach Bruce Pearl is a master motivator, and his hands will be full when preparing his team.

As a Tennessee graduate, I am very proud of what the team has accomplished. When all the off the court problems happened on January 1, I thought the season was over. However, Pearl handled the situation honorably, and the rest of the team banded together. I definitely did not think our record today would be 27-8 and be in the Sweet 16.

It just goes to show how unpredictable sports (and life) can be. Good luck to the Volunteers.

Tennessee's men a lock for NCAA hoop tourney, but how high will they be seeded?

For anybody doubting that the Tennessee men's basketball team would reach the NCAA tournament, those doubts were put to rest Saturday with the Volunteers 74-65 win over No. 2-ranked Kentucky.

Their resume is strong. At this point, the Vols have 21 wins and have clinched a winning record in the SEC. Tennessee also beat then No. 1-ranked Kansas in January. How many teams have posted wins this year against the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the polls? I haven't researched it, but I'm betting Tennessee is the only one.

Tennessee has two regular season games remaining (Arkansas and Mississippi State), and then the SEC tournament. Historically, the Vols have been awful in the SEC tourney, so a win or two against the Razorbacks and Bulldogs would help when it comes to their seeding in the NCAA tourney.

As of today, I think the Vols will be seeded fourth in whichever regional they go to in the NCAAs. Of course, that could change a little based on the results of the next two weeks.

An exciting time of the year is beginning.

Tennessee's 2010 football schedule offers many challenges

Now that recruiting season is finished and Tennessee did reasonably well, it is time to look at the 2010 schedule. Here it is:

Sept. 4 – vs. UT-Martin
Sept. 11 – vs. Oregon
Sept. 18 – vs. Florida
Sept. 25 – vs. Alabama-Birmingham
Oct. 2 – at LSU
Oct. 9 – at Georgia
Oct. 23 – vs. Alabama
Oct. 30 – at South Carolina
Nov. 6 – at Memphis
Nov. 13 – vs. Ole Miss
Nov. 20 – at Vanderbilt
Nov. 27 – vs. Kentucky

The good news is Tennessee plays its first four games at home. The bad news is two of those games are against Oregon and Florida. And then, after that, we play five of our next seven games on the road.

LSU comes on the schedule in place of Auburn, and we play them at Baton Rouge. I've never liked playing at Memphis but we do on Nov. 6. One silver lining is that we have a bye week before we play Alabama.

This is a tough schedule, and most of our playmakers from last year are gone.

Good luck Coach Dooley.

Derek Dooley looks like a good fit for the Tennessee football program

On Friday, the University of Tennessee hired Derek Dooley as its head football coach, ending a tumultuous week. The Vol Nation went into frenzy when former coach Lane Kiffin unexpectedly quit to take the USC job. However, Dooley looks like a good choice.

A strong case can be made that Dooley has better qualifications than Kiffin when he got the job. Dooley has more head coaching experience than Kiffin and also was athletic director at Louisiana Tech when he was picked by Tennessee. Dooley also has NFL experience (with Nick Saban during his ill-fated tenure with Miami). Plus, he has recruiting and coaching experience at LSU, so he definitely knows his way around the Southeastern Conference.

At this point, Tennessee fans should feel good about his hiring. As for Kiffin, the timing of his departure during recruiting season definitely will cost the Volunteers recruits. However, one can hardly blame him for leaving. USC was his dream job, and most of us would leave one job for another if it helped our family and advanced our career. At least, that is how Kiffin looks at it.

It is time to rally around Dooley and quit whining about Kiffin.