Ten (or so) things to watch as spring practices get rolling this month ...
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| Phil Fulmer's Vols missed a bowl last year for the first time since '88. (Getty Images) |
"I think we assumed too much as to where we were ability-wise," Fulmer told AP.
Phil is running out of excuses. He fired two offensive coaches. Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders quit under pressure. Quarterbacks were yo-yoed in and out of the lineup.
Tennessee was a preseason No. 3, so shame on all of us. That suggests the greatest overvaluation of talent since Vanilla Ice.
Tennessee lost its way, its soul and to Vandy, missing a bowl for the first time since 1988.
To lay it on the players indicts the coaching staff for a) recruiting them and b) not developing the sub-standard talent (Fulmer's summation, not ours).
If this is the way it's going be at Tennessee, the equipment managers better start watching their backs. They're next.
Anyway, spring blooms anew. New/old offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe is back healthy from heart problems that kept him from taking over Notre Dame's offense. (No offense, David, but ND didn't need you.)
Fulmer says he was miserable during the holiday season and can't wait for the start of spring on Thursday. Everyone is watching, Vols, including top quarterback prospect Jimmy Clausen (yes, Rick and Casey's brother) out in California.
Texas hide 'em: The national champs are in the process of picking a Vince Young replacement this month. As for the rest of us, we're on a need-to-know basis.
Mack Brown is closing most of spring practice as redshirt freshman Colt McCoy and true freshman Jevan Snead battle it out.
Does it matter? Kind of. Neither one is close to being V.Y. But the starter will have so many supporting actors that Texas should be favored to win the Big 12 again and will make a run at a second consecutive national title.
