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FIRST LOOK AT: TENNESSEE
August 8, 2004
Rewind: The Vols finished 10-3 overall, tied for the Eastern Division title at 6-2 and ended the season No. 15 in the Associated Press poll and No. 16 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. The Vols had a chance to finish ranked in the top five, but in a 27-14 Peach Bowl loss to Clemson, Tennessee showed the same uninspired offense it demonstrated all season.
He's the boss: Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is 74-19 in the SEC in just more than 11 seasons. His teams have won two SEC championships ('97 and '98) and a national championship in '98. He has a bowl record of 6-6, losing four of the past five.
He's the man: It's rare when you find punters who win games, but the Vols have such a weapon in two-time Ray Guy finalist Dustin Colquitt. Colquitt averaged an SEC-leading 45.3 yards last season and personally won the South Carolina and Miami games with his punting.
Game plan: It's all about the quarterbacks. Sixth-year senior C.J. Leak goes in as the starter, but he needs to be more than just a caretaker. Because Tennessee's running game was weak last year, Leak needs to be a playmaker. If he can't be, true freshmen Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer could be starting by midseason.
Crystal ball: With the exception of Tee Martin taking over as quarterback in '98 of a team that was the defending SEC champion, recent history indicates the Vols are at least a three- or four-loss team when finding a new start ing QB. That said, it's 8-3 overall and 5-3 in the Eastern Division.
- Ron Higgins
August 8, 2004
Rewind: The Vols finished 10-3 overall, tied for the Eastern Division title at 6-2 and ended the season No. 15 in the Associated Press poll and No. 16 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. The Vols had a chance to finish ranked in the top five, but in a 27-14 Peach Bowl loss to Clemson, Tennessee showed the same uninspired offense it demonstrated all season.
He's the boss: Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is 74-19 in the SEC in just more than 11 seasons. His teams have won two SEC championships ('97 and '98) and a national championship in '98. He has a bowl record of 6-6, losing four of the past five.
He's the man: It's rare when you find punters who win games, but the Vols have such a weapon in two-time Ray Guy finalist Dustin Colquitt. Colquitt averaged an SEC-leading 45.3 yards last season and personally won the South Carolina and Miami games with his punting.
Game plan: It's all about the quarterbacks. Sixth-year senior C.J. Leak goes in as the starter, but he needs to be more than just a caretaker. Because Tennessee's running game was weak last year, Leak needs to be a playmaker. If he can't be, true freshmen Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer could be starting by midseason.
Crystal ball: With the exception of Tee Martin taking over as quarterback in '98 of a team that was the defending SEC champion, recent history indicates the Vols are at least a three- or four-loss team when finding a new start ing QB. That said, it's 8-3 overall and 5-3 in the Eastern Division.
- Ron Higgins
