Derek Dooley is a very solid football coach in my opinion. Spent time under Nick Saban at LSU and has been a head coach for a while now, first at La. Tech, and now in his third year at UT. He’s got a solid squad from the looks of the spring. His quarterback, Tyler Bray, looks like he’s close to elite. Not yet Aaron Murray or Ryan Wilson, but could get there this year. Justin Worley looks like a more than capable backup. Bray’s got fantastic receivers in Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers. There’s a juco transfer coming in, Cordarrelle Patterson, who is a 6.0 four-star whom there very high on. Patterson is 6’4″, 205, a big target. Think they’re pretty excited about him. If they can stay out of trouble, will have an excellent receiving corps.
Marlin Lane Jr. looks like he’ll be a prime time back. Rajion Neal is a solid back as well. Lane looks like he can get tough yards and break it too. He had a 40-yard run right up the middle for a score in the spring game. The line looks solid, even possibly dominant and is anchored by guard James Stone (6’3″, 310) and tackle Antonio Richardson (6’6″, 329). Tight end solid with Mychal Rivera though they lost a backup Cameron Clear to indefinite suspension. Defense better this year. Good size on the line, linebackers look solid led by middle backer Herman Lathers (6’0″, 225). And the secondary looks much improved.
Should be a lot better football team this year. Can the defense be good enough? That’s my question. They look a lot better and there is a lot more experience on this football team than last year–tons of redshirt frosh and sophs started last yea. If the defense can step up the Vols can win eight or nine football games.
They open with NC State in the Georgia Dome on Aug. 31 at 7:30 PM ET/6:30 CT on ESPNU. Should be a classic weekend in Atlanta with Auburn playing Clemson the next night at the Dome at 7 PM ET/6 CT on ESPN. Georgia State should be a win at home the next week. Then Florida comes to Neyland Stadium. Now that should be a war. Whoever wins that game has a shot at the East. But there will be a lot of games left to decide. Certainly would help Vols to win that game. Both teams much improved. Should be a classic. Akron at home followed by the Dawgs in Athens. Another critical game. State on the road, ‘Bama at home, South Carolina on the road, Troy and Mizzou at home, Vandy on the road and home to Kentucky.
It’s pretty difficult with the Florida, Alabama games at home and the Dawgs and Gamecocks on the road as potential season-defining games. But this team is very much improved. Dooley needs to win probably two of those four games to have a shot at a successful season and keep his seat from getting pretty hot.
Like this football team though. Looks like the Vols when they were at their hey day. Much more solid. The East is pretty tough this season, like the West always is, so it’ll be a huge challenge with Florida, Georgia and South Carolina doing combat with the Vols for the East title.