Tennessee Football Game Notes: Western Kentucky Game

August 28, 2009 | Football

Aug. 28, 2009

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GAME 1: Lane Kiffin Era Opens With Contest Against Western Kentucky

Quick Facts

Tennessee: 0-0, 0-0 SEC

Western Kentucky: 0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt

UT: Lane Kiffin: 0-0 (1st yr)

WKU: David Elson: 39-32 (7th yr)

UT: NR AP / NR USA Today

WKU: NR AP / NR USA Today

Series: First Meeting

At Knoxville: First Meeting

Site: Neyland Stadium (100,011)

TV: SEC Network

Announcers: Dave Neal, Andre Ware, Cara Capuano

Radio: Vol Network

Announcers: Bob Kesling, Tim Priest, Mike Stowell

Next Game: Sept. 12 vs. UCLA, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN

Related Links

Quick Hits

Season Openers: UT has won more than three-quarters of its season openers, going 82-24-6 (.759) dating to 1891. In the last 25 seasons, Tennessee is 20-3-2 (.860) in season openers. Of those 25 games, 12 were played against teams not currently in a BCS conference, and the Vols are a perfect 12-0 in those contests.
Home Openers: The Vols have been even more dominant in home openers, going 88-18-5 (.815) all-time in the first game at Neyland Stadium each season. Tennessee has won 14 consecutive home openers dating to the 1994 season.
Coaching Debuts: Lane Kiffin is Tennessee's 21st head coach, and he has the opportunity to be the 17th to win his inaugural game. Tennessee coaches are 16-4 alltime in their first game as coach, though General Robert R. Neyland had three "first" games, going 3-0 and improving the overall mark to 18-4.
On Sept. 5: Tennessee is 5-1 all-time on Sept. 5. In their last five contests on that date, the Vols have averaged 38.2 points per game.
vs. the Sun Belt: Tennessee and Western Kentucky have never met on the gridiron, but the Vols are 5-1 alltime against teams that currently comprise the Sun Belt Conference.
Win Streaks: Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin inherits two wins streaks concerning the Western Kentucky game. The Vols have won 14-consecutive home openers since a 1994 loss to Florida in Knoxville. Tennessee has also won five straight vs. teams now in the Sun Belt Conference since a 1975 loss to North Texas State.
A win would: A victory over Western Kentucky would be the first season-opening win for the Vols since 2006. It would also make Lane Kiffin the 17th out of 21 UT head coaches to earn a win in his debut.
A loss would: A loss would be Tennessee's third straight in a season opening game and its second-ever loss to a Sun Belt Conference team.
New Network: Tennessee gets the privilege of being the first SEC team to play on the SEC Network, which will air one SEC home game in syndication each week for the duration of the 2009 season. The Vols are 6-4-2 all-time in their first appearance on a television network.

Kiffin Coaches Football Too

Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin as its 21st head football coach on Dec. 1, 2008. The Vols new coach--the youngest head coach in FBS and one of 11 in college football with NFL head coaching experience--will finally coach a game after an offseason spent raising the profile of Tennessee football.

Star-Studded Staff: Kiffin's first task was assembling a well-respected coaching staff that included his father and famed NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron, four other assistants with SEC coaching experience and two more with NFL coaching credentials to their credit.
Top-10 Class: Kiffin had just two weeks with his full staff, but still managed to sign a recruiting class on Feb. 4 that ranked among the best in the nation according to the major recruiting services. The class included the No.1 ranked player in the country, running back Bryce Brown.
Making His Media Mark: Kiffin has appeared almost everywhere since taking the reins of the UT football. His offseason media resume includes a Sports Illustrated cover and feature, a Sporting News feature, an ESPN Outside the Line piece, and a USA Today front-page story.
Camp Kiffin: Kiffin got the attention of his players, the fans and local media by having physical, full-contact practices throughout fall camp and opening those workouts to the fans.

Healthy Hardesty Emerges From Crowded Backfield

Tennessee enters the 2009 season with four healthy scholarship running backs and only room for three in Lane Kiffin's offensive rotation. Senior Montario Hardesty made sure he had the first of those spots during fall camp, emerging early on as the Vols top back.

The senior from New Bern, N.C. has rushed for 1,046 career yards and worked primarily as a goal-line back last season, scoring six touchdowns. Hardesty is injury-free for the first time in his college career and hoping for a breakout senior season.

Crompton Gets The Call at QB

Lane Kiffin named Jonathan Crompton his starting quarterback three weeks into fall camp, and the senior from Waynesville, N.C. is intent on making the most of a second chance under center after losing his job to backup Nick Stephens after four games last season.

Crompton has played under four different offensive coordinators in his five seasons on Rocky Top, performing his best under David Cutcliffe in a brief starting stint in place of an injured Erik Ainge in 2006. His best effort in 2008 was a 240-yard, two touchdown game vs. UAB early in the season.

Sullins Wins Starting Job at Center

The clearest proof of Lane Kiffin's every-position-isalways- up-for-grabs philosophy is that senior center and former walk-on Cody Sullins beat out Josh McNeil, a three-year starter with a 35-game start streak, for the right to play the first offensive snap vs. Western Kentucky.

Sullins is has lettered in each of the last two seasons and was put on scholarship by former head coach Phillip Fulmer prior to the 2008 season. He has played in just five career games and never previously started.

McNeil is a former Freshman All-America and honorable mention All-SEC selection, but battled injuries throughout fall camp.

Stocker Wins Tight End Battle

One position that did not go through its fair share of offseason fluctuation was tight end, where two seasoned veterans return for 2009. Senior Jeff Cottam (35 career games) and junior Luke Stocker (2008 starter) battled throughout camp with Stocker eventually winning the job.

The two have combined for 21 career catches for 169 yards, but both will see significant time in 2009 thanks to their experience and blocking prowess.

Youth Should Equal Depth at Tailback

While Montario Hardesty clearly set himself apart from Tennessee's younger running backs in fall camp, the Vols have a sophomore and two true freshmen who will all see the field in 2009. Tauren Poole returns with a 3.9 yardsper- carry average from limited action last season and has been elusive throughout fall camp.

Joining Poole are two of the nation's top running back recruits in Bryce Brown and David Oku. Brown has worked with the first team in camp and Oku will at least see kick return duty.

Injuries Present Opportunity at WR

Injuries to three of Tennessee's top returning wide receivers presented ample opportunity for incoming freshmen and position transfers to make their mark during fall camp.

Injuries to Austin Rogers (leg--season) and Denarius Moore (foot--2-4 weeks) and Gerald Jones (ankle--3-6 weeks) mean Quintin Hancock and Brandon Warren and will carry the pass-catching load among returning players. Hancock did not catch a pass in 2008 and Warren moved from tight end during spring practice. Tennessee will have a total of 279 career receiving yards in its wideout corps for the Western Kentucky game.

Newcomers that took advantage of an opportunity during camp include Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague who worked themselves onto the two-deep depth chart.

Experience Makes Safety a Strength

All-America safety Eric Berry is the unquestioned star of the UT secondary, and he has a mixed bag of experience and youth around him. The Vols return one other starter in Dennis Rogan and several experienced backups from the 2008 unit that helped Tennessee finish fourth in the nation in pass defense and tied for 20th interceptions. Rogan has moved to free safety after starting 10 games at right corner last season.

Marsalous Johnson also returns with three years experience and nine career starts, likely to play in the nickel packages.

Brent Vinson, a starter in 2007, also returns but has battled injuries throughout fall camp.

Three other Vols expected to see their first significant playing time are corners Art Evans and Anthony Anderson along with safety Prentiss Waggner. Three newcomers will also see action in corner Mike Edwards and safeties Darren Myles, Jr. and Janzen Jackson.

Berry, Rogan and Johnson combined for 136 tackles, eight interceptions and 14 passes defensed last season.