2008 Tennessee Vols Football Predictions & Preview


June 9, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

The team at Info Plays give you their 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football predictions and team preview below. The SEC dominated bowl games last year, and Tennessee was no exception. The Volunteers finished with 10 wins after beating Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl to build some momentum heading into the season. But as is true with many other teams in the SEC, the Vols must work with a new quarterback to lead them. Check out what we think will happen with Tennessee in 2008.

Offense:

Coach Philip Fulmer went outside the Vols’ family to hire an offensive coordinator this season, the first time this has happened in 25 years. Dave Clawson comes over from lower-division Richmond to replace David Cutcliffe who bolted for Duke’s head job. Clawson likes to spread the field, run multiple formations and use a ton of motion to try and confuse defenses. His bread and butter is a physical running game. Senior tailback Adrian Foster is within reach of becoming the school’s career rushing leader after collecting 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He’s a complete back after snatching 39 catches last season as well.

Tennessee got nearly 600 combined rushing yards from their backups in Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer so they have plenty of depth in the backfield. The receiving corps was a question mark last season, but should be a team strength in 2008. Lucas Taylor has 73 catches, Austin Rogers 56 and Josh Briscoe also 56 for a combined 185 catches. The offensive line returns four starters that yielded a nation’s best four sacks. That’s a remarkable number considering the Vols attempted 534 passes last season. Guard Anthony Parker was an All-SEC selection last year. Guards Vlad Richard and Jacques McClendon are run-blocking machines. The heir apparent to Erik Ainge at quarterback is Jonathan Crompton, a high school All-American who has waited for three years for this opportunity.

Defense:

Last year the Tennessee Volunteers’ defense was their weakness, but this season it appears to be their strength on paper. Even with starting three true freshman last season, the Vols recovered to win the SEC East division. Eric Berry was a freshman All-American while playing at corner and safety. Demitrice Morley was academically ineligible last season, but returned in the spring. Morley and Berry should pose the SEC’s top safety tandem. The Vols have the most depth in all of the SEC at cornerback with Marsalous Johnson and Antonio Gaines returning as starters. Converted receiver Brent Vinson and junior college transfer DeAngelo Willingham started at the end of the season in their places after Johnson and Gaines went down with injuries. So the starting experience here is unreal.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo, the SEC’s leading tackler, decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. His shoes will be huge to fill. But four returning players in Rico McCoy, Adam Meyers-White, Nevin McKenzie and Ellix Wilson lead a solid group of talented linebackers coming back. The line is solid at the starting positions, but lacks depth. End Robert Ayers is an All-SEC caliber player. Wes Brown, Chris Walker and Ben Martin will be looking to improve on just 24 combined sacks last season from Tennessee’s defense.

Tennessee Volunteers Predictions at Info Plays: 3rd in SEC East

The Vols came within a fourth-quarter turnover of winning the SEC Championship and preventing LSU from a National Title. But this team does now have title-game talent this season. Georgia and Florida are the only two teams in the SEC East that will be playing for the biggest prize, while Tennessee will be trying to survive an early season schedule that features games at UCLA, Auburn and Georgia and also a home meeting with Florida. Their first six games will tell the story of their chances to compete in the SEC East. We have Tennessee finish 3rd in the SEC East behind the superior Bulldogs and Gators.   

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