Talking points: Your job is not safe. I mean it.

by Joel on Apr 3, 2009 8:06 AM EDT in Rocky Top Talking Points Comment 10 comments

Tennessee football

Really? He's serious! Josh McNeil, the senior who's started 35 games since he was a freshman, is having to compete with former walk-on Cody Sullins for the starting center position. Such a move almost makes you want to believe that the whole "every position but Eric Bery's is open" is complete nonsense uttered only to motivate guys, but Kiffin's sure making it sound like it's real. Credit McNeil for playing the game with a positive attitude:

Everybody is rotating in with the first unit so I just have to do what I've been doing since I've been here and everything will work itself out. You've got to come out here and you've got to perform everyday to make sure that you lock down that starting job.
Creer's career over at Tennessee. He was AWOL for Tuesday's practice, and it was announced as official yesterday that he had quit the team. Nobody knows the details yet, but we do know that Creer had been stripped of his single-digit number a bit earlier as some sort of disciplinary measure. He apparently didn't respond too well to the news that he'd be battling mid-term freshman Toney Williams for the third-team position behind senior Montario Hardesty and sophomore Tauren Poole. Tennessee will grant him a release with the restriction that he won't be able to transfer to another SEC school or any other future opponent of the Vols. He'll need to finish out this semester academically.
Still in the doghouse but trying to get out rather than quit is Brandon Warren, who made a couple of good plays on Tuesday. For one, he hauled in a pass near the goal line and barely got one foot in bounds for the completion.
Good news, bad news. The defense apparently beat the offense on Thursday, forcing turnovers and otherwise creating havoc for the offense.
The Google of Football can adapt in .01456 seconds. Dan Williams and Montori Hughes appear to be your starters at defensive tackle. Together, they're a bit bigger than tackles usually are for Monte's system, but Monte's adapting. He's like that.
Rend the garments! Crompton's thrown an interception! It's inevitable, you know, but in practice on Tuesday, Crompton and Austin Rogers appeared to miscommunicate on a pass play, with Rogers never looking for the ball, and DB Art Evans intercepted the ball and returned it for a touchdown.
Hmm. Tauren Poole, after being beaten by Rico McCoy on a blitz pickup drill, "roar[ed] like a lion." ($) Interpretation, anyone?
Too tall. Gerald Williams batted a ball -- with his elbow ($).
Quintin Hancock made another "spectacular diving catch" ($) from Crompton.
Daniel Lincoln missed two mid-range field goals and had another blocked. This is going to be a problem this fall if it doesn't get turned around.
This is why you the lawyers tell you not to talk to the media or the cops. Donte' Stallworth says that the pedestrian he struck while driving drunk was not in the crosswalk and that Stallworth flashed his lights and honked his horn in an attempt to warn the guy . Somewhere, a prosecutor is wondering why he had time to do all that and no time to hit the brakes.
It's important to note that the current roster of players has been on their best off-the-field behavior all offseason. Woo for no Fulmer Cup points.

0 recs | Comment 10 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I've been paying close attention to the lack of Fulmer Cup Points.

My plan was to giev them a huge congrats post if they made it through the O&W that way.

by Hooper on Apr 3, 2009 8:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

One note on interceptions during the spring:

A Cover-2 defense keeps a lot of defenders watching the QB and watching the play develop. It’s very easy for the backfield to generate turnovers, especially on miscues – which are bound to happen in the spring with another new system.

The QBs will have to learn very quickly how to control the defense (read progression, pump fakes, etc.) to come out of the spring looking respectable. This is good.

by Hooper on Apr 3, 2009 8:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You know, I wonder how much linkage there is between your first and last bullet points.

I don’t mean McNeil specifically, but in a general sense I could see how having to worry about starting positions would keep noses a little cleaner. Nobody wants to give the coaches a reason to make them ride pine, right?

by Hooper on Apr 3, 2009 9:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Excellent point

Overall, I think the change and the new way of doing things has motivated the players across the board, including forcing difficult decisions about whether they even want to remain on the team.

Rocky Top Talk

by Joel on Apr 3, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kiffin has said many times

that this system is not for everybody.

by Getoffmyvols on Apr 3, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Losing Creer, I can deal with

Losing Josh Mcneil, I can’t. If Kiffin thinks Sullins is good, that’s fine. And I love the fact that its the best player will play, but I really feel like Mcneil is one of our very proven linemen plus he’s got tremendous game time experience. Even if Sullins beats him out in Spring practice, still seems like Mcneil would be allowed to start atleast at the beginning of the season. I don’t know.

Wanna hear some music?

by samhitch on Apr 3, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Faith you do not have, young padawan. Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Do or do not, there is no try.

by BigBeefe on Apr 3, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Im sure McNeil will start

He is simply too good to ride the pine. Creer leaving us doesn’t make me happy, but its always good to run off the weak, and I am comfotable knowing that tailback is the deepest position on offense. Also this means that Bryce will receive more snaps come fall..and there is the chance that he is a vast upgrade over Creer and that Creer will not be missed in the slightest (aside from the return game perhaps). It sounds like defensivly we will be great, what with the rising stars (walker, martin) and returning stars (berry, morley) combining to make us even better than last year. Offensively, we are coming along fine. The line has taken shape and has reacted well to zone blocking. The QB’s (e.g. Crompton) has, is, and shall continue to perform admirably, and the recievers will be fine. Everyone knows we have a dominant backfield. I am incredibly happy with how this team is progressing.

by cincyvol6198 on Apr 3, 2009 3:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I could see Nu'Keese taking over in the return game

I know he isn’t at Spring practice being a frosh and all, but he did returns in HS.

Can anybody who has been able to attend any of the Spring practices speak on the return game? Are there any other prospects for this aspect?

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Apr 3, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I haven't been to any practices

But here’s what I know.

As far as potential return men go, I really like the selection we have to choose from. You mentioned Richardson, and I think we could definitely see him returning punts. Zach Rogers has tremendous speed, and as a wide receiver, you know he’s got good hands. Nyshier Oliver is supposed to be dynamic in the return game (4.4 40… fastest player in this recruiting class, according to Rivals.com). Marsalis Teague could definitely make some noise in the return game, as well. And, of course, Bryce Brown and David Oku could certainly see some time returning kickoffs. Both Eric Gordon and Mike Edwards are potential prospects as well., though I think they are the least likely of this group.

And returning from last year, we’ve got Dennis Rogan. He is excellent in the return game, in my opinion.

Between Rogan and the new guys coming in, we will definitely have some dangerous weapons. The playmakers we have coming in also give us the ability to have a couple of players who are used strictly for returning kicks and punts

If I had to pick a depth chart right now, I would say that Nyshier Oliver will be returning punts. His combination of size and speed makes him deadly. I am fairly certain he has a lot of experience in this role in high school, as well. Nu’Keese Richardson is also a definite possibility. He has great speed and incredible footwork. He is elusive and shifty. His size, however, (5’8", 151) will limit him some, I think. That said, his size could also play to his advantage in the return game, making him that much tougher to get a hold of.

Returning kickoffs, I expect to see Dennis Rogan and David Oku.

Of course, take these opinions for what they are worth (nothing).

Elsewhere in the special teams, I am not hearing good news. Cunningham’s power has improved in the punting game, but I think he is still plagued by being really slow. Lincoln is still struggling.

by rblakeh on Apr 4, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs