2013 Schedule Released...

 The 2013 Tennessee football schedule was released today, and with trips to Oregon, Florida, and Alabama, the road to once again becoming a national power doesn't get any easier for the Volunteers.  Many have been hoping Tennessee would buy their way out of the Oregon game if the SEC were to adopt a 9 game conference schedule.  But at least for 2013, this does not appear to be the case.  The Vols will have two weeks to prepare for their trip to Oregon as they open the season against Austin Peay and then Western Kentucky the following week.  Mississippi State is being replaced on the schedule in favor of Auburn.  The Volunteers will host the Tigers on November 9th.  Tennessee will also make their first SEC trip to Missouri next season on November 2nd.  The Vols will once again play one of the toughest schedules in the nation next year, and the road to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta does not get any easier in 2013.



Guys, I've said it once and I'll say it again...

It's Bama week!!!!!!!!!  This is the week I look forward to most every year.  Our most hated rival comes to Knoxville this weekend with an unblemished record alongside the nation's # 1 ranking.  This is the perfect opportunity for Derek Dooley and the unproven Volunteers to finally show the nation what they are made of.  I can't remeber the last time a Tennessee coach and team needed a win like they need one this weekend.  I don't know why, but I have a funny feeling about this game.  I truly believe the Vols will finally break through against the Tide this Saturday.  Leading up to the game, there is nothing we as fans can point to, to be oppotomistic about our chances against a team as good as the one Nick Saban brings to Knoxville.  But it's just a gut feeling, guys.  The time is right.  The talent is in place.  Can we finally execute when the game is on the line?  I believe we finally get the job done,under the lights inside Neyland Stadium this Saturday.  Not much has gone right for the Vols and coach Derek Dooley over the past two and a half years, but a victory over the nation's best on Saturday will go a long way in shaping the future of the Volunteer  program under coach Dooley.  I have faith.  It's time to go out and get the job done.

Go Vols!! 



Busy night...

No article tonight guys, but keep checking in. Busy night with the debate, helping my sister, and packing for my trip.

Go Vols!!

Derek Dooley Needs a Win...

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley needs a victory over Alabama this Saturday or against South Carolina next week in the worst way imaginable.  The pressure is mounting in Knoxville, and the one way to cool some of your critics is to go out and win a game you are not expected to win.  The #1 Alabama Crimson Tide roll into Knoxville this week, and many have already marked this one down in the loss column for the Volunteers.  A win over Alabama would not only do wonders for Derek Dooley, but it would also have a defining impact on the future of the Volunteer football prgram.  And while a win may seem unlikely, there is no doubt in my mind that Dooley will have the team ready to compete for 4 quarters against the nation's best this weekend.  The biggest question which remains to be seen, is whether or not the Vols can rise to the occasion when the game is on the line?  If they can, maybe, just maybe, the Vols can pull the upset of the season, and help get their coach off one of the hottest seats in America.

The Sad Days Have Returned...

...but did they ever really leave?  The Tennessee Volunteers fell to 3-3(0-3) on the season with another gut wrenching loss at the hands of the Mississippi State Bulldogs last night in Starkville.  Trailing by only 3 points with 5 minutes to play the Volunteers needed just one stop to get the ball back to an offensive unit which had been playing extremely well in the second half.  But, it was not to be.  Defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri's unit showed once again that they were unable to get a stop when they needed one the most.  The Bulldogs methodically moved the ball down the field, and ended any chance of a Tennessee comeback.  Mississippi State scored a touchdown with just seconds remaining, putting the final nail in the Tennessee coffin.  I am at a loss for words today.  It was not long ago when a loss to Mississippi State seemed unfathomable.  But this is the current state of Tennessee football.  We are in the third year of a program rebuild which many have said would take at least five years to complete.  We are beginning to show signs of progress, but at the same time, we have been unable to get over the hump.  Only time will tell if coach Derek Dooley can get the job done, but in the meantime we all need to pull together and support our team.  Hopefully, the tides will begin to turn this week against Alabama.

Cheers and Beers!!

Sorry guys...

No time to write tonight, but...

W_o_P says:

37-21 VOLS!!!

Quick Look at Mississippi State: Part 2-The Defense...

Mississippi State enters the Tennessee game with a perfect 5-0 record, but the Bulldogs have yet to face an offense as potent as the Volunteers.  The Bulldogs have the second best turnover margin in the country at +2.2 per game, but have accomplished this number by playing two of the worst teams in the SEC(Auburn and Kentucky) and three teams from non BCS conferences.  Mississippi State enters the game allowing only 13.4 points per game, but again, the Bulldogs have yet to face any real semblance of a credible offense this year.  The Bulldog secondary possesses a pair of cornerbacks who have combined for 7 interceptions on the season.  Darius Slay and Jonathan Banks have led the way for Mississippi State and are two of the main reasons for the Bulldogs early season success.  The two match-ups I am most looking forward to seeing this weekend will be if Mississippi State's secondary can stand up to Tennessee's talented wide receiver group, and if Tennessee's running game can continue it's recent success against another strong and physical defensive line.

Dinner with "Mr. Echo"...

"Mr. Echo" made his much anticipated return to the mid-state today, as he arrived in Nashville this evening.  Upon his arrival, I treated "Mr. Echo" to a meal at Blackstone Restaurant and Brewery.  It had been many months since our last meeting, and the information "Mr. Echo" shared with me tonight was refreshing to say the least.  What he gave me tonight was hope.  We are so close guys.  Many of you don't realize it, but we are on the cusp of being right back where we all want to be, and where we rightfully belong.  Here are some of the highlights from tonight...

• Tennessee currently leads for stud running back Derrick Green.  "Mr. Echo" believes Green has indeed already given the Tennessee coaching staff a silent commitment.  He also shared that he believes the commitment will be made public before the football season comes to a close.

• Rossville, GA Defensive Back Vonn Bell will be a Vol.  Tennessee has led for quite a while now, and barring a late push from Georgia or Alabama, Bell will end up in Orange and White. 

• "Mr. Echo" believes the Vols will do enough to land wide receiver recruit Marquez North out of Charlotte, NC.  North's recruitment will drag out for a while, but in the end "Mr. Echo" believes the Vols will do just enough to edge out the Gators.

• On the basketball front, "Mr. Echo" has been in contact with our Memphis source "Tango" constantly over the past week.  Austin Nichols will be attending Memphis Madness and Tiger coaches have really turned up the heat in his recruitment.  This will be the Tiger's last big push for Nichols, but "Mr. Echo" and "Tango" both firmly believe Austin will end up playing for the Big Orange alongside Mr. Hubbs.

• As it pertains to the current team, "Mr. Echo" believes they will close out the season strong, ending the season with 8, maybe 9, regular season wins.  He believes we finally get over the hump this weekend, and win convincingly in Starkville.  He also believes we have a real chance of upsetting either Alabama at home or USCjr. on the road.  Those in and around the athletic department have been pleased with the signs of progress shown by this year's team.  "Mr. Echo" believes coach Derek Dooley is the right man for the job, and will be here to stay for quite some time, as both he and his family love Knoxville.

"Mr. Echo" will be back in Nashville in the coming weeks, and will have more information as it is brought to his attention.  

Cheers and Beers!!

Derek Dooley Undergoes Hip Surgery...

Love him or hate him, Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley underwent successful hip surgery on Tuesday. Coach Dooley will be forced to sit in the coaches box when the Volunteers face off against the Mississippi State Bulldogs this coming Saturday. Dooley has had a lingering hip issue for quite some time now, and finally underwent a procedure Tuesday afternoon to alleviate the coach's pain. It will be interesting to see how the Vols perform with their head man not on the field Saturday. If the Vols play really well Saturday, and upset the Bulldogs, look for many in the "anti-Dooley" camp to start begging to see Coach Dooley in the box more often. But in all seriousness, I wish coach Derek Dooley the best and a speedy recovery. Can't wait to see the orange pants back on the sideline.

Photo by: Adam Brimer

SEC Weekend Recap...

Even though the Volunteers had a bye this past weekend, that doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of drama happening around the SEC this past Saturday:

• Two top 5 SEC teams lost on Saturday (LSU and Georgia) and both were quickly replaced in the top 5 by the teams that beat them (Florida and South Carolina)

• Missouri suspended five players before their match-up against Vanderbilt, including freshman stud Dorial Green-Beckham, after they were arrested for smoking marijuana outside of Memorial Stadium.  Having players suspended, along with the injury to quarterback James Franklin during the Vanderbilt game, was enough for the Commodores to squeak past the Tigers this past Saturday.

• Auburn lost again on Saturday, moving them to 1-4(0-3 SEC) on the season.  The Tigers have struggled to score points this year, and with their lone win coming against Louisiana-Monroe in overtime, it has many wondering if Gene Chizik is the right man for the job.  Just two years removed from a National Championship, Chizik is now making apologies to the fans for the way his team has performed through the season's first five games.

• Ole Miss lost their 16th straight conference game on Saturday, just narrowly losing to new SEC member Texas A&M.  The Rebels should snap that streak this weekend however, as they play host to the Auburn Tigers.

• LSU freshman linebacker Kwon Alexander is likely to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a foot injury during the Tigers 14-6 defeat to the Florida Gators.  Alexander, though only a freshman, had recently been inserted into the starting lineup of John Chavis' defense.  Alexander was a valuable contributor and will be sorely missed by LSU.

Apology from Word of Pards...

To all my friends and followers, I want to take the time to offer up a sincere apology.  I have been extremely busy over the course of the past 5 days and have been unable to post.  My girlfriend came in town on Wednesday, and with work and everything else(dinners, concert, family time, etc.), I simply did not have any free time to post.  I hope you all can forgive me, as I promise to never let this happen again.

As Tennessee heads to Starkville this week, I will have plenty of articles in the coming days.  I may even have a few surprises in store.  "Mr. Echo" will be traveling through Nashville on Wednesday, and has asked that I join him for dinner.  It has been many months since I have visited with "Mr. Echo", and I can not wait to see what he has to say about the state of our program.  Also, look for a mystery/guest blogger to appear in the coming weeks.  She is a very well connected SEC source, and is on the fast track to becoming the next Erin Andrews.

Stayed tuned.  This week should be fun...

Quick Look at Mississippi State: Part 1-The Offense...

As Tennessee recovers from its second loss of the season against Georgia last Saturday with a bye week, let's take a quick look ahead to next Saturday's match up with Mississippi State.  The Bulldog offense is led by quarterback Tyler Russell.  Russell has thrown for over 800 yards this season, with 8 touchdowns, and only one interception.  While the Bulldog passing attack has been serviceable, it is their ground game that has grabbed the attention of their opponents this year.  The Bulldogs currently have three running backs averaging more than five yards per carry.  This group is led by LaDarius Perkins.  The junior running back from Greenville, MS has rushed for almost 400 yards so far this season, while scoring 5 times, and averaging almost 7 yards per carry.  The Tennessee coaching staff must use the bye week to their advantage to shore up some of the issues the Volunteers faced on the defensive side of the ball against both Florida and Georgia.  Mississippi State is clearly capable of producing the same type numbers and big plays in the ground game if the Volunteers do not make the proper adjustments.

Vols Closing in on Derrick Green...

While Tennessee lost out on prized running back recruit Derrick Henry last Friday, the Volunteers remain at, or near the front of the class for another one of the nation's top tailbacks.   Derrick Green out of Richmond, Virginia, is rated slightly higher than Derrick Henry by most recruiting services and looks to have all the makings of a star running back at the collegiate level.  Green measures in at an impressive 6 feet tall, weighing 220 pounds and has been clocked running the 40 at 4.4 seconds.  Green officially visited the Volunteers the weekend of the Florida game and left campus impressed by what coach Derek Dooley and the Vols have to offer.  Even though Tennessee lost the game, they may have put themselves in position to win the recruiting battle when it comes time for Green to make his decision.  Green plans on visiting Michigan October 19th, and has said a decision could be made shortly thereafter.  If Michigan is unable to wow the talented running back, a commitment to the Volunteers could be made public.  The Volunteers still have a couple weeks to sweat this one out, but have positioned themselves nicely to land Green.