With spring practice starting next week, I thought it would be interesting to look at Tennessee's roster for the 2008 season, formated here by class and position. I think this is pretty accurate, though the projected starters are totally a guess right now. That's especially so at defensive back, where I'd only bet on three things: Eric Berry, Brent Vinson, and Eric Berry.
| TENNESSEE FOOTBALL DEPTH BY CLASS 2008 | |||||
| Position | Incoming (c/o 2012) |
Freshmen (c/o 2012) |
Sophomores (c/o 2011) |
Juniors (c/o 2010) |
Seniors (c/o 2009) |
| QB | C. Kelly | BJ. Coleman |
N. Stephens | J. Crompton | |
| RB | T. Poole B. Bartholomew |
D. Vareen J. Hawkins |
L. Creer | M. Hardesty | A. Foster |
| WR | EJ. Abrams-Ward R. Wilkes S. Fowlkes |
A. Paige T. Campbell T. Maples |
D. Moore G. Jones |
A. Rogers Q. Hancock |
L. Taylor J. Briscoe K. O'Neal |
| TE | A. Douglas | L. Stocker K. Cooper |
J. Cottam | ||
| OL | P. Bailey D. Thomas C. Anderson |
D. Sawtelle W. Brimfield |
R. Johnson |
J. McNeil C. Scott J. McClendon V. Richard |
R. Foster A. Parker |
| DT | M. Hughes | D. Langley C. Pope |
V. Thomas |
D. Williams C. Nelson |
D. Bolden W. Fisher |
| DE | W. Bohannon | B. Martin C. Walker |
W. Brown G. Williams |
R. Ayers | |
| LB | M. Walls A. Johnson H. Lathers |
C. Donald | L. Thompson S. Fraizer N. Reveiz |
R. McCoy |
E. Wilson N. McKenzie A. Myers-White |
| DB | S. Raines P. Waggner |
A. Evans A. Anderson CJ. Fleming |
E. Berry B. Vinson D. Rogan |
M. Johnson R. Kemp |
D. Willingham A. Gaines |
| P/K |
D. Lincolin C. Cuningham |
B. Colquitt | |||
| returning starters in bold, projected starters in italics | |||||
Two things I take from this:
- I really like our offense. A lot. The only two things that can slow this offense are total ineptness at QB or some doofus move by Clawson that involves Kenny O'Neal under center. Oh, and o-line injuries. They could hurt.
- Want to gaze straight into the cold, deep eyes of the reaper? Cover up the junior and senior columns and glance at the offensive and defensive lines, if you dare. In two years we're guaranteed to be relying on linemen that are either young or terrible, or both.
How about y'all? See anything of note? Oh, and I'm sure the chart as I've presented it is rife with incorrectness. Please shout out any mistakes you catch.