The Tennessee Vols

Following a week that saw just as much talk concerning NCAA letters of inquiry and Achilles tears, the Vols actually got in a weeks worth of practice. Here are a few of my observations after the first week:

• It seems Matt Simms continues to be the more consistent of the two quarterbacks (him and Tyler Bray), and we all know how much Chaney looks at consistency when choosing a starter. Still, I want to say that Bray’s talent and evolving maturity will eventually win out.
• Tauren Poole continues to be the guy driving the bus in the backfield as Dooley noted that they were still waiting on someone to step up to his level. Rajion Neal is taking steps, though who knows how big those steps are.
• If there are leaders on offense, they’re Luke Stocker and Gerald Jones. Not much has been said in the direction of Stocker and one would have to believe it’s because Dooley knows what he has in the senior tight end. Jones, meanwhile, has been vocal and is always a cool customer when it comes to the media. The same goes for the field where he just “looks” the part according to Dooley and does everything a senior wideout should. Though the hype on the offensive side has centered around freshmen Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter, Jones is no doubt consistent and as good a mentor as the young Vol receivers have.
• On defense, the injury news about Ben Martin and Marlon Walls was sobering, but a window of opportunity for the likes of Willie Bohannon, Steven Fowlkes, Rae Sykes, Jacques Smith, Corey Miller, etc has now opened even wider.
• In the secondary, the move of Marsalis Teague to cornerback is an exciting one. The battle to start beside Janzen Jackson is also an intriguing matchup to keep an eye on. I see Prentiss Wagner, Rod Wilks, and Brent Brewer going toe-to-toe until September.