It's never too early to talk college football. I'm a Diehard Tennessee fan. I bleed Orange. After last year, I think if you look back far enough David Cutcliffe and Jesus have a common relative somewhere along the line.

Now its time for my bi-annual (on average) reality check. After hearing the predictions of how Tennessee will be in the hunt for an SEC Title for the umpteenth year in a row, I have started to believe the rumors less and less. (Trust me I'm also a Red Sox fan, pessimism is in my blood) While Erik Ainge is returning, we have yet to see him play well consistently and stay healthy for an entire season. Not to mention Tennessee will be heading into the season with an unproven running game, and no returning starters at wide receiver. Not only were the receivers who are supposed to make an impact next year absent from spring practice (insert graduation joke here), they're not even on campus yet.

Here's what worries me. I saw the Patriots last year. They had Tom Brady at quarterback, one the best in the league, but he had a brand new receiving core. The receivers and Brady couldn't get on the same page until pretty late in the year. College football's preseason isn't nearly as long as the NFL's and they play less games in college. Erik Ainge clearly isn't Tom Brady and the SEC is known for its defense. It doesn't seem realistic to predict Ainge will be comfortable with the receivers until atleast half way through the year. Also, Tennessee plays Cal and Florida on the road in their first 3 games. As much as I want to, I just can't see them being near the top of the league next year.

Here is how I see the SEC ending up Next year:

East

1) Florida 2) South Carolina 3) Georgia 4) Tennessee 5) Kentucky 6) Vanderbilt

West

1) LSU 2) Auburn 3) Arkansas 4) Alabama 5) Ole Miss 6)Mississippi State

 Championship Game

LSU over Florida

***This blog originally was posted on April 21, of 2006. At the End I have added some new opinons.

The 2005 College Football season has been over for a while now, but the dissapoitment of last season for my Tennessee Volunteers still hasn't gone away. Predicted to challenge for the National Title with USC, the Vols ended up challenging Kentucky for last place in the SEC East. The Vols failed to make a bowl game for the first time in 19 years, and lost to in-state rival (?) Vanderbilt for the first time in over twenty years. All in all it was embarrassing, dissapointing, anything but successful.

Let's be honest with all those predictions by the alleged experts, were pretty much without merit. They entered the season with 2 quarterbacks (again), this time it was different. Whereas in the year before, Schaffer and Ainge had different styles, Schaffer being a scrambling QB, and Ainge being more of a pocket passer. Last season the QB battle was between two guys with very similar styles, and also no experience. While Ainge stepped up in his limited time (both due to rotation, and injury) his Freshman year, he definatley didn't have the sort of experience that the leader of a National Title contender needs. Same goes for Claussen, despite the legacy of his older brother Casey (which varies widely depending on who you talk to), Rick had played decent football but definatley not enough, and definatley not against the level of competition he would be asked to face if the Vols were going to make it to Pasedena. This led to one of the most in-ept offenses to ever grace Knoxville. The fact that Gerald Riggs went down with an injury, and the numerous fumbles and turnovers in the red-zone also didn't help.

Not only was the talent overrated, the schedule last season was brutal, even harder than a typical SEC schedule. The Vols had to play all of their hardest games on the road, with the exception of Georgia (Florida, LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame were all road games). This is not the ideal situation for a young offense to gain any confidence.  They managed only  one win, a miraculous comeback at LSU, but the easily could have gone 0-4 in that stretch.

I don't know how familiar you are with the South Eastern Conference, it is easily the hardest conference to play in. Not only because of the talent level, but it is comparable to the ACC in basketball, every road game you are going into an extremely hostile atmosphere. This year the Vols have the Neyland advantage. They will play Cal (opening weekend), Florida, LSU, and Alabama all at home.  While last year wasn't sucessful on the field, you could argue that by playing all those road games the Vols learned a lot about what it takes to win those sorts of games. Eric Ainge (I am assuming he wins the starting job from Jonathan Crompton, a promising red-shirt freshman) will have another year (or so) of experience under his belt. David Cutcliffe, the new Offensive Coordinator who has coached both Peyton Manning,at UT, and Eli Manning, at Ole Miss, should bring some new energy and insight to the disgrace of an offense he inherited.

The one upside of last year was the defense. However, most of those guys are gone (Kevin SImon, Jesse Maholouna, Jason Allen etc...). So this season could be the exact of oppisite of last season, if everything goes to plan. Expect some shootouts at Neyland next year.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not predicting a miraculous run, circa 1998, but I won't be surprised to see the Vols turn the ship around dramtically this year and finish near the top of the SEC, and back to the level of football that all of Rocky Top has come to expect.

So come September, look out for the Big Orange.

************ That blog was posted by me on April, 21 2006, scroll down if you don't believe me.

Obviously, I had underestimated the defense of this years team, they are good, ask Marshawn #### why he was pretty much eliminated from Heisman consideration in September. Hwever, they aren't overwhelming as Georgia and Airforce put up 33 and 30 respecivley.

The play of the receivers is approaching the level that we expected last year as Meachem (the #2 receiver nationally, going into the Alabama game), Swain, and Smith are emerging as serious threats. And the Running back play has been very good, almost a 3 headed monster with Hardnesty, Foster, and Coker (injured in Alabama game our up to 3 weeks). I can't say enough about David Cutcliffe and the job he has done rejuvenating the offense. And just think the Vols are a marginal roughing the passer call, and Antoine Stewart falling down away from being undefeated and very much in the National title hunt.

If the underclassmen all stay, I feel like next season the Vols could be a favorite (and this time a legitimate favorite) to win it all. However, they obviously will have to go through their schedule undefeated which isn't easy at all (just ask Florida and Auburn this year). And again they will have to go to on the road early (Cal, and Florida). And make a trip to Alabama, which as all true Tennessee fans know is never easy. If they can get through the first 3 weeks, they will have 7 total home games ( Home game vs. Southern Miss is sandwiched beteween the road trips to Cal and Florida) which is always an advantage.