University of Tennessee Athletics
2000 Tennessee Football Outlook
April 27, 2000 | Football
Preparing for any eventuality, Phillip Fulmer one year ago looked over the Tennessee football roster and played the game of "what-if" concerning the 2000 season. What if, worst-case scenario, three highly acclaimed juniors decided to leave school early to try their luck in the NFL? And then, what if two other players listed as seniors in 1999 declined an option available to them to return for a final season? Fulmer, who got to be the nation's winningest coach partly because of his ability to anticipate things, foresaw what might happen. His concerns became reality when tailback Jamal Lewis, free safety Deon Grant and offensive guard Cosey Coleman all decided to go pro. Further complicating matters, defensive end Shaun Ellis and linebacker Raynoch Thompson, both of whom could have returned for a fifth season, chose instead to move to the NFL. Defections to the professional ranks and normal graduation losses combined to create a dearth of experience on both sides of the ball. The Vols return only five starters on offense, five on defense and the two kickers. When Fulmer told prospects last winter to come to Knoxville and play early, he wasn't pitching them an idle recruiting line. There's opportunity galore at the Home of the Vols for ambitious student-athletes to make the varsity in a hurry. OFFENSE
A pair of youthful gunslingers from out West showed up last January in the Volunteers' Knoxville corral intent on putting some suspense into the quarterback race. For the first time since 1992, Tennessee went into spring practice with the identity of its starting signal-caller a deep mystery. By virtue of having been around for two full seasons, even if mostly as an observer, Joey Mathews had a slim head start on the competition. The 6-3 sophomore, as backup to Tee Martin, completed three of seven passes for 47 yards. Those are statistics that don't translate into a wealth of experience. The fight for the quarterback post involves one local contestant (Sevierville's Mathews), a regional entry (A.J. Suggs of Atlanta) and one from California, Casey Clausen. Mathews' obvious edge will be his familiarity with the Vols' offensive system, an advantage shared to a lesser extent by Suggs, who enrolled at UT before the 1999 season. Two of the nation's top-ranked prospects coming out of high school, Clausen enrolled in January and took part in the winter workout program designed to have him ready for spring practice. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders focused his search more on finding a steady, solid hand to run the attack than finding somebody with dazzling capabilities. He was national freshman of the year in 1997 but the loss of Jamal Lewis to the ranks of the mercenaries shouldn't cripple Tennessee's ground production. Tireless Travis Henry, whose statistics nearly matched Lewis' totals, brings power and determination to his running back chores. Henry accounted for 790 yards, only 26 less than Lewis' mark. Travis Stephens comes back after a redshirt season hoping to eclipse the 477 yards he posted two years ago. Regardless of who hands off the apple, Tennessee's tailbacks boast big-time potential. Will Bartholmew belongs to that hardy group of fullbacks who sacrifice their own potential as runners to serve as blockers. It's a Tennessee tradition that was carried out to perfection by Shawn Bryson two years ago and capably fulfilled last year by the tandem of Will Bartholomew and Phillip Crosby. Between them, the fullbacks carried the ball only 14 times. But blocking is something they did enormously well. Crosby graduated, leaving the path-clearing part of the job to the sturdy Bartholomew and his understudy, freshman Troy Fleming. With a reconstructed line that will be struggling while it settles in, the importance of the fullbacks to the offense can't be overestimated. While the pass-catching corps went through a down year in terms of spectacular plays, the experience and talent returning for 2000 point to a likelihood Wide Receiver U. will again be an appropriate tag for UT. Cedrick Wilson, despite a hamstring injury that bothered him down the stretch, registered 57 catches for 827 yards. He nearly doubled the completions recorded by runner-up stats leader Eric Parker (30 receptions for 411 yards). Donte' Stallworth showed some encouraging potential as a "go-to" receiver in his freshman season, particularly toward the latter stages. He ended the year with 23 catches for an excellent 17.7 average. David Martin, Bobby Graham, Leonard Scott, Eric Locke and Burney Veazey need to translate their talent into solid numbers if the Vols are going to have depth at receiver. And on the subject of receivers, don't overlook tight ends. Best known as blockers in keeping with their primary responsibilities, senior Neil Johnson and junior John Finlayson return as first and second teamers, respectively. Both are rangy and strong, and both are capable of holding their own in the pass-snagging department should a toss head their way. Ed Butler moved to tight end from defensive tackle during spring practice. Fulmer's urging of prospects that they come onto the campus prepared to play immediately could have been directed to any offensive lineman considering the Vols. Cosey Coleman's decision to turn pro was the unexpected factor in a string of departures that pretty well decimated the front wall. Tackles Chad Clifton and Josh Tucker and center Spencer Riley closed out their eligibility. Fred Weary, a fast-improving junior who began his UT career on defense, could be a future all-star in the line. Much is expected in helping rebuild the line from junior Reggie Coleman and sophomore Will Ofenheusle. Toby Champion, who competed with Weary for a starting post at guard last year, is trying to reestablish his position with the first unit, possibly at center where he hopes to take over for Spencer Riley, whose competitive attitude was contagious. Reggie Ridley is a sophomore backup at guard DEFENSE
The best is yet to come from Will Overstreet, whose list of accomplishments is impressive but who still has two years remaining in his college career. Overstreet, playing the end opposite big-play leader Shaun Ellis, was overlooked sometimes in defensive reviews until it was noted that he finished the season with 17 1/2 big plays, 7 1/2 of which were quarterback sacks. End is one of several positions on the defense where depth seems assured but reality is that very little of it is a proven commodity. Bernard Jackson, a rawboned junior who had been given a look at linebacker as a freshman, recorded 19 tackles last season in a part-time role at end. DeAngelo Lloyd, Omari Hand and Constantin Ritzmann all bring explosiveness to a corps that in recent seasons has earned a reputation for providing momentum-changing plays. Everyone knew last season it was just a matter of how much time would elapse before the emergence of John Henderson, one of the most highly-acclaimed defenders to suit up for Tennessee in years. The powerful junior advanced to the first team in a way nobody foresaw or wanted--the injury that ended the career of the courageous Billy Ratliff. Once in the lineup, Henderson served notice he intended to stay there by achieving a level of play that established him as an impact performer. The loss of Ratliff and Darwin Walker cost the tackle position a pair of players who ranked with the best in Vol history. Albert Haynesworth, who had an auspicious debut last season, has a slight experience edge on the well-regarded Rashad Moore. Edward Kendrick moved to defensive tackle after beginning the 1999 season at tight end. Talent appears to be adequate at tackle, which is more than can be said for experience. A year ago Vol coaches were looking in every direction for somebody to take over at middle linebacker. It was no simple matter. The eventual choice had the formidable task of replacing the great All-America, Al Wilson. When the smoke cleared, and everybody had been given a shot at it, the job went to a converted tailback, of all people. But the tailback in question, Dominique Stevenson, came armed with a defensive man's temperament. He turned out to be a good choice, compiling statistics that earned him fourth place on the team defensive chart. Stevenson returns for his senior season and will have plenty of reserve strength behind him. Another returning starter, Eric Westmoreland, bounced back from a late season injury to play in the Fiesta Bowl. A heady player, he has a knack for getting to the football. Westmoreland was one of the Vols' deadliest tacklers, accounting for nine stops behind the line of scrimmage. Like Stevenson, he brings senior cunning to the linebacker position. Anthony Sessions, who came to UT by the junior college route last season, had four sacks among his 28 tackles, an indication of a welcome headhunter savvy. The group of returning lettermen also includes Travis Colston, Andre James, Eddie Moore and Keyon Whiteside. Freshman Robert Peace, a January arrival on campus, had a good spring practice. He was a veritable newcomer last year, having barely played enough to letter in 1998. Opponents picked on him early, hoping his inexperience would cost the Vols, but they soon stopped trying that costly tactic. Now Andre Lott comes into his junior season as the only returning starter in the defensive backfield. His 1999 statistics don't give Vol foes much to cheer about. The mild-mannered (off the field) left cornerback tallied 14 big plays, including 10 passes broken up. Lott will be the nucleus for a revamped secondary that must replace starters Fred White, Dwayne Goodrich and Deon Grant. With both starting safeties gone, defensive coordinator John Chavis and secondary coach Larry Slade are looking for ballhawks. They need people who can roam the field the way Grant did from his free safety slot and stuff the run with the authority Fred White administered from strong safety. The secondary is another area that can use some infusion from the 2000 newcomer class, including spring semester arrival Charles Small. Holdovers hoping to land significant playing time include Buck Fitzgerald, Teddy Gaines, Tad Golden, Steven Marsh and Willie Miles. KICKING GAME
David Leaverton, who has come an amazing distance from the time he was benched as a freshman, has evolved into one of the Vols' steadiest and most dependable weapons. He overcame the momentary setback of being sent to the planks and vowed to do what it took to regain his job. Leaverton comes off a junior season in which he averaged 42.6 yards on 57 punts. His hang time and the Vols' alert special teams coverage combined to leave UT with a net 39.8 yards per punt. Tennessee should also be well represented in the placekicking area, where Alex Walls also returns. Walls took over placement duties last season following an injury suffered early in the year by Robert Loudermilk. He hit 8 of 11 field goals and all but one of 36 extra points. The vital, though unheralded, task of positioning the ball for kicking will be filled by newcomers following the graduation of snapper Kevin Gregory and holder Benson Scott. Return artists Eric Parker (punts) and Leonard Scott (kickoffs) can flat out fly. Parker averaged 9.4 yards last year, while Scott totaled 27.0 per return. |
