Tennessee Volunteers

The University of Tennessee Volunteers have changed their program over the years and are now considered a perennial championship contender year in and year out. Two notable Volunteers, QB Peyton Manning and RB Jamal Lewis, are now stars in the National Football League and they’re by no means the only UT players in the league. Heading into the 2004 NFL season, 26 of the 32 teams had a former Tennessee player on their roster. Casey Clausen, a four year starter, was a player that wasn’t selected in the 2004 draft, but his loss might be felt hard this season. For this reason, and others, they come in at #23 in the pre-season top 25 rankings.

Spring training saw more uncertainty as C.J. Leak and Rick Clausen (Casey’s brother) couldn’t establish themselves as the starting QB. Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer, two incoming freshman, will also battle for the title of starter. RB Cedric Houston struggled last season but the team has said he’s shown improvement in practice and should compete for all-SEC honors. The offensive line will need to improve in 2004, and Captain OT Michael Munoz will lead the big men up front. The Vols return two all-SEC second team linebackers in Kevin Simon and Kevin Burnett for 2004. Both suffered injuries in 2002 but bounced back to post strong 2003 campaigns. Numerous Volunteers missed time this spring with injuries but most should be back for the season in the competitive SEC. One player who might miss significant time is cornerback Antwan Stewart who suffered a torn ligament late in the spring. He’s already had the surgery, but the team can’t redshirt him because he redshirted in 2002. The team is hopeful he can appear in games later in the season, but no one knows for sure.

The Vols improved on their 2002 8-5 record with a 10-3 record last season, but for the second consecutive season, they suffered a pretty bad Peach Bowl loss (27-14 to Clemson). The biggest game on the schedule is always the battle with the Florida Gators, and this year the contest will be staged on September 18 th in Tennessee’s back yard. Each of these teams was once the overwhelming leader of the SEC East but Georgia has passed both teams up in recent years. It’s the second game of the season, but a loss at home in that game could devastate the mentality of the team for the entire year. October 9 th sees the team travel to Georgia in what could be to sort out the SEC East even further. Rivals week will see Kentucky travel to Tennessee for a game that has been much more competitive in recent years. Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer will also welcome the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to Neyland Stadium on November 6 th in a game that will give the Vols a break from the rigorous SEC schedule. Notre Dame is a huge draw no matter where they play, and the fans at UT will be thrilled to see them.

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