BS Predictions: Ben Bartholomew

With a Internet handle like mine you get to have a little creative licensing on how you title articles. Especially when the article pertains to ones predictions on players for the up coming season.

Totally apropos of nothing, and with little to no technical background, knowledge, formal data or engineering ability I decided to rattle off what I consider to be the Five players whom I think will be our Zephyr's, or players who will work deep in hostile territory, create plays, and otherwise be the sleeper agents of our 2011 Tennessee Volunteers line up.

So come on! Drink the Dool-Aid! Kick back!  Grab a cold frosty  and join me as we embark upon the yellow brick road of fandom, as we take our third  of five trips towards my 2011 breakout player predictions.

At the end of the year we can compare my totally inane, and completely without any rhyme or reason for picking these guys against the experts and we can all point and laugh at me together.

There just ain't no denying that at 6ft 2inches and 251 lbs he's a fella you want to meet in a dark alley.

But his accomplishments list like a resume of good ol fashion grid iron proportions.

Lets take a look at'em shall we?

• Third Generation Vol
• He throws shot put (Why's this important? Have you SEEN a shot put? Substitute "shot put" for "Skull in a Helmet" and go from there.)
• Won the 2007 Shut Put Championship (Please see above)
• 2007 Wrestling Champion

So the question is Can he catch and carry a football?

Well if his high school days are any indicator, yes, he can.

• Rushed for career high 162 yards in 2007 season opener against Antioch
• Lead blocker for pair of 1,000-yard rushers and carried ball 57 times for 406 yards as senior
• Also caught 13 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns
• As senior, had more than 100 tackles
• Tallied 19 tackles for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles as junior in 2006

With Luke Stocker gone from the backfield this is going to be Ben's chance to step up and make something beautiful happen.

I think he has the tools, I think he has the talent. The only thing in his way? Mychal Rivera.

Look for Batholomew to compete for this role, and I won't be surprised to see him on several plays. When he does I expect big things out of him, start or not.