Getting popped by Appy St. LOL. Someone get this buffoon out of here.
GO HIRE CHRIS BURKE NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shout out to my boy Prentiss Waggner for making the Lott Trophy (best overall defensive player) watch list. Here is the crazy thing............Prentiss might not and probably will not even start this year. That's pretty cool. I do like to see PreWag on the field though, the guy has a knack for making plays. Kind of like my all time boy Dennis Rogan.
I was really thinking about the football team last night while I dined at a national treasure, Sweet P's barbeque, and this is how I break the team down coming out of spring as it compares to last year.
QB: HUGE Upgrade. Bray, Simms, and Nance are all improved. Bray has the highest ceiling of any QB in league and possibly the country. It will be all about can he run the offense the way it is supposed to be run and not just sling it around.
WR: Push Much more raw talent, concerned about depth and lack of experience. I expect our wide outs to be better than last years by mid-season but not early on.
OL: HUGE Upgrade Biggest improvement on the team. I think the Tennessee OL will be in the top half of the SEC, possibly top 1/3 depending on their development.
TE: Downgrade. I know Dooley likes to use the two TE set but I think you will see a lot more FB sets with Channing Fugate. Wild card is Cameron Clear when he gets to campus. I think Brendan Downs will be a good player in time.
RB: Slight upgrade. Poole rushed for a G last year but was very inconsistent. You'd assume he would improve even if it is just slightly and conventional wisdom says an improved Neal or one of the freshman will be a better number 2 guy than what was used last year. They brought Marlin Lane in as a boom or bust type player, when healthy some scouts had him as the #1 back in the south.
DT: Upgrade with huge question marks. Will the juco guy, Couch be as good as advertised? Will Montori Hughes finally put it together? Malik Jackson is a star and returning all conference player. The vols have a lot more pieces but a lot of unknowns as well.
DE: Push with possible slight downgrade or upgrade depending on development. Similar to WR. You lost Chris Walker and Gerald Williams, two solid SEC players but you have some young talent. Jacquez Smith is the most talented speed rush guy in years and stop me if you've heard this before, Willie Bohannon has looked great this spring.
LB: Slight upgrade. You lost a lot of leadership and football IQ with Thompson and Reveiz. However, the best LB from last year, Herman Lathers, returns. He is a guy who I think will be a first day draft pick and ALL SEC guy at some point. Greg King is solid if he stays healthy. Austin Johnson and John Probst should fill the token over achieving white linebacker role we've been casting for a decade. Look out for Raiques Crump and AJ Johnson in fall camp.
DB: Mega Upgrade. When you can't even play a dime package against SCjr last year b/c you do not have enough defensive backs, it is hard not to improve. Brent Brewer is going to be a house hold name by November and the staff is very very high on incoming JUCO Byron Moore. If Janzen returns, last years biggest weakness could be this years strength.