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2009 Big Orange Roundtable (Vol)ume 2
Published by MoonDog on July 23, 2009
Last week we kicked off another season of the Big Orange Roundtable, a weekly collaboration of web sites that follow Tennessee Volunteers football.
I had the pleasure of hosting the inaugural roundtable last week and this week our friends at the Third Saturday in Blogtober serve as our host.
We have a good list of questions to answer this week, most notably in my mind the wide receiver injuries Tennessee has endured over the past week.
After you’ve taken a moment to review my responses to this week’s questions, please visit 3SIB where they will be linking to all of the participating sites’ responses.
Speaking of all the participating sites, if you’re a fan of the Tennessee Volunteers you’ll want to visit all of them for their unique views regarding the Vols football program.
1. We will start with an easy one. Last week, our beloved Rock was relocated across the street to make room for a new building on campus. What are your thoughts on the Rock’s relocation?
From a tradition standpoint the relocation of the Rock was a little disheartening but if you stop and think about it, it wasn’t so much about the location as it was the messages written on it.
If passers by can have the same access to the Rock as they previously had – and by all accounts they do – then a relocation isn’t the end of the world. Besides, the Rock was moved as a result of progress on campus, and that should provide some consolation for Tennessee fans.
2(a). Wednesday is the beginning of SEC Media Days in Birmingham, which usually signifies that the season is just around the corner. What would you prefer that Coach Lane Kiffin do this week: Speak up or shut up?
I hate to sound like I’m waffling, but a little of both would be best in my opinion. Just as Kiffin raved about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, I wouldn’t want him to muffle his thoughts regarding the Vols program.
One of the issues I had with former coach Phil Fulmer was the diplomacy he used ad nauseum and the constant use of phrases we all grew tired of hearing. I perfer to have a coach that isn’t afraid to speak the unfettered truth, no matter how painful it may be.
I don’t want to hear Kiffin utter the words “work like heck” throughout his tenure and I’m confident he won’t. Granted, until the Vols face in-season adversity we won’t know exactly how Kiffin is going to react. But I am confident we won’t hear excuses and frankly, that’s all we heard from Fulmer over the past several years.
2(b). If you could take back one thing that Coach Kiffin has done or said to this point, what would it be?
The day Kiffin ordered a pizza with anchovies. I’d make him take that back.
3. The biggest news of last week on the football front was that seemingly our entire receiving corps is in the infirmary. Austin Rogers is lost for the year, Denarius Moore is going to miss several games at a minimum, and Gerald Jones has an injured wing that may cause him to miss some games. Although it seems like it is time to hit the panic button, is there a way out of this for the Vols?
Of course there’s a way out. Run the damn football! Not to mention, there are a lot questions surrounding quarterback Jonathan Crompton. Does anyone really expect Crompton to sling the ball around 30 or 40 times a game? If so, the Vols are in real trouble this season.
An effective running game coupled with play action passes to tight ends and backs can be extremely effective. The Vols didn’t throw deep much last season even when they had all of the aforementioned players healthy.
Therefore, despite the potential losses, some of the incoming freshman figure to be very active this season. Remember, running backs can line up at receiver a la Reggie Bush. Nu’Keese Richardson looks like the type of player that could do just that.
We don’t want Crompton in a position where he has to throw the football much. Moreover, Tennessee will be best served to have very manageable third down situations. Thus, running the football effectively will be paramount to the Vols offensive success, regardless of personnel issues.
4. Basketball recruit Josh Selby decommitted from the Vols over the weekend, and many suspect it is because he wants to play for a Nike school. Tennessee is an Adidas school, and there is speculation that future sponsorship money with Nike may be at stake if Selby doesn’t go to a Nike school like Kentucky. This obviously has ramifications in all sports, so what do you make of all this? (NOTE: The NFL is a Reebok league, which is owned by Adidas).
I started working on a post regarding this subject as soon as it became news. Instead of writing a 30 or 40 paragraph response, I’ll respectfully reserve comment until I get time to complete the post.
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Tagged with: 2009 Big Orange Roundtable, 3rd Saturday in Blogtober, Adidas, Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Austin Rogers, Big Orange Roundtable, Bleeding Orange, Chik-Fil-A Bowl, Denarius Moore, Florida Gators, Football Time in Tennessee, Gate 21, Georgia Bulldogs, Gerald Jones, Jonathan Crompton, Josh Selby, Lane Kiffin, Liberty Bowl, Losers With Socks, Music City Bowl, Nike, Nu'Keese Richardson, Ole Miss Rebels, Phil Fulmer, Rocky Top Talk, Schedule, SEC, SEC Football, SEC Media Days, South Carolina Gamecocks, Southeastern Conference, Tennessee Volunteers, Tennessee Volunteers Football, Tim Tebow, UCLA Bruins, Vol Junkies, Your Mother Slept With Wilt Chamberlain
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