No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers
The Volunteers are rarely afraid to lean on their running game, and with a new starting quarterback, 2008 will be true to form. Three talented tailbacks all are back to shoulder the load, with Arian Foster front and center. Foster ran for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall. Montario Hardesty followed up with 373 tough yards and three scores. Lennon Creer, last year’s big-time running back recruit, showed flashes of his potential with a 5.9-yard average on 36 attempts. All-America guard Anthony Parker leads five offensive line starters back into the trenches, so there should be openings for the backs to run through.
Erik Ainge, the starting quarterback for most of the last four years, is gone. Former Parade All-American Jonathan Crompton enters his junior year with the reins of Phillip Fulmer’s offense in his hands. Crompton, the North Carolina native with 14 game appearances and one start under his belt, throws and runs with authority. One of the top wide receiver groups in the SEC — Lucas Taylor, Austin Rogers, and Josh Briscoe — will help ease Crompton’s transition to starting status. The trio combined for 185 catches for 15 touchdowns and well over 2,000 yards a year ago.
Jerod Mayo’s early departure for the NFL leaves Rico McCoy as the top returning tackler with 106 total stops last fall. If Demetrice Morley and Eric Berry aren’t the best safety tandem in college football, they’re certainly one of the top three. Morley collected 51 tackles, including seven behind the line, and two interceptions in 2006 before sitting out last season. Berry intercepted five passes with 222 total return yards and a score as a true freshman last fall. Robert Ayers is back at end after leading the 2007 Vols in both tackles for a loss (12) and sacks (four).
After returning from the Sept. 1 UCLA game in Pasadena, UT will host UAB before taking on Florida in Knoxville and Auburn on the road to close out the month. The Georgia game is in Athens on Oct. 11, and LSU is off the schedule this year.
Quarterback safety The 2007 Vols led the nation for fewest sacks allowed with four.
So close Foster is 685 yards shy of establishing a new Tennessee career rushing record.
Still No. 1 Fulmer’s winning percentage of .766 (147–45) is still the highest of all FBS coaches with 10 or more years.
Tennessee superlatives:
OL Anthony Parker is named First-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC.
S Eric Berry is named Second-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC.
RB Arian Foster and LB Rico McCoy are named First-Team All-SEC.
WR Lucas Taylor, C Josh McNeil and OL Ramon Foster are named Second-Team All-SEC.
QB Jonathan Crompton, S Demetrice Morley, K Daniel Lincoln and PR Dennis Rogan join the All-SEC Third Team.
The Volunteers are rarely afraid to lean on their running game, and with a new starting quarterback, 2008 will be true to form. Three talented tailbacks all are back to shoulder the load, with Arian Foster front and center. Foster ran for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall. Montario Hardesty followed up with 373 tough yards and three scores. Lennon Creer, last year’s big-time running back recruit, showed flashes of his potential with a 5.9-yard average on 36 attempts. All-America guard Anthony Parker leads five offensive line starters back into the trenches, so there should be openings for the backs to run through.
Erik Ainge, the starting quarterback for most of the last four years, is gone. Former Parade All-American Jonathan Crompton enters his junior year with the reins of Phillip Fulmer’s offense in his hands. Crompton, the North Carolina native with 14 game appearances and one start under his belt, throws and runs with authority. One of the top wide receiver groups in the SEC — Lucas Taylor, Austin Rogers, and Josh Briscoe — will help ease Crompton’s transition to starting status. The trio combined for 185 catches for 15 touchdowns and well over 2,000 yards a year ago.
Jerod Mayo’s early departure for the NFL leaves Rico McCoy as the top returning tackler with 106 total stops last fall. If Demetrice Morley and Eric Berry aren’t the best safety tandem in college football, they’re certainly one of the top three. Morley collected 51 tackles, including seven behind the line, and two interceptions in 2006 before sitting out last season. Berry intercepted five passes with 222 total return yards and a score as a true freshman last fall. Robert Ayers is back at end after leading the 2007 Vols in both tackles for a loss (12) and sacks (four).
After returning from the Sept. 1 UCLA game in Pasadena, UT will host UAB before taking on Florida in Knoxville and Auburn on the road to close out the month. The Georgia game is in Athens on Oct. 11, and LSU is off the schedule this year.
Quarterback safety The 2007 Vols led the nation for fewest sacks allowed with four.
So close Foster is 685 yards shy of establishing a new Tennessee career rushing record.
Still No. 1 Fulmer’s winning percentage of .766 (147–45) is still the highest of all FBS coaches with 10 or more years.
Tennessee superlatives:
OL Anthony Parker is named First-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC.
S Eric Berry is named Second-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC.
RB Arian Foster and LB Rico McCoy are named First-Team All-SEC.
WR Lucas Taylor, C Josh McNeil and OL Ramon Foster are named Second-Team All-SEC.
QB Jonathan Crompton, S Demetrice Morley, K Daniel Lincoln and PR Dennis Rogan join the All-SEC Third Team.