With a fresh set of downs ...
1st and Ten Quarterbacks, injuries and defensive backs, OH MY! In the rapid fire, give-it-to-me quickly world, lets discuss three major items for the Vols this year.
a. To say that the quarterback situation was a bit murky, coming into spring practice, well, that is a severe understatement. The good news is that whoever is named the starter has past experience and past success. Rick Clausen had a tremendous close to the season. Erik Ainge had captured the nations attention before and after his game in Athens. Brent Schaeffer showed Michael Vick-like speed and quickness in his early starts. Alternating QBs never get it done, but to be able to have three guys offensive coordinator Randy Sanders can rely on is huge. The big question mark will now be the recent travails of Schaeffer, who was suspended for his role in a dormitory. However, given the success of Clausen and Ainge, it may not matter much to the Vols.
b. The Vols have had a total of 21 players that have had some sort of surgery since the Cotton Bowl. 21! This wouldnt be that alarming, if the Vols had not major injury problems over the past three years. But, they have. Some might say its bad luck, some might say its bad conditioning either way, it cant happen in 2005 if this team is to get back to the Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.
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c. Now, dont worry, the defensive backfield is as loaded and experienced as it has been for a while, but the question becomes the combination of defensive backs, that will be a tad different this year. Budding star Roshaun Fellows is one corner, but All-SEC safety Jason Allen is moving back to the other corner. Thats a tough transition for Allen, or for anyone for that matter. With Allen now moved, the safety spots are definitely up in the air. Keep a close eye on how this foursome, with multiple pieces, gels this year.
2nd and Seven Like Father? Better than Father Tennessee RB Gerald Riggs Jr., the son of former NFLer Gerald Riggs, had persevered through two and a half years as just one of the stable of backs in Knoxville. But, in the last half of the season, he started to take two steps forward as the star of said stable. He was one of, well, shoot, he was really the only back to run through and past the Auburn secondary, which he did in the SEC Championship game. Now, with Cedric Houston out of eligibility, the ball is going to be in Riggs capable hands more often than not as the number one racehorse. Want a darkhorse? Heisman candidate? Tune into #31 this fall.
3rd and Three If there is a football god
- Tennessee OLB Kevin Simon will never ask for your sympathy, but if theres anyone out there that doesnt want the Californian star to succeed this year, then you dont have a heart. The only good news that came out of Simon being out for the whole year was that young cats like Omar Gaither and Jason Mitchell had to fill in and get some much needed experience. And, that they did. Now, if Simon is healthy, combined with Mitchell and Gaither, look out, this is going to be a tough bunch. Regardless, seeing #5 on the field will be satisfying enough for most of us.
4th and One Another one? So, can you draw the analogy that what the Manning family has done for college quarterbacks, the Colquitt family has done for college punters? Okay, so maybe thats a stretch, but you could argue that the Colquitts are the first family of punting. Freshman Britton Colquitt takes over for his brother, Dustin, who was a key cog to field position battles on a weekly basis. Head coach Phil Fulmer had a tremendous weapon in Dustin, so Britton has big shoes to fill. But, for punting royalty, thats as easy as a coffin corner pooch punt.
