It appears as though the Tennessee Volunteers football program has finally found steady ground once again after three years of turmoil. That doesn't mean that there aren't questions and concerns for the team on Rocky Top.

Playing in the most powerful football conference in the country magnifies each and every weakness. While I like being able to say that my Vols are facing the top competition (and winning, hopefully), it's also the proverbial grind to play in the SEC.

The first step in preparing for any hardship—the SEC schedule in this case—is to understand what variables you have to deal with.

So here we go! The 10 biggest questions facing the 2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team are...

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Jeff Evans

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver, Joe Adams, made one of the greatest plays I have ever seen. You can see it in the video above. He breaks at least six Tennessee Volunteers attempted tackles before taking it to the house. It was damn impressive. 

Trent Richardson Heisman Moment Highlights vs Ole Miss and Auburn

Trent Richardson Heisman Moment Highlight against Ole Miss

Matt Barkley Heisman Highlights

Robert Griffin III Heisman Highlights

LaMichael James Heisman Highlights

Can Trent Richardson steal the Heisman Trophy from Andrew Luck with a big game against LSU

Brandon Weeden Heisman Highlights

Andrew Luck Highlights vs Oregon Ducks

Trent Richardson Heisman Moment Highlight in Iron Bowl vs Auburn

Brian Johnson

In week three, the Tennessee Volunteers visit The Swamp in Gainesville, FL to challenge the Florida Gators. Both teams are currently undefeated, however, neither team has really been tested. Florida has played two far inferior opponents, and Tennessee played one inferior team and Cincinnati, who is not that good this year. We will learn a lot about both teams in this game, and whether either is a true contender for the SEC East Title and a chance to play in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA. 

Total Yards: 279

Rushing Yards: -9

Passing Yards: 288

1st Downs: 23

Penalties: 10 - 94 yards

Turnovers: 2 - 0 fumbles lost - 2 interceptions

Tennessee Passing Leader

T Bray: 26 for 48 - 288 yards - 6.0 average per completion - 3 touchdowns - 2 interceptions

Tennessee Rushing Leaders

T Poole: 9 carries - 18 yards - 2.0 yard average per carry - 0 touchdowns

M. Lane: 5 carries - 9 yards - 1.8 yard average per carry - 0 touchdowns

Tennessee Receiving Leaders

M Rivera: 5 catches - 71 yards - 14.2 average per catch - 1 touchdown

D Rodgers: 5 catches - 62 yards - 12.4 average per catch - 1 touchdown

D Arnett: 8 catches - 59 yards - 7.4 average per catch - 0 touchdowns 

J  Brantley: 14 for 23 - 213 yards - 9.3 average per completion - 2 touchdowns - 0 interceptions

Florida Rushing Leaders

C Rainey: 21 carries - 108 yards - 5.1 yard average per carry - 0 touchdowns

J Demps: 10 carries - 48 yards - 4.8 yard average per carry - 0 touchdowns

Florida Receiving Leaders

C Rainey: 2 catches - 108 yards - 52.0 average per catch - 1 touchdown

T Burton: 4 catches - 38 yards - 9.5 average per catch - 1 touchdown

J Demps: 4 catches - 37 yards - 9.3 average per catch - 0 touchdowns

Brian Johnson

The saying goes, "To be the Man, You have to Beat the Man." In the BCS Era of College Football, the Southeastern Conference has definitely been the Man.

Brian Johnson

MILWAUKEE - John Hammond couldn't hide his happiness Friday.

In less than 24 hours, the Bucks' general manager completed a three-team trade and added two players through the NBA draft, adding some much-needed scoring punch to a roster that finished near the bottom of the league last season.

"After it happens, you take a deep breath and hope it works," Hammond said. "But for about 24 hours, you wake up the next day and you're really excited."

After trading for point guards Shaun Livingston and Beno Udrih and shooting guard Stephen Jackson, Hammond used his two draft picks — the 19th and 40th — on a pair of forwards, Tennessee's Tobias Harris and Wisconsin's Jon Leuer.

He thinks both players have a chance to make a difference right away.

"We have two great people here," Hammond said at a press conference to introduce his two draft picks. "Both of these guys are going to be very good basketball players, there's no doubt in my mind about that."

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Harris played just one season at Tennessee and finished second on the team with 15.3 points and led the Volunteers with 7.3 rebounds per game. On a roster that already includes Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Carlos Delfino and Ersan Ilyasova, Harris knows he'll have some work to do.

"I'm just a basketball player," Harris said. "Wherever position coach wants to put me at, I'll play."

In Leuer, the Bucks have a versatile big man who can play inside while also able to step back and shoot the three. In four years under Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Leuer shot .368 from beyond the arc and was a 48 percent shooter from the field.

At 6-foot-10, 228 pounds, Leuer thinks his versatility makes him a good fit for the Bucks — a team he spent a lot of time watching over the years having grown up in Minnesota and playing in Madison.

"As a 'big,' I feel like I can really stretch the floor," Leuer said. "That's a skill I can really help them out with. I've watched them play quite a bit ... I really like what they do. Playing with a point guard like Brandon Jennings will be a lot of fun."

Milwaukee finished 35-47 last season, missing the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons.

Coach Scott Skiles said he's looking forward to getting to work with his new players. He's hoping to get out on the court next week and start preparing his players for the upcoming season.

"The day after the draft is always a good day," Skiles said. "You're always optimistic. We're very, very happy they were there and I'm comfortable saying I'm going to enjoy coaching them."

Jeff Evans

The SEC East might be the sloppiest division of any Conference in the nation. Who Wins? You're guess is as good as mine.

I'm going to go with Kentucky Wildcats coming out of nowhere to win it all. They looked good against AU and were able to beat South Carolina.

South Carolina has been a mystery this season. Get beat by AU, but then beat #1 Alabama to only lose to unranked Kentucky. Are they good, are they bad? Who knows.

Georgia has looked terrible for the most part this year. However, they are still in it for the East Crown.

Florida was beat by both Alabama and LSU from the West. However, they could still win the East with wins over USC and Georgia.

Vanderbuilt is even in the race. They are tied with USC for the least number of losses at 2 each. They play each other.

Wouldn't that be crazy? USC vs Vanderbuilt for the SEC East.

We aren't going to include Tennessee because they have no in-conference wins. However, they could still theoretically win the EAST.

 SEC EAST STANDINGS:
                            CONF      OVERALL
South Carolina  2-2              4-2
Florida                 2-3              4-3
Georgia               2-3              3-4 
Vanderbilt           1-2              2-4
Kentucky             1-3              4-3
Tennessee        0-3              2-4

 Who Wins the SEC EAST?

Brian Johnson

2010: Gene Chizik, Auburn: still at Auburn

2009: Nick Saban, Alabama: still at Alabama

2008: Urban Meyer, Florida: resigned 2010, working for ESPN

2007: Les Miles, LSU: still at LSU

2006: Urban Meyer, Florida: resigned 2010

2005: Mack Brown, Texas: Still at Texas

2004: Pete Carroll, Southern Cal: resigned 2010, coaching NFL's Seahawks

2003: Nick Saban, LSU: resigned 2004, coaching Alabama

2002: Jim Tressel, Ohio State: resigned 2011

2001: Larry Coker, Miami: fired 2006, coaching Texas-San Antonio

2000: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: still coaching Oklahoma

1999: Bobby Bowden, Florida State: retired 2010

1998: Phil Fulmer, Tennessee: fired 2008, now a CBS analyst

1997: Tom Osborne, Nebraska: retired 1998, now NU's athletic director

1997, Lloyd Carr, Michigan: resigned 2008, now in Michigan athletic administration

1996: Steve Spurrier, Florida: resigned 2002, now coaching South Carolina

1995: Tom Osborne, Nebraska:

1994: Tom Osborne, Nebraska:

1993: Bobby Bowden, Florida State:

1992: Gene Stallings, Alabama: resigned 1996, now retired

1991: Dennis Erickson, Miami: resigned 1995, now coaching Arizona State

1990: Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech: resigned 1992, now retired

1990: Bill McCartney, Colorado: resigned 1994, now CEO of Promise Keepers men's organization

1989: Dennis Erickson, Miami:

1988: Lou Holtz, Notre Dame: resigned 1997, now ESPN analyst

1987: Jimmy Johnson, Miami: resigned 1989, now Fox Sports analyst

1986: Joe Paterno, Penn State: still at Penn State

1985: Barry Switzer, Oklahoma: fired 1989, now retired

1984: Lavell Edwards, Brigham Young: resigned 2000, now retired

1983: Howard Schnellenberger, Miami: Resigned 1984, now coaching Florida Atlantic

1982: Joe Paterno, Penn State

1981: Danny Ford, Clemson: resigned 1990, now retired

Jeff Evans

June 15, 2011

2011 Football Ticket Information
Buy Tickets Online
Ross-Ade Stadium 3D Seating Diagram

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Single-game tickets for the 2011 Purdue football season are on sale today.

The Boilermakers play seven home games in Ross-Ade Stadium: Middle Tennessee State (Sept. 3), Southeast Missouri State (Sept. 17), Notre Dame (Oct. 1), Minnesota (Oct. 8), Illinois (Oct. 22), Ohio State (Nov. 12) and Iowa (Nov. 19).

Ticket prices are as follows:

Middle Tennessee State and Southeast Missouri State: $40 general public, $23 students
Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa: $46 general public, $26 students
Notre Dame and Ohio State: $65 general public, $26 students

Season tickets remain available, as do "Pick 3" packages (pick three games among Middle Tennessee State, Southeast Missouri State, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa).

Tickets can be ordered online, by calling the Athletic Ticket Office (765-494-3194 or 800-497-7678) or inperson at the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility.

Jeff Evans

The Georgia Bulldogs began the 2011 college football season by losing their first two games versus the Boise State Broncos and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Since then, the Bulldogs have won five in a row and seem to be on a roll. 

Brian Johnson

June 7, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Big Ten Conference, BTN and ESPN have announced the kickoff times for the first three weeks of the 2011 football season, including a pair of Purdue home games, and Conference USA and Rice have announced the start time for game against the Owls in Houston.

The Boilermakers will open the year in Ross-Ade Stadium on Sept. 3 by hosting Middle Tennessee State at noon, face the Owls in Texas on Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m. ET before returning home to take on Southeast Missouri State at noon on Sept. 17. Both home contests will be shown live on BTN, while the game at Rice will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network.

The latest release brings Purdue's known kickoff times for the regular season to seven of 12 games.

2011 Purdue Football Schedule
Sept. 3 - Middle Tennessee State - Noon (BTN)
Sept. 10 - at Rice - 3:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sept. 17 - Southeast Missouri State ^ - Noon (BTN)
Sept. 24 - OPEN
Oct. 1 - Norte Dame - 8 p.m. (ABC, EPSN or ESPN2)
Oct. 8 - Minnesota - TBA (TBA)
Oct. 15 - at Penn State - Noon (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or BTN)
Oct. 22 - Illinois * - Noon (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or BTN)
Oct. 29 - at Michigan - Noon (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or BTN)
Nov. 5 - at Wisconsin - TBA (TBA)
Nov. 12 - Ohio State - TBA (TBA)
Nov. 19 - Iowa - TBA (TBA)
Nov. 26 - at Indiana - TBA (TBA)

^ Band/Family Day
* Homecoming/Varsity P Day
All Game Times Listed as Eastern

Jeff Evans

It wasn’t the display that showcased her Hall of Fame career that touched Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw during her induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame last weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.

It was the number of people - family, friends and fans - who turned out to support her.

“I thought the best part of the weekend was the people, just having my friends … the starting five from St. Joe’s … it was like a look at my life through all these people,” McGraw said. “That was the best part, being with them. And then Saturday night, when you get all dressed up, that was a pretty big moment.”

McGraw’s contingent included her teammates from her playing days at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, players from her Archbishop Carroll High School team from suburban Philadelphia, players from Lehigh, and a large contingent of players and fans wearing Notre Dame’s blue and gold colors.

“It’s been overwhelming in a way,” McGraw said of the backing from fans during the Irish run to the national championship game, and when McGraw went to Knoxville. “I wish I could do more for all these people who have supported me. They’re always traveling to see me, and doing all these things to support the team. I feel like I never get to return the support. You always wish you could do more.”

McGraw’s Irish are in the process of lining up what could be the nation’s toughest schedule for next season.

Notre Dame is slated to play in a tournament in the Bahamas during Thanksgiving week. The Irish will probably play Southern Cal and Duke, according to the Junkanoo Tournament website.

Notre Dame is scheduled to play in the pre-season WNIT, with a Baylor team expected to be ranked No. 1 next season in the opposite bracket. If the Irish and the Bears each win out in their brackets, Notre Dame would likely be taking a trip to Waco, Texas, to take on Baylor and 6-foot-8 star Brittney Griner.

The Irish will host Kentucky in the return match of a home-and-away series that started last season in Lexington. Notre Dame will travel to Purdue in the continuation of that series.

Also on tap for next season, according to Tennessee sources, is a game in South Bend against Tennessee, with a return match in Knoxville the following season. The Irish beat the Volunteers for the first time in 21 meetings in the Dayton Regional last season to reach the Final Four.

Then, there’s the Big East season. Notre Dame will play mighty Connecticut twice, and will be on the road for a number of Big East powers.

“We’re going to play six of the top Big East teams on the road,” McGraw said. “We’re going to be at Rutgers, Georgetown, St. John’s, Connecticut, Louisville and Syracuse. They’re all going to be ranked, and we’re going to be at every single one of them. It’s going to be difficult. Probably nobody else is going to have that kind of schedule. And we have Connecticut twice.

“We’re definitely challenging ourselves,” McGraw said. “We had a great year, and we have the bulk of our team back. We have high expectations, and the best way to see where you are is to challenge your team and challenge yourself with your schedule.”

Notre Dame’s schedule, which is expected to be released in October, would have included UCLA, which played in South Bend last season. The Bruins were a top 15 team last season. Pauley Pavilion, UCLA’s legendary home court, is undergoing renovations, and the Irish return trip to Los Angeles is going to be pushed back, and may possibly be linked to a Notre Dame football weekend when the Irish take on Southern Cal.

Big East Conference officials are considering where the league’s women’s basketball tournament should be held. Hartford’s XL Center, which is considered to be a neutral site by the conference although Connecticut plays a number of home games there, has hosted the Big East women’s basketball tournament since 2004. Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut and Louisville's new 22,000-seat KFC Yum Center, have been mentioned as alternate sites.

“We would really like to get out of Hartford,” McGraw said. “Connecticut would like to go somewhere else, too. We need to find the right venue, but we’re locked into Hartford for the next two years. We make the most money of any conference in the country in Hartford, and we get good support. Hartford’s been good to us. We need a place that will embrace us. A neutral site would be nice.”

Women’s basketball players will be shooting 3-pointers from 20 feet, 9 inches away from the basket, a move that will put the 3-point line even with the men’s line. The women’s line had been at 19-9.

“I went back and watched a couple of our games, and we were already shooting it from the men’s 3-point line,” Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins said. “In practice, you don’t even think about it. You just step back and shoot. An open shot is an open shot.”

An NCAA study of more than 100 games found that the women shot better from the men’s line (33 percent) last season than the women’s line (30 percent).

“We have the range,” Diggins said. “I don’t think it will be much of a difference. I don’t think it will be a huge difference, but it may spread the defense out. I think it’s a good thing for the game, as far as evening things out and for us to become more like the guys’ game. Our game is evolving. This says a lot about women’s basketball as far as how much it correlates to the guys’ game.”

Staff writer Curt Rallo:
crallo@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6152

Jeff Evans

Whilst researching this year's installment of EL GIGANTE'S NCAA Pre-season Top Twenty-five Countdown, I've run across Athlon's top 25 Players of the BCS Era (1998 to present):
 
25) Bryant McKinnie - OT (Miami, FL)
24) Terrell Suggs - DE (Arizona State)
23) Eric Berry - S (Tennessee)
22) Sam Bradford - QB (Oklahoma)
21) Michael Crabtree - WR (Texas Tech) 
20) Patrick Willis - LB (Mississippi)
19) David Pollack - DE (Georgia)
18) Jake Long - OT (Michigan)
17) Joe Thomas - OT (Wisconsin)
16) Ron Dayne - RB (Wisconsin)
15) Pat White - QB (West Virginia)
14) Ed Reed - S (Miami, FL)
13) Julius Peppers - DE (UNC)
12) Michael Vick - QB (Va Tech)
11) Larry Fitzgerald - WR (Pitt)
10) Cam Newton - QB (Auburn)
9) LaDanian Tomlinson - RB (TCU)
8) Darren McFadden - RB (Arkansas)
7) Matt Leinart - QB (USC)
6) Ricky Williams - RB (Texas)
5) Ndamukong Suh - DT (Nebraska)
4) Adrian Peterson - RB (Oklahoma)
3) Reggie Bush - RB (USC)
2) Vince Young - QB (Texas)
1) Tim Tebow - QB (Florida)
 
Reasons I hate polls like this include:

• 7 are Quarterbacks
• 6 are Running Backs
• 18 are Offensive players
• 17 are "skill" positions
• Where's Chris Weinke who won his Heisman by 300+ more votes & 300+ more yards passing than Matt Leinart, beat Michael Vick in the '99 National Championship, won the Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas & Heisman Trophies in 2000?
• How 'bout John Henderson from Tennessee?  He was a two-time All-American DT (consensus in '00) & Outland Trophy winner in '99.  Albert Haynesworth was his understudy for God's sake!
• Anyone remember Derrick Johnson from Texas?  He was the 2-time (!!!) {'03 & '04} CONSENSUS All-American Linebacker, Butkus Award & Bronco Nagurski Award winner from Texas. 

 
I mean SERIOUSLY?!?!?  These are guys I just came up with off the top of my head!!!
 
If you want to do whole offensive & defensive teams, I might go with you Athlon.  Otherwise, quit throwing RBs & QBs at us and calling it a credible list!
 
EL G - Guns Loaded

Jeff Evans

Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955) is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry singing with her siblings on local radio shows and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma City, which caught the attention of country artist Red Steagall. He brought her to Nashville, Tennessee, where she eventually signed a contract with Mercury Records in 1975. She released her first solo album in 1977 and released five additional studio albums under the label until 1983.

Fun Polls

Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955) is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry singing with her siblings on local radio shows and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma City, which caught the attention of country artist Red Steagall. He brought her to Nashville, Tennessee, where she eventually signed a contract with Mercury Records in 1975. She released her first solo album in 1977 and released five additional studio albums under the label until 1983.

Fun Polls

New York Post writer Phil Mushnick isn’t exactly celebrating CBS Sports Network’s decision to hire former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Some highlights from a recent article he wrote:

•“The same Rich Rodriguez who regularly recruited and indulged criminals and assorted bad boys as the head coach at West Virginia and then Michigan? Yeah, that one.”

•“At CBS Sports Network (formerly CBS College Sports), Rodriguez joins Phillip Fulmer, who, as the coach of Tennessee, annually recruited a fresh crime wave, so much so that police cars in Knoxville carried football programs to help identify perps. Seriously.”

Jeff Evans