With so much stuff going on in Knoxville these days, we're starting a new weekly article called "Tennessee Talk" where I will write (though "Talk" makes a better title) about all things University of Tennessee.(Before I get to the Vols, I must admit to being in a perpetual funk ever since the Cowboys loss on Sunday. I can't remember a loss hitting me this hard in a long time...it still hurts. That is my team, man. That is my quarterback.)
Arian Foster Returns
Color me surprised. When Foster graded out as a 2nd round pick, I thought he was gone. As much as I like him, I don't see 2nd round pick in Foster. He is big, fast and has big play potential. He also has a knack for making the first guy miss. On the other hand, he runs high and reminds me of a less-powerful Eddie George. For a guy his size, he never runs anyone over and sometimes seems a little soft.
Forgetting all that, I'm excited that he is back. With an inexperienced quarterback in the pocket, Foster will be a huge asset for the Vols offense. Add Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer and that is a mean backfield. Add new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson and new running backs coach Stan Drayton...things are looking good on the ground next year in Knoxville.
Gerald Jones Smokes Weed
(sigh)
Not only was Jones rolling around town with teammates and marijuana, but also with a football recruit. Do you think that kid is coming to Knoxville now? Let's hope Jones learns from this and we do not have another LaMarcus Coker/Duke Crews situation on our hands.
Ryan Mallett
It isn't looking as good to get the Michigan transfer these days. Papa Mallett did not sound enthused by the Clawson hiring, hinting that the new coach might run the spread offense. Really? That is the first time I have heard any history of the spread and Clawson. That also sounds like a weak excuse for nixing Knoxville after Fulmer did not hire Michigan OC Mike DeBord. I don't expect to see Mallett in Big Orange. The strongest rumor is Arkansas, so not only are we not getting Mallett, but he is going to a team that we play every stinking year.
At least we don't have to tackle Darren McFadden and Felix Jones next year.
Vols/Vandy Thursday Night
Bruce Pearl's Vols dominated South Carolina on Saturday and, for the first time this season, looked like a Final Four team. The Xavier and Gonzaga wins were great, but the Vols looked like a team that was infinitely more athletic and talented winning on that rather than outplaying their opposition. Against the Gamecocks, the Vols were dominant. They got into passing lanes, made open shots, passed the ball well and played 5x harder than Dave Odom's troops.
The Vols survived a game Ole Miss team last week and face another tough home test this week when the wounded Vanderbilt Commodores come to town. Vandy suffered its first loss of the season at Rupp Arena last weekend to the suddenly decent Kentucky Wildcats and come into Thompson-Boling Arena looking to rebound. The Dores are led by the top two scorers in the SEC in Shan Foster and Andrew Ogilvy as well as one of the most under appreciated coaches in the country Kevin Stallings (who infamously turned down the Vols after the Kevin O'Neil debacle). The winner of this game sits in the driver's seat of the SEC East as these are the two top team in the entire conference (I'm not buying Ole Miss or Florida yet). It should be a great one on Rocky Top.
Chris Lofton
Anybody seen him? I know he is being tightly guarded off the ball and I know he misses Dane Bradshaw's ability to get him the ball, but I am shocked by Lofton's bust of a senior year thus far. He rarely touches the ball and, when he does, he looks uncomfortable with it. He has the look of a guy who better shoot it because-I-might-not-get-it-again. That is not what I expected from the All-American this year. We are winning without him, but it worries me that our go-to-guy has been ASAP all season.
Demetrice Morley is Back
Old news, but I'm still excited about it. Eric Berry, Brent Vinson and Morley in the secondary next year...that looks good to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee
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4 comments:
RE: "Not only was Jones rolling around town with teammates and marijuana, but also with a football recruit. Do you think that kid is coming to Knoxville now? "
According to this morning's Chattanooga Times Free Press Jameel Owens (the recruit in question) committed to Oklahoma on Tuesday.
Nice. I can't imagine how Fulmer made his pitch after that recruiting visit.
More good news - Mallett is heading to Arkansas. I hope he isn't expecting Petrino to be there for his whole college career. I have a hard time understanding how recruits could buy whatever he is selling.
That was a great game last night. Lofton even showed up for about 3 minutes in the second half!
My post about the game is probably overly negative, but I have really raised my expectations for this team. They are so deep, have so many weapons and put so much defensive pressure on the other team that I'm thinking Final Four more than SEC these days.
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