Just wanted to say thank you...

Welcome Prof.

Prof is good people. Welcome to the board.

Welcome Prof...! question, what's the mood concerning your Head Coach? A lot of recruiting, and few wins. Will things get restless if UT doesn't have a big season?

Thanks everyone. :D

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Prof...Think I saw where one of your freshmen is going to start at DE. Does it look like Hendrix is gonna play this year? That was one recruit I was really hoping to get last year.

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The short answer is yes, I expect to see him play this year maybe even on Saturday.

The longer answer:

He's officially listed as the back-up DE right now. Derek Barnett is the freshman DE who is projected to start Utah St. but Hendrix is right behind him and I'd treat our defensive depth chart with a grain of salt - it may well be a 1a/1b type thing and the depth chart, instead of listing things as SDE and WDE only lists Defensive End (Barnett/Hendrix) and a Strongside Linebacker (Maggitt/Weathered).

Barnett and Hendrix have both had fantastic camps and I fully expect to see Hendrix play. Keep in mind that with DE this year our depth chart looks a bit strange because we're going to be running nickel a lot, likely even more than our 4-3 base, but things may be even more creative than that.

Curt Maggitt will play both LB and DE and Chris Weathered will be his back up (it's been said we're using Weathered for pass protection and). At the Barnett/Hendrix side of DE I think we may end up doing the same thing.

We have a lot of versatility on defense according to some of the smarter guys who've followed our practices and it looks like we'll be using players for very specialized roles more than normal. At least one reporter mentioned we'd be doing something that he'd been asked not to reveal yet (I *think* it had to do with how we're going to use Maggitt and our DEs but I'm not certain on that). We know for sure Maggitt will be in a hybrid DE role this year but things are a bit murky in terms of how different this defense will be from what we're used to. Right now this staff is taking Chuckie Keeton extremely seriously and isn't revealing a whole lot about how they're going to handle him but the overall impression is that a lot of players will play this season.

While walkon Mike Wegzyn is the official scout team Chuckie Keeton, in order to simulate all Keeton might do and prepare for whatever various packages the defense may have up their sleeves - we've had a Josh Dobbs package, a Pig Howard package, an Evan Berry package, and more this week.

I know that's more convoluted than you were looking for but the staff just isn't revealing a whole lot ahead of this game. I will be surprised if Hendrix doesn't get playing time though given the camp he's had. If not this game then definitely this season. IMO, he was an outstanding pickup who is going to be a fantastic player.

The Vols have a brutal schedule this year, could be well improved and still not reach a bowl. I think simply getting to a bowl this year should be looked at as a step forward, especially since you've head to reload both lines.

I agree that 2015 may be the breakthrough year for y'all.

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OK, not asking this to be a jerk...but what is the reaction to losing to Mizzou (the SEC newbie)? I read an article that Kentucky and Ole Miss fans did not take it too well. It's just that we're the new guys and even though overall we have been welcomed, I think Blue Blood SEC fans expected us to "know our place". So I'm wondering about the Blue Blood UT fans.

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You're not being a jerk, I think I know what you're trying to ask and I'm certainly not blind to how some have reacted to Mizzou having success, especially here on tRant. I'll try to answer the best I can.

To me, it's no different than losing to anyone else. A is a loss with a few exceptions. The snobbery and know your place attitude some fans have is likely due to not having achieved the next step they want their programs to take - seeing the opportunity open up and wanting their own teams grab it and yet seeing Mizzou snatch it away instead. IOW, I think there's more than a little bit of jealousy involved. There aren't many times when opportunities arise for those outside of the Big Six to make it into the SECCG and so for that window to open and to see someone else to grab it is a pride wounder for those who've been slaving it out in a tough league forever, scratching and clawing for their chance. I think that's one of the reasons the rivalry you have with USC is so intense on tRant despite USC being an expansion team (there's some jockeying for position and pressure to seize the moment).

We're in a different position in that despite the mess we're in, there's not much we haven't achieved in terms of laurels. Instead of going to the dance for the first time or winning it for the first time we're trying to get back to going and winning on a regular basis (but right now just the baby step of going to a bowl game will do!). It sucks to lose but Mizzou winning something isn't taking anything away from us other than the win the same as any other team that beats us and other opportunities will come our way. It doesn't feel good to lose but there's no shame in losing to a good team as long as the team puts up a fight even if their outgunned and Mizzou was a good team last year.

To me our blue blood pride was more wounded by seeing the results of two coaches who never should've been given the keys to the program drive it straight over a cliff. Breaking a 26 year long winning streak against Kentucky despite UK being forced to play a WR for their QB and achieving the first back to back losing seasons since 1910-1911 (100 freaking years) THAT wounds your pride. Losing to last year's SECE champ not so much.

@Prof - go frick your mother.

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My mother is quite attractive

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pics??


Willkommen.