Talking points: it's all about the energy edition

by Joel Hollingsworth on Feb 9, 2009 7:33 AM EST in Rocky Top Talking Points

Tennessee

Tennessee hasn't signed a quarterback in two years. The plan is to position the team to go out and get the best QB in the nation this year. Hey, it could happen. Orgeron was the guy responsible for signing Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer, both Heisman winners at Southern Cal. Still, a two-year gap is a bit frightening. Oh, and QB isn't the only need. Linemen were a priority for this year's class and yet we missed on a bunch of them. The offense is still going to be in trouble for awhile.
Final aftershocks on the Kiffin thing. Ron Higgins is calling Kiffin Boy Blunder. But Dave Hooker says being timid will get you beat and Clay Travis says that Kiffin's tone was perfect and sent a message to Tennessee fans "that the days of fetal position football are over." Yeah, we could use a little energy, huh?

Chest bump to raynoch46.
Road kill. Yeah, so Tennessee lost to Auburn Saturday on Auburn's last shot when Wayne Chism got himself out of position by going for a steal. Oh, and because they were outglassed. Bruce Pearl called it the most disappointing loss of the season, and the BruceBall Blog called it terrible. But hey, not a single SEC road team won this weekend, so there.
Wha? The Lady Vol lost to Florida, 57-66. I'm certain that it was Boy Blunder's fault.

SEC

Dawg Sports wonders just how good Georgia fans should want their rival teams to be. Don't miss Mississippi State.
Team Speed Kills suggests that Tim Tebow returning to Florida is Gator-good in the short term but possibly Gator-bad in the long term.
A Sea of Blue suggests that the book is out on Kentucky and that the spine reads, Lack of Imagination.
Florida signed only six defensive players on National Signing Day. Failure? No, it's just that they have 22 -- 22! -- defensive guys returning.

Nation/Other

Via Black Shoe Diaries, holding Wisconsin to just 54 points and still feeling like you lost in a blowout? Not cool.
An old rock band mate of mine is one of 15 finalists in the NSAI/CMT Song Contest. Go vote for I Ain't Goin' Down, by Gene and Julie Reynolds if you have a free minute.

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Coach O has me fired up

Can’t wait to see him on the sidelines!

by rblakeh on Feb 9, 2009 9:04 AM EST reply actions

I’m pretty sure Preston Bailey is no longer with the team. I think he left on good terms, though, so if he changes his mind and is willing to put in the work, he can return to the team. Word is that he’s just not got a passion for it anymore, and the 5AM workouts really aren’t worth it to him anymore. I think he is hoping to transfer to Vanderbilt and focus on academics.

Does anyone have any word on Ramone Johnson? Is he officially off the team, or does a path to return exist?

I don’t think we are completely done recruiting just yet. I think the coaching staff is still working on a few JUCO linemen (D and O), and I know one who is an OT but will probably become a DT if he came here is very probable. The name escapes me at the moment, but his two older brothers play(ed) for Georgia.

by rblakeh on Feb 9, 2009 9:12 AM EST reply actions

O-line will be a huge concern next year.

In terms of non-seniors (next year, that is), there will be 5 players on the team who are nominally listed as guards (Sawtelle, Revis, Myers, Anderson and Thomas), and the last two might be better suited for centers, given their relative lack of weight. There are 4 tackles listed that will not be seniors this next year (6 including the seniors). That is very little margin for injury, so grabbing one or two JUCO guys would make a lot of sense for the O-line.

In the defense, 4 of 7 DTs will not be seniors. DE is in slightly better shape, with 6 of 7 as non-seniors next year. If Ben Martin continues to improve, he’ll probably end up as impactful as Ayers was. Also, we’re looking at Bohannon and Brown to really step up, I believe.

(I included Ramone in the numbers for lack of information. I don’t know how he shapes up right now, but if he doesn’t come back you can subtract one tackle from the above numbers. Yikes.)

by David Hooper on Feb 9, 2009 9:51 AM EST up reply actions

Kwame Geathers

That’s his name. Would be a great addition to our defensive line if we could pick him up. I know he is very interested in UGA, but they have told him they don’t have room for him. He is a beast of a human being.

Kwame Geathers Profile

He is 6’6" 320lbs… and he runs a 5 second forty. That’s frightening to me.

by rblakeh on Feb 9, 2009 11:23 AM EST up reply actions