Tennessee

What You Need To Know

The 2008 Vols were a fantasy wasteland.  The team threw a measly 8 TD passes on the season.  Their leading rusher, Arian Foster, rushed for only 570 yards.  Their leading receiver, Lucas Taylor, totaled 332 yards. 

Phil Fulmer stepped down, and Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin to right the ship.  Kiffin shot off his mouth the first few months on the job, ruffling plenty of feathers in the SEC.  But he also hit the recruiting trail hard and landed two standout RB prospects in Bryce Brown and David Oku. 

Best Fantasy Prospect(s)

We’re not very high on the Vols in 2009.  Incoming freshman Bryce Brown was rated as the top prep star in the country by some recruiting services.  If he can live up the hype, we suppose he could worth a gamble on draft day.  But he’ll need improved QB and offensive line play this fall or else he’ll be running nowhere.

Sleeper Prospect

RB Montario Hardesty could play with a chip on his shoulder this fall.  The lone RB holdover from the Fulmer regime (Lennon Creer transferred and Arian Foster graduated) had a decent spring.  He knows his job will be on the line when Brown and Oku arrive on campus.  Perhaps this will serve as motivation for him to have a good year.

Biggest Question Heading into August

Can Coach Kiffin back up his big talking on the field?  The Vols are going to be marked men in the SEC.  Kiffin has enough to worry about on his own team:  QB controversy, lack of proven WR playmakers, questions on the o-line.  We expect the Vols to struggle in 2009.

Spring Game Hero

WR Quintin Hancock caught 8 balls for 96 yards and a score.  Likely QB starter Jonathan Crompton was 14-of-27 for 143 yards and a TD.

Injury Report

Nothing major to report.

Spring Recaps - Team Index