As always, I won't be doing write ups on everything. There's just no time for it but I will when I can which may be less often this year. Feel free to post some good angles or info on games. My plays usually range from 1 unit to 5 units.
8/31
1st play - coming out of the gate with a big one
TENNESSEE VOLS -3 -115 4 units
I made my usual trips to different spring practices this year & caught a few this summer. There is no team that improved more than Tennessee. I feel like I have a good handle on them as I went to several practices and sat in on meetings. This is the most talented Tennessee team I've seen in at least 10 years. They feel like they have alot to prove and they do. Injuries killed this team that had no depth last year. LB Herman Lathers missed the entire season, the team's best player Justin Hunter went down in the 3rd game, & Tyler Bray broke his thumb in the 5th game. UT started a true freshmen, Worley, at QB for the majority of those games and Bray was never the same after returning for the final 2. UT had 10 starters coming back on offense before the SEC's leading WR Da'Rick Rogers was booted for failing multiple drug tests. The absence of Rogers will hurt a little but he has been a cancer and they have had a contingency plan for playing without him all along. That's why they went out and got the number 1 JUCO WR Cordarelle Patterson. The coaches feel he has all the tools and has learned the offense quickly. NC ST does sport an impressive secondary. They are one of the most dangerous secondaries in the country. Last season, NC St led the NCAA with 27 interceptions, including All-American junior David Amerson, who had 13 picks. With the top 3 WRs for UT at 6'3" 200lbs or better and running in the 4.4s along with Rivera at TE (ranked 3rd in the SEC in receptions and yardage among TEs), they will be facing a different animal. HUnter is easily the best of them. According to ESPN's Chris Low: "Had it not been for the injury, the general feeling around the SEC is that the 6-4, 200-pound Hunter would have emerged as perhaps the most feared big-play threat in the league last season." Hunter is also a 7'2" high jumper to boot.
The most impressive improvement on offense though has been in the running game. Neither team did well running the football last season but the Vols made this their priority in spring practice and summer camp. I've never seen an OC smile as much as Jim Chaney after summer camp. He knows he has some serious firepower. THe young offensive line is now a little older, bigger, and stronger averaging 319 lbs. Tailback Rijon Neal has all the tools to be a great SEC back but had fumblitis in the past. He went all spring & summer without fumbling. IN 2011, NC State recorded 40 sacks but UT's offensive line only gave up 18 while playing the nation's best defenses in LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, & Georgia. NC State suffered a big losses at linebacker which I think is key to this game. Audie Cole & Terrell Manning both opted for the NFL. Cole led the team in tackles with 108. I believe the Vols will move the ball on the ground.
The big improvement on defense came on the defensive line. TN has changed over from the 4-3 to DC Sal Sunseri's 3-4. The 3 starting defensive linemen check in at 970 lbs headed by JUCO stud Daniel McCullers at 6'7" 377. However, the best unit on the defense is the LBers which may turn out to be the best in the SEC this year. Heart and soul Herman Lathers is back after missing 2011 calling the defense but last years stud freshmen Curt Maggit and freshman All-American AJ Johnson will be the two to watch after a year of experience. It will be a tall task to run on this unit. Last season NC St QB Mike Glennon threw for over 3000 yds and completed over 62% of his passes. However, His big weakness is his ability to escape the pass rush. He was sacked 32 times last year. 4 year starter and 2nd team all SECer Prentiss Wagner at 6'2' will be solid at right corner and 2nd team freshman All-American Brian Randolph will be slober knocking at free safety.
I had a few more things to say about NC St but I'm running out of time and this is too long already but inexperience, injuries, youth, and depth have been the key issues for Tennessee the last 2 seasons but not so much now. Having to play so many young guys will prove to be huge this season as these kids are all sophomores and juniors. Also, let's not forget a weaker UT team blew out BCS team Cincinnati while at full strength and without their best players were tied with Georgia and Alabama at the half, was down by 4 to South Carolina at the half, & 10 to LSU at the half. From what I've seen, I expect Tennessee to pound the ball early and let Bray get comfortable before setting up playaction. Justin Hunter will haul in some big plays and the vols will win the battles at the line of scrimmage. The Vol defense can adjust to their new scheme they will shut down the NC St run game and force NC st to throw leading to turnovers. I fully expect them to win by a TD or more.
I have to get on the road. Good luck.
8/31
1st play - coming out of the gate with a big one
TENNESSEE VOLS -3 -115 4 units
I made my usual trips to different spring practices this year & caught a few this summer. There is no team that improved more than Tennessee. I feel like I have a good handle on them as I went to several practices and sat in on meetings. This is the most talented Tennessee team I've seen in at least 10 years. They feel like they have alot to prove and they do. Injuries killed this team that had no depth last year. LB Herman Lathers missed the entire season, the team's best player Justin Hunter went down in the 3rd game, & Tyler Bray broke his thumb in the 5th game. UT started a true freshmen, Worley, at QB for the majority of those games and Bray was never the same after returning for the final 2. UT had 10 starters coming back on offense before the SEC's leading WR Da'Rick Rogers was booted for failing multiple drug tests. The absence of Rogers will hurt a little but he has been a cancer and they have had a contingency plan for playing without him all along. That's why they went out and got the number 1 JUCO WR Cordarelle Patterson. The coaches feel he has all the tools and has learned the offense quickly. NC ST does sport an impressive secondary. They are one of the most dangerous secondaries in the country. Last season, NC St led the NCAA with 27 interceptions, including All-American junior David Amerson, who had 13 picks. With the top 3 WRs for UT at 6'3" 200lbs or better and running in the 4.4s along with Rivera at TE (ranked 3rd in the SEC in receptions and yardage among TEs), they will be facing a different animal. HUnter is easily the best of them. According to ESPN's Chris Low: "Had it not been for the injury, the general feeling around the SEC is that the 6-4, 200-pound Hunter would have emerged as perhaps the most feared big-play threat in the league last season." Hunter is also a 7'2" high jumper to boot.
The most impressive improvement on offense though has been in the running game. Neither team did well running the football last season but the Vols made this their priority in spring practice and summer camp. I've never seen an OC smile as much as Jim Chaney after summer camp. He knows he has some serious firepower. THe young offensive line is now a little older, bigger, and stronger averaging 319 lbs. Tailback Rijon Neal has all the tools to be a great SEC back but had fumblitis in the past. He went all spring & summer without fumbling. IN 2011, NC State recorded 40 sacks but UT's offensive line only gave up 18 while playing the nation's best defenses in LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, & Georgia. NC State suffered a big losses at linebacker which I think is key to this game. Audie Cole & Terrell Manning both opted for the NFL. Cole led the team in tackles with 108. I believe the Vols will move the ball on the ground.
The big improvement on defense came on the defensive line. TN has changed over from the 4-3 to DC Sal Sunseri's 3-4. The 3 starting defensive linemen check in at 970 lbs headed by JUCO stud Daniel McCullers at 6'7" 377. However, the best unit on the defense is the LBers which may turn out to be the best in the SEC this year. Heart and soul Herman Lathers is back after missing 2011 calling the defense but last years stud freshmen Curt Maggit and freshman All-American AJ Johnson will be the two to watch after a year of experience. It will be a tall task to run on this unit. Last season NC St QB Mike Glennon threw for over 3000 yds and completed over 62% of his passes. However, His big weakness is his ability to escape the pass rush. He was sacked 32 times last year. 4 year starter and 2nd team all SECer Prentiss Wagner at 6'2' will be solid at right corner and 2nd team freshman All-American Brian Randolph will be slober knocking at free safety.
I had a few more things to say about NC St but I'm running out of time and this is too long already but inexperience, injuries, youth, and depth have been the key issues for Tennessee the last 2 seasons but not so much now. Having to play so many young guys will prove to be huge this season as these kids are all sophomores and juniors. Also, let's not forget a weaker UT team blew out BCS team Cincinnati while at full strength and without their best players were tied with Georgia and Alabama at the half, was down by 4 to South Carolina at the half, & 10 to LSU at the half. From what I've seen, I expect Tennessee to pound the ball early and let Bray get comfortable before setting up playaction. Justin Hunter will haul in some big plays and the vols will win the battles at the line of scrimmage. The Vol defense can adjust to their new scheme they will shut down the NC St run game and force NC st to throw leading to turnovers. I fully expect them to win by a TD or more.
I have to get on the road. Good luck.
