2007 SEC Football Preview - Tennessee

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  • Quick Facts
  • 2006 In Review
  • 2006 Results
  • 2006 Statistical Leaders
  • Team Information
  • 2007 Schedule
  • Head Coach
  • Assistant Coaches
  • Top Returnees
  • 2007 SEC Football Previews


    QUICK FACTS

    Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
    Founded: 1794
    Enrollment: 26,560
    Stadium: Neyland (102,038)
    President: Dr. John D. Petersen (Cal State-Los Angeles, '70)
    Faculty Representative: Dr. Todd Diacon (Southwestern [Kan.], '80)
    Athletics Director: Mike Hamilton (Clemson, '85)
    Head Football Coach: Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee, '72)
    Off. / Def. Systems: Multiple / 4-3
    All-Time Record: 761-316-53 (.697 / 1,130 games)
    SEC Championships: 13 (1938, 39t, 40, 46t, 51t, 56, 67, 69, 85, 89t, 90, 97, 98)
    Bowl App. / Record: 46 / 24-22 (.522)


    2006 IN REVIEW

    2006 Record: 9-4 (5-2 H, 4-1 A, 0-1 N, 4-1 vs. Eastern Division)
    SEC Record/Finish: 5-3 (2-2 H, 3-1 A) / 2nd Eastern Division
    Bowl: Outback Bowl (Tampa, Fla.) Penn State 20, Tennessee 10
    National Ranking: 25th - AP / 23rd - USA Today
    Home Attendance: 740,521 (105,789) / 103.7 % Capacity

    SEC/NCAA Statistical Rankings
    Total Offense: 372.5 (6th - SEC / 36th - NCAA)
    Rushing Offense: 108.0 (10th - SEC / 96th - NCAA)
    Passing Offense: 264.5 (2nd - SEC / 12th - NCAA)
    Scoring Offense: 27.8 (4th - SEC / 34th - NCAA)
    Total Defense: 327.5 (8th - SEC / 50th - NCAA)
    Rushing Defense: 146.7 (8th - SEC / 72nd - NCAA)
    Passing Defense: 180.8 (5th - SEC / 27th - NCAA)
    Scoring Defense: 19.5 (8th - SEC / 33rd - NCAA)
    Turnover Margin: 0 (T5th - SEC / T58th - NCAA)


    2006 RESULTS (9-4 Overall • 5-3 SEC)

    Sept. 2    [--/23]  CALIFORNIA (ESPN) [--/12]         W 35-18  106,009
    Sept. 9    [--/17]  AIR FORCE (VideoSeat PPV)         W 31-30  105,466
    Sept. 16   [--/17]  FLORIDA (CBS) [--/6]              L 20-21  106,818
    Sept. 23   [--/19]  MARSHALL (VideoSeat PPV)          W 33-7   104,818
    Sept. 30   [15/18]  at Memphis (ESPN)                 W 41-7    61,783
    Oct. 7     [13/14]  at Georgia (ESPN) [10/9]          W 51-33   92,746
    Oct. 21    [7/9]    ALABAMA (CBS) [--/rv]             W 16-13  106,695
    Oct. 28    [8/9]    at South Carolina (ESPN) [rv/rv]  W 31-24   82,011
    Nov. 4     [8/8]    LSU (CBS) [13/13]                 L 24-28  106,333
    Nov. 11    [15/15]  at Arkansas (ESPN2) [11/11]       L 14-31   76,728
    Nov. 18    [22/23]  at Vanderbilt (LFS)               W 39-10   39,773
    Nov. 25    [19/21]  KENTUCKY (LFS)                    W 17-12  104,382
    Jan. 1     [18/18]  vs. Penn State (ESPN) [rv/rv]     L 10-20   65,601
                        (Outback Bowl • Tampa, Fla.)
    
    [ ] - Opponents' National Ranking (Harris & USA Today) at time game was played. Second column refers to Tennessee; listing after opponent is for opponent.


    2006 STATISTICAL LEADERS

    RUSHING               G  ATT   YDS  AVG  TD     PG
    • LaMarcus Coker     11  108   696  6.4   5   63.3
    • Montario Hardesty  13  107   384  3.6   4   29.5
    • Arian Foster       11   91   322  3.5   5   29.3
    David Yancey         13   13    60  4.6   2    4.6
    TENNESSEE            13  382  1404  3.7  17  108.0
    Opponents            13  469  1907  4.1  12  146.7
    
    PASSING         G    PE     A-C-I     PCT.  YDS.  TD    YPG
    • Erik Ainge   12  151.9  348-233-9   67.0  2989  19  249.1
    • J. Crompton   7  111.9   66-31-2    47.0   401   4   57.3
    TENNESSEE      13  147.2  415-265-11  63.9  3438  24  264.5
    Opponents      13  123.3  331-190-16  57.4  2351  16  180.8
    
    RECEIVING        G  REC   YDS   AVG  TD    RPG
    Robert Meachem  13   71  1298  18.3  11   5.46
    Jayson Swain    13   49   688  14.0   6   3.77
    Bret Smith      11   39   453  11.6   5   3.55
    • Chris Brown   13   31   239   7.7   1   2.38
    TENNESSEE       13  265  3438  13.0  24  20.38
    Opponents       13  190  2351  12.4  16  14.62
    
    PUNTING             NO   YDS  AVG   LP  BLK  IN20
    • Britton Colquitt  46  2066  44.9  63   0    18
    TENNESSEE           47  2102  44.7  63   1    18
    Opponents           56  2271  40.6  73   1    17
    
    KO RETURNS       NO  YDS   AVG  TD  LP
    • LaMarcus Coker  9  180  20.0   0  40
    • Lucas Taylor    7  118  16.9   0  25
    TENNESSEE        37  594  16.1   0  40
    Opponents        35  657  18.8   1  99
    
    PUNT RETURNS        NO  YDS   AVG  TD  LP
    • Jonathan Hefney   17  206  12.1   0  65
    TENNESSEE           21  239  11.4   1  65
    Opponents           24  254  10.6   1  86
    
    TACKLES           TOTAL        TFL         SACKS       INT  FC-FR
    Marvin Mitchell   104 (67-37)  10.0 (-21)   1.0  (-4)   1    2-0
    • Jonathan Hefney  96 (66-30)   3.0  (-6)     0         5    0-1
    • Jerod Mayo       83 (48-35)  12.5 (-51)   5.0 (-40)   0    0-1
    Turk McBride       68 (42-26)   9.0 (-28)   1.0  (-8)   0    1-0
    • Ryan Karl        66 (45-21)  10.0 (-35)   1.0  (-6)   0    0-1
    

    • - Returning Player


    TEAM INFORMATION

    LETTERMEN
    Returning: 45 (21 Offense, 23 Defense, 1 Specialist)
    Lost: 25 (13 Offense, 10 Defense, 2 Specialists)

    STARTERS RETURNING • 13
    Offense (7):
    TE Chris Brown (6-3, 250, Sr.)
    TE Brad Cottam (6-8, 270, Sr.)
    C Josh McNeil (6-4, 290, So.)
    RG Anthony Parker (6-3, 305, Jr.)
    RT Eric Young (6-4, 310, Sr.)
    QB Erik Ainge (6-6, 220, Sr.)
    TB LaMarcus Coker (5-11, 205, So.)
    Defense (5):
    LE Xavier Mitchell (6-2, 252, Sr.)
    RE Antonio Reynolds (6-3, 260, Sr.)
    SLB Ryan Karl (6-0, 225, Sr.)
    WLB Jerod Mayo (6-2, 230, Jr.)
    FS Jonathan Hefney (5-9, 185, Sr.)
    Specialists (1):
    P Britton Colquitt (6-3, 198, Jr.)

    STARTERS LOST • 11
    Offense (4):
    LT Arron Sears (6-4, 320, Sr.)
    LG David Ligon (6-5, 300, Sr.)
    WR Jayson Swain (6-1, 205, Sr.)
    WR Robert Meachem (6-3, 210, Jr.)
    Defense (6):
    LT Turk McBride (6-4, 275, Sr.)
    RT Matt McGlothlin (6-0, 290, Sr.)
    MLB Marvin Mitchell (6-3, 235, Sr.)
    RCB Jonathan Wade (6-0, 195, Sr.)
    LCB Antwan Stewart (6-0, 195, Sr.)
    SS Demetrice Morley (6-2, 195, So.)
    Specialists (1):
    PK James Wilhoit (5-10, 195, Sr.)

    NOTE: Specialists include punter and placekicker only.


    2007 SCHEDULE

    Sept. 1     at California
    Sept. 8     SOUTHERN MISS
    Sept. 15    at Florida
    Sept. 22    ARKANSAS STATE
    Oct. 6      GEORGIA
    Oct. 13     at Mississippi State
    Oct. 20     at Alabama
    Oct. 27     SOUTH CAROLINA
    Nov. 3      LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
    Nov. 10     ARKANSAS
    Nov. 17     VANDERBILT
    Nov. 24     at Kentucky
    


    COACH PHILLIP FULMER

    Alma Mater: Tennessee (1972)
    Coaching Experience: Tennessee Assistant Coach 1972-73; Wichita State Assistant Coach 1974-78; Vanderbilt Assistant Coach 1979; Tennessee Assistant Coach 1980-92; Tennessee Interim Head Coach (four games) 1992; Tennessee Head Coach 1993- Present.

    FULMER YEAR-BY-YEAR

    Year   School     Conf.  Pct.     All    Pct.  Bowl
    1992   Tennessee   2-0  1.000     4-0  1.000   Hall of Fame
    1993   Tennessee   7-1   .875    10-2   .833   Citrus
    1994   Tennessee   5-3   .625     8-4   .667   Gator
    1995   Tennessee   7-1   .875    11-1   .917   Citrus
    1996   Tennessee   7-1   .875    10-2   .833   Citrus
    1997   Tennessee   7-1   .875    11-2   .846   Orange
    1998   Tennessee   8-0  1.000    13-0  1.000   Fiesta
    1999   Tennessee   6-2   .750     9-3   .750   Fiesta
    2000   Tennessee   5-3   .625     8-4   .667   Cotton
    2001   Tennessee   7-1   .875    11-2   .846   Citrus
    2002   Tennessee   5-3   .625     8-5   .615   Peach
    2003   Tennessee   6-2   .750    10-3   .769   Peach
    2004   Tennessee   6-1   .875    10-3   .769   Cotton
    2005   Tennessee   3-5   .275     5-6   .455
    2006   Tennessee   5-3   .625     9-4   .692   Outback
    TOTALS            87-27  .763   137-41  .770   14 Years
    Bowl Record        7-7  (.500)
    


    VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACHES

    John Chavis (Tennessee, 1976): Assoc. Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
    David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976): Asst. Head Coach/Off. Coordinator/ Quarterbacks
    Trooper Taylor (Baylor, 1992): Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers
    Greg Adkins (Marshall, 1990): Offensive Line
    Matt Luke (Ole Miss, 2000): Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
    Dan Brooks (Western Carolina, 1976): Defensive Line
    Steve Caldwell (Arkansas State, 1977): Defensive Ends
    Larry Slade (Shepherd, 1973): Defensive Backs
    Kurt Roper (Rice, 1995): Running Backs


    TOP RETURNEES

    QB ERIK AINGE • 6-6, 220, Sr., Hillsboro, Ore.
    Finished third in the SEC in pass efficiency (151.9 rating), second in passing yards per game (249.1) and third in total offensive yards per game (240.6) in 2006 ... Completed 233-of-348 passes for 2,989 yards with 19 TDs and nine interceptions ... Named SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2004, throwing for 1,452 yards and 17 TDs ... Threw for 737 yards and five TDs in 2005.

    DB JONATHAN HEFNEY • 5-9, 185, Sr., Rock Hill, S.C.
    Tallied 96 total tackles (66 solos) in 2006, including three for losses (-6 yards), five interceptions and three pass deflections ... Second-team All-SEC by league's coaches and AP ... Named Freshman All-SEC in 2004 ... Has 226 career tackles with nine interceptions.