Tennessee
Tennessee

Tennessee Team Report

Updated: April 22, 2012 04:26 EST

Since arriving in Knoxville two years ago -- shortly after Lane Kiffin took the midnight train out of town for his dream job at Southern California -- Derek Dooley has seemingly been in one crisis after another.

If it wasn't former Kiffin assistant Ed Orgeron trying to recruit Volunteer players on school-issued cell phones as he followed his boss to Los Angeles, it was Kiffin-recruited players such as Janzen Jackson constantly running afoul of team rules and having to be jettisoned.

If it wasn't burning the redshirt of not-ready-for-prime-time quarterback Justin Worley with five games left in his freshman season last year, it was an embarrassing season-ending loss to Kentucky -- the Volunteers' first loss to the Wildcats since 1984 -- that kept them out of a bowl game.

Now in his third season, Dooley started spring practice with another distraction. Wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, who when healthy is Tennessee's top offensive threat, missed practices and was rumored to be transferring to FCS member Georgia State.

For a program badly in need of a feel-good spring, this wasn't the development it wanted. But Rogers returned to workouts on March 31, pledging his commitment to the team.

"No transfer for me, no consideration," he said. "I need to do a little bit better with my tweets and letting everybody know what is really going on. So next time it won't be misinterpreted."

What can't be misinterpreted is that the Vols must be better this year or Dooley won't be around for a fourth year. With a potentially explosive passing game and lots of experience in the defense's back seven, they should have their first winning season since 2009.

If not, Dooley might find himself in another crisis, one which might end his Tennessee tenure.

KEY QUESTIONS: With a veteran offensive line, the Vols should be able to have a balanced offense. Instead, they struggled to block air in 2011, averaging just 90 yards per game on the ground. While many 30th-row experts rushed to blame TB Tauren Poole, no running back alive could have gained yardage with that line fronting for them. That has to get better, as does the work of the D-line, which allowed opponents nearly 163 yards per game on the ground. It would also help if special teams made more game-changing plays, something which hasn't been a consistent feature of this program since the national championship season of 1998.

--The offseason was marked by numerous coaching staff changes, none bigger than the naming of Sal Sunseri to replace Justin Wilcox as defensive coordinator. Sunseri comes from Nick Saban's staff at Alabama, meaning the 3-4 defense is being installed this spring. Given the Volunteers' so-so depth in the line and a collection of solid players at linebacker and secondary, the 3-4 is probably the best thing for this team.

--Other new coaches are Sam Pittman (offensive line), Charlie Coiner (tight ends/special teams), John Palermo (defensive line) and Josh Conklin (safeties). Pittman comes from North Carolina, whose offense was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference last year at 6.3 yards per play. Coiner has extensive experience as a special teams coach in college and the NFL, while Palermo is a long-time assistant coach who helped Notre Dame win a national championship in 1988. Conklin was the defensive coordinator at The Citadel the last two years.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LB Jacques Smith -- One of the nation's top high school defensive ends, Smith is among the players whose roles are changing as Tennessee switches to a 3-4 defense. Smith will line up at outside linebacker, which perhaps gives him a chance to get a quicker run at the quarterback in passing situations. With the graduation of Malik Jackson, someone on this roster needs to show they can rush the QB and Smith might be that guy.

DT Darrington Sentimore -- A JUCO transfer who started his college career at Alabama, Sentimore is an early enrollee out of this year's recruiting class. That means he's in spring practice, which could give him an opportunity to get on the depth chart for the fall. A four-star recruit out of the same Louisiana high school which produced former Vol TE Chris Brown, Sentimore had seven sacks last year for Gulf Coast Community College.

TB Marlin Lane -- Big chance for Lane to prove he can get the first crack at being the team's main ballcarrier when the season starts Aug. 31. The sophomore rushed for 280 yards as Poole's main backup last year and had the team's longest run of 45 yards. If Lane proves he can hammer out tough yardage between the tackles and the offensive line can improve, Lane could give this team the running game it lacked in 2011.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was the Monday morning blues. Everybody in America has them. It was a great weekend and it's time to go to work Monday morning. You can't have Monday (off) and you wait until Tuesday to get going." -- Coach Derek Dooley after a lackluster practice April 2.

2012 OUTLOOK: It's only his third year, but there's a sense that this is somewhat of a make-or-break year for coach Derek Dooley after last season's 5-7 record. The ingredients are there for a better year with a potentially explosive offense, led by junior QB Tyler Bray and a duo of outstanding big-play receivers in Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter. The schedule seems to be friendly as well, giving the Volunteers a chance for an attention-grabbing win over N.C. State in the season opener on Aug. 31 and also presenting them with home games against Alabama, Florida, Missouri and Kentucky. The road schedule has two winnable games against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, along with East Division matchups against Georgia and South Carolina.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: For this unit to become two-dimensional, the line must be able to push people around instead of being pushed. Tennessee rushed for just over 90 yards per game last year, one of the worst figures into the country, and that inability to control the ball really showed after Bray was injured in an Oct. 8 loss to Georgia.

Bray owns 35 career TD passes despite starting just 12 career games, which leaves one to wonder just how much he could accomplish if he can stay upright for a whole season. With game-breaking receivers on each side of him, the potential is there for this team to light up scoreboards. All it needs is better work from the big eaters up front.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Just like with the offense, the key for improvement lies up front. The Vols permitted opponents to rush for more than 162 yards per game in 2011, largely because the line couldn't consistently hold its ground. New coordinator Sal Sunseri's installation of the 3-4 defense could lead to a more efficient stop unit because this team appears to be best at linebacker and in the secondary. The return of LB Herman Lathers from injuries which cost him all of 2011 will help automatically. One point of emphasis for Sunseri has to be pressuring the quarterback as UT managed just 16 sacks and 36 hurries last year.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Nothing remarkable to report here, which is also a problem of sorts. The Vols weren't terrible, but didn't make many game-breaking plays. They covered kicks well for the most part, but weren't spectacular when it came time to return them. Punting must improve and PK Michael Palardy, a highly-touted prospect two years ago, made just 9-of-14 attempts and missed four times outside the 40.

TOP NEWCOMERS

QB Nathan Peterman -- Given that coach Derek Dooley burned Justin Worley's redshirt with six games left last year, don't discount Peterman's chances to see the field in 2012. Peterman threw for more TD passes than anyone in St. John's County, Florida, except for a guy named Tim Tebow.

RB Davante Bourque -- There aren't any sure options at tailback, so Bourque will have an opportunity for immediate playing time if he practices well in August. A four-star recruit out of Crowley, Louisiana, Bourque rushed for more than 5,000 yards in his prep career, split among two schools.

K George Bullock -- Given Tennessee's mediocrity in the kicking game, the strong-legged hometown recruit has a chance to at least be the kickoff specialist. Seventy-nine percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks last year and with the college game kicking off from the 35, he could be a useful weapon.

ROSTER REPORT:

--WR Da'Rick Rogers sat out a couple of early practices amid rumors he was considering transferring to FCS program Georgia State. But Rogers said he was dealing with personal issues and returned to practice March 31, calming some worried UT fans.

--S Brent Brewer (knee) saw some work in early spring practices at linebacker, but has since been moved back to safety. Brewer is limited in contact drills as he rehabilitates a torn ACL.

--WR Justin Hunter (ACL) is also seeing practice time this spring. But he won't be participating in all contact drills as the coaches try to get him back to full strength for preseason camp in August.