It's a Tuesday Tennessee tradition!!! Vol Colonel is back....
Vol Colonel
The #1 player in the state, if not the nation, big offensive lineman Trey Smith of Jackson, Tennessee was back for another visit this past weekend. This is a must get target for Tennessee and from everything I'm hearing it sounds like a commitment might not be too far off. I know our coaches are enthused over this kid's ability. I'm hearing this is the kind of guy who is capable and has the strength and ability to come in and make an impact early on. This same high school in Jackson gave us another Trey back in the 90's. I'm speaking of Trey Teague, who had a stellar career here at Tennessee and went on to play 9 years in the NFL. He was a 1st Team All-SEC center on the 1997 SEC Champion Volunteers. Anyways, I was talking to Trey Teague the other night and I asked him about Trey Smith, if he thought this kid lives up to all of his hype. He told me this kid is the real deal. Hopefully, what I'm hearing comes to fruition and Coach Jones and company get another big piece to the 2017 class very soon.
We're now down to 37 days and counting until we kick off the 2016 football season. Fall camp starts next week. One thing I keep hearing constantly lately is how this football team is in tremendous shape. There's been a lot of video out this summer on some of Jalen Hurd's fierce workouts, but I'm hearing this whole team will enter camp in the best physical condition of any team Coach Jones has had in his tenure here. I hear Kahlil McKenzie is in A+ shape and that he's really toned it up. Kahlil came in here with so much hype that it would be almost impossible to live up to it in his freshman season. I also think it took the young fella about half a season to realize that if you want to be the best in this league, you better bust your butt working at it. Well, he's worked at it and I won't be surprised at all if he's vastly improved and starts to become a real force to be reckoned with up front on defense.
It will be interesting seeing how far Shy Tuttle can progress in the month before we start playing live football. I've been told not to expect him to be 100% until we're into October. I hear Coach Shoop is really excited about what Jonathan Kongbo brings to the table. They talk like Kongbo has been a workout beast this summer. With Shoop's aggressive style of attack and the pass rushers we have in Barnett, Vereen and Kongbo, I could see us getting at the QB a lot more than we've seen around here in years.
There should be some very healthy competition in the secondary this camp. Rashaan Gaulden is a guy i'll be watching closely. Here's a kid who I think can have a breakout year, not only on this team, but in the SEC. There should be some good battles on the offensive line with guys jockeying for positions and playing time. Chance Hall and Brett Kendrick will be two guys to watch this camp. One thing I really like about this O-Line is you have some very versatile guys who can move around at different positions. You've also got a lot of depth along the line. I think this will be the most improved unit on the football team this year. This is going to be fun as we get into camp and the excitement starts to build as we inch closer and closer to that first game. I can't wait!
Said it before and I'll say it again. Show me something Coach Barnes. Bruce Pearl is just killing it right now on the recruiting trail. Scout's team recruiting rankings just came out not too long ago and Auburn sits at #1. Ben Howland is killing it down at Mississippi State. Florida with Mike White sits at #4 nationally right now. Arkansas is 6th. I'm also sick of hearing how we don't let a lot of information out on the guys we're recruiting. We keep a low profile. I just think that's a bag of bull. Go take a cue from Butch Jones and see how quiet he keeps it on the recruiting front. Step it up, Brother Barnes!
That's all for this week. You can find me on Twitter @TheVolColonel where I'll be happy to accept any feedback or talk some sports with ya.
Have a Great Day and Go Big Orange!
Your Vol Colonel
Just think VC, in a mere matter of a few weeks we are going to be in the Ray Mears Studio annex watching film with Coach Glanville, Tony Robinson, and Jerry Colquitt, et al. It's going to be awesome stuff this season!!! Thanks for being there with this great report!!!!
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Roberto called with an interesting thought during my
Fairways and Greens App/Internet only 19th Hole yesterday. He asked "if talent levels are equal across the board for all teams on UT's schedule in 2016, what would the record look like?" That's an interesting question. He said he thought the Vols would be 7-5, which sounds good until you pull the lens back a bit and realize that all fan bases are going to be harder on their own. Put it this way, when you watch 2 teams you don't care about, the game actually goes faster because you're just watching the game. You're not actually living the game. When it's your team you're going to watch with a more critical eye.
Look, I realize Butch Jones isn't exactly a lights out game day coach, but this question (while interesting) is unfair. Because if you ask this question of most fan bases they are going to answer that their coaching staff isn't up to snuff. How many fan bases feel like they have a capable coaching staff? Bama, Mich, Mich State, and Ohio State come to mind. But several of those fan bases are in for a rude awakening over the next 5 years because somebody has to be a lead dog in the Big 10. It's just the way it is. Most fan bases are going to respond to a question like this one with either 7-5 or 8-4. That said, I'll take the bait and play some small guy tactics.
Butch Jones Versus:
Week 1: Scott Satterfield, Appy State
Look at this guy's record! He gets an incomplete at best. I'd take Butch heads up versus Scott Satterfield.
Here's his bio read it and weep.
Link
Jones Record vs. Schedule with equal competition....1-0
Week 2: Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech
Fuente was head coach at Memphis from 2012 through 2015. And he had in impressive run. Was it based on getting lucky with a QB that blossomed into a top NFL QB selection? That's part of the deal at the major college level. You have to get lucky and you have to develop players. Fuente made his guys believe. I respect him. Still he's not going to make anybody forget Bill Belechick any time soon with the way he manages games. He's still pretty good though. I would call this a tie but I'm giving the edge to Butch Jones because dammit, I feel like it. Does that work for you?
Here's Fuente's bio if you want to dig further.
Link
Jones goes to 2-0 versus coaches with equal talent.
Busted
Posted: Sun, Mar 24th, 4:22 PM Week 3: Frank Solich, Ohio University
Solich is a 1966 graduate of Nebraska. I have a ton of respect for him. I'll bet Nebraska would like a do over on his firing. He was jettisoned there after a 10-3 season in 2003. In a close game with equal talent, I'd take Solich until I look up the records and I learn that Butch Jones beat him 31-28 in 2008 in a year when Jones went 8-5 at Central Michigan. So his team didn't exactly set the woods on fire, but he beat Solich heads up. Then again, the Ohio U was only 4-8 that year and Jones struggled to get by them in a close 31-28 game. So now we are back to shading things. But this is water cooler stuff so we can do that. In Jones' last year at Central Michigan he beat Ohio U 20-10. Jones led his team to an 11-2 while Ohio was 9-5. So they had semi comparable teams. Jones was 2-0 head to head with Solich but his teams were better. So, we're back to splitting hairs. I'll take Jones for the sake of our exercise but it's probably close.
Here's stuff on Solich. He's been around the block.
Link
Jones Record Vs Coaches with Equal Talent on 2016 Schedule 3-0.
Game 4: Jim McElwain, Florida
Jones finally takes one on the chin in our exercise. How do I know McElwain would beat Jones with a team of equal talent? I saw him do it last year. Therefore until I see otherwise, Butch Jones will lose in a hypothetical exercise such as this one. And by the way, I don't know whether I'm selling or buying on McElwain's long term success. But that's not what we're talking about here.
Jones Record in our exercise 3-1.
McElwain Bio.
Link
Game 5: Kirby Smart, Georgia
You're kidding, right? McElwain is one of the only functioning branches on the Nick Saban coaching tree. You've got to admit that Saban's coaching tree looks like something pruned by Charlie Brown with some help from Harvey Updyke. I'm selling Kirby Dumb. Sorry Georgia fans. You better help he continues to recruit like Miami of the mid to late 1980's.
Butch Jones' record versus equal competition heads up on the 2106 schedule now reads 4-1.
August 12-14
At Webb School
Click to register!
Game 6 Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
I'm selling on this guy because he's failed to move the bar in his time at A&M in the SEC west. Plus he's always flirting with the NFL. It's annoying. His team was in mini disarray this off-season. I'm taking Butch heads up against him with the thought that either guy isn't all that great in the game management department. This year's game will be interesting because A&M and Tennessee will have comparable football teams. The difference is Butch Jones WILL run the football. That takes discipline. Sumlin's teams on offense can't always say that.
I'm taking Butch Jones in this exercise over Sumlin.
Butch Jones record goes to 5-1
Game 7: Nick Saban, Alabama
Butch Jones record after facing Saban in this is now 5-2.
Week 8 @ Wacky Will Mushchamp
Oh. We've reached a dead branch on the Saban coaching tree. I wonder when Dooley is coming back to the SEC...hmmmm.
Butch Jones improves to 6-2 versus coaches faced in 2016 with equal talent.
Week 9: Marcus Satterfield, Tennessee Tech
I think the world of Marcus Satterfield. I'm really pulling for him at an OVC job that hasn't been kind to many coaches through history. Satterfield did a really nice job at Temple as the OC during a real golden era of Owl football. Still, I can't with a straight face pick a first year head coach in an exercise such as this one. There's just not enough here to make a case for taking him over Jones in a game where both guys have equal talent.
Butch Jones improves to 7-2 in our exercise.
Game #10: Mike 'Sugar High' Stoops
Sure he likes to scream and shout and beat up on the little sisters of the poor but how does 'Sugar High' Stoops do against teams of comparable talent? Well. He's failed to move the bar any in Lexington in a period where Mizzou has won 2 SEC titles and UT has been shut out. Though he's not perfect as a game manager, I'm taking Butch Jones all day long in this exercise versus this overpaid nut job.
Butch Jones improves to 8-2 in our exercise.
Game #11: Barry Odom, Mizzou.
Now, tell me the truth. If I didn't put right here the name of Mizzou's head coach, would you have been able to name him. He was a dutiful DC there for the past 4 years. Odom is a nice story. He played at Mizzou. He worked his way up the totem pole to the top in under 2 decades since his days as a player. That's America. But you also have to pay your dues in this country. No way Odom can manage a football game with the main headset on better than Butch Jones. If he can, we are in real trouble in 2016. No offense to Odom, but even a family member couldn't take him in this exercise. There's just not enough there, there.
Butch Jones improves to 9-2 in our exercise
Game #12: Derek Mason, Vandy
The guy is super cool as person to talk to. He's chill, as they say in the trade. He's a damn good defensive coordinator. He's a bit of a nightmare as a head coach. I can't pick him with a straight face over Jones.
Butch Jones improves to 10-2 versus UT's 2016 schedule all things being equal.
Bottom line for me is that Butch Jones isn't the greatest in game, but ALL these guys have blemishes. It's just that we see ours because they are on the end of our noses. And in my case this can be a real issue. We need to chill on Butch Jones and see what 2016 has in store for us in Rocky Top.
Sight unseen it's really easy to call a talk show and say UT would go 7-5 if every other team was comparable to the Vols in 2016, but that's simply not true upon closer inspection. I hope you enjoyed this trip into the fun and frivolity of cold tea season college football talk! Let's get through the dog days together.
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Well, this is sterile. Clear plastic bags only in Neyland Stadium. Kudos to UT for getting sponsor logos on the ones they are giving out. I love this stuff!
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A young boy getting a bat and being over the moon is what youth sports are all about. This will bring a tear to your eyes.
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College teams don't want you selling your tickets but they do want to do it themselves through a 3rd party. I'm sure this is all in our best interest as consumers. LSU is the latest to take the plunge.
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The aforementioned A&M is going full beast mode in this workout propaganda video.
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It's wonderful that Michael Jordan is breaking his silence and taking a stand against the senseless violence, but fatherlessness must stop in our culture or people will keep needlessly killing each other. How many people must die before EVERYBODY brings this little-talked-about fact into the conversation. Kids need fathers. Not sperm donors. Fathers. And for the rest of us, if we see fatherless children, we may have a chance to get involved and save a life, or many lives if you stop and think about it.
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Fight on Donnie Tyndall!!!! Get those rotten NCAA bastards......
Tony