GENERAL Preseason NOTEBOOK
Schedule Notes
• South Alabama: The first ever meeting with Tennessee
takes place in the fifth year of South Alabama’s football program. The Jaguars mark the fourth different Sunbelt opponent the Vols’ hosted in the last five seasons. UT defeated Western Kentucky in 2009, MTSU in 2011 and Troy in 2012.
2013 At A Glance
• In Butch Jones’ first season as Tennessee’s head coach,
he will face four coaches also in their first season on the job: Bobby Petrino at Western Kentucky; Mark Helfrich at Oregon; Gus Malzahn at Auburn; Mark Stoops at Kentucky. • The Vols travel to Autzen Stadium for the first time in school history, as they face the Oregon Ducks on 9/14. This marks the first game ever in the state of Oregon for Tennessee, and the first game on the West Coast since opening the 2008 season at UCLA. Oregon won the only other meeting between the two schools in the 2010 season, 48-13. • Tennessee’s game against Florida on 9/21 marks the first time the UF game isn’t third on the schedule since 20052006. That game was also in Gainesville, and the Vols lost 16-7. • October looks to be a critical month again for the Vols with games against SEC foes Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.
UNFAMILIAR FOES
• 2013 marks the fifth year in a row that the Vols face two
teams they’ve never played before. Tennessee has never played Austin Peay or South Alabama, while last season, Tennessee held inaugural games against Georgia State and Troy. The Vols won both matchups. Overall, Tennessee is 9-1 in series-starting games, with the only loss coming to Oregon in 2010. • Western Kentucky: UT is playing its second game ever against WKU, and holds the series advantage 1-0. First year Hilltopper head coach Bobby Petrino is 1-0 all-time against Tennessee with a 49-7 victory as the coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2011. WKU is 1-7 vs. SEC opponents in the past five seasons.
JONES vs. FOES
• With this Butch Jones’ first year as UT’s coach, and first
season coaching in the SEC, there are expected to be some new opponents. Jones will coach against nine new teams this season. • Jones has previously faced three opponents on Tennessee’s schedule defeating Austin-Peay and Vanderbilt at Cincinnati in 2011 by scores of 72-10 and 31-24. • Jones also faced Georgia in 2008 and his Central Michigan squad was dealt a 56-17 loss by the Bulldogs.
Strength of Schedule
• Tennessee finished 2012 with a Sagarin strength of
schedule rating of 56 and 2013’s schedule looks to be just as difficult. Eight of UT’s 12 opponents appeared in a bowl in 2012, while the teams combined for a 89-64 record. • Six of UT’s opponents finished the 2012 season ranked in the final Associated Press and Coaches’ polls: Alabama (AP-1, Coaches-1), Oregon (AP-2, Coaches-2), Georgia (AP-5, Coaches-4), South Carolina (AP-8, Coaches-7), Florida (AP-9, Coaches-10), and Vanderbilt (AP-23, Coaches-20). • Tennessee’s opponents compiled an overall record of 89-63 the previous season. Seven of Tennessee’s opponents had winning records in 2012: Western Kentucky (7-6), Oregon (12-1), Florida (11-2), Georgia (12-2), South Carolina (11-2), Alabama (13-1) and Vanderbilt (9-3).
Preseason HONORS ZACH FULTON
• Lindy’s Third Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Second Team All-SEC
JA’wuan james
• Lindy’s Second Team All-SEC • Lindy’s No. 8 Overall Top Tackle • Athlon Sports Third Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Third Team All-SEC
A.J. Johnson
• Lott Trophy Watch List • Lindy’s Second Team All-American • Lindy’s First Team All-SEC • Lindy’s No. 3 Top Inside Linebacker • Athlon Sports First Team All-SEC • Athlon Sports Fourth Team AllAmerican • Sporting News Second Team AllAmerican • Sporting News First Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Third Team All-American • Phil Steele First Team All-SEC
CURT MAGGITT
• Lindy’s Third Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Fourth Team All-SEC
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2013 Tennessee FOOTBALL
DAN McCULLERS
• Athlon Sports Third Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Fourth Team All-American • Phil Steele First Team All-SEC
BYRON MOORE
• Phil Steele Third Team All-SEC
MICHAEL PALARDY
• Lindy’s Third Team All-SEC
ANTONIO RICHARDSON
• Lindy’s First Team All-SEC • Lindy’s No. 5 Overall Top Tackle • Athlon Sports Second Team AllAmerican • Athlon Sports Second Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Second Team All-American • Phil Steele Second Team All-SEC • Lindy’s No. 7 Top-10 NFL Talent
JAMES STONE
• Rimington Watch List • Lindy’s Second Team All-SEC • Athlon Sports Second Team All-SEC • Phil Steele Second Team All-SEC
UNIT RANKINGS
• Offensive Line – Lindy’s No. 2 Overall Offensive Line (No. 1 SEC) • Athlon Sports No. 2 Overall Offensive Line (No. 1 SEC) • Linebackers – Lindy’s No. 8 Overall Linebackers (No. 2 SEC)
2013 INCOMER RANKINGS
• Lindy’s Recruiting No. 2 Wide Receiver – Marquez North • Lindy’s Recruiting No. 3 Wide Receivers • Lindy’s Recruiting No. 16 Incoming SEC Recruit: Marquez North • Lindy’s Recruiting No. 21 Incoming Class • Athlon Sports Recruiting No. 25 Incoming Class
LINDY’s THE BIG ONES
Top SEC Games of 2013 • Sept. 14: Tennessee at Oregon • Sept. 21: Tennessee at Florida • Oct. 5: Georgia at Tennessee • Oct. 26: Tennessee at Alabama