Specifically can someone in the know elaborate on the games lost in the second half over past couple of years. Painful memories, I know, but this is why I am putting these previews on here, to get good feedback from local fans.

For anyone interested, these are mini research papers which will be used for an online preseason mag. I will keep whoever is interested posted. Should be a good summer read.

1. Biggest storyline: What is it?
2. Biggest question mark or concern: Again, what is it?
3. Impact players/position battles: A QB competition? A stud recruit? A juco transfer?
4. Outlook: How will this team perform in 2012? Try to be persuasive and give reasons to back up what you say. Also, predict a record or best case/worst case scenario.
5. Anecdotes: Anything else you care to include (potential turning points; schedule thoughts; random analysis; coach on the hot seat?; etc.)

People forget how utterly depleted this team became after the three head coaches in three years, transfers, suspensions and expulsions. I don’t know how many of the Kiffen recruits bailed after he did but the result was not pretty for UT. This team has been playing a razor thin depth chart for the past two seasons. It’s far from surprising how this team has managed stay very competitive against quality teams (LSU, Alabama, Oregon) in the first half, only to get annihilated as the game and season wore on. Nothing proves this more than a late season loss to Kentucky last year with bowl eligibility on the line.

I personally do not understand the criticism of Dooley, this cupboard was FAR from full when he arrived, having been hired two weeks before signing day.

NOW: he is in year three and his first recruiting class are now Juniors. Time to start putting it together. Well, 7 assistant coaches being replaced this offseason, it may take another year.

1. Biggest storyline: What is it?

- With 7 new assistant coaches including a new DC, there may be growing pains. These must be managed. Dooley tried to keep the transition as seamless as possible: "I wanted to hire a defensive coordinator who knew my philosophy and believed what I believed, he knew me and believed in me," Dooley said. "That's why Sal's (Sunseri) a good fit.”

2. Biggest question mark or concern: Again, what is it?
- Will the defense learn the new schemes in time?
An excerpt from a local site could be revealing. I don’t know the mental makeup of this kid but a pretty telling quote:
Defensive end Darrington Sentimore probably has a better view on learning the new scheme as anyone. The junior-college transfer, who signed with UT in December and arrived on campus in January, played two season at Alabama while Sunseri was coaching linebackers. While his familiarity with the defense might have helped him this spring, it's not an identical scheme, and Sentimore said it takes time to learn. "I knew we were going to get a lot thrown at us, but I was just trying to know it and understand it as much as possible." "Man, it took me a whole year to come [to] Alabama and learn the system," he said. "I caught on, and I know what to expect and I know what to do now.”

- Offensive line.
This was a big weakness for the Vols last year finishing 116th nationally in rushing last season. Dooley feels he has depth up front for the first time in his tenure. The offense made improving the running game an emphasis. For the line, it was playing more physical and developing the accompanying attitude.
"[I've seen] more physicality, an appreciation for physicality," offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. "It's more of an attitude and a demeanor, that they understand that to run the ball we've got to hit people. I feel like we've accomplished that."

While there is depth, patching a cohesive starting 5 will continue to be a work in progress.

- Will Tennessee be able to stop the run?
Dooley lamented the Vols' inability to stop the run during the spring game. The Orange and White squads combined for 251 yards on 45 carries. That's nearly six yards per carry. "We've got a lot of work to do," Dooley said.

Taking the optimist view, the O-Line seems to be playing better…

3. Impact players/position battles: A QB competition? A stud recruit? A juco transfer?

- This year, the Defense will play much more press coverage on the corners. That group collectively struggled last year more than perhaps any unit besides the offensive line. UT allowed too many big plays through the air, and with the same cast returning, the Vols felt a change was needed.

Thus UT hired Derrick Ansley, a former graduate assistant under Sunseri at Alabama, to teach more press-coverage and bump-and-run techniques. The Vols rotated players at the two spots most of spring. It's a competition that will continue into the summer and fall.

"I hate to sound like a broken record," Ansley said last week, "but we're still very inconsistent. One day, one guy will have a good day, and the next day, the guy behind him will have a good day. We're still fluctuating our positions.”

Overall, the Vols will play a much more aggressive style of D this year which will put a huge amount of pressure on this group.

4. Outlook: How will this team perform in 2012? Try to be persuasive and give reasons to back up what you say. Also, predict a record or best case/worst case scenario.

Worst Case: Mike Glennon takes advantage of UT pass D in the Georgia Dome in week one. Losses to both UF and UGA and a slip up on the road to MSU, followed by losses to Bama and USC (what a stretch of games) has this young team starting out 2-6 (0-5 SEC) and tettering on the verge of bowl ineligibility. Mizzou pass offence too much and late season wins v. Vandy and UK are not enough to make Tennessee bowl eligible. Calls for Dooley’s job are heard throughout the Smokies.

Best Case: Team remains healthy throughout season. O-line play is improved and Defense somehow gets it. Tennessee passes their two early season tests v. NC State and MSU and starts season 4-2. After losses to Bama and USC, Tennessee rebounds beating their 4 remaining (all winnable) games to finish 8-4 (4-4 SEC).

Season swing games are in week 1 v. NC St. in UGA dome and Week 6 @ MSU, the latter game coming off a bye. Tennessee will need to fight for every win for bowl eligibility.

I’m not sure this team will take to new coaching in time to salvage best case season. I’m setting season win total at 6.5, juiced evenly both ways. I do see this team in a bowl game.

5. Anecdotes: Anything else you care to include (potential turning points; schedule thoughts; random analysis; coach on the hot seat?; etc.)

- Second half collapses from previous two years

- Tennessee has had a total of three players drafted in the past two NFL drafts. A fourth and two 5th rounders. The previous year, there was 6 including two first round draft picks.

- Seven assistant coaches who left were not all fired. Many voluntarily departed for lateral moves. This would concern me as a Tennessee fan. Did they see more of the same ole and bailed?

- Lane Kiffin's lone class in 2009 has just nine players left. So much for upperclassman leadership?

- This team has been a great 1st half follow and even better second half fade over the past two years. As depth improves, this will slowly change but there still may be some good plays still available starting in week 1.