Arkansas Sports 360.com - July 2008 - (Page 19) Coach Phil Fulmer’s job midway through last season, especially after Nick Saban and Alabama handed the Vols a 41-17 whipping. Fulmer and his team finished strong, though, with six wins in their last seven games – yes, some of them were simply a matter of good fortune. Tennessee landed in the SEC title game, where LSU outfought the Volunteers, 21-14. Fulmer returns 14 starters and two specialists, but the one person missing from last year that means the most is quarterback Erik Ainge, who will be replaced by Jonathon Crompton. Arian Foster gives the Vols the power back Fulmer likes, but returning receivers Lucas Taylor and Josh Briscoe won’t make anyone forget Peerless Price or Cedric Wilson from past great Vols teams. Demonte Bolden and Dan Williams anchor a strong defensive front, Rico McCoy is a fierce linebacker, and Eric Berry is an all-star at strong safety. Both corners, Brent Vinson and DeAngelo Willingham, are back. Believe it or not, there is still a Colquitt (Britton) punting. it should be obvious by now, Steve Spurrier will never assemble the kind of talent he had in 12 seasons at Florida, but with 16 starters returning the Gamecocks SEC (continued on Page 20) SEC’s Best Dozen Tim Tebow, QB, florida. — With a Heisman Trophy already in hand and two years of eligibility remaining (who really believes Tebow, if healthy, will stick around after this year), the Gators’ towering, talented signal caller will always be watched. Percy Harvin, Wr, florida. — How about a Southern Cal-like Heisman redux here? Quarterback (Matt Leinart) wins one year, his do-it-all star (Reggie Bush) wins the next. Harvin can catch everything Tebow throws his way, and he can provide a special burst on surprise running plays. Knowshon Moreno, rB, Georgia. — With no Darren McFadden around, people will begin to notice this talented and powerful Bulldog, who was second to D-Mac in league rushing in 2007. As a freshman last year, he rushed for 1,334 yards, the second best total by a yearling at Georgia behind some guy named Herschel Walker. Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas — Already honored as the nation’s best center with the Rimington Award last year, this Hog returned for his senior year instead of jumping early for the NFL. With no D-Mac to block for, his efforts may go less noticed in ’08. We’ll see how he handles pass blocking and leading the UA line. Michael Oher, oL, ole Miss — The best news Houston Nutt got when he arrived in Oxford was that Oher would return for his senior season. A running game needs a power-blocker at 6-5, 318. Tyson Jackson, De, LSU — A terrifically versatile player at 6-5 and almost 300 pounds makes all the difference up front for the Tigers’ defense. Yeah, they don’t have Glenn Dorsey now, but they missed Jackson when he was out last year. Darry Beckwith, LB, LSU — Can LSU’s defense be better than it’s been the past two years? The answer is yes as long as Beckwith is on the field. He’s the prototype fast, hard-hitting Tiger linebacker. Brandon Spikes, LB, florida — The next great Gator defensive player is Spikes, who wrecks offenses and destroys running backs, quarterbacks and receivers. Eric Berry, fS, Tennessee — Speed and then some makes Berry one of the league’s best secondary players and a likely All-American. Greg Hardy, De, ole Miss — If the new Ole Miss regime can harness some of Hardy’s boundless energy that tends to hurt him sometimes, he could be one of the best ends in the country. He definitely has a motor and a nose for disrupting offenses. Anthony Parker, oL, Tennessee. — There probably couldn’t be a Best Dozen in the SEC list any year without a UT lineman. Parker among the best of the bunch, a likely All-American. Andre Smith, oL, Alabama. — Ditto Parker and UT here; Bama has to be represented by its best lineman. The gargantuan Smith, 6-5 and 340, helps provide the protection for QB John Parker Wilson. m July 2008 ArkansasSports360.com 19 http://www.fiserkubota.com http://www.fiserkubota.com http://ArkansasSports360.com
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