The University of Tennessee have been picked by many to win the SEC this year. “Auburn’s lost too many good players,” says weary sportswriter after weary sportswriter, “Tennessee have got some incredible quarterbacking arms” others say. “Their wide receiving corps is the best they’ve ever had”, says another, whilst caressing his Peyton Manning photograph in a slightly more loving way then grown men really should do.
Well, UT have some problems. Here’s what we think….So here they are:
1. Will they be able to get away games at Notre Dame, LSU, Alabama, and big rivals Florida?
“Who in God’s name gave us a road schedule like that?” a Tennessee fan said after seeing UT’s 2005 schedule. After I had a look at that, I’m inclined to agree.
Let’s get this straight. Notre Dame are still rebuilding- but the hiring of Charlie Weis will help them re-create scenes like their victories against Michigan- you guessed it- Tennesee- last year. LSU are a beast in Baton Rouge, and, despite their loss of Nick Saban, are still going to be one hell of a handful in Cajun country. Alabama, who drove many UT fans to the end of their nails in Neyland last year in a 17-13 loss (which they really should have won), have had NINE players selected to the SEC pre-season all-conference list by their fellow coaches. Sure, there’s some bias, but if they are as good as coaches, think so, then UT will be hard-pushed to win in Tuscaloosa. And how about Florida? The Gators lost narrowly in Neyland on a controversial, end-of-game field goal and they’ll be thirsting for revenge, Urban Meyer’s a darn good coach, and WR Andre Caldwell’s the real deal in Gainsville.
2. Can they stay out of trouble?
At one time it was looking as though Philip Fulmer would be coaching his own version of The Longest Yard. If UT players weren’t firing guns in their apartments, their bright-spark QB, Brent Schaeffer, is punching kids, along with WR Bret Smith, which earned them an indefinite suspension from the team. Oh, and a number of others (which totalled 11 by the time Philip Fulmer blew his whistle on his team’s shenanigans) got in trouble too. It’s strange- because I thought that Knoxville PD turned a blind eye to football-playing criminals in a town where football is God.
3. Can they get their quarterback problems sorted?
Fulmer’s got to decide who in the hell’s going to QB this season. Whilst it kinda helped him that Brent Schaeffer decided to be Mike Tyson in the off-season, the fact that Rick Clausen, who played so well in freshman phenom Erik Ainge’s absence- didn’t. Clausen pulled UT out of the fire against Kentucky (of all people), and was excellent against Auburn in the SEC Title game- which UT were unfortunate to lose. Although UT fans still hate him because he’s a Clausen (you should see what people say about Casey Clausen in the bars in Knoxville on any given day of the week), he’s done darned well. Now Ainge is back, UT have a two-QB problem on their hands.
4. Will the wide receiving corps live up to the hype?
According to sources, Jayson Swain, Robert Meacham, Bret Smith and converted punter Justin Reed are the best wide receiving corps UT have ever known. But as we know from pre-season predictions, a lot of receivers simply don’t live up to the hype. Smith is on his last chance after his problematic off-season, and Justin Reed hasn’t yet been fully tested as a tight end. But if all the pieces get put together, look out…
5. How lucky are they feeling?
UT rode their luck against Florida- somehow getting a penalty in the dying seconds to see them field-goal their way to victory. They battled against Kentucky and pulled a win out of the jaws of defeat, and for some unknown reason, Georgia decided not to show up in Athens- after they dismantled LSU in front of a captive CBS audience.
So there you have it- if they go 4-0 on the road, get lucky, and their wide receiving corps is as sick as everyone says it is, then Knoxville could once again see a SEC Champ and potential #1. Just one problem remains- which is the day out for the county jail??