By Dark Horse Sports
The Jets travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans in the best match-up of the week, and surprisingly so. Honestly, at the beginning of the year, did you think these two teams would be where they are today? No way.
Tennessee continues to amaze. We, like many, have picked against Tennessee much of the year. They have to lose sometime, don’t they? It turns out, no, they don’t have to lose if they continue to play consistent, good, hard-hitting, safe football.
Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) has outscored opponents 171-23 in the first half this year, trailing for just 1 minute and 15 seconds this season, and it’s good thing for Tide fans or their crew may have lost each of their last 2 games. Coach Nick Saban’s (14-6 in 2nd year at Tuscaloosa) offense managed a total of just 3 second half points in narrow home victories over Kentucky (17-14) and Mississippi (24-20) amassing just a combined 30 first downs over the two week stretch. 6’2” 211 John Parker Wilson (92 of 152 for 1072 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT) runs the show, this year surpassing Brodie Croyle’s team career marks for completions (579), passing TD (45), and passing yards (6723). 6’4” 210 freshman WR Julio Jones (23 for 341 yards and 4 TD) is the favorite target of JPW so far alongside of junior Mike McCoy (10 for 142 and TD) and freshman Marquis Maze (8 for 76 and TD) but keep your eye out for #88 Nick Walker. The 6’5” 255 senior tight end (20 for 208 and 2 TD) was the reliable target last week with 5 grabs including a key 40-yarder. The Crimson Tide offensive line hasn’t been particularly good in pass protection, allowing 12 sacks in about 70 drop-backs but they have dominated in the run game. The upperclassmen wall of LT Andre Smith, LG Mike Johnson, C Antoine Caldwell, RG Marlon Davis, and RT Drew Davis have mixed and matched is an ever-changing line but have consistently owned the line of scrimmage throughout with 209.3 rush yards per game at 5.1 yards per carry. 6’1” 198 junior RB Glenn Coffee (108 for 760 and 5 TD) leads the ground attack and has demonstrated NFL-caliber explosion with TD runs of 87 and 78 yards under his belt already. 5’10” 215 freshman RB Mark Ingram (78 for 419 and 6 TD) brings the power and is the player to key at the goal line. Overall, first-year Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain’s squad has piled up 32.3 points per game on 371.1 yards while holding possession for 32:44 minutes per contest.
As productive as Bama’s offense has been this season, their defense may be better under the leadership of Cody, McClain, Woodall, and Arenas. First of all, you just can run on the Tide with 66.1 yards per game allowed on 2.7 yards per carry. 6’5” 365 junior NT Terrence Cody (15 T, 3 ½ TFL, FF, FR) is an absolute beast in the middle of Saban’s 3-4 alignment, crushing the point of attack an surrendering just a single rushing score through 7 games, book-ended by 6’5” 278 senior LE Bobby Greenwood (15 T, 2 TFL, S) and 6’4” 287 junior RE Brandon Deaderick (14 T, 2 S). These guys don’t rack up a pile of sacks but they were unmovable against some of the best like Clemson (0 net rushing yards), Georgia (50 yards), and Kentucky (35 yards). Making the hits behind the wall are SAM Cody Reamer (19 T, 4 ½ TFL, S, FF), WILL Dont’a Hightower (30 T, FR), JACK Brandon Fanney (28 T, 5 ½ TFL), and 6’4” 249 sophomore MLB Rolando McClain (3 ½ TFL, FR) who packs one heck of a wallop and leads Alabama in tackles with 48. Get past the front 7 and you have a couple of serious play-makers to deal with that can take your mistakes to the house. 6’2” 200 junior SS Justin Woodall (24 T, 4 INT, TFL, 2 FF) has the NFL scouts breathing heavy with his size, 10 passes defensed, 6 passes broken up, and a 74 pick return for touchdown. 5’9” 198 junior LCB Javier Arenas (30 T, INT, S) has not only returned his interception for a 63-yard score, he also averages 25.9 yards per kick return and 15.9 yards per punt return including an 87-yard trip to the bank. FS Rashad Johnson and RCB Kareem Jackson have also snagged interceptions as have nickel and dime backs Chris Rogers and Marquis Johnson. Alabama is very young with16 true plus 7 red shirt freshmen getting playing time in 2008 and a NCAA-lowest 9 scholarship seniors on the roster so we will be very interested to see how they hold up under the pressure of a National Championship homestretch chase.
Tennessee (3-4, 1-3 SEC) is coming off their best game of the season, a dominating 34-3 effort over Mississippi State last Saturday at Neyland Stadium, in which they held the Bulldogs to just 69 rush yards on 30 carries while racking 3 turnovers and committing only a single penalty. Much has changed for the Volunteers on offense and special teams since the beginning of the year but Coach Phil Fulmer’s (150-49 in 17 season at Knoxville) crew is about defense so let’s start there. The stopper numbers are pretty impressive with 16.0 points on 276.0 yards (95.7 rush, 171.3 pass) allowed per game with 14 sacks and a national-best 14 interceptions and some individual performances really stand out. LDE Wes Brown (22 T, 3 TFL, 1 ½ S) has been solid opposite of explosive 6’3” senior RDE Robert Ayers (25 T, 8 TFL, INT, S) who is closing in on the 12 tackles for loss he registered in 2007. Walter Fisher (14 T, S) and Demonte Bolden (18 T, 3 TFL) have both benefited by rotating at LDT while 6’3” 310 Big Daddy Dan Williams (30 T, 6 ½ TFL) has held the point for just 2.8 yards per rush allowed while showing a remarkable ability to split the gaps. At backer, 5’10” 225 senior MLB MLB Ellix Wilson (56 T, 4 ½ TFL, S, INT) leads the SEC in tackles per game at 9.3 and leads the small but speedy group filled out by 6’1” 215 junior WLB Rico McCoy (36 T, S) and 6’2” 215 senior SLB Nevin McKenzie (27 T, 5 TFL, 3 S, INT). Wilson is one heck of a player to watch on the field but at what position can the NFL employ him? Seven different Volunteers have bagged picks this season including each member of a defense backfield who’s starters have racked 11 by themselves. Cornerbacks 6’0” 200 senior DeAngelo Willingham (26 T, TFL) has three and 5’10” Dennis Rogan adds another in addition to averaging 25.9 yards per kick return. 6’2” 195 FS Demetrice Morley (2 T, TFL) adds a pair but the kid everybody has their eyes on is SEC Defensive Player of the Week 5’11” 195 sophomore SS Eric Berry (44 T, 5 INT, 4 ½ TFL, 2 S). Berry has pocketed interceptions in each of his last 3 games, has a 72-yard pick for TD and a 96-yard pick for TD this season, and his 397 career interception return yards are just 122 short of the NCAA record set by Terrell Buckley. Keep in mind, this kid is just a sophomore and unlike Buckley he loves to hit!
Tennessee’s offense has undergone changes as the year has progressed and the results have been positive. 6’1” 215 senior RB Arion Foster (79 for 381 yards and 0 TD) began the season just 684 rush yard short of the career school record but after piling up 196 yards on 25 carries in his first two games, Foster has lacked spark with just185 yards on 54 carries over his last 5 games. This has opened an opportunity for change of pace and red zone back 6’0” 210 junior Montario Hardesty (53 for 199 and 5 TD) to get key carries while 6’1” 210 sophomore Lennon Creer (32 for 186 and 3 TD) was the primary ball carrier against Mississippi State with 17 rushes for 68 yards and a score. Foster will get his 25th consecutive start this week but it looks like Fulmer may have moved on to Creer as the man. After poor offensive production early in the season, Jonathan Crompton (64 of 123 for 658 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) lost his starting job at the trigger to 6’4” 215 sophomore QB Nick Stephens (34 of 69 for 542 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT). The completion percentage does not impress but Stephens has certainly stretched the field with 8 of 34 completions of 20+ yards through his first 3 starts. The key targets have also changed. Seniors Lucas Taylor (21 for 269 and TD) and Gerald Jones (19 for 251 and 3 TD) were Crompton’s guys and still get the majority of throws but the addition of the deep ball has been keyed by the Stephens to 6’1” 185 sophomore WR Denarius Moore (7 for 195 and TD) connection. In each of Stephens’ starts, Moore made a big play with catches of 45, 52, and 60 yards. Special teams has been a headache much of the season for Coach Fulmer – almost entirely due to his five game suspension of senior P Britton Colquitt to start the year. 2 blocked punts and 2 punts returned for touchdowns were the result (as well as screwing this very talented kid’s head back on straight). Since his return, Colquitt has averaged a whopping 46.4 yards per punt and a Tennessee weakness is again one of their strengths.
FREE SELECTION: “The Third Saturday in October” is the traditional meeting of these schools and Coach Fulmer has a decisive edge over ‘Bama at 11-4 in his tenure. The Tide fans aren’t going to be happy about this but we have concerns this week for their Crimson. First, their offensive struggles in the second half each of the last 2 weeks when the Volunteers have outscored the opposition 88-42 this year. Second is their youth and depth. Third is laying big points on the road in a conference as tough as the SEC – especially against a noticeably improved team. Take Tennessee + 6 ½ at Neyland Stadium
By Totals 4 U
Tennessee (1-2, 0-1 SEC) out-gained the Gators on offense last Saturday at Neyland Stadium, but were still stomped 6-30 largely due to 3 critical turnovers, including a pair inside Florida’s 5-yard line, plus a surrendered 78-yard punt return touchdown. Dean of SEC Coaches Phil Fulmer (148-47) has seen too much to panic and has some facets of the Volunteers game to be excited about. On defense, the experienced line of starters 6’4” 265 LDE Wes Brown (9 T, TFL), 6’6” 290 LDT Demonte Bolden (7 T, 2 TFL), 6’3” 310 RDT Dan Williams (10 T, 2 ½ TFL), and 6’3” 270 RDE Robert Ayers (5 T, 2 ½ TFL) plus versatile backup 6’3” 275 Walter Fischer (7 T, S) have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season (10 in 2007), holding opponents to 94.7 yards per game at just 3.0 yards per carry and just a single rushing score. The pressure they bring hasn’t shown up in sack numbers yet but it has been key to producing 7 picks. Tennessee has always favored quickness over size at the linebacker position with 5’10” 225 senior Ellix Wilson (25 T, 3 ½ TFL, S, INT) the best of the current crop but it is the defensive backs that stand out for us. The crew of 6’2” 195 junior FS Demetrice Morley (11 T, TFL, INT), 5’11” 195 sophomore SS Eric Berry (18 T, S, 2 INT), 6’0” 200 senior LCB DeAngelo Willingham (10 T, TFL, 2 INT), and 5’10” 185 sophomore RCB Dennis Rogan (12 T, 26.9 kick return, 8.4 punt return) lead the deepest and most talented group that the Volunteers have fielded in many years. Offensive Coordinator Dave Clawson’s squad is also plenty talented and it all starts up front. The wall of Scott, Parker, McNeil, McClendon, and Foster (average 6’4” and 307 pounds) have combined for 102 career starts and plough holes for 179.7 rush yards per game at a brisk 5.1 yard clip and 6 scores on the ground while being tagged with just 2 sacks through 3 games. 6’1” 215 senior RB Arian Foster (39 for 233 yards rushing, 7 for 53 receiving) is the prime beneficiary while 6’0” 210 RB Montario Hardesty (24 for 109 and 3 TD) handles the goal and short-yardage work plus 6’1” 210 sophomore Lennon Creer (9 for 97 and 2 TD) has displayed explosive ability. So far, first year starter at the trigger 6’4” 220 junior QB Jonathan Crompton (56 of 100 for 591 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) hasn’t be phenomenal but has shown some ability outside the pocket and has connected with 8 different Volunteers in each game led by receivers Lucas Taylor (14 for 193 yards) and Gerald Jones (12 for 119 and 2 TD). Don’t let sophomore K Daniel Lincoln’s 1 of 4 field goal mark. A pair of those misses were from 50+ and he hit 21 of 29 in 2007.