University of Tennessee Athletics
2006 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
February 28, 2006 | Football
Feb. 28, 2006
Head coach Phillip Fulmer, banking on a talented squad to create a winning chemistry, has challenged the Tennessee Vols to make every moment count as they head for the 2006 season-opener Sept. 2 against California.
 Phillip Fulmer |
The Vols' long-standing status as one of the nation's elite football powers took a poke to the midsection last fall in an uncharacteristically dreary season that left the team home for the holidays for the first time since 1988.
Home may be where the heart is, but it isn't where you want to be when the calendar turns over from December to January in college football. With the team's 5-6 record banishing it from the list of bowl eligibles, Tennessee had more than enough time to analyze what went wrong in 2005. It was a season that left Vols loyalists, including the demanding Fulmer, looking for vast improvement.
But rather than separate the good from the bad, Fulmer called for a rededication by all parties toward achieving the Vols' customary goals, which start with a drive for the Eastern Division championship of the Southeastern Conference.
Although it suffered heavy graduation losses, especially in the linebacker corps, the defense ranked second in the nation last year against the run. Some intense patching is called for to determine a starting lineup. But coordinator John Chavis anticipates another strong performance by his charges.
"The defense played well enough to win," was a frequently heard commentary among fans who watched in frustration as the Vols dropped five of their last seven games. The implication, that the Vols were below par when it came to moving the football, was borne out in the season statistics.
Offensively, the Vols never achieved the consistent results that would have made the team a big winner. David Cutcliffe, who held the coordinator's portfolio before heading to Ole Miss as head coach in 1999, has rejoined his longtime friend, Phillip Fulmer.
The obvious priority is for Cutcliffe, returned as coordinator, to shake up the offense - shuffle personnel, adopt and discard plays and formations, do whatever if takes - to remold Tennessee into a juggernaut to be greatly feared.
OFFENSE
 Erik Ainge |
Erik Ainge, who was hailed for his sensational passing as a freshman, hopes to regain the form that earned him national acclaim at quarterback. A shoulder separation knocked him out of the final four games of his rookie season, setting the stage for an expected comeback in 2005. But as the Tennessee offense floundered, so did Ainge. He never could get back fully on track. His 45 percent completion mark underscored the futility of an offensive effort that too often went three-and-out.
Spring practice is counted on to return the glitter to a career that seemed headed for stardom when Ainge two years ago threw a freshman school-record 17 touchdown passes. His final game of 2005 was encouraging, including touchdown passes of 50 and 32 yards in a 27-8 win over Kentucky. After alternating last season with Rick Clausen, who has graduated, Ainge will try to maintain an edge over two other scholarship holders, Jonathon Crompton and Bo Hardegree, and a walkon with the All-America name Jim Bob Cooter. Crompton came to Tennessee highly heralded last year, but sat out the season with a slow-to-heal shoulder injury that popped up during the summer.
When senior tailback Gerald Riggs Jr. was sidelined with an injury at midseason, freshman Arian Foster took over and quickly ignited hopes he has a bright future in the Vols' running game. In each of the last five games, Foster romped for more than 100 yards. Challenging Foster for playing time will be Montario Hardesty, Ja'Kouri Williams and LeMarcus Coker - all untested but perceived as loaded with ability.
 Arian Foster |
The elusive and sturdy Foster showed his durability when he carried the ball 40 times, amassing 223 yards and two touchdowns in a losing cause against Vanderbilt. He caught 14 passes out of the backfield, averaging 10.6 yards per reception. Plugger David Yancey, a senior, is capable of providing solid play as a backup whose presence should help build a fire under the young quartet of tailback hopefuls.
Fullback Cory Anderson returns, his retention as a starter based largely on a willingness to toss his 255-pound body into the action on every play. Anderson had only seven opportunities last year to carry the ball from scrimmage, further evidence of why he's in the lineup. Coaches make clear that he's there to flatten would-be tacklers, but every once in a while, he pulls off a maneuver that is critically important.
His 14 pass receptions, mostly in the flat, were timed to catch opponents off guard. The sight of the giant fullback lumbering downfield under a full head of steam is a bewildering experience for undersized defenders to undergo. Anderson's know-how will be an invaluable tool in the Vols' plans to revitalize the attack. Behind the burly senior, however, only junior David Holbert reported to spring practice with playing time on his resume. Coaches will look for depth among Vols newcomers.
 Jayson Swain |
Three of last year's top five wide receivers report for 2006 duty, eager to cast aside the perception their position has been less than fully productive. Robert Meacham, Jayson Swain and Bret Smith have achieved veterans status, a rank that requires them to justify the advance notices that came with them from high school. Swain and Smith are seniors and projected starters, but need to advance their effectiveness when it comes to crossing the goal line. Swain had 27 receptions for 380 yards, impressive enough figures, but less so when tempered by a failure to so much as cross the double stripes a single time. Smith, to his credit, numbered a trio of touchdowns among his 21 catches.
 Robert Meachem |
A year younger than his two veteran colleagues, the junior Meacham carried a reputation for big-play production into the 2005 season. He hopes for a dramatic breakthrough in the category of touchdown catches after racking up only two last year.
Youngsters whom coaches expect to show dramatic improvement include sophomores Lucas Taylor, Josh Briscoe and Austin Rogers. Taylor last year was involved in a major way with kick and punt return responsibilities. Some of that same speed could be put to good use in receiving.
A returning junior will man the tight end position, where fans undoubtedly will continue to clamor for the Vols to hit the big guy down the middle. Chris Brown started all but one game last year and accumulated enough stats to build a strong case why quarterbacks should occasionally fire in his direction.
 Arron Sears |
Brown, at 6-3 and 250 a highly visible target, had 14 catches for 141 yards while also performing the more mundane chore of blocking. Tennessee's employment of the three-wideout system sometimes impacts the playing time for tight ends. Two-year letterman Brad Cottam has an experience edge he believes should win him top backup duty in competition with his brother, Jeff Cottam. The Cottams, both listed at 6-8, have the range to reach every which way for balls aimed in their direction.
 David Ligon |
Promoted late in the season after a teammate's injury, David Ligon garnered enough playing time at center to shape up as a valuable asset when the Vols remake the offensive line for the 2006 season. Ligon, whose first of four starts was against Notre Dame, handles ball-snapping responsibilities with savvy and poise. But honors as Tennessee's key returning lineman go to Arron Sears, whose versatility is as important as his experience. The 6-4, 320-pound senior has delivered sound play at tackle and guard during his UT career. He earned Southeastern Conference lineman of the week accolades for an inspired performance against Ole Miss in a victory early last season. He heads the roster of candidates at left tackle.
Junior Eric Young, who had starts against LSU and Ole Miss last year, is in line for the opening nod at the other tackle slot. Two sophomores, Anthony Parker and Ramon Foster, will need to learn the duties at guard with on-the-job training. Their lack of experience typifies much of the offensive line situation, where backups must be developed from among Chris Scott, Michael Frogg, Josh McNeil, Malcom Rawls and Steven Jones. Here's an opportunity for some ambitious newcomer to make his mark right off the bat.
DEFENSE
 Antonio Reynolds |
With the loss of battle-hardened head-hunters Parys Haralson and Jason Hall, you might expect defensive coaches to be fretting about the outlook at end. To the contrary, they are relatively calm, obviously anticipating that Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds are ready to stand up and be counted. The coaches might be on to something. It's true Haralson in particular was a big-play creator, but Mitchell with limited opportunities logged some eye-popping statistics in his own right. An example: he had a half sack and three quarterback hurries against Florida in a substitute's role.
Reynolds, like Mitchell a junior, played in every game as a sophomore, turning in a solid worksheet that told coaches he deserves a chance to fill a starting role. Walter Fisher, a newcomer with a junior college background, has been ticketed for heavy duty as a reserve behind Mitchell at left end. Backing up Reynolds on the other side will be Robert Ayers. Freshmen Raymond Henderson and Wes Brown are also slated to see action at the terminals.
 Justin Harrell |
One of Tennessee's most spectacular linemen in years, Jesse Mahelona, has moved on, leaving the Vols with an All-America to replace at right tackle. The depth card at tackle carries some impressive names, including a former standout who missed last season while taking time off from college to complete a church mission. When 6-3, 275-pound J.T. Mapu returns to school in the fall, the Hawaii native will be counted on to take up where he left off as a sophomore. Two seasoned players listed ahead of him on the playing chart had better be alert to the threat Mapu poses to their first-team status. But Justin Harrell, with two straight years as a starter, expects to fend off any challenges and fill the tackle spot vacated by Mahelona. He registered 71/2 sacks last year, only a half-sack less than his all-star teammate, Mahelona.
 Turk McBride |
Turk McBride, a quick-charge operative with big-play potential written all over him, is penciled in at left tackle. Besides Mapu, others with an eye to log time at the position include Demonte Bolden, Matt McGlothlin and Vladimir Richard.
 Marvin Mitchell |
Linebacker is a much different story, the position weakened by graduation losses and dependent on an inexperienced corps to step up in a timely manner. It would be unrealistic to expect the new linebacker contingent to move in immediately and make fans forget the documented accomplishments of the departed Kevin Simon, Omar Gaither and Jason Mitchell, a stalwart trio who set a high standard of excellence.
Their anointed replacements, but a long way from having proved themselves, are Jerod Mayo on the strong side, Marvin Mitchell in the middle and Rico McCoy at weakside linebacker. Mitchell, a senior, is the graybeard of the threesome, a man who made two starts last year and is happy to accept the leadership role he will be asked to assume. Mayo has the makeup of a budding star, his varsity debut in 2005 a huge success. A knee injury, now healed, kept him out of late season games last year. McCoy is a promising redshirt freshman, but a youngster who needs to prove himself in the company of a host of other linebacker candidates. Ryan Karl is the most experienced of a large group of hopefuls who have a good chance of seeing significant action in 2006.
 Roshaun Fellows |
The injury to the ubiquitous Jason Allen midway last season deprived the Vols of their standout playmaker cornerback, a preseason All-America selection. The flip side, however, was that Allen's misfortune opened playing opportunities for others to exploit. Consequently, a seasoned group will patrol the secondary, backed up by reserves who also have accumulated playing time. Seasoned junior Roshaun Fellows, coming off a strong season finale with Kentucky, will battle senior Jonathan Wade for the starter's role at left cornerback.
The other cornerback will be junior Inky Johnson, who moved up to a starting role following Allen's injury. Johnson is a fierce tackler whose progress will be measured in terms of his effectiveness against the pass. Antonio Gaines, who played in six games, is being groomed for backup duty.
 Jonathan Hefney |
Safeties are manned by a pair of savvy veterans who are fortified by talented teammates assigned behind them. Jonathan Hefney at free safety will be into his third season as a starter after leading the 2005 Vols in interceptions with three. Hefney is equally adept against the pass and the run, ranking third on the squad in tackles with 65. Senior Corey Campbell, who was UT's best pass defender two years ago when he came up with four interceptions, will provide depth behind Hefney.
After suffering a knee injury that kept him out of action two years ago, Antwan Stewart bounced back and started every game at free safety in 2005. A gifted sophomore, Demetrice Morley, is in reserve along with junior Jarod Parrish. Counting on the veteran status of Fellows, Johnson, Hefney and Stewart -- along with assorted reinforcements -- the Vols will not suffer for lack of experience in the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS
 James Wilhoit |
The punting and placekicking departments similarly should encounter no problems related to experience. The most recent punter with Colquitt family blood flowing through his foot improved as a freshman and saved two of his best performances for the final two games. Britton Colquitt averaged 41.2 yards for the season and closed the campaign with a 46.7 mark against Vanderbilt followed by a 44.2 showing against Kentucky. Placekicker James Wilhoit, a senior, hit 14-of-19 field goals and connected on all 21 extra point tries.
 Britton Colquitt |
Backup wide receiver Casey Woods appears to have the steady hand at the holder position, with Ryan West leading the returnees at deep snapper.
In the kick return area, coaches hope that less-than-pleasing 2005 results will not be repeated. Jonathon Hefney and Austin Rogers on punts and Lucas Taylor and Demetrice Morley on kickoffs will have the first chance to remedy the situation, which left Fulmer, an apostle of great kicking, in a state of high dudgeon.
