A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
With summer over and the college athletics season upon us, the annual cries of “pay a stipend to amateur athletes” have begun again. These annoying musings often boil down to one cliché statement we’ve all heard ad nauseum: “These kids make so much money for their schools and get nothing in return.” In my view, few statements have ever been more false. [Read more...]
This has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen a while.
Three University of Tennessee football players, including much-heralded freshmen Nu’Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson, were arrested this morning and charged with armed robbery. (Thanks for SEC Rivals for the tip.)
I don’t have confirmation on this yet, but charges of extreme idiocy and operating a human body without a brain could also be forthcoming.
[Editor's Note: This is the first article from new MSF writer Mike Dooley (aka J-Dools), a student at the University of Tennessee, originally from Dearborn, MI, who will be covering the Vols and the Detroit Tigers. We're happy to have Mike aboard and hope you enjoy his first effort below, a preview and prediction for Lane Kiffin's first season at Tennessee.]
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As college football begins once again, fans can rejoice that ESPN will have more to cover than the Little League World Series. My apologies to Chula Vista, California.
For students at the University of Tennessee, such as myself, the start of the season means gratuitous amounts of orange and a sharp increase in whiskey sales.
Putting the Lane Kiffin offseason media circus behind us, it is now time to start playing football, and probably the start of the in-season Lane Kiffin media circus. The Vols kick off the season against Western Kentucky this Saturday and barring a repeat of last year’s debacle against Wyoming, UT will start off the season with a “Wâ€.
[Editor's Note:Â Follow these links to StubHub for great deals on Tennessee football tickets
, and all NCAA college football tickets
. Plus, get ready for Saturday with the Week 1 college football TV schedule from MSF.]
The season will really start for UT in week two versus UCLA. The down-to-the-wire loss to the Bruins in Pasedena last year still lingers in the minds of the Vols. This year the Bruins travel to Knoxville and Kiffin will be under extreme pressure to win the rematch.
But will Kiffin be able to quickly turn this program around? That is the question everyone is asking about the Vols’ young new head coach.
Coming into this season Tennessee is unranked for the first time in 19 years. However, Kiffin seems poised to revive this program. Kiffin has brought in an elite coaching staff with NFL credentials and outstanding recruiting skills.
Lane’s father, Monte Kiffin, left the NFL and followed his son to Tennessee as the defensive coordinator. Coming to UT, Monte was effectively handed a top level defense and was told “Here you go, have fun.†Monte will help bring out the full potential of 3 time All-American safety Eric Berry. (A scary thought for all opponents.)
The offense is completely revamped with Kiffin’s pro style playbook and zone blocking system. This is a much needed change after the abysmal offensive performance last season. The Vols have the electric Gerald Jones returning at receiver, who will be a year older and should be a major offensive weapon. Jones is currently injured, but should be able to return in time for the rematch against UCLA.
The added youth to this team will have an immediate impact as Kiffin assembled a great recruiting class. Top-ranked running back Bryce Brown will play a major role in the offense, likely splitting carries with senior Montario Hardesty. His fellow freshman back David Oku will also see time, likely as a third down back.
Speedy freshman receivers Nu’Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague will provide big play potential to the passing game. Also, freshman cornerback Janzen Jackson may battle his way into a starting role on the defense.
The most important factor in the ’09 Volunteers season, of course, will likely be the play of senior quarterback Jonathon Crompton. Last year Crompton threw for a meager 889 yards, with only five touchdowns and four interceptions. The Vols need Crompton to emerge as a solid starter in Kiffin’s offensive system.
My prediction for the 2009 Tennessee Volunteers season: 8-4 (4-4)
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* – Eric Berry photo credit: TNJN/Hall, Adrian via Tennessee Journalist
The recruiting sage of top-rated Class of 2009 recruit Bryce Brown continues.
Apparently, according the Devin’s Landing where today’s Link of the Day is located, Wichita, Kansas high school senior RB Bryce Brown has had his scholarship offer rescinded by Randy Shannon and the University of Miami.
To give you some background, Brown originally committed to the U and Coach Shannon, but has been playing games over the last two months. He did not sign an official Letter of Intent and there was speculation that he could wind up taking a detour to the CFL instead of going to college. There are some other pretty ridiculous stories too, which you can find linked to from the article I’m about about to send you to.
As we have documented here at MSF, and as has been documented all over the Internet for the past month, Lane Kiffin is proving that even douche bags can get head coaching jobs in the SEC. I realize that Bobby Petrino proved this last year, but now that we have a second occurrence we can officially call it a trend.
Since being named head coach at the University of Tennessee, Kiffin has accused Urban Meyer of recruiting violations that weren’t recruiting violations, has disparaged his 2009 recruiting class by saying they aren’t up to the standards of Tennessee, and has had three recruiting violations of his own self-reported by the university. Great start Lane. You know you are a true artist of douchebaggery when you can make Al Davis appear lucid, cogent, and forthright.
Here is an excerpt and your Link of the Day:
LOTD: In Which Little Lane Becomes Aroused — (Devin’s Landing)
Now taking bets on how long it will take Lane Kiffin to commit (known) recruiting violation #4 by FedEx’ing butthole recruit Bryce Brown a Cadillac Escalade. Bring your stopwatch, we need NFL combine-like technology to measure how quickly this could happen down the the 1/100th of a second.
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For our money this is match made in heaven between the greedy Brown/Butler duo (who have already teased about taking CFL money rather than playing college ball) and the flagrantly insecure Kiffin, who wants ALL THE TOYS, DADDY! ALLALLALL OF THEM! We can totally see him promising Brown a spaceship fully equipped with unicorn pilot if it will get him to sign.
And some others. Enjoy, and go Hoosiers! For the record, I have a great feeling about tonight’s game against Wisconsin. We’re at home, Devan Dumes is back, and the karma gods of basketball owe us one of the banked in 3 at the buzzer that Wisconsin used to beat us last year. Let’s get win #2 tonight guys. You deserve it.
Devan Dumes back in actions — (FortWayne.com)
Hoosier fan support shocks, pleases Crean — (Evansville Courier & Press)
Could high school sports be cut in Orange County, Florida? — (Sparty & Friends)
Marvin Harrison’s days in Indy are done — (Adam Schefter NFL.com blog)
Trade finalized between Bulls and Kings — (ESPN.com)
If that was Kirk Hinrich’s last game as a Bull, at least it was a good one — (Tremendous Upside Potential)
2010 and the great free agent myth — (Hoops Addict)
An APB On A-Rod’s Cousin — (The Money Shot)
There’s Just Something About Dallas — (No Guts, No Glory)
Ken Griffey Jr. headed back to Seattle — (MLB Trade Rumors)
Albert Haynesworth to test free agency — (ESPN.com)
Browns probably not on Julius Peppers’ trade list — (Dawg Pound Daily)
Trying to find some humor in steroids — (Kornheiser’s Cartel)
Defense Lives Here — (Off the Tracks)
