Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin Scott

Bruce Pearl and the 2009-2010 BasketVols Deal With Expectation, Adversity

Kevin Scott — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:48:18 -0500

On the eve of opening night of Tennessee's regular season, Bruce Pearl and his team are still on a learning curve. Pearl brought a very talented roster into the off-season, but recently that look has changed dramatically.

Last season, the Vols ended their season with a tough loss to Oklahoma State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Though they'd have liked to have made it further, the Vols showed growth in key positions that would be returning for this season.

Recently, however, some of those components have been taken out of the equation. Senior guard Josh Tabb, a proven defensive stopper, left school voluntarily, and will not play this season.

The loss of Tabb looms large as Pearl was often quoted in recent months about his intentions on going back to his high pressure press that so many fans got used to seeing.

Perhaps more unfortunate, though, was the loss of Emmanuel Negedu to an unforeseen heart condition. Negedu collapsed at practice on Sept. 28, and needed a cardiac defibrillator installed on Oct. 6.

Negedu was a four star recruit, and though he didn't start a game as a freshman, grew his raw game into respectable, and dependable minutes for Pearl. Negedu's physical makeup seemed to have been a perfect fit for front-man to guard the inbounds pass on Pearl's press this season.

So, after losing two key guys to what was sure to be a concentrated effort, and emphasis on defense this season, the Vols have to adjust. Fear not, Bruce Pearl has proven repeatedly he can exceed expectations in the face of adversity, and with some inferior talent at certain positions.

While the off-season news has had it's share of bad, there's plenty of things to look forward to. The most obvious being the decision by senior forward Tyler Smith to return for his final season.

Smith averaged 17 points per game, along with close to six rebounds, and three assists last season, but didn't receive the draft grade he wanted to pull the trigger, and leave. Smith's return leaves the Vols Top-Seven scoring threats in tact for this season.

With Scotty Hopson's game continuing to grow as well, some of the pressure of being "the guy" will be taken off Smith this season. Hopson showed flashes last season, but at times seemed timid, and hesitant to take over the game when he seemingly had a chance.

By all accounts, Hopson has turned a corner. He has become much more aggressive to create his own shot, and the ability to force multiple defenders to him, creating open shots for teammates.

For the second straight season, Bruce Pearl is bringing in back-court help from the junior college ranks. Last season it was Bobby Maze, who turned in a decent season, but somewhat under the expectation of many.

This season Melvin Goins, formerly an all-MAC performer at Ball State, joins the Vols, and brings what Pearl calls "an added level of toughness and experience to our team". Goins is hyped as a very good on-the-ball defender, and has the ability to create off the dribble, something Maze struggled to do with any consistency last season.

Also figuring to play a prominent role is newcomer Kenny Hall. Hall was a four star prospect according to Rivals.com, and so far in the preseason, appears to be as ready to play as any Vol big man freshman in recent memory.

With the injury to Negedu, Hall stepping up his game would be a great surprise for Pearl, and will take some of that sting away.

Some key role players that are also returning, and the Vols are looking for some improvement from, are Renaldo Woolridge, Brian Williams, and Cam Tatum. Woolridge has been made a hybrid 3/4, Williams is still dropping weight, and Tatum is still trying to be consistent.

Smith brings the star power, Hopson brings the hype, but if you ask me the entire season will hinge on two players.

J.P. Prince has been a mystery since his arrival in Knoxville. Prince is a good athlete, has a very long frame, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

For some reason, however, Prince has been unable to consistently be what he flashes. If you see Prince on a "good" night, the kid appears to be a 15 point, seven rebound kind of guy. In reality, he's playing at nine and four.

Prince's long frame, and athletic ability could prove critical to the success of the re-installed press. His ability to block a large part of a passing lane easily, could trigger a lot of turnovers, and produce some very easy buckets.

Perhaps there is no bigger factor though, than Wayne Chism. The 6'9" senior really started coming on in conference play last season, and finished averaging close to 14 points and eight boards a game.

Most people agree Chism has the potential to do even more. Wayne spends a lot of time at the arc in the Flex offense Pearl utilizes, and a concentrated effort to keep him closer to the basket could produce elite level forward numbers.

The knock on Wayne is that one night, he'll take over a game, and the other he'll kind of disappear. This season, if Wayne Chism can be the 18 and 10 guy I believe he can be, the Vols will go very deep in the tournament.

Besides the guard play from Goins and Maze, the "X factor" for this season could be freshman Skylar McBee. McBee is a sharpshooting, preferred walk-on that Pearl convinced to come to Tennessee, and earn a scholarship, instead of taking a full ride somewhere else.

One thing the Vols lacked last season was someone who could step in the lineup, and consistently be a deep threat. After losing Chris Lofton, anything would be a step down, but the threat was non existent.

Tennessee should be effective against the man-to-man with good penetraters like Smith, Hopson, and Prince, but the zone killed the Vols last year. If McBee can come in the game, and knock down close to 40-45 percent from three, he could open this team up in a way it desperately lacked last season.

Despite question marks, it's amazing what Pearl has done with this program. In the face of losing what was going to be two key contributors, Vol fans can still reasonably expect a strong showing, which in the past wouldn't have been the case.

The Vols are returning a lot of talent, and a lot of guys who plan on winning. If Pearl is going to go deep, this may be the year. Smith, Prince, Chism, and Maze are all seniors, and with a breakout season, Hopson could bolt for the NBA.

It's not always been pretty, but look for Pearl to make serious noise on the college landscape again this season. Right now, this looks like a team I would expect a Sweet 16 appearance out of, at least.

The Argument for Tennessee's Lane Kiffin As SEC Coach of the Year

Kevin Scott — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:45:20 -0500

When all the delusional Bama and Florida fans pick themselves up off the floor, we can begin.

OK. Coming into his first college head coaching job, Lane Kiffin was left with a roster of what had played like inferior talent and what seemed to be babied egos. Tennessee went 5-7 in 2008, firing the longest tenured coach in the SEC, Phillip Fulmer.

With embarrassing blowouts by Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina being topped off by a loss to Wyoming, outside of a highly touted recruiting class there wasn't too much a UT fan could certainly be excited about.

Holding back expectations more than anything was the uncertainty at the quarterback position. Jonathan Crompton played as bad as any QB has ever played at UT in 2008 and Nick Stephens couldn't do the job well enough to stay in over Crompton.

After a heartbreaking loss to UCLA in which Crompton played terribly and much like the Crompton fans had come to know, the Vols lost a close one at Florida and then another heartbreaker at home to Auburn.

Facing two losses against average at best teams and the outlook that didn't seem very bright, Kiffin and his team found something. What is something? The light. Jon Crompton's light, to be more exact.

In his first three games, Crompton had 5 TDs and 7 interceptions, with all 5 TDs coming against a dreadful Western Kentucky team. In the last six games, the fifth year senior QB has 16 TDs and 3 interceptions. What?

It's not just the stats people, Jonathan Crompton has made some big boy throws. He hit Luke Stocker on a seam route to set up UT's failed FG attempt in the closing seconds, but that throw was one guys on Sunday make.

Perhaps more important however, is that Crompton is making the throws the should make. For a long time, Crompton has struggled with simple throws, inexplicably being high and low and everything in between.

It's not just Crompton, though his improvement is plenty enough to make a case. Nearly every aspect of the Vols' offense has improved under Lane Kiffin.

Finally healthy, Denarious Moore and Gerald Jones are proving to be more than adequate receivers for Tennessee. They still lack the true number one guy to be a dynamic down-field threat, but the backs, tight ends and receivers are all complementing each other well enough to create a productive passing game.

Another impressive position has been the offensive line. Kiffin has had to patch an offensive line together due to injuries and dismissals, and has almost no depth to speak of.

Currently, the Vols are starting two walk-ons and a freshman who has been playing tackle less than a calendar year. This unit has been troubled with some procedure issues, but has performed admirably considering it's makeup.

When pondering who to name "Coach of the Year," I would think the decision makers have one thought: "Who has done the best coaching job?" and not "Who has the most wins?"

Sure, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are locked into the SEC Championship game. Sure, Les Miles will likely win nine or 10 games at LSU. But isn't that what they were supposed to do?

All three coaches have a few years in their position and their own players to win and lose with. Before the season, they were all three in the top 10 and all three had realistic plans of playing for a conference and national title.

But when it comes to performing, Florida and Bama both squeaked by Tennessee and have both suspiciously been the beneficiary of terrible SEC officiating. One has to wonder if the SEC didn't have the plan of getting them to the Dome undefeated, if they could actually do it on their own.

As far as Miles goes, his LSU team has squeaked by Mississippi State and lost to Florida worse than the Vols in Baton Rouge.

All three teams have showed little improvement as the season has gone along. Granted, they were all on a higher level than UT to start with, but I could argue all day that they've stayed stagnant, and regressed in some cases.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is a vastly different team. Kiffin has the Vols playing like a team who believes it's as good as anyone out there. After thrashing Georgia and South Carolina and giving Bama and Florida fits, people need to look at Kiffin for SEC Coach of the Year seriously.

The Vols are arguably playing as well as any team in the conference right now. Give me Tennessee vs anyone on a neutral field in say, Atlanta, and it's anything but a given.

Kiffin has a huge test coming up this week in Oxford, and a win at Ole Miss would all but solidify this award in my opinion. To go from a team that struggled vs UCLA and Auburn, to being arguably the third best team in the league would be nothing short of amazing.

For opposing fans, this all my be a little hard to understand. For Tennessee fans who have had to sit through Jonathan Crompton, it's all to easy of a decision.

There are many factors, some I haven't even touched, that should land Kiffin the award. You could argue against some of them since some are a matter of perception or opinion, and that's fine.

The one thing I go back to is Crompton. It is nothing short of amazing to watch the turnaround Lane Kiffin has led this kid to. Even at the beginning of this season, people were still touting Crompton as the worst QB in at least 30 years at UT.

Many media publications labeled him as the worst QB in the SEC and some hinted towards one of the worst in the nation. At 16 TDs and 3 interceptions in his last 6 games, is there a hotter QB out there?

Aside from the credit Crompton deserves for working hard, all the credit goes to Kiffin. This kid was in shambles, a shell of a quarterback. He's been transformed to way more than average, but a guy who can make some big time throws in some crucial situations.

Lane Kiffin deserves the SEC Coach of the Year in 2009. He won't get it, politics won't allow that. But get ready SEC, before long, you won't have a choice. It's Lane Kiffin's world, all the rest of you can do is watch him take over the conference.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive Due For an Investigation, Ego Check

Kevin Scott — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:15:56 -0400

It's a common joke amongst fans of many Southeastern Conference schools that SEC Commissioner Mike Slive is favorable to certain schools, namely Florida and Alabama. Some word it different ways, my personal favorite is in this story from Loserswithsocks.com.

This joke is now taking on a notoriously solid form, and it's really not all that funny anymore.

Every season, all eyes are on the SEC as it's constantly referred to as the nation's premier football conference for both on-field performance and the passion of its fans.

The track record of the SEC in BCS Championship games serves as a solid foundation for this argument, as the conference champion is an overwhelming 5-0 when it plays in that game since the BCS came to be in 1998.

Since striking a multi-billion dollar deal with ESPN, the SEC is getting more attention than ever, as fans across the nation who used to not watch it, are now having the SEC shoved down their throats.

Don't get me wrong, the SEC is the dominant force in college football and anyone who says otherwise is peeing in the wind. This is all the more reason why the SEC and its commissioner must be held to a high standard at all times, especially when it comes to the integrity of the game.

In recent weeks, multiple coaches in the conference have publicly lashed out at the officiating in conference games, knowing it's against SEC bylaws. All of these coaches were victims of horrendous missed calls, mythical penalties, and disturbing patterns in the officiating of their game.

Most fans in the south will immediately throw this on Lane Kiffin of Tennessee, but other coaches like Bobby Petrino of Arkansas, Steve Spurrier of South Carolina, and Dan Mullen of Mississippi State have made similar remarks in the media, and just as strong.

Today, in response the multiple reprimands of league coaches, the SEC released this statement.

"In a unanimous vote of the Southeastern Conference’s Athletic Directors and with the full support of the Conference’s twelve Presidents and Chancellors, all violations of SEC Bylaw 10.5.4 will be enforced by suspensions and fines, effective immediately.

The length of the suspension and the amount of the fine will be at the discretion of the Commissioner.

SEC Bylaw 10.5.4 requires that coaches, assistant coaches, players, support personnel and others associated with the institution’s athletics program refrain from public criticism of officials.

Head coaches are advised that suspensions and fines for violations of Bylaw 10.5.4 made by assistant coaches or other support personnel will be enforced against the head coach.

“There are proper channels available for head coaches to use when communicating officiating concerns to the Conference office,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.

In other words, Mike Slive is heading an effort to tell coaches they either can't talk about the blatant cheating that is going on with conference officials, or they face suspension and fines if they stand up for their players.

This move is particularly troubling since all of the calls being complained about have come in games against Alabama and, you guessed it, Florida.

Perhaps Slive should take pause, and not Lane Kiffin. Maybe, just maybe, Slive should address the corrupt officiating before he scapegoats the coaches of his member institutions.

As I stated earlier, the whole country is watching and the whole country is laughing.

Slive has had to suspend a crew to try and save face for the Arkansas vs Florida game. Arkansas was called for unnecessary roughness is what was the most blatantly terrible call of the season as far as live flags go. It was almost as if the officials were going to find something, anything to get Florida that critical yardage and first down.

In the Florida game at Mississippi State, Gator LB Dustin Doe intercepted a tipped ball to seal the game. On his way to a sure touchdown, Doe started doing what all classy athletes do, high stepping and dancing.

Doe wasn't flagged for his celebration, shocking I know, but that isn't the issue. The issue is that a Bulldog caught Doe and stripped him of the ball before crossing the goal line. I mean, this wasn't even really close, and if you don't believe me here are some snapshots that can't be argued, thanks again to Loserswithsocks.com.

By now, everyone has seen the field goal block by Alabama on Tennessee in the closing seconds to seal that game a thousand times. But, when you watched it, did you notice that after the block the left back judge points out the ball to an Alabama player who can't find it?

Bad judgement calls happen, but pointing the ball out to a player during a live play in order to help one team gain an advantage is as crooked and wrong as it gets. That official should be fired on the spot, and without question.

When games mean so much and winning and losing one game can mean the difference in millions of dollars, it's unacceptable that calls like this take place and aren't corrected when they easily could be.

Every major sports show has now run stories and segments on the officiating in the SEC with the same evidence I've brought up here. It's nothing new, it's out there and Mike Slive can't run from it. Simply telling your coaches to shut up doesn't make it go away.

Earlier this Spring, the SEC revised a rule to say no media would be allowed at camps. On the following weekend, publishers of Gatorbait.net were allowed at the Florida camp and Florida faced no consequence whatsoever. This was just another in a long line of inappropriate behavior by Mike Slive in regards to Florida and Alabama.

In college football, the stakes are high. Not only are the advertising dollars tremendous, college football funnels a lot of money into the academic side of the institutions, not to mention every coaches' livelihood basically comes and goes with wins and losses.

For Mike Slive, who could also be known as Mrs. Jeremy Foley, to point his fingers at coaches like they should just take it is worth of some questions being asked.

The SEC is already a hated conference due to its success and the accolades poured upon it, but now fans around the country have fuel to scream about the SEC offices forcing its officials to fix the season in order to get a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the SEC Championship game.

The 2008 SEC Championship game, which was also No. 1 vs. No. 2, drew a 9.3/20 TV rating, which was the highest the SECCG has gotten since 1994. At one point in the game, the rating climbed as high as 11.1/21.

What does that mean? In short, money. That game was the highest rated non-bowl game on CBS since 1990, and that's a lot of great football games. By comparison, the BCS National Championship game drew a 15.8, not drastically higher.

There are some disturbing trends in the officiating of the SEC that signal an attempt at fixing a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup of Florida vs Alabama, and there are clearly benefits to getting that matchup as the TV ratings from last season suggest.

Mike Slive's move today only makes me wonder more what's going on behind the curtain, and I want to find out. If there's nothing to hide, then address the mistakes publicly.

Florida and Alabama are both great football teams, but if they are going to play in the SECCG as undefeated teams, let them earn it.

As a fan of the greatest conference in the country, the last thing I want to see is Mike Slive bring corruption into the fold. To a lot of people, not just opposing SEC fans, it's time someone investigates exactly what Mike Slive has going on in his offices.

Tennessee's Lane Kiffin Has the SEC's Full Attention, At Least He Better

Kevin Scott — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:54:20 -0400

Usually being 3-4 doesn't cause a fan base or a coach to gain confidence. It certainly doesn't give critics reason to stop being so critical, unless it's Lane Kiffin's critics.

No matter how much "kool aid" you drank before the season started, there was early cause for concern. There were a series of questionable play-calls against UCLA. Some debated the Florida game was too conservative and the Auburn loss was frustrating due to it being a home game and Auburn was supposed to be rebuilding as well.

Commentary from many, myself included, voiced concern over what seemed to be a lack of improvement on the field against teams one would think Tennessee was at least as talented as. It was difficult to understand how this all-star staff had produced so little improvement on the field, offensively speaking.

Seven games into the season, and especially after the Alabama game last week, the answer could be becoming more clear.

Lane Kiffin is a first year college head coach. Yes, Kiffin had a successful stint as the offensive coordinator at mighty USC, but he's never had the control and responsibility that comes with being the head man at a huge program like Tennessee.

Personally, Lane Kiffin was the candidate I wanted Tennessee to select from the start, so I and many others obviously felt the young coach could easily get the job done. However, there are a few things I believe myself and many others either didn't consider, or let slip our minds.

First and foremost, with this being Kiffin's first college head coaching job, there was going to be a learning curve. Kiffin has taken responsibility for the entire offense, including the play calling, for an offense that was abysmal last season. Most of the players Kiffin is trying to teach have had to learn multiple systems under multiple position coaches and offensive coordinators.

Over the course of the season, it's become clear that it was going to take some game action for Kiffin to really see what his team could and couldn't do, and adjust his teachings accordingly. The play calling in the Georgia and Alabama games has been nothing short of excellent considering what he has to work with.

Secondly, Kiffin is dealing not only with a shortage in talent, but a shortage in overall depth. I don't mean quality depth, I mean bodies period.

A few injuries along the offensive line have really made that position thin, and Quentin Hancock can't seem to stay on the field. Hancock was looking like at least the number two option at WR and possibly the number one guy depending on Gerald Jones' ability to stay healthy.

Lastly, Kiffin's support of Crompton and refusal to go away from him is obviously paying dividends now. Many, many people called for Crompton's benching out of frustration at the 5th year senior's play, but have been abruptly silenced by what almost appears to be a steady quarterback.

If Crompton continues the path he's on for the rest of the season, this would be the one thing over the rest that solidifies the outstanding job Kiffin has done. It may take a little longer to see on Saturdays than some would like, but Kiffin saw it and that's why he's a college football coach and I'm a hack writing articles about him.

The SEC is on notice. Florida and Alabama both had Tennessee severely out-manned and were playing at home. Between the two, they could only muster a total of a 12 point margin of victory, compared to 44 in 2008 and 63 in 2007.

Count the UCLA and Auburn losses to growing pains. No, no one likes to take those losses, but I firmly believe they made Kiffin a better coach. He's young and still can learn a lot about how to be more effective, and it's a credit to him that he's taken his lumps and adjusted in the correct manner so quickly.

By comparison, last year's offense showed struggles in the first game of the season and never seemed to make any improvement at all. This year's version isn't scoring like they'd like to, but the efficiency of the run game and improvement of Crompton make that only a matter of time.

To sit back and think about how competitive this team is with the big boys of the conference is nothing short of amazing. Watching Bama and Nick Saban celebrate beating Tennessee Saturday as though they'd just won the SEC Championship game told the whole story of how far Kiffin has brought this program in such a short time.

Take into account this is his first year, he has one class of the kind of players he wants, he has to undue bad habits and he has to deal with a league office who doesn't want him to win, at least not against Bama and Florida.

It's easy to get caught up in the frustration of losses and poor performance. In year's past, you almost never saw improvement or adjustment after the frustrating Saturday's spent at the stadium.

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article questioning Kiffin's methods to his end. I stated in that article I felt Kiffin could do good things here, but there were reasons to be concerned I felt were legitimate.

I have been very pro Kiffin for a very long time, and after the past few weeks, I'm right back where I started. Some folks, myself included, needed Kiffin to slap us in the face and basically say " I know what I'm doing, shut up and cheer." He did that.

So, rest of the SEC, you better have noticed. All the funny articles and comments and doubters have all made fun of Kiffin, his comments and other things. You better realize really quick that Kiffin is hot on your tail, and it's his first year with sub par talent.

What are you going to do when he catches up? It wouldn't surprise me to see Meyer leave Florida very soon, and knowing Saban he'll deny going somewhere else and sign there soon as well. You better take notice.

Mike Slive, pretty soon, when Kiffin has his talent, you won't be able to give your officials free pocket rockets in return for officiating favors for Bama and Florida. You will be forced into retirement, but at least you'll have Jeremy Foley to clip your nose hairs.

Everyone else, the Lane Train is coming. You can either get on it or get run the hell over. Either way, I don't think anyone cares, I just know I won't get caught doubting the man again.

Laugh all you want to. Georgia fans, you've gotten yours. Florida and Bama fans, you couldn't have driven a nail up your butt with a jackhammer during our games. The fear written all over your faces at the thought of losing to team after all the smack you talked was priceless.

In the article photo, you can see Kiffin graciously shaking hands with the midget himself, despite Bama cheating their way to victory. Saban should go ahead and get used to that, he'll be looking up at Kiffin often over the next few years, unless he takes off.

Every other SEC team better be paying attention to Lane Kiffin and Tennessee, you can't argue with the results. He fed me my humble pie, and trust me, he'll get to feeding you yours soon enough.

Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Vols Crush Georgia: Can I Get an Encore?

Kevin Scott — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:21:34 -0400

One word that has been used repeatedly by the Tennessee coaching staff regarding the offense is inconsistency. Lane Kiffin has repeatedly noted his team's inability to find consistency in practice and then again in games.

Heading into today's game vs. SEC East rival Georgia, Tennessee's offense has been struggling to score points just as they did a year ago. Being run off the field after a short possession had become an all-too-common sight for fans and most likely, for the Tennessee defensive unit.

Many people, myself included, have criticized or questioned the coaching staff standing so steadfast beside Jonathan Crompton as the QB.

After all, it's almost not debatable that to this point, Crompton has been the single worst QB in the history of Tennessee football, if not the worst long time starter at any position.

For a large number of fans, media, and critics, watching Crompton make the same mistakes again and again yielded frustration, especially since developing Crompton does nothing to benefit Tennessee past this season.

In the face of widespread criticism, Lane Kiffin has stood by Crompton. When asked, he's always given the same answer and has done so with conviction. Today, Kiffin should have earned some credit from even his harshest critics in regards to that decision.

Let's not lie to ourselves, there is no one, nowhere, who could have foreseen Crompton's amazing performance vs Georgia. Crompton went 20-for-27 for 301 yards, 4 TDs and only 1 INT in a 45-18 beating of the Bulldogs.

Crompton showed a calmness and accuracy he hasn't shown since arriving on UT's campus, but was a great sight to see for every UT fan, myself included.

As I watched the game unfold, I could recall my thoughts while listening to Kiffin in the off-season. Kiffin would make comments about calling the right plays to take pressure off Crompton, making it easier on him to make decisions and limiting the chances he'd have to make mistakes.

Up to the game today, one frustrating aspect to the offense has been the playcalling. There have been several tendencies and tactics widely questioned by many people, but most of those people will acknowledge it's not easy to call plays when you never know what your QB will do.

Today, however, Kiffin's playcalling seemed to grow with every completed pass. If a play worked, he came back to it. If Georgia had trouble defending a certain personnel grouping, Kiffin threw it right back at them time and time again.

At first viewing, I counted at the very least five formations that Tennessee had not run until today. Out of those five formations, they ran four more than one time and ran multiple plays out of each one. This obviously created confusion amongst the Dogs' defense, as they never seemed to know what was coming.

It was clear to me that Kiffin arranged a masterfully designed game plan and prepared Jon Crompton to execute it nearly flawlessly. Crompton made all the right decisions, and even on his lone interception, the only flaw was the ball being behind the receiver and getting tipped.

Crompton doesn't deserve all the praise, though he deserves a big chunk of it. The receivers, line and backs all did their parts by finally putting together a full game and helping in almost every phase.

There were no noticeable blown routes and only one drop which was on a ball that wouldn't have gained yardage anyway.

The big question following a great win for Kiffin and Co. is will there be an encore? For a team whose own coaches have spoken of not being able to find consistency, you have to wonder if the stars just lined up for a day or if things are actually going to click.

I believe it's a mixture of both. Kiffin learned a lot about what his QB has confidence in doing today. After today, Jon Crompton can confidently run onto the field knowing he can do certain things well if set up and helped out properly.

The staff and Crompton deserve all the credit in the world for today's performance, as that's the best the Tennessee offense has played since Crompton took the reins.

Despite a mediocre showing to this point, Kiffin has stuck with what he believes is the right path and gotten results in a game he needed to win or display a good showing.

The question becomes two-fold. Can Lane Kiffin and his offensive staff now mold effective game plans around Crompton and his teammates' strengths? And can Jonathan Crompton carry the confidence earned from this performance and execute those game plans as effectively?

The answer will most definitely determine the outcome of most, if not all, of the Vols' remaining games. One game doesn't define a season. This offense has been mediocre to bad for four games, and good for two. That's not a good ratio.

On the bright side, this could be the point where Kiffin's teachings are clicking with his players and his player's abilities are clicking with Kiffin.

Guilty as charged, some of us can get caught up in believing that as professional, these coaches can do things a little bit faster and more effectively than they really can.

There's no getting around how bad Crompton has been in his time at Tennessee, and one game isn't going to take away the anxiety those performances have created amongst a large portion of the fanbase.

But, as a fan and lifetime follower, I have to hope that this is the turning point. That the struggles of the season to this point were not a reflection on the inability of the coaches to improve the offense, but rather a learning curve.

What I, and many Tennessee fans need to see from Kiffin and the Vols is an encore. Anyone taking this performance and turning it into a "winning out" scenario are going overboard, but Kiffin must follow this up.

Kiffin has shown the ability to call a great game vs. a veteran and well-established SEC coach of a talented team. Jonathan Crompton has shown the ability to execute that plan confidently and make plays on his own when called upon.

The biggest example of this strategy for Kiffin that was effective was first-down passing. Crompton completed 11 of his passes on first downs for a total of 206 yards, 3 TDs and getting a pass interference call.

Previously, and no I don't have the exact stat, Tennessee's tendency was certainly run heavy on first downs. It was obvious that the first down passing surprised Georgia and created great opportunities for Crompton and his teammates.

In closing, if you were concerned to this point as I was, let today serve as a beacon of light.

Kiffin showed great variety and strategy with his playcalling, building from one play to the next, showing us looks we hadn't seen and not being afraid to go back to something over and over as long as it's effective.

That's all anyone can ask for, a show of improvement. It's not that people lost faith in their ability to coach, but at some point you have to show signs and the Vols did today.

Now, can I get an encore?

"It's Time" to Ask Tennessee's Lane Kiffin, Where Are You Going?

Kevin Scott — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:36:47 -0400

I would imagine it's easy to take the "just trust the coaches" or the "the coaches know more than you do" stance. It would probably be equally as easy to just blame everything on Fulmer.

After all, Fulmer is responsible for the sub-par talent left at Tennessee, the lack of a suitable QB, and an apparent lack of team discipline. Phil had seemed to have lost his ability to either develop great recruits or lost his eye for what a great recruit actually looked like.

For most Tennessee fans and followers, that road is the road they'll take. Most of them will blame Phil and tell you that anything bad that happens on Lane Kiffin's watch for the next two seasons is all Phil's fault.

When Lane Kiffin was fired by Al Davis and the Raiders, I called up my father and said, "that's the guy I want to be our next coach, no matter what we do the rest of the season."

I didn't care what Davis was saying, all I cared about was that Kiffin learned under Carroll and that ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who I respect a ton, said he was told by many in the business that Kiffin would be a "coaching star".

Throughout the offseason, Kiffin's controversial comments and actions were eaten alive by every orange-blooded freak out there, including myself. Sure, there were a couple of times I paused a little, but you could almost see the plan and honestly, I just trusted Kiffin knew what he was doing.

Now, the Vols are sitting at 2-3, and many questions and concerns have come to me that have literally nothing to do with Phillip Fulmer. Call it contrarian, call it whatever you want, but there have been some situations that leave some room for concern.

Kiffin has stated all along that he and his staff have a plan. Yes, it's absurd to expect Kiffin to fully detail his plan to the general public, as that's not his job nor his responsibility.

However, it's coming to a place where some things probably could be addressed. Kiffin is adamant about staying with Jon Crompton, a fifth-year senior who won't be back next season.

What benefit is staying with Jon doing? What are you telling the team and the fans? Is it that your first two years don't matter? The Vols are going to be lucky to win five games this season, and next season is going to be even harder.

Let's assume that Nick Stephens is on the team next season, what could it hurt to let him play this year out and see what you've got? If he's bad, then you are looking at a QB competition by starting Crompton, anyway. What did you lose?

Nearly every single fan I spoke with or saw their opinion felt Fulmer should've pulled Jon Crompton last season. There were very few—and I mean very few—people who took anything Fulmer said as acceptable until he made a change.

When Kiffin got here, to his credit, he made it clear he was going to make his own opinion and not base it on last season's games. Well, it's obvious to anyone who wants to see it that Crompton is the same player, but what do we know about Nick Stephens?

For some reason, Kiffin being adamant about staying with Crompton is acceptable to some and if you question that, you aren't a real fan. Why does this apply to Fulmer and not Kiffin?

Leaving Crompton in the game serves no purpose—none. Crompton is leaving, Stephens will be a senior. If he puts Stephens in, he can't be worse, because the Vols can't score with Crompton as it is. It's clear Stephens isn't that good, so he could still have an open competition in the spring with whomever comes in.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why, when the rest of the team performs poorly, Kiffin says competition is open, but Crompton is the worst QB in school history and his job is safe?

Another aspect of the Kiffin regime most were looking forward to was the injection of youth into the lineup. Kiffin made it clear early on that the young guys would get the first looks and the best chances to play. If they could make plays, they'd be in the game.

Against Western Kentucky, he held true to his word. Numerous freshmen played and scored, and Kiffin had his youth movement. However, against UCLA, that notion seemed to disappear.

For the most part, in the UCLA, Florida, and Auburn games, the offensive lineup on the field has mirrored the lineup that Fulmer fielded. Nevermind that Gerald Jones can't run a correct route and Quentin Hancock drops way too many passes; the freshman are not playing major snaps.

On Tennessee's first play from scrimmage against Auburn, Kiffin lined up Nu'Keese Richardson and ran a QB draw for 41 yards. This was a play in a formation the Vols hadn't run all season, and it showed that Auburn struggled to defend it by the yardage gained.

One play gains 41 yards, and Tennessee, while struggling on offense to score, goes back to it to see if Auburn can stop it, right? No. Never. Not only did Kiffin not run the same play again, he didn't show the formation or even the personnel package.

I'm sorry, but this makes me wonder, why? I don't care what you call the play, I don't care how little you've practiced it. If you run a play that gains 41 yards the first time you run it and you struggle to score points, it only makes common sense to go back to it at some time.

That's one example of what has been a concerning pattern in play-calling. You could list the last possession vs. UCLA, the whole game at Florida, and just Crompton throwing the ball 44 times in any game, in general.

Again, the easy road most will take will be something along the lines of, "the coaches know more than you, you are nothing but an armchair QB." My answer? You didn't mind questioning Fulmer about it. You didn't mind threatening Randy Sanders' children at school over his play calling.

Overall, my frustration comes from Kiffin being "my guy." I believed every word he said, just like many others. The problem is that now, I see it for what it is.

Some of the biggest complaints of Fulmer's team's performance was that they obviously weren't coached right. They obviously didn't prepare well enough. This coaching staff was supposed to be an upgrade at every position.

Maybe it was just me, but it was easy to assume that with superior coaching would come superior performance, and it hasn't. Anyone who asserts they didn't expect more than what they are getting right now just isn't being honest.

Yes, Lane Kiffin is smarter than me and no, I'm not paid to be a football coach. But how do you, as a fan who cares about this program, walk through every day not at least asking questions?

At this point, there is literally no difference in the effectiveness of the Tennessee offense than there was last season. The stats are skewed by Western Kentucky, so that's not the answer.

Still, to this day, I believe Lane Kiffin and his staff will eventually improve the Vols and bring them back to some level of respectability. But, I also believe that it's not out of line to start asking some questions of Kiffin.

Lane is being paid approximately five million dollars over the next two seasons and his staff will make approximately 10-11 million. Tennessee could win less than 10 games over that time frame.

I'm sorry, I just have a little trouble with the thought of the worst two consecutive seasons in the history of the program when everything was supposed to be upgraded. Obviously, something crazy could happen and the light come on, but as of right now, it's time to ask some questions.

Phillip Fulmer won a ton of games at Tennessee and brought home a national championship, the first in 50 years. Most people who are living today's best memories of UT football came with Fulmer on the sideline.

I was ready for Fulmer to move on, but if it was ok to question him, then it's certainly ok to question Kiffin. There is no way in the world I can justify criticizing Phillip Fulmer and not saying a word while Lane Kiffin makes his own mistakes.

Lane Kiffin and His Vols Lost The Battle vs the Gators, But Are Winning The War

Kevin Scott — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:42:52 -0400

Every coach in college football is measured by one thing: wins and losses. There are times, however, when coaches are hired to revive programs, where you can count other things as measuring points on the job coaches are doing.

When Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin, the Vols were covered in mediocrity and had zero momentum on the national media. Kiffin's job, as he perceived, was to first get UT back on the front page in order to help recruiting and fan excitement.

Over the next several months, Kiffin did whatever he felt he needed to do. Sometimes, by his own admission, saying things he'd later say he wished he hadn't because of the light shed upon him.

"There are some things I said that I didn’t like to say that I had to say on purpose," Kiffin told Chris Low of ESPN.com.

Obviously, rival fans have had a field day with Kiffin's comments, most of which has come from Florida.

The Gators seemed to be Kiffin's main target, from his opening press conference all the way to a luncheon with boosters where he mistakenly accused Urban Meyer of violating NCAA rules. One for Meyer.

Florida fans have spent several months champing at the bit for a chance to get Kiffin. They made T-shirts, heck, the coaching staff even put Kiffin's quotes in the locker room of the defending National Champion.

The Swamp was packed. Signs threatening the impending blowout that most fans and experts are so sure is coming are displayed all over the stadium. The spread is 30. The massacre is on.

Except, not really.

Behind a gutsy, fast, never say die defense, the Vols hold the Gators to 23 points. Yes, I said 23 points. Offensively, a conservative gameplan was designed to keep from turning the ball over and keeping the game close.

See, part of the genius of Kiffin's plan of attack was something no one would have expected, his humbleness.

Kiffin knew that any chance at victory was pinned to a defensive or special teams touchdown, that he wouldn't outscore Florida on offense alone.

The Vols didn't get that "special" TD, and fell to the Gators 23-13. Score one for Meyer.

No moral victories, that's what everyone says. No, but you can take positives out of the game and see the victories racking up in other places.

Lane Kiffin's tactics in the off-season could be questionable to some, and understandably so. The ends, so far, have justified the means.

As a result of the excitement created by Kiffin and staff, the Vols were propelled above Florida in the 2009 recruiting class at both Rivals.com and Scout.com.

At the time of this article, Tennessee is currently ahead of Florida for the 2010 class, as well. Score 2 for Kiffin.

Part of the excitement around the UT program has been the attention it has gotten from the national media. Kiffin has lived by the "any attention is good attention" creed so far, and it's hard to argue with as time goes along.

Tennessee, a 5-7 team last year, has seen more face time on national television than any other school, including defending National Champion Florida.

That's a huge statement, considering Florida still has Jesus II, Tim Tebow, on the roster. That's another for Kiffin.

Before the game Saturday, CBS went to Kiffin for a pregame interview. At halftime, they chased Kiffin to the locker room, but failing to snag an interview. After the game, CBS ran to Urban Meyer, the winning coach. Wait a second. What?

No. After the game, after Florida won the game, CBS went straight to Lane Kiffin, spurning the winning coach and winner of two of the last three BCS National Championships. Think about that, it almost never happens. Ever. Yes, one more for Kiffin.

After the game, Meyer was struggling to find ways to justify his team's close game with an opponent they felt they'd blow out. After Tim Tebow admitted he'd asked Meyer to save time outs for the end of the game to rub the blowout in.

What did Meyer turn to? Meyer publicly accused Lane Kiffin of basically tanking the game, saying he didn't "play to win."

Kind of ironic, rivals of UT have blasted Kiffin for causing Mike Slive to crack down on this kind of talk at the SEC meetings, and it's Urban Meyer who violates Slive's wishes first, not Kiffin. Another for Kiffin.

In addition to breaking the SEC commissioner's clearly stated rule, Urban went on to copout and downplay UT's effort by claiming his team was sick with the flu.

Funny, no one spoke a word about the flu when everyone was talking about a 65-0 score before the game?

Kiffin retorts, "I don't know. I guess we'll wait and see and if we're not excited about our performance we'll tell you that everybody was sick." That should really count for about 10, but that's 1 more for Kiffin.

Even today, Tuesday, the national talk shows are blasting Meyer for making the excuses he's made. He's the leader of the No 1 team in the nation and is blaming a flu bug no one had heard of for him being out-coached, and only winning because Kiffin is handicapped at quarterback.

At the same time, they are applauding Kiffin for his refusal to back down. In his post game interview, he told CBS's Tracy Wolfson, "Sorry, I didn't hear the question, they are playing Rocky Top." They are applauding Kiffin for basically laughing at Meyer's excuses and back-peddling. That's another 1 for Lane.

All in all, Kiffin is winning everywhere except on the field. Any logical person should be able to see that if Kiffin can get within 10 of Florida on the road while they are number 1, that it won't be long until this rivalry is back on at least even footing.

People can criticize Lane Kiffin all they want, they can hate Lane Kiffin all they want, he's fine with that. Kiffin doesn't care, he cares about UT fans, the school and his football team.

On Saturday, the Vols lost on the scoreboard, but they won in the media and the eyes of a lot of recruits.

Besides Eric Berry's de-virginizing of Tim Tebow and Janzen Jackson making Brandon James think he'd been hit by a car, Kiffin's confidence and poise was the most exciting thing Vols fans have seen in years.

Yes, Florida fans, Urban Meyer won on the field Saturday, but he's lost everywhere else. Watch your back. It won't be long until Kiffin has his players in place and when he does, you may lose the only place you've beaten Kiffin at so far.

In the Meyer/Kiffin War, right now I count 7 to 2 in favor of Kiffin. Lane Kiffin lost the battle Saturday, but is winning his war against Florida and Urban Meyer.

Backed into Corner, Lane Kiffin and Tennessee Will Come Out Swinging vs. Florida

Kevin Scott — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:06:57 -0400

This week, the Tennessee Volunteers travel to Gainesville to play in what most anticipate to be one of the more hostile environments college football has ever seen. After some controversial comments from Lane Kiffin regarding Florida, the Gator fanbase is charged and ready to welcome the first-year coach to the Swamp in a rude way.

It's not uncommon for Tennessee—or any visitor, for that matter—to be the underdog when it travels to Florida. This season, however, the Vols are a 29-point underdog coming off an unexpected loss to UCLA.

No one that I know can remember the Vols ever being this large of a dog, even on the road. The clips being repeated on ESPN and other networks of Kiffin's December 2008 comments are quickly followed by lofty picks and comments on how ugly the game could get.

With disappointment undoubtedly filling the Vol locker room after the UCLA loss, that certainly was followed by uncertainty of whether they could actually compete with the mighty Gators.

As this week has progressed, we've heard some of the players and coaches talk about this week's game and the intensity surrounding this rivalry. We've heard the players be asked about what seem to be insurmountable odds, only to be reminded that 18- to 22-year-old young men don't seem to scare as easy as some might think.

Junior defensive end Chris Walker: "We are going to defend our coach by the way we play. We don't have to do all this talking and stuff. We are just going to go out there and play a sound football game.

"It's Florida, which is one of our biggest rivals, and that is enough motivation. But to see the lack for respect that people have towards us and no one is giving us a chance. That is something that's really going to motivate us. That's what they think. We just have to go out there and prove people wrong."

Senior linebacker Rico McCoy: "I know my team is going to be ready to play. I'm confident. I hear the stuff about them not taking knees, not taking timeouts, you know if we leave ourselves in that situation, go ahead and do it. If you can do it, do it. But you know, we're ready to play. We're going to fight until that last second is off the clock."

In the South, most fanbases are rabid and obsessive. No matter the odds, fans are like players: They want to find a way to believe there's a reason to be excited—that there's no such thing as "no hope."

The Vols have serious quarterback problems. The offensive line is hurt and thin. The team and fanbase are reeling from a home loss to UCLA that almost no one saw coming, taking almost all momentum created in the offseason away from the program.

So what can a fan fall back on?

On Oct. 6, 2007, first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh took his Stanford Cardinal football team on the road to play the mighty USC Trojans. USC boasted a 35-game home win streak and a roster infinitely more talented than Stanford, at least on paper.

The Cardinal had QB issues of their own. Their starter was out after having a seizure the week of the game, so Stanford was piloted by a backup, Tavita Pritchard.

Prior to this game, USC was the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, favored in the game by 41 points, and Stanford was coming off a 41-3 home loss to Arizona State. New coach Harbaugh had some very flattering comments for the Trojans.

"There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football," Harbaugh said the week before the game. "As a sort of college football historian, there's no question that this SC team ranks right up there."

On a day where Stanford was outgained by a total of 459 to 235 and their quarterback didn't overwhelm, going 11-of-30 for 149 yards, one TD, and one INT, the Cardinal upset USC 24-23. The defense forced four John David Booty interceptions and a fumble, and the offense only turned it over once.

I'm sure you are thinking, "What's the point?"

Kiffin's comments on Sept. 15, 2009 in preparation for Florida:

"They're extremely talented. I look at their defense, look at their 11 starters, and I think you have 11 NFL players. I would think they're maybe the most talented defense to ever play and maybe the best quarterback to ever play college football. We're going to have our hands full."

Meaningless? Maybe.

There's no doubt that Tennessee and Kiffin are backed into a corner. Everyone outside the Vol Nation, and some inside, are counting them out, telling them they have no shot.

Do you think Stanford fans felt they had any shot?

Their players did. The Vols players do. Hearing a resilient Chris Walker, Eric Berry, and Rico McCoy should remind everyone that no matter bad things seem, these guys never quit.

Kiffin has insisted he has a plan and that plan will continue on its correct path, no matter the result of any games this season. Kiffin continues to also try to instill confidence in his surely shaky football team and downplay the importance of this week's game.

The comments of the coach and players could lead one to the conclusion that Tennessee will go into the worst environment possible and play as if they are a Stanford or Appalachian State playing on the road at some great big school that dwarfs them.

We can all sit around and talk about how Florida has Tennessee outmanned all we want and until we are blue in the face, sure. Or, we can acknowledge that Tennessee's roster is full of athletes who won't quit, who will continue to work hard and will go to Florida with the intention of winning a football game.

The odds are in Florida's favor. Kiffin is playing with a roster full of guys he didn't ask for, some I'm sure he'll be glad to replace with "his" kind of player. But rest assured that since this coach and these players have been backed into the same corner, they'll come out swinging together.

For Florida fans, assuming the win and possible blowout is easy to do. For Tennessee fans, fearing that same scenario is as equally easy to do.

It would, however, be a mistake to dismiss this as some celebration of Florida football over some weakling who just wants a paycheck. Urban Meyer is a smart coach, but he'd be well served to remember Stanford. He'd be well served to remind his players that they will not be playing Charleston Southern on Saturday.

After a heartbreaking loss to UCLA and every media outlet in the nation picking them to be destroyed this week, the Vols are backed into a corner. They have nothing to lose, just like Stanford and then-first year coach Jim Harbaugh.

Despite the odds, against all odds, the fanbase has rallied after a loss, striving to support a team that needs its support. It will truly be Tennessee and its fans backed into a corner against the world on Saturday at 3:30 PM EST.

Kiffin and his Vols will come out swinging.

Writer's note: Quotes for this article were taken from UTSports.com and ESPN.com.

Time To Face the Music: Lane Kiffin, It's Florida Week

Kevin Scott — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:42:27 -0400

"I'm really looking forward to embracing some of the great traditions at the University of Tennessee. For instance: running through the 'T,' singing "Rocky Top" all night long after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast." - Lane Kiffin, Dec. 1, 2008.

When Lane Kiffin was hired at Tennessee and made that statement at his opening press conference, every Tennessee fan must have cheered and laughed simultaneously, I know I did.

Tennessee - 15 UCLA - 19

It's not funny anymore.

Back up. No one in their right mind actually believed Tennessee had the manpower to travel to Gainesville and beat Florida this season. All the talk and hype only goes so far, the Vols just don't have the horses, and never did.

However, one thing Vol fans could look forward to is winning their first two games and going to Florida with some confidence, hopefully putting up a fight that would make the game look respectable. Tennessee has enough talent on defense that without turnovers, it was easy to imagine keeping the game within a couple scores and feeling good about the difference a year makes.

Come off a 63-7 thrashing of Western Kentucky, who was terribly out manned, the Vols were riding high on the back of Senior QB Jonathan Crompton. Crompton, after a miserable career to this point, had a great game making it appear that some of his habits were broken and he was actually coachable.

He isn't.

All winter, summer, and spring, Kiffin has sold the Tennessee fanbase the ideal that he can turn Crompton into something. The rookie head coach has repeatedly referenced his role in turning around Carson Palmer at USC and his tutoring of Matt Leinart.

It was actually kind of hard to argue with it, so buying in was easy. Despite the horrific play Crompton has show in the past, could this coaching staff teach him to simply manage a game?

Many fans bought it. I bought it. The team bought it. Saturday, all that came crashing down. All the of the confidence, momentum, and optimism for the upcoming season disappeared.

It has transformed into the same apathy for this season that developed last season. My first thought leaving the stadium Saturday was, "Man, how bad is Florida going to beat UT?"

Florida returns 12 starters from one of the nation's best defenses and has one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation in Charlie Strong. As mistake prone as Crompton has proven to be over time, I cannot imagine the scary thoughts going through Kiffin's head.

You have an offense that is completely one dimensional going against a defense that can shut down both well. You are playing on the road in one of the toughest stadiums in America, an environment Crompton cannot imagine being on the field for.

You think he was flustered for UCLA? Wait until Saturday.

The motto for the Kiffin era has been "compete, compete, compete", and motivation breeds competition. If there is no motivation, competition will cease.

What's the motivation for these players now? They've lost to UCLA, they are facing another season of disaster after Kiffin's promise to play Crompton all season, what is there?

After fights in the locker room, finger pointing, and just general widespread anger, where do you go from here? You have recruits basically stating your team has one problem, and it's the quarterback they watched.

Where does it go? There is no doubt in my mind that Lane Kiffin and his coaching staff are going to bring Tennessee back to the top of the SEC and college football, not even a little.

But, as I sit here on Monday of Florida week, all I can think about is how it's time to face the music. I wouldn't trade what Kiffin did this offseason, it did and will continue to do a lot of good in recruiting, but right now it hurts.

Saturday could possibly be the day that Lane Kiffin learns his lesson. He threw a rock, hitting the baddest man in the yard in the head, then took off running. Now, the bad dude has caught up to him, and they are face to face.

I don't expect Lane Kiffin to whip the guy in his first year, I don't really expect him to come close. But, I did expect him to whip the guy's weaker, slower roommate, and he didn't.

After an offseason full of talk, Lane Kiffin, it's time to face the music. I for one sure hope you have something, anything that will help you at least stay in the fight for a few minutes.

If you don't, all that face time from the offseason will turn into what really counts, highlight time on ESPN. Florida will not stop, they won't slow down. UCLA was nothing compared to what you are going to face Saturday.

"It's Time" was the battle cry to start the season. Yep, it's time alright, it's time to face the music. I hope Coach Kiffin can dance.

SEC Week 1: How Did Your Team Stack Up?

Kevin Scott — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:44:26 -0400

I'm a firm believer that you can learn something about your team in any game, no matter the opponent. Sure, if you play a better team you are going to learn more, but anytime you step on the field in a competitive environment you have a chance to see something about your team.

In Week 1, most of the SEC played fairly manageable opponents, while a few stepped out to test themselves against top tier teams. In the following review, I'm going to give my perspective on how each SEC team did in making a first impression this season.

The order will be in where I think each team stacks up respectively in a "power ranking" type system.

1. Florida - 62-3 W vs Charleston Southern

As expected, the Gators trounced CSU at home with minimal effort. One concerning point in the game was that the Gators' vaunted defense allowed CSU 323 yards of offense, more than one would expect from what many consider the nation's top defensive unit. In spite of that, Florida showed again it possesses outstanding athletes to compliment QB Tim Tebow and still holds the #1 spot in the conference as the defending National Champion.

Up next for Florida is Troy, who lost to Bowling Green last week 31-14. Look for Meyer to really put an emphasis on holding down Troy's yardage to make a statement about his defense, as Troy should be no match for the Gators. Take Florida and lay the 36.5.

2. Alabama - 34-24 W vs Virginia Tech

The score doesn't begin to show the Tide's domination of the Hokies. Bama piled up 498 yards of offense while holding Tech to a measly 155. If it weren't for some big plays in the kicking game, Bama would have won this one by 30, as Tech was completely outmanned.

Bama's defense is strong, fast, and tackles very well. Mark Ingram and Julio Jones may be the best players at their positions in the conference on offense, and Greg McElroy proved more than up to the task in his starting debut. Time will only make McElroy better, which makes one wonder if anyone will be able to slow Bama down by the end of the year, even Florida.

Next week, Bama gets Florida International at home and should be up by more than the spread at halftime. The Tide will roll, lay the 34.

3. Ole Miss - 45 -14 W @ Memphis

The Ole Miss score is the exact opposite of Bama's, this game was much closer than it indicates. Ole Miss struggled in the first half with a couple of bad turnovers and an inability to make any big plays against a sub par Memphis defense. Call it rust, but it had to be frustrating for Houston Nutt that this was so close at the half, and the Rebs didn't score a point in the 3rd. However, they blew it open with 28 4th quarter points.

Dexter McCluster continued to show he's as dynamic of a playmaker as there is in college football and I really liked the running of Brandon Bolden. I have some concern over Jevan Snead, though, as he wasn't as accurate as we've seen him in the past, so one has to wonder if the rumors circulating of a collarbone injury were more than just a little preseason talk.

Ole Miss is off next week.

4. LSU - 31-23 W @ Washington

The Tigers were no doubt disappointed in their defense for the opener, getting out-gained 478 to 321, as John Chavis made his LSU debut. Washington was an 0-12 team last year, but returned Jake Locker, a QB everyone thinks will be a very good one. Plus, the environment of a "new era" under new coach Steve Sarkisian and a rabid crowd helped the Huskies keep it much closer than many thought.

Jordan Jefferson turned in another solid day and didn't turn the ball over, which is really all a QB at LSU should have to do. Terrance Toliver showed up great at WR and Charles Scott and Keiland Williams were steady on the ground.

LSU hosts Vanderbilt next week in what should be a tougher test, but being the home opener will probably end up as a big win for LSU. I expect the Dores to hang around for a half, but only laying 14 1/2 is too good to pass up. Night game at Tiger Stadium, lay the points.

5. Tennessee - 63-7 W vs Western Kentucky

"Homer," "Orange glasses," or whatever else, get it out of your system. Tennessee kicked off the Lane Kiffin era by doing what they were supposed to do, beating the snot out of an inferior team. That's something Vol fans have become all too accustomed to not seeing. Despite a scoreless first quarter, the Vols racked up a FBS best 657 yards of offense and 63 points, while the defense held the 'Toppers to 83 total yards.

Jon Crompton looked like a different player, looking off receivers and throwing accurate balls with zip. Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown both eclipsed 100 yards, while a total of 3 freshmen scored TDs. The Vol offense operated much more efficiently than last season, limiting mental mistakes and procedure penalties, something that plagued them in every game last season.

Week 2 is a statement game for the Vols and Kiffin, they lost to UCLA last season in Pasadena, but this is a very different team. Eric Berry leads a defense that is fast, smart, and coached by a living legend in Monte Kiffin. Right now, the line is at eight. Very rarely have I ever felt good about UT covering a spread, but lay the eight, because the Vols will pile it on.

6. Georgia - 24-10 L @ Oklahoma State

The Bulldogs deserve some credit for playing a Top 10 opponent to open the season, especially on the road, as that's the first time they've opened the season that far from home since Moses parted the sea. However, the first drive aside, the Dawgs really struggled to generate anything on offense and Joe Cox appears to be Joe Tereshinski 2.0.

Yes, I know, Caleb King didn't play. And the Dawgs saw the potential in Orson Charles who made a couple nice catches, he'll be a great compliment to A.J. Green. Cox, however, was underwhelming and one has to wonder how well he'll be able to get the ball to these playmakers. Willie Martinez's defense was much improved, but still lacks the one or two playmakers Georgia is used to having on defense.

Next week UGA hosts the Cocks. While I think UGA will win the game, losing Sturdivant for a second straight season will open a hole on the offensive line and USC will have a chance at keeping it close. Take the points and SC, but UGA will win the game.

7. South Carolina 7-3 W @ N.C. State

Hampered by bad decisions and drops, the Wolfpack looked terrible on offense at times, but some credit must go to the SC defense. This group lost a lot of talent from last year's unit, but still shows impressive speed and athleticism, with an ability to make plays that could change a game. Holding any BCS school to 133 yards is an accomplishment.

The questions for the Cocks start on offense. Stephen Garcia can look like an all world player one play, and lost the next. It's clear Carolina has great potential at the skill positions, as their running game dominated at times during their opener. The offense was stifled by bad decisions and inaccuracy by Garcia, which could be problematic in the SEC where being one dimensional is a season killer.

Next week the Cocks travel to UGA. See Georgia for prediction.

8. Kentucky - 42-0 @ Miami, OH

42-0 is a nice road win no matter who you are playing, it's especially nice when it's a program you recruit against. The Cats rolled up 488 yards of offense without turning the ball over and holding the Redhawks to a total of 188 yards. Randall Cobb had a great day with a rushing and receiving TD, while Mike Hartline proved serviceable with an 18 for 27 performance, yielding 222 yards and 2 TDs.

Many believe this to be Kentucky's most talented defense ever, led by Trevard Lindley who nabbed an interception on Saturday. Losing Jeremy Jarmon before the season will hurt the pass rush, but it appears Kentucky's defense, while not elite, is certainly better than it has been.

UK is off next week, then it's Louisville.

9. Arkansas - 48-10 W vs Missouri State

Dennis Johnson returning the opening kickoff of the season for a TD has to be a good sign. In Bobby Petrino's second season, it's not unrealistic to expect great improvement, especially since high school All American and transfer Ryan Mallett is now taking the snaps.

The biggest question for the Hogs is on defense, where a year ago they had a hard time stopping anyone. Also, the skill positions were left void of some talent when Nutt left, but Petrino always had a way of getting more from less at Louisville, so Arky should be able to tread water.

Next week, the Hogs are off to prepare for a telling matchup with Georgia in 2 weeks.

10. Auburn - 37-13 W vs Louisiana Tech

While Auburn's talent level is nowhere near where they got used to, I have to believe there is still some talent there. Saturday, there were obviously some good athletes on the field for the Tigers and it seemed they were buying into new coach Gene Chizik's system.

While La. Tech has a weak defense, Chris Todd looking good and the Tigers' running game producing two 100 yard rushers is encouraging considering how abysmal the offense was last season. Onterio McCaleb emerged as a stout playmaker to compliment veteran Ben Tate.

One thing Tech is normally good at, though, is offense. Auburn held them to 245 yards and forced two turnovers.

Next week, Auburn hosts Mississippi State. This will be a telling game for the Tigers as the Dogs are rebuilding under Dan Mullen, but run a spread offense that Auburn may have problems with. In the end, the Tigers athletes will take over, get some turnovers and push the game over the spread. Take Auburn -14 1/2 at home.

11. Vanderbilt - 45-0 W vs Western Carolina

The Commodores start off the season with a thumping of a weaker team. Again, one would expect an SEC team to do so, but Vandy has had a problem in the past with playing down to opponents. This time, the Dores matched a solid running game with a stingy defense, out gaining the Catamounts 620 to 115.

Freshmen Zac Stacy and Warren Norman both went for over 100 yards rushing in a record setting performance for Vandy. Eric Samuels and the Dores defense forced four turnovers in a good opening game for that unit.

Next week at LSU should be telling for Vandy. Contrary to initial reports, QB Larry Smith left the game due to dehydration and not an injured arm, so he'll be available. Vandy's best hope is to keep this game close and build some confidence, as LSU should be able to pull away late.

12. Mississippi State - 45-7 W vs Jackson State

Dan Mullen's debut went as planned, a beating of a lesser school, giving his team a shot of confidence. The Bulldogs looks like a different team Saturday, with a new system and some hope of righting their ship. QB Chris Relf threw 3 TDs and led the team in rushing, giving the Dogs another dimension from that position in the spread.

Despite the good showing, Miss State is short on talent, and there's no nicer way to say it. They are the least talented team in the league and have to fight a daunting schedule against the SEC West, then throw Georgia Tech into the mix. The tough part is, their games against highly ranked teams are all at home, so the home crowd will have to watch home blowouts, one after the other.

This week, the Bulldogs travel to the plains to face Auburn. See Auburn above for the prediction.

Vols Roll Over Western Kentucky, Start Learning Who They Are

Kevin Scott — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:46:19 -0400

It's hard to imagine being able to say you learned something about your football team based on a game where you are a 30-point favorite. Everyone assumes a win, and a big one at that.

But today, Lane Kiffin and his Tennessee Vols learned a lot about their team, and more specifically quarterback and team captain Jonathan Crompton. Crompton, a senior, has struggled through an underwhelming career, falling victim to what most people would describe as a sort of "performance anxiety."

Every Vol fan had to question whether it was possible for Crompton to turn things around, to put the past behind him and have a productive season. After his performance against Western Kentucky, going 21-28 for 233 yards with five TDs and two INTs, it's evident there's hope.

On a day where Tennessee had the Hilltoppers so outmanned that they probably could have run the ball 50 times and moved at will, Lane Kiffin felt it best to show his QB he was confident in him. On most plays, it was apparent that Crompton had a good feel for what to look for and how to react to it.

Perhaps Kiffin has done what others before him either couldn't or wouldn't, and that's take the burden off Crompton's shoulders and put it on his own. I say that because it looked to me like Crompton was told what to look for and exactly what to do when he saw it, and if that resulted in something bad, then the coaches would be responsible since that's their instruction.

Obviously, I'm not in the meetings and Kiffin hasn't said that, but I can't come up with any other explanation. Crompton was so "in charge," so calm and relaxed, and so sure of the decisions he was making. Sure, there are still kinks, but Crompton's solid play led the way for the Vols to get rolling.

As expected, Tennessee's defense stifled the Toppers. Western Kentucky had 83 total yards on offense, with about 60 of those coming against mostly reserves on one drive with the game in hand late.

Tennessee's defensive line provided constant pressure while the linebackers ate up anyone they came in contact with. The Vols' secondary rarely gave the offense an opening, playing physical at the line and playing the ball in the air better than they have in years.

The most eye opening aspect of the day, though, was the contributions of so many freshmen. When Kiffin arrived in Knoxville, he proclaimed that the freshmen would play a lot in his system, and he held true to that today.

Three freshmen scored touchdowns today. Bryce Brown scored the first TD of the season on a tough run, Marsalis Teague added a TD catch and David Oku added 2 rushing TDs of his own.

Many others contributed heavily, even without scoring. Nu'Keese Richardson was electrifying on punt returns after muffing the first one of the game, as well as getting some looks at WR and QB. Zach Rogers added a catch as well.

On defense, Montori Hughes, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles, Jr. and Mike Edwards all got in on defense and made plays respectively. Jackson almost made an amazing diving interception early in the game, showing great athleticism and knack of breaking on the ball in the air.

Tennessee didn't punt all day. In the first quarter, a couple of turnovers ended otherwise promising drives, but after that it was all scoring. At the end of the first quarter, the score was an auspicious 0-0.

From the 2nd on, the offense would explode for 63 points, getting help from the defense who gave them a short field and momentum on several occasions.

All tolled, the Vols racked up 657 yards of total offense. As I said in the beginning, it's hard to imagine telling anything by this kind of game, but who could have imagined 657 yards after what we watched last season?

It was apparent today that Kiffin's team will be very aggressive, disciplined and physical. Is the talent there to compete with the elite teams in the conference? It's impossible to tell at this point.

But, I do believe you can use today as an indicator that this staff is going to get far more out of the players than the prior staff did last season, and have added a class of dynamic freshmen to that mix.

Nearly every player interviewed after the game today made a comment about how prepared they were for this game, and we all know the less players have to think the faster they move.

Vol fans can sleep well tonight knowing the players believe in these coaches. They believe they will prepare them for anything, and that they aren't on an island having to make decisions on the fly. The coaches have made the decision for them.

That's encouraging, not only because it will help them play faster, but because it will help eliminate fear. Fear of failure, fear of making mistakes and fear of losing are killers. You can't play scared.

Right now, Lane Kiffin and his boys don't look scared of anyone.

While Bama Awaits Word From NCAA, Saban Must Be Fuming

Kevin Scott — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:09:29 -0400

One can only imagine the anger and frustration Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is feeling at this moment. Though the coach will never show it publicly, I would imagine there are some people in that locker room that wish they didn't know the coach right now.

A short few months back, Saban had to find a way to put aside the distraction of the "textbook scandal" that landed Alabama on probation once again. This was surely an operation that was taking place long before his arrival and he likely had little to no knowledge of the extent of it.

Nevertheless, there's Nick Saban, holding the baton and dealing with the issues. Like a true professional, he accepts his lashing and moves on to prepare his football team for a successful 2009 campaign.

Not long ago, another set of rumors popped up, this time about a "fishing trip" involving two of Alabama's star freshmen. WR Julio Jones and RB Mark Ingram were rumored to have taken this trip with an Alabama "booster", though for quite some time, very few facts surfaced.

In recent days, the identity of the man who accompanied the players on the trip has become known. A 56 year old Athens, Alabama resident named Curtis Anderson has been identified as the culprit.

Anderson is a local businessman who owns Eagle Wholesale Supply in Athens and according to the Birmingham News, "paid for a chartered spring fishing trip at Gulf Shores". Depending on the finding, if he in fact did commit this act, it could be the proverbial "nail in the coffin" for Alabama since they are on probation.

Alabama took initiative and conducted their own investigation and at this time, had this comment on Mr. Anderson through their assistant to the President and Vice President.

"The university is aware of Mr. Anderson and has taken appropriate steps," Deborah Lane said. "Mr. Anderson is not affiliated with UA. He is not a UA booster, fan or alumnus and is not a UA season ticket holder. In fact, Mr. Anderson told us that all of his family are fans of another SEC school."

Though one would think that would bode well for Alabama, there are still some severe inconsistencies in Mr. Anderson's story, along with a few key omissions.

When asked where he met the players, he's constantly declined to name where and how. He'll only say, "It has nothing to do with anything, that's been a long time ago."

Some reports on the story indicated the trip originated from a marina where Jones worked called "Zeke's Landing", in Gulf Shores. Mr. Anderson, however, said that wasn't true.

"I've never been out fishing from Zeke's Landing -- don't go to Zeke's," Anderson said. "I haven't been there in 15 years. That's not the case. That's what people have said, but that's a lie. The only reason I'll talk to anybody is because I'm sick and tired of lies."

At first read, one has to wonder. Which is right? That you've never been there, or you haven't been there in 15 years?

Mr. Anderson also told the Birmingham News that he didn't know who either player was before meeting them.

"When I was told, 'This is Julio Jones,' I said, 'Whoopty-do,'" Anderson told the Birmingham paper. "I had no idea who Julio Jones was. I've got my right hand on this Bible. I swear ... I had no idea who Julio Jones and Mark Ingram were when I met them and they became friends of mine. I didn't know for weeks and months."

So where are we? The rumor that the trip was paid for by an Alabama booster is certainly in doubt, as Bama has confirmed he's not a donor or season ticket holder. The school has also stated he's not a fan, which could be key since the NCAA has basically identified any fan as a "booster", regardless of whether they contribute or not.

Some of the things I, and others, wonder about and probably will have to be answered are things like:

Where did Mr. Anderson meet the players, and who made the introduction? Was that person an Alabama "booster"?

How often do 56 year old men who can afford to charter fishing trips, just so happen to become "friends" with 18 year olds who just so happen to be freshman sensations for a major college football team? Friends? What do 56 year olds talk to 18 year olds about?

Did Julio Jones and Mark Ingram not realize it was inappropriate to accept a free fishing trip from a 56 year business owner? Every student athlete is briefed on these rules when they get to school.

All of those questions, and probably more, will have to be answered. There is nothing good about Alabama being in big trouble for the SEC or NCAA, so one would hope there is a legitimate reason for all of this mess.

The one thing in all this I think I know for sure is, I wouldn't want to be Jones or Ingram, having to face Nick Saban about this matter. Saban can't be happy that he's having to deal with yet another problem he most likely had no knowledge of prior to it happening and could affect his program.

Saban must be reiterating to these young players how angry and let down they all were when Andre Smith contacted an agent, rendering himself ineligible for the Sugar Bowl and possibly causing the Tide a distraction that cost them that game.

Especially after you arrive on campus, you have to be smarter than this. With all that's gone on over the past 15 years, the kids must know that there are a lot of eyes on Alabama and I'm certain Nick Saban reminds them of that every day.

Now that the information has been passed on and Alabama has sent a Compliance officer to the NCAA according to reports, all Saban, Jones and Ingram can do is wait.

For Jones and Ingram's sake, Saban better get good news. There are several coaches who I'd especially not like to "face the fire" with, and he's one of them.

There are certainly more facts and a ruling that has to come down and we don't know those yet, but I'm certain that Saban has already reminded Julio and Mark who's world they are living in, and they'd be better served to keep that on the front burner, and not the back.

Writer's note: Quotes and information from this article were taken from The Birmingham News, the Decatur Daily and general media statements and reports.

SEC Giants Punching Back at Scheduling Critics

Kevin Scott — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:48:24 -0400

Over time, the SEC has drawn criticism from many fans across the nation for each school's out-of-conference schedule. Defenders of the nation's premier conference point towards the grueling inner conference play as a reason the member institutions should shy away from big out-of-conference games.

In 2004 one of the better teams in the history of the SEC went through the schedule unblemished. Considering the strength of the conference, many would assume that the Auburn Tigers would be a shoe in for the BCS Championship Game.

The 2004 version of the Tigers boasted two of the top five picks in the draft, at the same position, in Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams. Auburn featured other future NFL stars like Jason Campbell, Quentin Groves, Carlos Rogers, and Marcus McNeill. They truly had it all, or so it seemed.

When it came voting time, Auburn was left out in the cold, in favor of a USC vs Oklahoma matchup that would get ugly fast. This, in my opinion, was the trademark of the outsider's view of SEC scheduling.

Auburn's out-of-conference schedule featured Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel, and Louisiana Tech. While the Trojans and Sooners hadn't exactly scared anyone with their schedules, Auburn's was definitely an eyesore. Leading many to criticize the scheduling done by SEC schools, conveniently forgetting that in the two years prior Auburn had played a home and home with USC.

For many years, several SEC schools have scheduled strong out-of-conference games. Florida plays Florida State every single year, and Miami occasionally. Tennessee has had series with Notre Dame, Syracuse, Miami, Cal, and UCLA. Arkansas has played Texas and USC. South Carolina always plays Clemson and Georgia always plays Georgia Tech.

In spite of all this, the stigma has stood, possibly because in many of these games both teams aren't ranked highly. This season, that's going to change.

On September 5th, Georgia is traveling to Stillwater to face No. 9 Oklahoma State. Both teams starting the season with high expectations and high rankings, this sets up a marquee game that could help the notion that the SEC doesn't play big out-of-conference games.

Though the Georgia vs OSU game is big, it doesn't carry anywhere near the weight that Alabama vs Virginia Tech does in the Georgia Dome that same night. Tech is a consistently good, highly thought of program that is capable of beating anyone at any time, and Bama is coming off a huge year of resurgence.

Alabama have been trying to schedule teams out-of-conference, but since scheduling happens so far in advance, it hasn't seemed they were doing much good. Florida State were down when they played and they beat Clemson so badly that after the game, no one really took the Tigers seriously.

However, no one can dispute Virginia Tech. Every year the Hokies are well coached, disciplined, and tough to beat. The Tide playing them at a neutral site to open their season speaks volumes about Alabama's resolve to step out of the SEC and put an impressive season together.

Unfortunately for Auburn, SEC schools have learned all too late that just winning the SEC is no longer enough to have a given spot in the BCS title game. Teams are having to schedule tough opponents to build a resume equal or greater to that of teams across the nation.

Thanks to the scheduling of Alabama and Georgia, followed by the other teams of the conference, the SEC is once again putting their marquee teams in big games with big schools from other conferences. As long as this trend continues, the SEC will no longer face the "but you only played..." argument Auburn faced in 2004.

This sort of lesson is nothing but good for the college football fan. Whether you are a Tennessee, Bama, Florida, or Auburn fan, you always want to see great college football.

You never like to see a rival win championships while you are sitting at home, but at least with this scheduling, you can feel better knowing they earned their rightful place at midfield holding up a crystal trophy.

Congratulations and good luck to all the SEC teams stepping out and playing those tough out-of-conference games. Being willing to risk a loss against the best to prove your worth as a program is what makes the coming season, and seasons past, so much fun to be a part of.

Saturday Scrimmage Proves Critical for Tennessee Vols

Kevin Scott — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:09:16 -0400

Head coach Lane Kiffin wanted everything about Saturday's scrimmage to feel like a real game day. Kiffin spent the better part of the week calling it "the most important day of fall camp."

The scrimmage was key for many position battles, but really was sort of a test for quarterback Jonathan Crompton. Kiffin made comments at various times during the week leading up that the leader in quarterback race, which everyone felt was decided prior to last week, would emerge out of this scrimmage and he would name a starter.

Last season, Crompton played well in practice according to the old coaching staff, but faltered severely when the lights turned on. His confidence admittedly shaken, his teammates looking to him to step up, Crompton needed to step forward and perform in a pressure situation.

Crompton did just that.

Going 17-for-29 for 286 yards and two touchdowns with one interception don't begin to tell the whole story. Crompton led the offensive side to its only three touchdowns of the day, where Stephens could not get the team in the end zone.

Crompton also showed the maturity one would like to see in a fifth-year senior quarterback by giving up on bad plays and not trying to force something to happen. Coach Kiffin felt both QBs played well.

"I thought they did well," Kiffin said. "Jonathan ended up with more plays, just because of how it worked out. It wasn't done on purpose."

A few other key position battles are going to be graded by the coaching staff, and will surely play a huge role in the success of this team going forward. Josh McNeil is trying to fight off walk-on Cody Sullins, while senior defensive tackle Dan Williams has Freshman Montori Hughes hot on his tail.

What is striking about both battles is that two longtime, entrenched starters are having to fight off guys who have never started a game. Fans grew apathetic of the former staff's penchant to allow starters to retain their position, simply on seniority and name alone.

The idea of true, intense competition at every position will no doubt push everyone on the team. Just ask junior Ben Martin.

When Martin arrived at Tennessee, Phillip Fulmer declared he would be an All American at Tennessee, something I personally have never heard Fulmer say about any other player that young. Fulmer may have not been a genius on the sidelines, but at the time, it was eye opening since one would imagine Fulmer would know what an All-American looked like.

Insert Gerald Williams, a highly regarded recruit who spent almost three years trying to find a way to become eligible to play at Tennessee. He's been tried at defensive end and linebacker, yet hasn't been able to seriously push anyone for a starting spot. Some have attributed that to a lack or work ethic and willingness to go 100 percent every play.

Recently, Williams was given a shot at first-team defensive end, a spot most thought Martin was a shoe in for, and hasn't given that up. Williams has stepped up his intensity in what could have been his last chance with the Vols to prove he's the playamker they recruited.

In the end, Tennessee's defensive side "won" the scrimmage 37-30, but the Vols got what they wanted in learning who could step up with the pressure on.

Freshman Bryce Brown was back from his injured hip to show he is as advertised. Along with several other impressive runs, Brown had a scoring run where the play was stuffed up the middle, but Brown turned to outside and beat everyone to the pylon for the score.

The Vols also found this year's team would look very different from last, though they have a lot of returning contributors.

"We've just got a lot of young people. Once we get our first group out there, and I'm not making excuses, we've got a lot of young players, a lot of rookies played today," said defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. "They're going to be good players, but Lane's throwing a lot at us, which is good."

Kiffin and staff are also starting to identify where several guys can help the most. Dennis Rogan is decidedly better as a safety according to the coaches, and is a very versatile player. Greg King is coming along as a Sam linebacker and Coach Lance Thompson has offered he knows what he's going to get out of Nick Reveiz, Rico McCoy and Savion Frazier.

After the last full speed scrimmage before the real games start, Western Kentucky on Sept. 5, the Vol coaching staff has a better idea of what they are working with.

Crompton showed he could step forward in a pressure situation and the offense showed it can move the ball against what should be one of the better defenses in the nation.

Perhaps the biggest impression from the scrimmage should go to the fans, who can find hope in the clear evidence that when Kiffin told them there would be true competition at every position, he meant it. No one's spot is safe, and the young guys that everyone has talked so much about are getting a chance to step out and shine.

It's going to see what comes out in the following days, after the coaches grade the film and see how many of the position battles were settled for now, anyway.

The Vols expect a resolution to the Bryce Brown NCAA probe early in the week, so once the starters are determined that will clear the way for this team to proceed at full speed.

I, for one, will be anxious to see what this coaching staff can transform this group into over the next couple weeks when they can just let loose and coach, now that a big part of the evaluation process is over.

As coach Kiffin said, "It's time."

Writer's note: Quotes and statistics from this article were taken from various sources, including the Knoxville News Sentinel and Volquest.com, and other general statements to the media.

Meeting The Newest Tennessee Vols: RB Bryce Brown

Kevin Scott — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:05:01 -0400

On Mar. 16, 2009, the Brown family sits in a quiet room void of strangers. Present are Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Brown, Arthur Brown, Jr., Brian Butler, and other family and friends.

The nation's No. 1 recruit, Bryce Brown, set Mar. 16 as the day he announced his college decision. The choice was made after a religious fast of approximately two weeks, and the family sat quietly in the room, praying for the blessing on the decision that was about to be announced.

Brown had been a commitment to Miami for several months, where his brother Arthur was a linebacker. Miami made some coaching changes and Brown felt it was best for him to look around at his options, though he stayed committed to the Canes throughout the process.

Brown had taken visits to Oregon, Tennessee, LSU, and Miami. He surprised many by showing up at Tennessee for a second visit the weekend before his announcement, and that led many to believe Tennessee would be his choice.

Brown's press conference was led by longtime family friend and trainer, Brian Butler. Butler had come under some media criticism for his website, PotentialPlayers.com charging for access to updates and stats.

Many referred to Butler as a "handler" or "agent", especially after an interview with the New York Times where he mentioned the CFL as a possibility for Brown jokingly.

On Feb. 5, 2009 Bryce appeared on my radio show, VSPN, and dismissed the CFL rumors. He also confirmed on that interview that he planned on visiting Tennessee and could see himself playing for the Vols.

Despite that interview, where Brown was clearly a humble, well spoken kid who was just trying to make the right decision for himself, many didn't get the message. Brown announced for Tennessee at his press conference, sending the Vol nation into a frenzy.

Skip Bayless of ESPN's First Take, a 57 year old man, called Bryce an "ego-maniac" when asked about his commitment. He went onto group Bryce with Lane Kiffin in saying "these are two guys that I'd have a hard time trusting."

Matt Shodell, the Rivals managing editor for Canesport.com, wrote a scathing column about Bryce as well. "The Canes didn't want to be made a laughingstock by a superstar recruit with an oversized ego," said Shodell.

"Brown could even have done something unheard of: Announce on Signing Day like pretty much every other recruit out there. Instead he singled himself out for special attention. That was a warning sign to Cane coaches—Randy Shannon has always said one of the toughest things he has to do each year is getting five-star recruits to play with a one-star mentality."

The assault on Bryce Brown was on. A young man who realized late in the game that he needed to rethink his decision and weigh all his options for the most important decisions of his life, was being called names and chastised by grown men who were supposed to be professionals.

Could Bryce have signed on Signing Day? Sure. But he wanted to be certain. He took his visits, and even an extra one on his own dime. He prayed, he fasted, and he made his decision.

Bryce never asked for extra attention, and as a matter of fact, stopped interviewing for awhile two separate times.

At 6', 220 lbs, Brown brought his powerful but fast running style to Knoxville in June. He took a mini term and was scheduled to have approximately 12 credit hours before any other freshman stepped in a classroom. He started working out daily with teammates, focusing on coming in and helping his team early and often.

Since coming to Knoxville, Bryce has won over his teammates and coaches with a strong work ethic. There's no doubt the young man knows he can play football, but he isn't the "ego maniac" many tried to paint him as. He works hard, he plays hard.

So far, Bryce has shown flashes of what everyone thought he was. Lane Kiffin has referenced him as someone who "looks like he's been in the NFL a couple of years."

The impact Brown has had on the program is already a big one. The coaches use him as an example to other big time recruits, showing them the best want to come play at Tennessee, and they should too. He brought the Vols the national attention that comes with signing the No. 1 overall player.

As we near the season, Brown is more sure now than he ever was about his college choice. The Vols are loaded at running back and he's going to have to share a lot of touches, but that isn't deterring him.

"My reasoning for coming here, I've seen every bit of it," Brown said. "These last couple weeks, I don't know anything outside Tennessee football."

Brown knows the Vol nation is chomping at the bit to see him on the field, his response? "I'm ready to play! Ready to get this thing going."

I've done four interviews with Bryce on my show, and every one of them he's been polite, humble, well spoken and eager to answer any and all questions honestly. He tells you what he thinks and how he feels without hesitation.

He's quick to defend his mentor, Brian Butler, as a longtime friend of the family who merely stepped in to help the family with Bryce's recruitment, since his high school coach who would normally do that wasn't willing to.

He's a family man. He loves his brother, he looks up to him for leadership. He loves and respects his parents for all they've done for him and the support they offered through a difficult process.

I once heard Bryce tell someone, "This is the biggest decision of your life, it's the only time in your life you deserve to be selfish. Whatever you do, make the right decision for you, no matter what anyone thinks about it. It will be hard when people start coming at you, but if you take your time and do what's right for you, nothing else will matter."

Unless you are a coach or teammate, sometimes the view we have of these guys is one from a distance. It's easy to get caught up in passing judgement without really knowing a kid.

Sure, anyone can look at film and see that Bryce is a great runner, has great hands and could be a big time impact player at the next level. But, you can't look at the film and see that he's one of the hardest workers there is. He doesn't take his talent for granted, he works hard for what he does and will keep doing so.

The Vol nation is in for a treat. We wish constantly for kids who do the right things, work hard and produce on the field like Peyton Manning, Eric Berry, and Al Wilson, and Bryce is no different.

The next time you hear talking heads like Skip Bayless or read angry staff writers like Matt Shodell's work, try and remember the Bryce Brown story. Go listen to the kid for yourself, make your own judgement. Most of these guys have agendas, and if a kid doesn't fit it, they are going to unleash on them the best they can.

Tennessee fans should be thrilled with having Bryce Brown. My guess is, this "ego maniac" who only wants attention for himself will never come close to resembling that label now that all the cameras are on him.

When he doesn't, I hope the guys who crucified him are willing to man up and admit their error. The Vol faithful should look forward to Brown scoring lots of touchdowns, and afterwards placing the ball on the ground like any real "ego maniac" would.

News note: Yesterday, Bryce suffered a hip injury in practice. He has had an ongoing nagging injury to his hip, but has always played through it. He is waiting on an MRI, but the doctors say he's going to be fine, he's just stiff. He may not scrimmage on Saturday, but wants to.

I wouldn't look for him to miss any time in the season, but may have surgery in the offseason if the coaches and trainers feel he needs to.

Meeting the Newest Tennessee Vols: WR Nu'Keese Richardson

Kevin Scott — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:40:59 -0400

In May of 2008, Nu'Keese Richardson, a three-time state champion at football powerhouse Pahokee High School committed to Florida. Richardson, a QB at Pahokee most of the time, was the perfect fit for the Gators' spread offense at Florida with his blazing straight line speed and freakish quickness.

Over the next several months, what happened was nothing short of amazing. Eddie Gran, who became an assistant coach at Tennesee in early January of 2009, began calling on the heralded recruit.

Gran's name carried with it an impeccable reputation in the recruiting world in the state of Florida, so Richardson not only listened, but ended up giving the Vols a visit.

Since his commitment to Florida, Richardson had formed a friendship with fellow Florida commit Marsalis Teague of Henry County, Tennessee. Naturally, the Vol coaching staff knew when they targeted Nu'Keese, that working Marsalis would prove most beneficial, not only because Teague was a great recruit in his own right, but it would also help with Richardson.

On Signing Day, 2009, Lane Kiffin and his staff pulled off what many deemed impossible. They took two prized recruits from the National Champion Florida Gators without having played a single game.

What would follow in the next few weeks cast a shadow over not only Kiffin, but Pahokee and Richardson. Comments made in the heat of the moment and poor judgement would cast a negative light on a story of an otherwise amazingly positive young man.

Nu'Keese Richardson lost his mother when he was just eight years old. He lost his good friend and teammate, Norman "Pooh Bear" Griffith in a senseless shooting after a Homecoming dance.

One interaction with Richardson, and you will find yourself attached. This soft spoken, humble young man always has a smile on his face, and genuinely cares about anyone and everyone who crosses his path.

As a guest on my radio show, a caller called in to share an experience with Nu'Keese. The story he told was that on Richardson's visit, the staff had them attend a basketball game.

At halftime, Richardson made his way to the concourse to grab a drink and snack, and was stopped by the caller's little boy. Richardson proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes, talking with the boy and his father about anything and everything, making a lasting impression on the child he would never forget.

"The Muck", as Pahokee is known, can be a rough place. Some people have hard edges, walk around with an attitude that is justified by a large portion of the community having a tough go of life.

Spend five minutes there or talking to someone from there, and it's easy to understand how easy it would be to not be a positive person coming from that part of the world. Not Nu'Keese.

Meeting him for the first time face to face, we chatted for a minute, and I ended our conversation with a harmless, "Stay out of trouble." Richardson laughed, he said "I've worked to hard to get here, I'm blessed, I'm not doing anything I'm not supposed to do."

Besides capturing you with his personality, Richardson does plenty to capture your imagination with his abilities. Reports out of the voluntary workouts this Spring saw everything from, "you can't overthrow him," to, "some of the guys are amazed at his quickness."

Richardson isn't an imposing figure. At about 5'9" and 165 pounds, he doesn't "look" like much, but this kid is tough, fast, and determined. Every day he wakes up, he reminds himself there's always work to be done and speaks of being on his "grind."

As of today, the Tennessee coaching staff is working Nu'Keese in some special packages at quarterback. Who knows how much they'll use it, that's not really what matters. What matters is recognizing the gifted athlete he is, and that the staff will do whatever they can to take advantage of it.

The Vols signed a great class in 2009, considering the circumstances especially. Vol fans should root for all Vols, but when you watch Nu'Keese, try and think of his story. The courage it takes to grow up with only memories of your mother, the agony of losing a good friend at such a young age, the frustration of living in a place where it's easy to lose hope.

Think about a kid with no attitude problem, who works hard, who takes time for anyone and everyone he can. Most importantly, think about a young man who finds a way to smile at a life that hasn't smiled at him, and what kind of person it takes to do just that. Then clap a little harder, and yell a little louder.

Nu'Keese Richardson is a great story, and it's only going to get better. Everyone could do well to look at his life experiences and follow his example of perseverance, toughness and attitude, and we would all come out better in the end.

Richardson will not only stand out on the field for the Vols, but he stands out off the field as well. His height and weight will never tell the story of the actual size of the person Nu'keese is, you kind of just have to experience for yourself.

From "The Muck" to "The Hill", Richardson's journey continues, and we should all watch with great interest, because he won't be in Knoxville long enough.

Tennessee Vols Start Preparation for 2009 with High Hopes

Kevin Scott — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:41:06 -0400

As with any other college football team kicking off their summer workouts, new Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin has high hopes for the upcoming season. Coming off a 5-7 season doesn't seem to be a valid excuse for failure to the young head man.

"We just thought we were in this thing by ourselves last year, not having anybody on our side. We were 5-7. So when he comes in and says that he has confidence in us, basically, and saying that he has faith in us, I mean, the team went crazy," said Eric Berry, a junior safety that Kiffin and UT's Athletic Department are promoting for the Heisman Trophy.

Over the past several months, there have been many instances where the Vols were in the national spotlight in the media. According to Kiffin, most of those were by design, but some were not.

However, that exposure has given this coaching staff and football team some momentum. The Vols have gotten commitments recently from two highly rated prospects and a visit from the nation's No. 1 wide receiver, Kyle Prater.

The first few practices of every summer begin with an acclamation period where the players don't don full pads and there's not any tackling involved. In the sweltering summer heat of East Tennessee, the adrenaline, excitement and intensity of a new coaching staff has created a practice atmosphere some players are most likely seeing for the first time.

According to various reports, "touch" drills have turned into full-on tackling situations. A couple of coaches have hinted things may have gone a little further than they intended, and were going to try to dial things down a little.

Obviously, one of the biggest questions going into the 2009 season is the UT quarterback situation. Through the first couple practices, there still seems to be some struggles with both Nick Stephens and Jonathan Crompton.

"Yeah, I think we gotta continue to get better there. We have made some decisions we'd like to take back, and we have to continue to get in the same plays and we continue to install and put a lot on them, so, eventually we'll slow down," said Kiffin.

"I like their grasp of the offense, we just gotta make better decisions at times."

Decisions were a big problem in the 2008 season for both Crompton and Stephens, and there's no doubt that it's a huge concern for this team in 2009. If the offense is going to improve, this is an area that is absolutely critical.

Perhaps one of the bigger surprises of the first few practices has been the strong showing of freshman running back David Oku. Oku, the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation according to Rivals.com, was possibly going to red shirt before fellow freshman Toney Williams tore his ACL.

Williams had a great showing in the spring and losing him hurt, but Oku's showing could soften that blow.

"David Oku continued to come out and have two great practices in a row, which is really great to see because you are always worried about having one practice and not being able to back it up again," said Kiffin.

All in all, Kiffin has lived up to his word. When he was hired at Tennessee, he was very clear and adamant that the freshmen would get the first shots in the summer to earn playing time and that's exactly what's happened.

Among the rookies that have run with the first team are Bryce Brown, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles, and Jerod Askew, just to name a few. Kiffin is counting on those guys, and more, to contribute early and often.

Coming out of the first few days, it's obvious Kiffin is most confident and excited about his defensive secondary. Led by all everything Eric Berry, the Vols return several players who have started, and bring in several highly rated recruits to the mix.

"I think what you are seeing is a unique depth in the secondary," said Kiffin. "Probably easily our deepest position and so what happens is, a lot of times the twos go in and there's someone you can pick on and go after. But when our twos go in, right now Brent Vinson and Dennis Rogan are in our twos so that's pretty tough guys to go against."

This coming Saturday, practice will move into full pads and full contact. Everyone knows that's when you determine who the real football players are. For Tennessee, it will be a chance to find out if the physical, intense nature of the offseason has brought actual improvement.

It will also be a chance for hyped freshmen like Bryce Brown and David Oku to go out there and show they can perform while being hit by bigger, faster athletes than they've ever competed against.

Summer is an exciting time, everyone starts learning what their team is going to look like, and Lane Kiffin is showing Tennessee fans he intends on this team looking drastically different than the 5-7 squad they watched last season.

*Sources for quotes in this article were taken from GoVolsXtra, Volquest.com and general media appearances.

Between the Lines: The Vols' Tough Matchups in 2009

Kevin Scott — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:28:05 -0400

Going into every season, there are games that anyone can deem as "big" or "swing" games. Almost anyone can figure out who the best teams in the nation are and find the superstars on those teams. A big factor in a team's ultimate success or failure, however, resides in matchups. Overall talent on a team is a factor in winning and losing, but some team's strengths ultimately expose another teams weaknesses and becomes one of the bigger factors in the outcome of the game. The following is a look at some of the "tough" matchups the University of Tennessee Volunteers will face this upcoming season and will be critical to whether the season ends up a success or failure. The order of the matchups is based on the order of the schedule, not on degree of difficulty. I will try and opine in the piece which ones I think are the more difficult ones. The predictions on each matchup are not indicative of who I think will win the game, but merely who has the advantage in the key matchup being discussed.

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NCAA Camp Rule Only Hurts Kids

Kevin Scott — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:05:53 -0400

Although there’s been a rule on the books since 2007, the NCAA sent down a new initiative recently banning media from future camps at universities. According to them, they are simply “closing a loophole” for a rule that’s been there for a few years.

Recently, I spent two days in Knoxville covering Tennessee’s one day camps in which every major recruiting service had staff attend along with local members of the media. It was a great atmosphere for the young kids to showcase their skills.

So today, when I saw this update, the first thought that came to my mind was how incredibly bad of a rule this is. The NCAA has many trivial rules that make no sense to most and are almost totalitarian in nature, but this one is specifically baffling.

After thinking about this, I went in search for what the NCAA actually stands for in its own words, trying to find justification for this rule. I went to NCAA.org and pulled up the NCAA’s “3-5 Year Strategic Plan”. Here are two points I found very interesting:

1. Page 6 – 2.1: “Increase the application of fair, safe and flexible regulations that favor student-athletes.”

2. Page 6 – 2.2: “Increase the opportunities for women and minorities to participate in intercollegiate athletics at all levels.”

Why do these stand out to me? Because the NCAA, with these goals, is promoting itself as an organization that wants to provide young men and women of all backgrounds the opportunity to take part in intercollegiate athletics.

When schools like Tennessee, LSU and so on have camps, it certainly allows the coaches of that school an opportunity to evaluate the prospects, but it also gives recruiting analysts and media the chance to evaluate and report on prospects as well.

The NCAA has a rule in place that does not allow coaches to comment on unsigned recruits, so if a recruit has a great camp and the media isn’t allowed, no one will know it. There is no end to how bad the results of this will be.

There are thousands of young men and women who play sports in places where their high school coaches and administrators do little to nothing to help them contact colleges or get their names out there. High school kids are also not allowed to hire agents to start a marketing program on their behalf.

Also, there are many young people who come from low income families or just downright poverty. These families can’t afford to make highlight tapes and send them out, and most of the time live in an economically challenged community where the school doesn’t have the resources to do it for them.

So, a big part of the benefit of having media at camps is so the young men or women who may not have been known prior to the camp get valuable exposure. Whether the NCAA wants to recognize it or not, the fact is that many FBS and lower level schools use recruiting services like Rivals.com to assist them in locating prospects in an effort to cut costs.

There is no better place for services to evaluate kids than a college camp, where the kids are under professional instruction, going up against the best competition. If a player can show up well at one of these camps and the media is allowed to report a first hand account, this helps increase that prospects exposure by a great deal.

If you take the media out of camps, you are lessening the chances of young people to gain exposure and in turn, possibly receive a scholarship. This would be in direct contrast to your “goal” of creating regulations that favor student-athletes.

This rule will adversely affect people from all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds who can’t afford to make highlight tapes. People who scrape together every penny just to attend camps and get an opportunity will have their chances greatly dwindled if the only people who get to hear about them or see them are the coaches they are in front of.

This will also impact athletes in certain states greater than others. In states like Florida and Texas, high school football is mainstream with games in almost every town being shown on every single Friday night, and some games getting shown on ESPN nationally.

There are other states, however, like Tennessee and Kansas, where getting exposure isn’t near as easy for kids. Their games are not on TV, they don’t have national recruiting services holding camps and their local media doesn’t cover their team closely. Having media at camps at those state schools is an invaluable resource for those young athletes.

This rule goes against everything the NCAA lines out as “goals” on their very own website. This rule is not in the favor of student athletes, because it will decrease the number of opportunities a prospect has to be seen and talked about.

This rule is blatantly discriminatory against people from low income backgrounds who can’t afford to do their own highlights and send them out. According to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau Press Release, Hispanic median income trailed non-Hispanic white households by approximately $14,000 and African-American households trailed by $18,000. The poverty rate for African-American households was three times that of the white households.

Those are the facts. This rule will unfairly harm minorities rather than accomplish the NCAA’s “goal” of increasing opportunities. It may not be a pretty picture, but it’s the real one.

Bottom line, this is a bad rule. It only hurts kids. It will limit their exposure, opportunities, and will place those that are already at a disadvantage further in the hole. Fans, high school coaches, college coaches, administrators and everyone who wants to see these young people get the best opportunities they can should bombard the NCAA with their thoughts on how bad of a rule this is. Don’t like my reasons? I’m sure that there are plenty of others you can find to use.

We need to give our young people the best chance to succeed we can, and this is exactly the opposite.

Memorial Day: Remembering Vols That Gave It All

Kevin Scott — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:05:22 -0400

As Memorial Day approaches, the older I get the more I appreciate what this holiday stands for. The thousands of men and women who have given their life in the service of our country deserve this day, and frankly, every day to honor their memories.

Trying to think of a story I wanted to write, many ideas came to mind. Fate may have it that while flipping channels this morning, I passed by the series "Band of Brothers", and it made my decision for me.

Sports normally takes a front seat before most things for me and a lot of people I know, but on this day, it's a distant second.

Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg and Bob Feller were all great baseball players who lost a large amount of time from their playing years to fight in World War II.

Possibly the most respected, revered and celebrated person in Tennessee football history is General Robert R. Neyland. General Neyland served his country in World War I before making his way to Tennessee and becoming Professor of Military Science, and later head football coach before returning to serve again in World War II.

General Neyland is a coaching legend at Tennessee, and is well known for his military service. There are others, many others, that served their country after playing at Tennessee who didn't make it home, who paid the ultimate price.

Bill Nowling, a fullback from 1940-42, was a three year starter under General Neyland and died in the service of his country on August 9th, 1944.

Rudy Klarer, a guard from 1941-42, started one season for Neyland and died in combat on January 6, 1945.

Willis Tucker, a fullback in 1940, not only played football but was a sprint star at UT. Tucker died in service on November 28, 1944.

Clyde Fuson, a fullback in 1942, was a teammate and shared playing time with Bill Nowling. Known as "Ig", Clyde had a younger brother named Herschel, known as "Ug", who transferred from UT and later graduated from West Point.

All four men's numbers (32, 49, 61, 62) are retired at Neyland Stadium in honor of their service and ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The greatest generation of all time had so many countless more pay this ultimate price, so many more whose names will never be put on a stadium, a wall or known by anyone except beloved family members and friends.

This Memorial Day, I want to say thank you to all the men and women who serve our country today, in every way. I want to say thank you to all the families who give their family members so unselfishly so we can all live the life we choose to live.

Most importantly, I want to say thank you to all the soldiers who gave their life, limbs, and time so we all remained free. To your families, I hope my message gives you a sense of pride that there are still many people out there who appreciate the price your loved one paid.

For Vol fans everywhere, Nowling, Fuson, Klarer and Tucker hold a special place on this day. Remember them and all the other Vols who served our nation's military, for they were Vols who gave it all for you and me.

The Top 10 College Football Players I Wish I Could've Seen Live

Kevin Scott — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:44:32 -0400

Being a 28 year old sports fan has it's ups and downs. I'm old enough to remember Michael Jordan's prime, unlike a 20 year old fan, however, I'm too young to have seen legends like Mickey Mantle, Terry Bradshaw and so on. So as the summer arrives, I'm sitting around thinking of some of the great players in college football that I'm looking forward to watching this season. Tim Tebow, Eric Berry, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy, the list goes on and on. That got me thinking of how lucky I am to have seen some of the greats like Peyton Manning, Reggie Bush, Rocket Ismail and more, but also led me to think about some of the truly great players I didn't get to see. Throughout my childhood on to growing into a man, I can't count the number of trips back and forth from Chattanooga to Knoxville on a football Saturday. The same four of us have been in that car most every time, ranging from my Grandfather who is in his upper 70's, my Father who is 50, a close family friend around 50 as well and myself. There's a lot of football knowledge and memories in that car, and 3 men whose opinions I respect more than anyone else's. Through the years, combined with watching a boat load of film on my own, I heard the memories those men have of some of the greats to play the game. Men they got to see in their prime, who I can only dream of witnessing. So, this list is not a ranking of how good or great I think they were, since I've only seen film of them and heard stories, I think that would be unfair. These all time greats are ranked in order of who I would be the most excited to get to see live and in person. Please, feel free to give me feedback and make suggestions of your own. I can remember players clearly back to about 1988, so I'm listing guys prior to that. Hope you all enjoy!

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Lane Kiffin Shines Brightest in The Spotlight

Kevin Scott — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:31:49 -0400

The media circus surrounding every move Lane Kiffin makes as the coach at Tennessee is mind boggling.

Some of the attention and criticism has been self induced, stemming from false accusations about Urban Meyer, comments about Pahokee and other slip ups the young coach has made since being hired.

Yesterday the circus was taken to a new level. Secondary violations happen every day and some schools have self reported as many as 30 in one year. Recently, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama are just a few SEC schools to report such violations to the NCAA.

However, these instance don't make the front page and don't place their coaches on shows to answer questions about the incidents. Kiffin's interest is understandable to an extent, as I believe he relishes the spotlight.

Nearly every secondary violation that Tennessee has reported since Kiffin arrived has made mainstream sports news. ESPN"s Chris Low, who covers the SEC, has written a column on every violation at UT.

Kiffin has appeared on shows like College Football Live and Pardon The Interruption multiple times to answer questions about these violations.

Yesterday, ESPN's College Football Live took covering this subject to another level. The opening question of the interview with Lane Kiffin was, "Coach, how would a guy like Robert Marve fit into your program?".

I understand covering violations, I understand criticizing someone when they have been wrong, and Kiffin has done plenty of that. But, trying to purposely trap a coach on national television into committing a violation is unprofessional and out of line. That goes for any coach of any school.

Kiffin didn't lose his composure, "Well, unfortunately now that he's a recruited student athlete again I'm not allowed to comment on that situation.", Kiffin retorted.

Much to the dismay of ESPN, who has a track record of trying to make itself part of the news instead of reporting it, Kiffin didn't fall for the unnecessary attempt.

The series of questions that followed were soiled in negativity. They weren't necessarily unfair questions, and the situations prompting them certainly happened, but the line of questioning was an obvious attempt at trying to further embarrass Kiffin.

When asked about 11 players leaving the program, Kiffin quickly pointed out that 13 players left Alabama in their last coaching change.

Kiffin wasn't taking a shot at Bama, but more giving an example of something that is pretty common, that has been made to look more significant than it is at Tennessee.

Of course, the Pahokee comments came up in the interview as well, and Coach Kiffin took the opportunity to apologize for them once again, on national television.

Don't be mistaken, myself or no one else I've read take this stance is making Kiffin the victim here. Kiffin has made a few mistakes, some of which deserved sharp criticism, some of which have been blown out of proportion.

The way Kiffin stood in the face of that line of questioning and gave calm, diplomatic answers shows me a level of resolve in the coach.

By all accounts, according to former bosses such as Pete Carroll, Kiffin is a very sharp individual, and his interview is a testimony of his learning from his mistakes.

When being faced with a line of questioning that was intended to shine a negative light on UT, Kiffin turned it into an opportunity to make every answer as positive as he could and for lack of a better term, recruit.

Secondary violations aren't exclusive to Tennessee. I think it's time that when news organizations decide to cover them, they do it in a fair and balanced manner.

If Kiffin's are front page news, so should the 30 that Washington reported in one year, so should the 13 that Georgia reported at one time.

Kiffin has been and will continue to be a target of the media and critics. Some say he brought it on himself, and one can't really argue with that.

But all of us must give him credit for standing in the face of the tough questions and being forthright and honest about his answers.

His goal has remained the same since arriving at Tennessee. To do whatever he can to enhance the program at Tennessee and put the Vols back in the conversation.

He's succeeded, and though the reason may not always be positive, Kiffin shines when put in the spotlight by trying to make it positive.

You can watch the interview with Kiffin and College Football Live at www.ESPN.com/college-football/

Don't forget my radio show, VSPN, will be live tonight at 9PM EST. We will have guests Marlon Walls, Kevin Revis and 2011 recruit Kenny Hilliard. Also joining us will be Scout.com recruiting expert James Bryant. You can listen live at www.blogtalkradio.com/VSPN.

College Football's Top 10 Coaching Jobs

Kevin Scott — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:55:12 -0400

I'm a sucker for lists, I love them. All lists are a matter of opinion, subjective, and can be endlessly debated. This one is no different. There are many different criteria for what one consider's a "good" coaching job. Location, tradition, facilities and so on, all factor in when a coach is considering whether to take a job or not. Every college fanbase thinks they have an edge over the other, they all feel they can offer something the other guys can't. In my opinion, there are just some programs that are undeniable, that most fans really should be in awe of. I compiled this list based on several factors. I considered tradition, not just winning, but the aura surrounding the program. I also considered location, recruiting base, resources and the amount of exposure the programs average over time. I tried to look at it from the view of being a coach, listing the jobs I'd want, if I wasn't an alumnus of any of the programs. I encourage you to leave feedback, maybe a list of your own. This is one of those that could be debated until the end of time, but here's everyone a place to start. There are a lot of great programs not on this list, and I'd love to hear your case for them.

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Lane Kiffin's First Six Months: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Kevin Scott — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:04:51 -0400

There was a time, not too long ago, when the familiar sight of the orange "Power T" was scattered all over the place.

Throughout the 1990s, Tennessee was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated multiple times, constantly got coverage from ESPN, and nearly every other media outlet featured the Vols or a player at some point.

Between Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning, and the 1998 National Championship team, there was plenty of news to discuss about UT.

Tennessee and then Head Coach Phillip Fulmer was riding a tidal wave of momentum on the field, in the media and on the recruiting trail. Like many other programs before them, Tennessee soon learned that all waves level out.

In the last 10 seasons, Tennessee has won zero SEC titles, and appeared in the SEC Championship Game three times (2001, 2004, 2007).

The number of draft picks overall has dwindled, even though the Vols have had the most First Round picks in the SEC.

Most notably, Vol fans have suffered through a 5-6 and a 5-7 season. This descent to mediocrity triggered a coaching change to Lane Kiffin, who now has almost right at six months on the job, and without coaching a game there's already two sides. Let's explore why.

The Good:

Kiffin didn't complete his coaching staff until January, leaving him less than a month until National Signing Day in February, the day most high school seniors sign their Letter of Intent. Hopes were high, but expectations were tempered.

No one who really followed recruiting expected too much out of Kiffin, even though one couldn't but be gitty with excitement knowing what all this new staff had accomplished in the past.

No one could anticipate what was to take form in the following two months. Kiffin was able to convince several very highly rated recruits that hadn't previously been considering UT to sign on and take part in what he was building.

Bryce Brown, Janzen Jackson, Nu'Keese Richardson, and Darren Myles, Jr. were all new additions to the Vols target list, and Kiffin reeled them all in.

Throughout January, Kiffin was also able to convince a who's who of the recruiting world to visit Tennessee, though most of them didn't choose the Vols.

Just getting a lot of those kids to visit was an accomplishment all it's own. Other schools were tense, shivering at the notion that their commitments and strong leans were visiting the Vols at the last minute, worried they'd get that dreaded call that they had changed their minds.

All tolled, Kiffin amassed the No. 10 class in the nation according to Rivals.com, and the No. 8 class according to Scout.com.

ESPN brought the Vols in at the lowest of the big three, at 15th, but even if you go by that, it's still an incredible accomplishment considering the circumstances.

With this class, Kiffin and his staff have started something great, sure to carry over to the next class and the next.

Along with the recruiting side, Tennessee has been back in the media nearly every day since Kiffin's arrival. Sometimes it's been good, sometimes it's been not so good, but money can't buy the type of publicity Tennessee has garnered.

Constant segments on ESPN, almost daily features in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and most importantly, the first school out of many recruits mouths nationally is Tennessee, according to Scout.com.

One cannot overlook Kiffin's public relations efforts amongst his own fans as well. Kiffin has gone out of his way to be accessible to local and national media, as well as call in shows and interviews.

The coach staged a Q & A session outside a restaurant, inviting everyone to come, and has opened UT practices and scrimmages to the public where they never were in the past.

Kiffin has put Tennessee back in the mainstream, back on the front page. The young, brash head coach has brought expectations of greatness back to Tennessee, and it doesn't seem like he or any of his staff are even satisfied with the track they are on.

The Bad:

You know that publicity we talked about?

Well, while all publicity is good publicity to some, the way Kiffin has gotten it is not so good to some. Kiffin has made some comments I'm sure he wishes he could take back, and there has been a liquidation of players on the UT roster.

Well publicized are the comments Coach Kiffin made regarding Urban Meyer and recruit Nu'Keese Richardson.

In short, Kiffin falsely accused Meyer of a recruiting violation that not only did Meyer deny ever took place, but really wasn't a recruiting violation to begin with.

The got front page type publicity all over the media networks, which comes as no surprise since it involved Meyer, a two-time national champion.

At the same dinner, Kiffin made some inflammatory remarks regarding the Pahokee (Fla.) community and recruit Richardson.

Coach Kiffin maintains it was out of context and he wasn't aware there was a camera present, but nevertheless, the comments were in poor taste and Kiffin has apologized for making them.

The Principal at Pahokee High School, Ariel Alejo, still isn't satisfied and that situation continues to linger.

There have been several other nagging little situations. Comments about Marlon Brown's grandmother, secondary recruiting violations and subtly guaranteeing a victory over Florida next season, all by themselves wouldn't bother anyone, but all totaled together leave a bad taste in many fans, both Vol and not, mouths.

The Ugly:

When you add up some of the little things that made "The Bad," you start to get to "The Ugly."

Kiffin has developed a reputation among SEC fans and others as arrogant, brash, and loose lipped. He's been the subject of many scathing articles and commentaries, bringing a very negative perception to Tennessee in the eyes of some.

Who cares? A lot of people.

While most fans at any school aren't overly concerned about their rivals' opinions of their program, all fans should be cognizant of how their program is viewed.

Miami had one of the worst reputations among college football fans while they were successful in the '80s and '90s, and even their leadership expressed a desire to change the view people had of their program.

Lastly, there have been many concerns over some of the players Kiffin has decided to offer scholarships to and their pasts.

Tennessee has offered or considered offering multiple players that either had offers rescinded because of off the field problems or had significant issues in the legal system.

Whether you are on the side of giving second chances or not taking chances, both sides can agree that bringing those players in can bring a very negative stigma to your program and in some circles, this is happening to UT.

My Take:

Everything considered, Kiffin has done whatever he could to get UT's name out there.

With no momentum from the Fulmer era to help him, he basically had to create something out of nothing. At times, he used questionable methods to do it, but overall, he's accomplished that goal.

In the end, the positive of the Kiffin era has far outweighed the negative. Some of "The Bad" has actually served some good as well.

Fulmer was chided for years by rival coaches and UT's program got a reputation of being soft, and Kiffin has shown those are things that will not continue under him.

I think a lot of the reaction of rivals is triggered by the fear that Tennessee has a staff in place that won't sleep until they've taken over the SEC.

Can they do it?

Who knows. But rival fans can't deny the success this staff has had on the recruiting trail and their pedigree of coaching success.

Winning cures all.

If Kiffin and his staff can translate this early momentum into early wins, even the Vol fans that have been taken aback by some of Kiffin's gaffes will be on board.

Tennessee fans are in store for a treat, as the sense of urgency around the program hasn't been this high in a very long time.

Stay tuned, because whether you are a Tennessee fan or not, the results this staff come up with in the near future are going to determine the balance of power in the SEC for the next several years.

It should be an exciting ride for everyone.

A New Era At Tennessee: Recruiting 101

Kevin Scott — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:15:50 -0400

Throughout Phillip Fulmer's career as Head Coach at Tennessee, it was widely agreed upon that his strongest attribute was that of a great recruiter. Fulmer had the ability to sit in a recruit's home and sell the program and himself to the recruit and his family. Mothers and fathers felt comfortable leaving their child with Coach Fulmer, because he let them know he cared more about the kid than just as a player.

As the years passed and Fulmer's success dwindled, so did the praise about his recruiting abilities. Did Phillip Fulmer change? No. The players he was recruiting and the program he was selling did, and on Nov. 3, 2008, Phillip Fulmer was fired as the Head Coach at Tennessee and an era was over.

The No. 1 priority for Fulmer's replacement was the ability to recruit nationally, and UT Athletic Director turned to Lane Kiffin to fill the open void. While Kiffin was short on years of experience, there was a plan in place that all parties were confident in, and knew it would work in the end.

Lane Kiffin proceeded to assemble a recruiting juggernaut. Kiffin himself was a former recruiting coordinator, and hired former recruiting coordinators David Reaves of South Carolina, Ed Orgeron of USC and Ole Miss, Jim Chaney of Purdue, Eddie Gran of Auburn and Lance Thompson from Alabama. In addition to those, Kiffin hired ace recruiters from various staffs in college football and a few select assistants from the NFL that had proven experience at the NFL and college level.

Possibly the biggest addition was Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin, Lane's father. Kiffin is widely considered the best DC in the country, at any level, and his energy at the age of 69 is simply amazing. Marching Monte Kiffin into a perspective defensive recruits home would bring a reaction very few people could bring.

Although this staff was made up of recruiting all stars, they started the 2008-2009 season behind, due to coming on late in the process and what showed to be lackluster work by the previous staff. That didn't deter them, it drove them to work harder and press themselves as hard as they could.

The new staff was able to salvage previous commitments, most notably among them was Toney Williams, Jerod Askew, and David Oku. David Oku was a touchy situation, to say the least. The No. 1 all purpose back (Rivals.com) re-opened his recruitment after the staff change occurred, then moved to Nebraska only to shut contact to everyone off for a short period of time. The staff was able to win Oku over, and he signed to UT in February.

Simply amazing was the staff's effort on the new commitments they received. Two University of Florida commitments, Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Tegue, both de-committed from UF to sign with the Vols. Taking any recruits from the grasp of the National Champion Gators is a huge accomplishment in such a short period of time, especially considering Richardson was from Pahokee, an area the Vols had never gotten anyone from.

Kiffin and Co.'s first big breakthrough, however, came from Hillboro's (TN) four-star DB Eric Gordon. Gordon is an amazingly athletic playmaker who most speculated was days away from committing to Alabama, when Kiffin swooped in and convinced Gordon to sign with the Vols. This would be the beginning of a familiar trend.

Tennessee came in late and signed several big names who were considered heavy leans or commits. Janzen Jackson (LSU), Darren Myles Jr. (Bama) and the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation according to Rivals.com, Bryce Brown (Miami). These three signings, along with the rest of the class, has given the new UT staff some serious momentum, and has shown this staff will not be outworked.

The new recruiting period has started and all the buzz in the recruiting world is about Tennessee. There's no question that to catch up with the likes of Florida and Alabama on the recruiting trail the way the Vols need to, the staff will have to prove they are as viable on the field as they are on the recruiting trail, but they've gotten a head start.

Coach Kiffin has maintained all along that no one would outwork his staff, and Ed Orgeron's recruiting obsession was well documented in the book "Meat Market" by Bruce Feldman of ESPN. Orgeron is obsessive about getting in people's faces, meeting people and developing relationships all over the country. He knows how to get it done.

Tennessee is already on the radar of several of the top prospects in the nation, and that list is building every day. Watch out for UT to continue to build interest among the top prep stars in the nation, and watch for other college programs to follow the example UT has set.

It's becoming more apparent every day that while the new staff may be a little controversial, no one can argue with the results they've put together in such a short time with such little to work with.

That's recruiting 101.

The Pahokee Saga: Lane Kiffin Against the World

Kevin Scott — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:50:47 -0400

There's been much made of Lane Kiffin's comments regarding the Pahokee community following Signing Day concerns about Vol's Letter of Intent signee Nu'Keese Richardson was due to send in to the University of Tennessee Head Coach.

Regarding his concerns about someone at Pahokee possibly trying to interfere, at a recruiting lunecheon with UT supporters and boosters Kiffin said, "They didn't go do it at the school because they knew somebody at the school was going to screw it up, the fax machine wouldn't work or they would have changed the signatures."

However, the real stir was created when Kiffin followed that by saying, "For those of you who haven't been to Pahokee, there ain't much going on. You take that hour drive up from South Florida, there ain't a gas station that works. Nobody's got enough money to even have shoes or a shirt on."

Kiffin maintained that he didn't mean what he said the way it was taken, that he was trying to entertain the crowd he was speaking to. He also apologized on numerous occasions to the Pahokee community or anyone who took offense to the remarks:

"If I offended anybody in Pahokee or has to do with Pahokee or in the schools, I apologize and I want to make sure it's understood that is not what was meant by it at all. It was just an energetic breakfast with some of our donors. Didn't even know that there was a camera present when the things were said." Kiffin told the Palm Beach Post on April 3.

Despite Kiffin's apology and Pahokee's football coach Blaze Thompson insisting he considers the matter closed, Tennessee assistant coach Eddie Gran was asked to leave the property of Pahokee High School by Principal Ariel Alejo.

"Coach Kiffin publicly apologized to Blaze Thompson ... but I'm still waiting, and the community is as well," Alejo said. "It's what I think he owes the community of Pahokee and what he owes this school. His comments were made public, so now he needs to go publicly and retract those comments."

Gran was visiting the school to extend an offer of a full scholarship to one of the athletes Tennessee is recruiting from there. There are a handful of Pahokee players who already have an offer from the Vols, and all have so far maintained they are interested in playing for UT despite the comments Coach Kiffin made.

I have talked to several of those players, and all of them maintained they were initially bothered by the comments, but credited Kiffin for apologizing and moved on, and no longer had an issue with the Coach or the school.

It would seem to anyone who looks further than just the surface that the problem with Kiffin only lingers with Ariel Alejo. Kiffin apologized to all of Pahokee, not just the football coach, also including "anyone who was offended". So what more does Alejo want?

Alejo has suggested that this could only be remedied by Kiffin's personally flying down on May 19th to Pahokee where he could attend a city commission session and apologize there.

What?

The twist to this story comes when you learn that Alejo is an avid, die hard Florida Gator fan. He's such a big fan of the Gators, that until yesterday, his profile page on the School's "official" website included a Gator logo, instead of a Pahokee logo. Some may consider this a non-issue, but think about it for a minute.

The NCAA consider's a "fan" to be someone who has promoted the University's athletic programs, and expressly forbids them from influencing the recruiting process of a prospective student athlete in any way. I would call kicking your arch rival's recruiter for that area out of your school influencing things.

Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel joined the "mob" of media types that piled on Kiffin for his comments on Pahokee, recently writing a blog criticizing Kiffin sharply for his actions. The "article" omitted several facts, easy to find ones, and left out a good bit of detail in facts it did mention.

What would be so hard about going down the road and asking a question before you write? How about gathering some facts? Does the truth not sell papers?

Lucky for people in the Tennessee community, there are a few guys like John Brice of Volquest.com that will ask the questions, get both sides of the story and gather some facts before raking someone over the coals. I urge everyone to go to Volquest.com and read Mr. Brice's article.

Having said all that, even though Lane Kiffin was wrong in his initial statements, Kiffin is getting treated unfairly from all sides here.

The Principal of a public school refuses to allow one of their students to be offered a scholarship to get a higher education for free, interfering with the recruitment of said player. The local, hometown paper can't do a little simple research before slamming the Coach, who has already gone out of his way to apologize on multiple occasions.

You can bet that if Urban Meyer showed up to Maplewood High School in Nashville and was turned away by a Principal who had a "T" logo on his school board profile, Jeremy Foley and all his "buddies" at the SEC offices would be all over UT, and so would the NCAA.

The same should apply here. Someone needs to find out why or if Mr. Ariel has another motive for booting the arch rival out of the school.