NCAA Football FanHouse

Tennessee's Punter Pleads Guilty to DUI

Ryan Ferguson — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:32:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Scandal

The Kicking Colquitts, a multi-generational line of Tennessee men who've applied their shoe leather to pigskin for the past few decades, unfortunately must add a DUI to their impressive kicking records. Senior punter Britton Colquitt -- the last of the kicking Colquitts, for now anyway -- pleaded guilty on Monday to drunken driving.

The incident which led to the charges actually happened back in February, but the trial was postponed until July 7. The sentence? 24 hours of picking up litter, and the loss of his license for one year. Oh, and tack on a suspended sentence of 11+ months in jail, a $350 fine, court costs, a 24-hour detention in jail, and DUI school.

Being that he's a Kicking Colquitt, if you asked the young man, he'd probably say the most severe penalty came from his head coach. Colquitt lost his football scholarship for 2008 and will sit out the Vols' first five games of the season.

Colquitt's an All-SEC punter, and putting him in the stands doesn't help a team which is working the kinks out of a new quarterback and new offense. If I were a betting man, I'd say Tennessee might have to punt a few times this season. Colquitt booted 50+ yard punts in 6 games last year. It'll be tough to match that playing in only seven games in '08.

Tennessee's Punter Pleads Guilty to DUI originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phil Fulmer Gets a Big Raise

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:36:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching

Surprise! Fresh off the hot seat, Phil Fulmer joins the Big Boy SEC Coaches Club thanks to a one million dollar raise. Fulmer's new contract is worth an average of nearly 3 million dollars per year through 2014 thanks to yearly -- and automatic -- $150k bumps. Fulmer will also get a chance to win additional bonuses for winning an SEC championship ($350,000) or a national title ($850,000). Fulmer's new salary puts him in league with contemporaries such as Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban, all of whom own one national title in the aughts of the new millenium.

What other conference rewards one of its middling coaches with a million dollar pay raise?

Oh, sure... stop squawking. I know: Fulmer won his division in 2007, and he managed to get the Vols to the double-digit win category (10, to be precise) to boot. He has a national title on his resume. And he has a great overall record: as a head coach he's won 147 games, losing only 45. And he's a sterling 87-27 in the hypercompetitive SEC.
But let's get real. Fulmer also lost 4 games last year, was humiliated by Florida and Alabama, and embarassed the SEC by losing to a 7-6 Cal team in Berkeley. 2006 was nominal but disappointing by Tennessee standards (9-4) and 2005 is known as "the season of which we do not speak" by Vol fans thanks to the UT's first losing season in two decades.

The problem isn't Fulmer's overall body of work, which is good. It's the trend. Fulmer's last conference title came in 1998 and it was only by the grace of God that the Vols had a chance to square off against LSU in the SEC Championship of '07. And in that time Fulmer's Volunteers have won a paltry three bowl games, lost five, and failed to appear in 2005 thanks to that losing record.

But give Fulmer credit: he's agreed to massive changes within the program for '08. Tennessee is moving into the modern age of college football by installing the spread offense. 2008 isn't exactly a crucible for Fulmer, but it's important that the Vols make it a respectable year. Fulmer's raise brings added pressure on him to perform.

Tennessee seems to be giving a message to Fulmer. Instead of a reward for prior performance, it's a new expectation that the Vols will live up to their storied tradition. Usually a massive pay raise implies that the administration is wholly behind their head coach. In this case, I think the UT athletic department are saying, "You're a 3-million dollar SEC coach. Now go perform like one."

Phil Fulmer Gets a Big Raise originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massive Overhaul for Tennessee Football

Ryan Ferguson — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:11:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Fans

With so many changes afoot in the Tennessee football program, FanHouse decided it was best to go to the horse's mouth of Vol blogdom. We caught up with Joel at RockyTopTalk.com for a few words about the '08 Tennessee Volunteers.

FanHouse: You've got Erik Ainge and others in the NFL draft. How's it looking for those guys?

Joel: Jerod Mayo is most likely the head of the class, with some draft gurus saying he could go as high as 15th overall. He's a prototypical John Chavis linebacker and should do well. David Cutcliffe, the Manning Maker, says that whoever drafts Erik Ainge is going to get a bargain, a statement that essentially acknowledges that he's not going to go as high as he should. It's a shame, because he's very, very good. After that, tight end Brad Cottam seems to be getting the most interest. He was injured most of his senior season, but stellar days at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine improved his draft stock significantly.

What did you take, good and bad, from the Vols' spring scrimmage?

Very encouraging is the apparent fact that coach Fulmer is indeed letting new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson run his own offense. The simple fact of change is refreshing, and Clawson's insistence on getting the ball to playmakers in space has Vol fans breathing heavy. The spring game proved that he's not only saying the things Tennessee fans want to hear, he's actually doing them. The offense looked shiny and new, and they had a great deal of success last Saturday.

Believe any and all hyperbole you hear about Tennessee's secondary this year. Safeties Eric Berry and Demetrice Morley will be roaming around picking off balls and threatening to disembowel ball carriers. There are still questions on the defensive line, and the linebackers look mediocre, but that secondary -- wow.

Tempering all of that optimism, though, is the fact that the No. 1 offense was going against the No. 2 defense, and the No. 1 defense was going against the No. 2 offense in the spring game. So who knows how good either the offense or the defense is? Not me. Not yet.

New coordinators, new staff, new offense, new quarterback. Will we recognize anything about Tennessee's attack this season? (Please summarize the changes that have occurred since last season and what effect they'll have on UT's "look".)

Let's start with what's the same: The offensive line remains almost the same, and running back Arian Foster will be the starter. And . . . our offense will be wearing either orange or white, and they'll have a Power T on their helmets. Other than that -- NEW! SHINY! FRESH! EXCITING!

Receivers Lucas Taylor, Austin Rogers, and Josh Briscoe all return, but the new offensive coaching staff means that they're being challenged by some serious talent behind them, including Denarius Moore, Ahmad Paige, phenom Gerald Jones, and others. Jonathan Crompton, of course, takes over for Ainge under center.

As for the scheme, well nobody really knows for certain. Mostly, it's being called "West Coast," but Clawson says that he develops his scheme depending on personnel, so that's up for grabs. One of the most intriguing changes we've seen is that the offensive guards and tackles are no longer "right" or "left" but will switch sides depending on which hash mark they're on. It's supposedly designed to take advantage of potential mismatches along the lines. Other than that, the main thing is that the offense appears to be built on the concept of getting the best playmakers the ball in space. Yeah, other teams have been doing that for ages, but Vol fans view it as a complete 180 from the traditional Tennessee way of making the players fit the system instead of the other way around. We'll see how it works, but the mere change is refreshing.

Phil Fulmer won the SEC East in '07 and significantly cooled his hotseat. What does Phil have to do this season to keep Vol fans happy?

He's already accomplished some of that just by turning over the offensive reins to a new young OC. A willingness to open things up a bit offensively will almost certainly help cool things a bit. As far as wins and losses go, I think he'll be fine with nine or maybe even eight wins, although there will always be grumbles about records like that, but nine or ten wins seems very attainable this season.

How does Vol Nation feel about Jonathan Crompton under center?

A lot of Tennessee fans have been waiting for the Crompton Era since he stepped foot on campus. Others feel that his inability to beat out Ainge, especially when Ainge was trying to rehab the mother of all sophomore slumps, proves that he's not all that. I think that Tennessee learned its lesson from the disastrous 2QB Experiment of 2005 and was going to do everything possible to stifle all whispers of a controversy, so Crompton not beating out Ainge doesn't necessarily say anything about Crompton's ability.

And he has ability, no doubt. But even more than that, I think, is the fact that he's a better leader than was Ainge. This team will follow Crompton's lead and will rally around him, and the chemistry extends not only to his offensive teammates, but also to the defense. In short, Tennessee fans are excited about seeing Crompton lead the team this year, and they have every reason to be.

Got any games circled on your calendar?

The first, because it's the first. The second, because it's football. The third, because it's Florida and we want to try to avenge the dishumiliarassment we experienced in Gainesville last year. The fourth, because, hey, it's more football! You get the idea. In Knoxville, all football games are circled, starred, bolded, italicized, and underlined. And highlighted. In orange.

I'm hearing good things about DB DeAngelo Willingham, who according to reports has really emerged this spring. Are there any other players we need to keep an eye on?

Most of the excitement centers around Eric Berry, who, if he was on offense, would get the kind of attention that Tim Tebow got last year. The guy is incredible. Next to him is Demetrice Morley, and the tandem is downright frightening. It frees up already very good cornerbacks (Willingham included) to play even more aggressively. It frees up John Chavis to call more blitzes. It makes the defensive line look better than it is.

On the other side of the ball is Gerald Jones, who was an absolute terror toward the end of the season last year. He's like Berry, but on offense. He'll get several snaps at QB in an Arkansas Wild Hawg-ish type package. Berry, Jones, and perhaps Morley. Those are our stars.

Massive Overhaul for Tennessee Football originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ohio State Plans to Keep Losing to SEC Long After You've Passed Away

Adam Jacobi — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:05:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State Football, Tennessee Football, Big 10, SEC, The Word

Octogenarians and above, feel free to disregard the following information, as it cannot possibly affect you: the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers have just finalized plans to play a home-and-home series.

In light of their recent ineptitude against SEC opponents, this would appear to be a foolish decision on Ohio State's part; the Buckeyes haven't beaten an SEC team since 1988. That win against LSU was their only victory against the SEC since well before WWII. Meanwhile, Ohio State is still winless against the same conference in bowl games, all nine losses coming within the last 30 years. So yes, SEC speeeeeeed! and all that.

But fear not, Bucknuts: All of that is ancient history, completely worthless. Why? Because the games won't even be played for another decade. Yes, the athletic departments at both Ohio State and Tennessee have taken the unusually presumptive stance that Earth as we know it will still exist 10 years from now, Manbearpig be damned, and scheduled the series for 2018 and 2019.

This gives the Buckeyes 10 years to figure out how to slow down an SEC opponent (Answer: tasers. Dozens of them. Five on Percy Harvin alone) and once again be competitive in a game that is creeping past them like a glacier--slow, but totally unstoppable. Meanwhile, quarterbacks will be able to see probabilities in their Lexan visor, and 25-yard end zones, and... oh wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Still, 10 years is a long time for a football program to evolve (or, as with Nebraska, decompose), and entropy suggests that this matchup may bear little resemblence to its current state. And that's all assuming Skynet lets us keep playing football at all. Vicious haters, they.

Ohio State Plans to Keep Losing to SEC Long After You've Passed Away originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former SI Coverboy 1 of 2 Vols Dismissed

Andy Katzer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Rumors

Backup safety Antonio Wardlow and reserve linebacker Dorian Davis were both kicked off the Tennessee football team on Wednesday. Wardlow is best known for blocking a couple of punts in his career, including one in UT's 2006 blowout win at Georgia that landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and for sealing UT's Outback Bowl win against Wisconsin with an interception (pictured). Davis is pretty well unknown, though he would have had a chance to compete for a staring job in spring practice.

The official university line on the players' dismissal is the ubiquitous "violation of team rules," but scuttlebutt amongst fans is that weed was the root of their problem. Now technically, it's just a rumor, and the comment linked is just the first on that site to bring up the drug thing (though none refute it, and similar comments can be found elsewhere). But if it is true, take into account LaMarcus Coker, an infinitely talented running back who failed the requisite number of drug tests to get himself kicked off the team (like 14 or something, I think), and Gerald Jones, an infinitely talented wide receiver who just got busted for possession like two weeks ago,and there's got to be a reason that Tennessee players keep risking their scholarships and athletic futures over getting high.

Is it brash egos that make them think they're above the law? Maybe. Is it plain stupidity? Possibly. But I think Occam's razor would say: Knoxville's got the stickiest icky around. Now I don't smoke, but in the five years I lived in Knoxville, had I known that I was living in some kind of ganja heaven, I'd at least given it a shot. You know, when in Rome, support the local economy, etc. But I digress.

So how do these losses affect Tennessee from a football standpoint?
Davis' dismissal actually hurts the team more than Wardlow's, even though Davis is the lesser-known of the two. Tennessee's secondary should be fine with Eric Berry, Brent Vinson, and the recently re-admitted Demetrice Morley anchoring the unit, and plenty of other talented players competing for playing time. The linebacking corps is another matter for Tennessee, as that group lost starters Jerod Mayo and Ryan Karl to the NFL and graduation. The positions left are wide open enough that Davis, a former two-and-a-half-star type recruit, was expected to be in the thick of competition.

This incident is the latest in a string of off-field trouble Phillip Fulmer has had to deal with this offseason, including the aforementioned marijuana possession, a player getting a DUI, disorderly conduct, and underage consumption. This time, though, the cops didn't have to get involved, so no Fulmer Cup points will be awarded.

Former SI Coverboy 1 of 2 Vols Dismissed originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Country's Five Most Disappointing Recruiting Classes

Brian Cook — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:47:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn Football, Michigan Football, Michigan State Football, Tennessee Football, Texas Football, NCAA FB Recruiting

Note this is "disappointing," not "worst." We're not looking for the class with the absolute least potential to win D-I games but the schools that really should have done better than they did. So breathe easy, Buffalo. A further note: rankings here are all Rivals'; sometimes Scout disagrees vehemently but that's rare.

Without further adieu:

5. Texas. Perhaps a harsh assessment for Rivals' #14 class, but as the dominant power in the nation's most football-mad state Texas should never, ever have a class outside of the top ten, even when it's kind of small. Texas whiffed on the top three players in-state, all of whom ended up at hated Oklahoma. Striking out on national #1 RB Darrell Scott was the icing on a mildly crap sundae for the Longhorns.

It's not that Texas' class is bad, per se. It's actually pretty good. (You can tell by the #14 above. That's math.) But there's no school in the country with a better built-in advantage when it comes to high school talent, and there's no way Texas should strike out on four of the top five players instate.

Mack Brown will spring his revenge soon, no doubt: rumor is that the next next Vince Young, class of 2009 QB Russell Shepard, is soon to don burnt orange.

4. Michigan State. If there was ever going to be a year when Michigan State re-asserted itself as a threat to Michigan instate or to Wisconsin, Minnesota, and increasingly irritating Cincinnati around the Midwest, this would be it. Michigan suffered a humiliating series of losses and much of the state was operating under the foregone conclusion that Lloyd Carr would be retiring at year's end. When Michigan made a hire, Rich Rodriguez swept out all but one Carr assistant. Mark Dantonio's long association with Jim Tressel was supposed to give him the edge when it came to Ohio recruits.

The result? Detroit wide receiver Fred Smith and no other four-star players. Michigan State struck out on instaters Nick Perry (USC) and Mark Ingram (Alabama) late; Ingram's decision to flee is especially grating since his father was one of Michigan State's best wide receivers. Ohio linebacker Taylor Hill took an official visit to MSU and liked it so much he committed to Michigan on the way home. Hell, linebacker Yourhighness Morgan took a look at MSU and said "thanks, but I'm going to play for Florida."

Florida Atlantic.

MSU ranks 7th in the Big Ten, and this was both their new-coach-bump year and a year in which Michigan changed coaches. Michigan's little brother continues to bow down.

3. Auburn. Tommy Tuberville got smoked up and down by Nick Saban. It's incredible. The top ten recruits in Alabama: 'Bama 7, Auburn 0. The top 20: 'Bama 14, Auburn 2. And this is coming off a six-year run of Auburn dominance in the Iron Bowl!

It gets worse. Of Auburn's top recruits, the two five-stars are JUCO guys and RB Onterrio McCalebb is not expected to qualify. Given Auburn's severe grade attrition a year ago, the NCAA Clearinghouse will probably gun down another four or five guys, leaving the Tigers with very little to combat Nick Saban's tide (ha!) of incoming talent. Tiger fans, savor this six-game win streak. It'll take some doing to keep it going.

One bright spot: they've got a guy named "T'Sharvan."

2. Iowa. No school has been hurt more by the increased competition in Illinois than Iowa. In 2005, Ron Zook was about to get fired at Florida and Tyrone Willingham was golfing his way out of the Notre Dame job, leaving Illinois wide open for a surging Iowa program. The Hawkeyes pulled six kids out of the state, one of them a five-star and four others four stars, en route to the #11 class in the country.

Enter Zook and Weis, exit light for Iowa recruiting. This year Iowa pulled only two Illinois commitments, both of them three-star kids, and the only reason QB John Wienke signed with Iowa was the sudden shift in Michigan's offensive philosophy brought about by the hiring of Rich Rodriguez. Iowa has no four star players among 24 commits and missed on the top two instate prospects. The third? James Ferentz, the son of Kirk Ferentz.

Iowa is languishing at #54 nationally, and if the rapidly aging 2005 class, now in their fourth year at Iowa, doesn't start living up to their hype things are going to start getting mighty crotchety in Iowa.

1. Tennessee. Hey, at least Iowa and Michigan State don't pretend to be national powers. Tennessee does, but they won't be for much longer if they keep up this recruiting pace. The other UT has 18 commitments and only four four-stars, none among the top 100, and one of those is a JUCO who will only provide two years of service. Tennessee struck out on every major target it swung at despite a surprising season that garnered an SEC championship game berth and a New Year's Day bowl victory.

The departures of renowned QB guru David Cutcliffe (for a death job at Duke) and his right-hand man Trooper Taylor contributed to the off year, but the end result at UT (#37) is something no program that considers itself elite should ever see on signing day. Fulmer may have staved off an axing this year; the long term trend is not good.%Gallery-6077%

The Country's Five Most Disappointing Recruiting Classes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fulmer Vows to Lose Fulmer Cup

John Radcliff — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:09:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching, NCAA FB Police Blotter

Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer declared his intention to lose the Fulmer Cup this year by making his entire team run at 6am this morning. After having one of the most famous trophy's in all of college football blogdom named after him for sever lack of institutional control, Fulmer is taking a new approach.

With three players being arrested in a two week span, Fulmer has instituted the code red approach to discipline.

After a Tennessee player was arrested for the second time in less than two weeks, Fulmer said he made the entire team run at 6 a.m. Tuesday to show he wasn't going to tolerate such behavior. He also said Vereen will have to do community service and participate in police ride-alongs as part of his violation of team rules.

So not only does Daryl Vereen have to do community service, rides with police, and that running at 6am thing. He also has to take into account that there's probably some guys on his team that were not happy with him at that 6am run. And probably won't be for a while. Ah, NCO justice is a cruel mistress. But a mistress that gets results as long as those in charge are willing to let the justice take its course.

Fulmer just got out of the doghouse with Tennessee fans after a six loss season in 2005 by following up with a top 25 finish in 2006 and a #12 ranking in 2007. The last thing he needs is to recreate the situation that got the cup named after him in the first place. This may or may not be a hot seat issue depending on how the rest of the off season plays out.

Hat tip to EDSBS for making our off season more enjoyable than it should be.

Fulmer Vows to Lose Fulmer Cup originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tennessee Narrowly Avoids Total Program-Destroying Disaster

Brian Cook — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:22:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan Football, Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching

Volunteers of the world, exhale. The gentleman at right, former Michigan offensive coordinator Mike Debord, is not going to be Tennessee's offensive coordinator. He's in the midst of leading Central Michigan through the worst four-year stretch in its history. The gun you did not know was pointed directly at your temple has been holstered.

No, instead you get this guy:

An announcement is expected early today from the University of Tennesee that it has hired University of Richmond football coach Dave Clawson to be its offensive coordinator.

Richmond went 11-3 this year, losing in the I-AA semifinals to Appalachian State. Seems kinda risky, but, hey, at least you didn't hire the guy who parlayed Mike Hart and Chad Henne's junior and senior seasons into the 6th and 10th best offenses in the Big Ten. Granted, this year Michigan's stars were often hobbled, but... Jesus, man. Michigan without a couple players has got to be better than Minnesota and Northwestern and... uh... Iowa.

There is still the possibility Tennessee will hire Michigan QB coach Scott Loeffler, who interviewed along with Debord. That would actually be a good move. Michigan's put a parade of QBs into the NFL and the recent crop have all learned under Loeffler. And he might bring Ryan Mallett along for the ride, which is awesome if you love fumbles. And who doesn't love fumbles?

Tennessee Narrowly Avoids Total Program-Destroying Disaster originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Overturned Fumble Call Hurts Wisconsin; Lackluster Play Sinks Them

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, SEC

A controversial play with 3:19 left in the Outback Bowl held the game up for upwards of ten minutes, as replay officials tried to discern whether Wisconsin recovered a Tennessee fumble along the sideline.

The reversal of the call on the field, which was a fumble by Tennessee and a recovery by Wisconsin, was a key in Tennessee's ability to hold on for a 21-17 win over the Badgers. Wisconsin missed numerous opportunities to win the game, just as the Vols missed out on more than a few chances to put it away earlier.

Jai Valai clearly was out of bounds before he had control of the fumble, and the reversal gave Tennessee a valuable first down and three more chances to run time off the clock late in the game.

Wisconsin's missed opportunities centered around their defense's stunning inability to get off the football field. Ten of Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge's 24 completions, along with 178 of his 340 passing yards, came on third downs. The Volunteers converted short, intermediate, and long third-down attempts in the game. The reversed fumble recovery call came after another third-down conversion where Wisconsin put up little or no resistance.

Offensively, Wisconsin was inept in their pass-blocking and lackluster in their all-around play. The defense was, frankly, as terrible as it was for most of the season. Ainge and his coaches did a great job formulating and executing a game plan that took full advantage of safeties for Wisconsin that couldn't fairly be described as "inadequate". They're worse than that. If it weren't for a couple of miscues, Tennessee would have won this game handily. They were clearly the better team on the field today.

(This, by the way, should not be taken as an indictment of the Big Ten. Wisconsin was probably the fourth-best team - perhaps fifth - in the Big Ten, while Tennessee deservedly played for the SEC Championship, then got bumped down the SEC bowl ladder by the Capital One Bowl's selection of Florida.)

Tennessee completed a ten-win season with the victory, while Wisconsin was denied a second straight season of double-digit wins under second-year coach Bret Bielema.

Overturned Fumble Call Hurts Wisconsin; Lackluster Play Sinks Them originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Badgers' QB Donovan Roughed Up

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, SEC

As the Outback Bowl continues in Tampa, the Wisconsin Badgers are struggling to slow down the pass rush of Tennessee. They probably smell blood now.

Badger senior QB Tyler Donovan took a shot to the head as he dove into the end zone for Wisconsin's only touchdown so far. Head coach Bret Bielema wasn't pleased, as no penalty was called (hard to say whether a call was justified after viewing replays). Donovan was dinged up, but appeared to pass the "concussion test" - or whatever they call it - on the sideline. He didn't miss a play.

Tennessee brought some serious heat throughout much of the first quarter, hitting Donovan numerous times and forcing him to rush his throws.

In the second quarter, Donovan slid awkwardly on a scramble, then took another shot to the upper body. It looked like he injured his knee. His return looked to be up in the air at best, though he was smiling on the sideline and he had the look of a player who was going back into the game. Yet after Tennessee scored to take a 21-7 lead in the game, Donovan jumped off the bench and ran back out to take over the offense once again.

On his second play back, Donovan completed a pass to tight end Garrett Graham, and he took another late hit. This one led to a flag and a 15-yard markoff against Tennessee.

Donovan's average arm and small stature probably prohibit him from having much of an NFL future as a quarterback. However, there is no question Donovan has great leadership skills, a huge heart, and that he is an incredibly tough competitor.

Badgers' QB Donovan Roughed Up originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Badgers, Volunteers Looking Rusty

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, SEC

If there was ever an argument against having a layoff ranging from a month to six weeks before bowl games are played, this is it.

I mean, if NFL teams are worried about their star players getting out of rhythm after a week or two off, how do you expect less mature and less experienced college athletes to handle up to six weeks off?

Neither Wisconsin nor Tennessee look particularly sharp, with turnovers and penalties joining general lapses in concentration in ruling the day thus far. A Wisconsin fumble on their third offensive play took away a chance to score early, and it led to the Volunteers taking an early 7-0 lead. Later, after Wisconsin drove down to tie the game, Tennessee tried a trick play deep in Wisconsin territory, but fumbled the ball away to the Badgers, blowing a chance to take the lead back.

As of this writing, the Volunteers have a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Wisconsin's early fumble led to the Volunteers' first score. Erik Ainge just threw a touchdown pass to give Tennessee the lead again.

It's not pretty so far, but give the edge in play to Tennessee. They look a bit sharper on offense, though that isn't saying much.

Badgers, Volunteers Looking Rusty originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Badgers Starting Freshman RB in Bowl

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries

Starting Tuesday's New Year's Day bowl bonanza (not the bonanza it used to be, but it still qualifies as one) will be the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. SEC powerhouse Tennessee meets Wisconsin of the Big Ten at Raymond James Stadium, which serves as home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Even though Tennessee and Wisconsin have both been pretty consistent over the last 15 years or so, this will mark their first meeting since the 1981 Garden State Bowl (won by Tennessee, 28-21), and just their second meeting in history. The SEC and Big Ten have hooked up for many a bowl game in recent years, but none pairing these two.

Even though the fanbases have the reputation for being rather rabid, Tennessee failed to sell out their allotment of tickets for this game.

The big story to come out of the pregame coverage is the change Wisconsin has made in their starting offensive backfield. You might remember that sophomore P.J. Hill, who ran for 1,500 yards as a freshman in 2006, was injured and unavailable down the stretch for Wisconsin, appearing only briefly in the win over Minnesota November 17. When he did that, it began to look like he would return to the starting job in time for the Badgers' bowl game.

However, something else happened in that win over Minnesota, and as a result, it appears Hill has lost his starting job, at least for now.That "something" was the performance of freshman Zach Brown. Brown seized the opportunity to start at Minnesota (Hill was still dinged up, and Lance Smith was barred from traveling on regular-season road trips because he got mad over cab fare), and he ran for 250 yards and two scores on 29 carries. That, combined with his 100-yard effort the week before against Michigan (he was platooning with Smith in that game), seems to have propelled Brown into "alpha dog" status in the Wisconsin backfield.

The youngster has been revealed to be Tuesday's starter for Wisconsin, with Hill and Smith following him on the depth chart. Is this a potentially permanent move? I honestly don't know. However, it stands to reason that Hill's propensity for getting hurt has become a cause for frustration among the Badger coaches, and it is also possible that Hill is better served being a complimentary back in Wisconsin's offense. Brown's combined speed and power are an element that can't be brought by Hill, a bigger back who has good feet and is very strong, but just doesn't have that second gear.

If you're looking for a sign that Brown is the guy for 2008, watch how head coach Bret Bielema and his offensive staff use Brown, Hill, and Smith in the game Tuesday. Hill and Smith will both be juniors next year, with Hill technically eligible to enter the NFL Draft in April should he (stupidly) choose to do so (he is a redshirt sophomore, meaning he is completing his third year out of high school). Brown is a true freshman, while Smith is a "true" sophomore. If they get the bulk of the work in a close game, it means Hill is probably being phased out. If Hill sees action as a short-yardage and change-of-pace back, it may be a more positive sign for him.

As much as I like Hill, it's maddening to deal with his injuries, and he is simply not fast enough to create his own plays when the blocking breaks down. He's not a perimeter back, and he hasn't flashed much as a receiver. Brown has much more upside as an every-down back, and he also flashes more ability as an all-purpose player.

Not only that, but I think he's a better matchup for the Tennessee defense. That bodes well for Wisconsin's chances on Tuesday.

Badgers Starting Freshman RB in Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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6 Vols Ineligible for Outback Bowl

Ryan Ferguson — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Scandal

6 Vols, including three starters, will be unavailable for the Outback Bowl game against Wisconsin due to academic ineligibility. The starters sidelined are WR Lucas Taylor, DT Demonte Bolden and LB Rico McCoy.

Why? Nope, not cheating. FSU's got the "academic scandal" angle all wrapped up.

Tennessee's at less than full strength due to sheer laziness on the parts of the players.

Whaddup, Phil Fulmer?

"We have every resource available through our academic center for academic success by our athletes in all of our sports," he said in a statement released by the sports information office. "In most of these cases, it was simply the student-athlete not being accountable and doing their work."

So there you have it. Lucas Taylor is the Vols' best receiver, with 73 receptions and 5 TDs; but the biggest loss might be Rico McCoy, who is the team's second-leading tackler.

First they lose Coach Cut, now this. Tennessee's going to have their hands full against Bret Bielema and his Badgers.

6 Vols Ineligible for Outback Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tennessee's Offensive Braintrust Says Seeya

Brian Cook — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching

Erik Ainge says goodbye, too.

After the Florida game Phil Fulmer looked as fired as a coach can be, but unlike Bill Callahan he managed to pull the Vols out of their tailspin and drive them into the SEC Championship Game. Job: secure. Coaching staff? Not so much. David Cutcliffe, renowned far and wide as an offensive architect par excellence, took the Duke job.

Okay, well there's still Trooper Taylor, Cutcliffe's right hand man at UT and reportedly a demon recruiter.
Except now there isn't:

Trooper Taylor told the News Sentinel on Wednesday he is leaving Tennessee to take a co-offensive coordinator position at Oklahoma State.

This is displeasing to Rocky Top Talk, which put together an impressive case for the internal hire. Evidently UT has higher hopes for Cutcliffe's replacement.

What's the deal with "co-offensive coordinators"? That seems guaranteed to end in disaster, though admittely not as guaranteed as doing anything whatsoever at Baylor, another place he was considering the OC job at.
That would undoubtedly see him unemployed four years from now and trying to scrabble his way to a place at SMU or something. Kind of like Cutcliffe's probable future.

Tennessee's Offensive Braintrust Says Seeya originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Spurrier, Philanthropist

Andy Katzer — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:49:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, SEC, South Carolina Football, NCAA FB Coaching, Mississippi State Football

The whole football coaching thing is working out pretty well for Steve Spurrier, but if he ever needs a career change, the OBC may want to look into being a high school counselor or motivational speaker. The recent hiring of David Cutcliffe at Duke was tangentially tied to Spurrier, who supposedly advised Duke on their coaching hire when he met with officials there a few weeks ago. Spurrier also offered some words of encouragement to Coach Cut: "If anyone can [turn Duke's program around], you can." Hey, you can't spell "Chicken Soup for the Revitalized Coordinator's Soul" without S-P-U-R-R-I-E-R.

When he's not getting people new jobs, the OBC is getting them more money. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster got a nice raise after being offered the same post at South Carolina, and Sylvester Croom is looking for more cash to spread around his coaching staff at Mississippi State now that Ellis Johnson is said to be the leading candidate for the post. Spurrier is reportedly going to give his new defensive coordinator much more than the $195,000 Tyrone Nix made doing the job last year. Nix himself got about a $100,000 raise for leaving Spurrier's staff and joining Houston Nutt at Ole Miss. For the record, Gamecock fans weren't too upset about Nix's departure, more evidence of how Spurrier's keeping everybody happy these days.

Steve Spurrier, Philanthropist originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgia Fans Deliriously Happy that Cutcliffe is Leaving Vols for Duke

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:14:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, Tennessee Football, ACC, SEC, NCAA FB Fans, NCAA FB Coaching, Duke Football

David Cutcliffe to Duke is good news for the Blue Devils and bad news for the Vols. Cutcliffe's arrival coincided with a resurgence in the Vols' formerly stagnant offense. As quarterback coach, he turned the mercurial Erik Ainge into a steady performer and notched his NFL draft hopes up from 'hopeless' to 1st or 2nd round.

So why is it also good news for Georgia fans? Georgia Sports Blog explains:

Phil Fulmer's record vs. Georgia when he doesn't have David Cutcliffe on staff is 2-5. However, Fulmer and Cutcliffe together have produced a staggering record of 9-0 against the Dawgs.

If he should accept the position at Duke, no one will be happier than [defensive coordinator] Willie Martinez. Hell, Willie could've provided a reference for the guy.

Losing to Tennessee this past season likely cost the Dawgs their shot at an SEC title, not to mention a national championship berth. So, uh... congrats, Georgia. And Duke.

Georgia Fans Deliriously Happy that Cutcliffe is Leaving Vols for Duke originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auburn Finds Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee May Be Looking for One

Andy Katzer — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn Football, Tennessee Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching

It didn't take long for Tommy Tuberville to find a replacement for departed offensive coordinator Al Borges. On Wednesday night, just a day after Borges handed in his resignation, Auburn announced former Troy Trojans of Troy (they're from Troy) OC Tony Franklin will be calling plays as early as the Chik-Fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve. The one-day turnaround is pretty quick -- unless you live in Bobby Petrino's world, in which it's an eternity. And since I couldn't get through an SEC coaching post without the obligatory Petrino reference, it's worth pointing out that Franklin is Auburn's sixth offensive coordinator since 2000, a list that includes Noel Mazzone, Petrino, Hugh Nall/Steve Emsfinger, and of course Borges.

In his first two years at Auburn, Borges had the Tigers' offense in the top two of nearly every statistical category in the SEC. Over the last two years, however, Auburn has finished in the bottom half of the conference in nearly all of those same categories. Meanwhile, Franklin's Troy team finished in the top 25 nationally in many offensive rankings this year, including total yards and scoring.

Also consider that Troy and Auburn had three common opponents in 2007: Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia (and all on the road). With considerably less talent, Troy put up more yards and more points than Auburn in each one of those games, and had a better yards/play average in all games except against Florida (and it was close -- AU averaged 4.7/play against the Gators, Troy had 4.3).Franklin runs a spread offense, and while those words make fans all warm and tingly, it's even better news for Auburn that they already have a quarterback to run it, freshman Kodi Burns. If Franklin's success at Troy translates to the SEC, forget about Les Miles, Houston Nutt, and Petrino, this could be the biggest offseason coaching move in the conference.

Another big coaching move could be in the works at Tennessee, considering David Cutcliffe interviewed for the Duke job on Wednesday. Now news yet on whether Cutcliffe will be offered that position, or if even he'd take it, so any names mentioned as possible new OCs in Knoxville are way premature. But still, should Cutcliffe go to Durham, expect Borges' name to come up at UT. It's a safe enough hire for Phil Fulmer to feel confident in, and a big enough name to keep many Vol fans happy.

Auburn Finds Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee May Be Looking for One originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week In Schadenfreude: The Continuing Malaise of the Mountaineer

Brian Cook — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:11:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, UCLA Football, West Virginia Football, Missouri Football

scha·den·freu·de /???dn?fr??d?/
-noun

satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

[Origin: 1890-95; < G, equiv. to Schaden harm + Freude joy]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, (C) Random House, Inc. 2006.

On This Week In Schadenfreude we explore the sputtering rage, gibbering condemnation, and resigned ennui of the college football fan who has recently undergone humiliating defeat. Because even in your darkest hour, someone else is suffering too, and probably worse than you. Unless you are a Michigan fan who has just finished watching the Appalachian State game.

Last week on TWIS, we noted that LSU "lost its shot" at a national championship by dropping a triple OT game against Arkansas, because everyone knew that West Virginia was going to pound Pitt. The Mountaineers were four touchdown favorites. One Pat White injury and three turnovers later, LSU is back in the national championship game and West Virginia fans have a decision to make: self-immolation on the 50 yard line or on the university president's lawn?

Yes, West Virginia takes this week's Tears of Unfathomable Sadness, and many of the tears can be found right here at the Fanhouse, on Brian Stouffer's post. A winning entry:

This was the last straw. I am a 1984 grad of WVu and grew up 15 minutes from Morgantown in Preston County. I will never cheer for the Mountaineers again. Not ever. I hope they lose every freeking game they ever play from now on.

This guy has an idea how to make his newfound desire a reality that's almost as stellar as his WVU education. That, and the week in spleen, after the jump.

Right, the idea:

By the way, coach Rod-- your offense has been figured out. Try something new. Like go to Michigan and join your old friend John Beilein.

Um .. yes, please. I mean, no offense to Gerry DiNardo, Salvador Dali, and the rest of Michigan's stellar options in the wake of the Miles implosion, but that would be okay by me.

BIG TEN

The Big Ten is done, but check this space in January for a rundown of their horrible bowl losses.

PAC 10

Should this entry be for UCLA or USC? As the picture above indicates, another UCLA loss and the presumptive end of the Karl Dorrell Era is probably a worse day for Trojans than Bruins, though Trojan fans have that whole "Pac-10 champs going to the Rose Bowl thing" to salve their wounds.

UCLA? Not so much. Even the basketball team isn't helping matters: they dropped a game to Texas. But there's hope in Westwood once again. Hope and pictures of Karl Dorrell in an enormous sombrero.

SEC

LSU got what they wanted both on and off the field. Tennessee, not so much, but there's little in the way of "Fire Phil" sentiment hanging aroud these days; UT fans are a little disappointed but seem mostly content:

We knew before the game that LSU was the better team, and it should be no great surprise that they won.

Nothing to see here. Except maybe this:

What is it? I don't know. I don't care, either.

BIG EAST

The only other Big East game this week was Rutgers-Louisville, a battle between two disappointing teams no one had much riding on by this point in the season, so we'll stick with the WVU meltdown above.

BIG TWELVE

Missouri got the full-on Kansas State treatment this year, dropping from a spot in the national championship game all the way to the Cotton Bowl by losing in the Big 12 championship game.

You might imagine that Kansas getting in with their weak-ass schedule and uncompetitive loss to Missouri is a serious opportunity to be pissed off, and you would be right. Tigerboard.com is aflame with calls to fire the AD (though to be fair, everyone thinks that guy is an idiot) and rampant KU-bashing.

One Jayhawk fan tries to make peace, calling on Mizzou fans to focus their anger on the BCS's two-teams-per-conference rule:

Kansas deserved a BCS Bowl. Mizzou deserved a BCS Bowl. Oklahoma deserved a BCS Bowl. All are ranked in the top 8 in the BCS. All should be playing in a BCS game. Kansas didn't "take your spot" the stupid rule "took your spot."

This is met with a torrent of disapproval; the best riposte for sheer comedy value:

Suck it, segregationist (nm)

If nothing else, this year has provided us our first real look at the biggest little rivalry in America. You have to love grudges borne of Civil-War-era massacres.

ACC

I guess BC lost, but anyone who saw their earlier matchup against Virginia Tech could see that coming. No, let's focus on someone else ...

The Gateway Conference (!)

Hey, Iowa State fans! Remember losing to Northern Iowa in September? (And, hey, Iowa fans, remember losing to Iowa State like the week after?) Well, you may be pleased to know that I-AA #1 Northern Iowa lost to Delaware last weekend.

Some members of Panther City-State are not amused:

Farley and his O-cord are like impetous kids. "I want a touchdown, and I want it now"!

The most dominating position on this years team is the O-line. Why Farley didn't trust them is beyond me.

Just goes to show you that wherever you are and whoever you're rooting for, there's always a That Guy around. There is one difference: at UNI, having a "That Guy" can be seen as a form of accomplishment:

My University is growing up.

We now have enough fanatics that love their football program so much that they can criticize the decisions made in a game. I say Hooray! We have made it!

In 20 years, when the Northern Louisiana State coach refuses to return home to lead you to glory, or at least the occasional win over Northern Ohio State, you'll be sorry.

Programming note: with college football season at its end, TWIS shuffles off the mortal coil for a bit. Watch for a post-bowls edition in early January.

This Week In Schadenfreude: The Continuing Malaise of the Mountaineer originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Successful Year For SEC? 3 Teams Finish in Top 10

Ryan Ferguson — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:41:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn Football, Florida Football, Georgia Football, LSU Football, Tennessee Football, SEC, BCS, Arkansas Football

The regular season is complete and the SEC has represented itself well on the national scale.

The AP Poll is out: 6 SEC teams finish in the Top 25. Two finish in the Top 5, a third in the Top 10, and Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas came in with Top 25 honors.

1. Ohio State (50) 11-1 1,578

2. LSU (11) 11-2 1,519

3. Oklahoma (1) 11-2 1,423

4. Georgia (1) 10-2 1,421

5. Virginia Tech (1) 11-2 1,380

6. USC 10-2 1,346

7. Missouri 11-2 1,195

8. Kansas 11-1 1,164

9. Florida 9-3 1,071

10. Hawaii (1) 12-0 1,050

11. West Virginia 10-2 1,040

12. Arizona State 10-2 939

13. Illinois 9-3 797

14. Boston College 10-3 668

15. Clemson 9-3 614

16. Tennessee 9-4 554

17. Texas 9-3 517

18. Wisconsin 9-3 447

19. Brigham Young 10-2 439

20. Cincinnati 9-3 394

21. Virginia 9-3 344

22. Auburn 8-4 264

23. South Florida 9-3 246

24. Boise State 10-2 221

25. Arkansas 8-4 173

A successful year? It's looking that way; LSU has leapfrogged Georgia, as many expected, back into their familiar stomping grounds in the Top 2. Georgia, meanwhile, will likely be Sugar Bowl-bound should the BCS Rankings shake out the way that the AP Poll did. Most of these Southeastern Conference teams will play in January.

I'd say that's a darn good year for our lil' old southern-fried football conference.

Successful Year For SEC? 3 Teams Finish in Top 10 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LSU Is Your 2007 SEC Champion

Ryan Ferguson — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:03:00 EST

Filed under: LSU Football, Tennessee Football, SEC

They were picked pre-season to win the conference and maybe win it all.

The big prize is almost certainly out of reach, but they did okay. At the end of the day, they damn sure did okay.

Talk about odds stacking up against you if you're LSU: after a week of intense rumormongering, your coach is forced to hold an emergency press conference addressing his job status just two hours prior to the game. Your senior quarterback, who despite lacking flash has been a steady producer, is out with a tweaked shoulder. Your All-American defensive tackle, Glenn Dorsey, is out with a bruised tailbone. Then your backup quarterback rips a finger open on his throwing hand, and no one can stop the bleeding (Perilloux would need stitches after the game.) To add insult to injury you lose your best wide receiver (Early Doucet) in the third quarter when you're down a point.

Tennessee comes into the game playing their best football of the last few years. They bring their own NFL-caliber senior quarterback in Erik Ainge. And sneak in with a chip on their shoulder, unheralded and written off before the first snap.

Pretty good setup for a fall, but it didn't happen.

Instead, LSU's defense dug in the game became a ball-control and defensive struggle. Erik Ainge had a night he'd like to forget, playing reasonably well in the first half, but throwing two interceptions late which sealed the Vols' fate.

Final: 21-14.

Les Miles is already campaigning for a title bid.

"Anybody who saw this game would say that this is arguably the finest team in the country," said the Tigers' head coach.

And maybe that's not such a crazy idea after all. As of 10:00PM ET, West Virginia -- shockingly -- trails Pitt, 10-7 in Morgantown. If Mizzou loses to Oklahoma (that game is currently tied at 14-14 at the half), LSU might, just might be able to put one of their pre-season goals back on the board.

Why would one expect anything different in college football's strangest season?

LSU Is Your 2007 SEC Champion originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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