Hey, all! Looking forward to coming to UT. It's been on my sports bucket list for some time. I've always wanted to see Neyland, and now as a Tigers fan, I have a reason to make the drive.
Our group is hitting up Nashville on Thursday; then, we're getting up the next day to drink our butts off in Knoxville and watch a little football.
Regarding the topic at hand...
It's been an absolute f'ing nightmare. This team has been decimated at the two positions you cannot be decimated at: quarterback and the offensive line.
James Franklin is not healthy... He hasn't been healthy since the Georgia game and our idiotic offensive coordinator decided to run him like a fullback. Our backup QB, RSFR Berkstresser, is simply not ready. With Franklin, we would have beaten Vandy.
Regarding the line.... All I can say is WOW.
To start this season, this was our projected line:
LT - Elvis Fisher (senior, 4-year starter)
LG - Travis Ruth (senior, 2-year starter)
C - Mitch Morse (RS soph, new starter)
RG - Jack Meiners (senior, new starter, but top back-up at both guard and tackle spots the last two years)
RT - Justin Britt (junior, 2-year starter)
This looked to be a pretty salty line with some experience. Looked... Before getting out of summer camp:
- Ruth blew his tricepts muscle and was lost for the year.
- Jack Meiners badly injured his ankle and while he's played a game or two; he's played sparringly because he can't walk without limping badly. I give him credit for trying. For all intensive purposes, he's been lost for the year.
- Also, our top swing tackle, Chappel, blew his ACL -- he too gone for the year.
That left us with:
LT - Fisher
LG - Evan Boehm - True Frosh, but top 3 guard prospect in the country
C - Mitch Morse
RG - Max Copeland - Former walk-on, RSJR
RT - Justin Britt
After the Georgia game, Fisher got rolled up on... I saw it happen... right in front of me. Not good. He badly strained his MCL and was thought to be lost for the year. He only managed to miss about a month.... but he's a shell of himself. He went from a four-year starter and an All Big 12 tackle to just a guy. He doesn't have his old lateral quickness with a badly banged up knee.
Then, last week, we lose Britt. Our fourth tackle is a kid by the name of Anthony Gatti. He's a RSFR. He did so, so against Florida... but now well enough. So, he'll get some snaps, but I don't see him playing a bunch. The new line:
LT - Fisher (who is badly hobbled)
LG - Boehm (the frosh, but has played very well)
C - Brad McNulty (RSFR... Oddly enough, he snaps the ball better than our "normal starter" Morse)
RG - Copeland (undersized former walk-on)
RT - Morse (should be starting at center)
Soooo.... yeah, it's been a terrible year for injuries. People can kid about "old man football" all they want, but these have been freak. You don't lose three starters for the year... before the year starts... and expect to play as well... plus lose other key back ups. It hasn't helped that Franklin has missed three games either.
It's just been a frustrating year... I know you guys know it. Even more so, because our defense has played exceptionally well.
Keep an eye out for #34 DT Sheldon Richardson. "Mr Old Man Football" will be first team SEC and a top 15 draft pick in this upcoming draft. A man child.
