Tennessee Football: 4 Players Who Surprised Us and 4 Who Need to Step Up

Every season there are players who realize some of their potential and others who seem to regress. The 2011 Tennessee Volunteers were no strangers to this phenomenon. 

With one of the youngest teams in the SEC playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, it was bound to be proven sooner or later that this team and its unproven players have quite a ways to go before Tennessee is back. 

Here are some of the players that lend some hope to the big orange nation and others that have to step it up big time to have any hope of realizing their potential. 

Surprise: Rajion Neal

Given his tremendous athleticism, it might not have been too big a surprise to see Rajion Neal's partial breakout in 2011, but what did come as a surprise was his ability to make plays. 

Neal did just that for much of the season. There were some turnover issues along the way, but the sophomore, playing a combination of running back and wide receiver, looks like a serious offensive threat going into his junior year in 2012. 

Better Step It Up: Michael Palardy

Unfortunately, for Vols fans, the kicker position hasn't been much to brag about for a few years now. When the No. 1 kicker in the country signed with UT a couple of years ago, many thought that was about to change. 

In many ways, Michael Palardy has actually regressed since arriving on campus as the most highly touted kicker in the country in 2010. 

His last two field-goal attempts of the season were horrifically low, leading to blocks by Vanderbilt and Kentucky. He was inconsistent for much of the season before those final attempts. 

Expect there to be an open competition at the position come spring time. 

Surprise: Devrin Young

Freshman returner Devrin Young barely garnered any attention from the recruiting services prior to his signing with the Vols last February. But once the Knoxville native was fully healed from a fall practice injury, he showed just exactly what made him one of Derek Dooley's top prospects. 

Young didn't break through for a special teams touchdown in 2011, but his vision and athleticism was apparent on multiple returns. 

Vols fans can rest assured that Young will have his fair share of special teams scores in the years to come. 

Better Step It Up: Da'Rick Rogers

Nothing was wrong with Da'Rick Rogers stat sheet. He was the only real option once Justin Hunter went down and Rogers did not disappoint on the field. 

It was his off-the-field attitude and his reported run-ins with just about everyone that has Vols fans worried about this future NFL star. 

Whether it was a coach, towel boy, or a senior player, Rogers has reportedly made a few enemies with his attitude. The junior-to-be had better learn a few things over this offseason, or his attitude could get him in some real trouble going into next season. 

Surprise: DeAnthony Arnett

DeAnthony Arnett, the freshman wide receiver from Michigan, did not figure to be a huge part of the Vols plans coming into the 2011 season. When Justin Hunter went down with a season-ending injury in just the third game of the season, however, those plans changed.

Arnett didn't light up the stat sheet, but he did become a reliable second or third choice in his first season playing collegiate football. 

Expect Arnett to be even more dependable in 2012. 

Better Step It Up: Jacques Smith

Jacques Smith was supposed to be a force at Tennessee when he signed on the dotted line in 2010. But his first two seasons have been largely disappointing. 

The sophomore defensive end made some small steps toward realizing his enormous potential in 2011, but there's still plenty of room for Smith to become the force that everyone expects him to be. 

Surprise: A.J. Johnson

Perhaps the most talented member of the Vols freshman corps, A.J. Johnson did not disappoint in 2011. Johnson led the team in tackles in a handful of games and finished the season at No. 2 on the list with 80 tackles—one behind senior Austin Johnson.

The sophomore-to-be will be even better in 2012 and could become the next great linebacker from a program that routinely churns out top players at the position. 

Better Step It Up: Channing Fugate

Coming into 2011, much was expected of sophomore fullback Channing Fugate. Having started five games last season, both Dooley and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney expected Fugate to figure greatly into the Vols plans in 2011. 

Instead, Fugate started just one game after he lost his starting job to Ben Bartholomew. Whether it was practice issues, or injuries, or whether Bartholomew was just better, Fugate needs to step it up and prove to be the player everyone thought he was going to be next season.