Tennessee Volunteers

Rocky Top at the bottom

Game Report Posted: May 14, 2012 00:27  

Coach Slacker moves on to Knoxville, where the once-proud Vols program has fallen on hard times.

The Vols are coming off a 4-8 year, latest in a string of losing seasons. Slacker vows to raise the team to an SEC title within five years or he'll work for free.

He'll build initially on QB Eli Hall, tailback Spencer Jennings, WR Calvin Owens, cornerback Rob Sutton and linebacker Daniel Newell.

Vols 56, UL Lafayette 7: Eli Hall throws for 411 yards and four TDs in a big debut at home. Tight end Roy Wood catches seven passes for 213 yards and three scores.

Vols 28, No. 15 Texas A&M 21: Hall passes for 200 yards and two TDs as the Vols show they can beat a quality team as well as the likes of ULL.

Vols 28, Florida 20: This one gets the home folks' attention, upsetting the rival Gators. Corner Rob Sutton returns an INT 91 yards for a score that makes it 28-13 in the fourth.

Vols 34, La. Tech 27: Eli Hall throws pick-sixes on the first two possessions, but TE Roy Wood's school-record 14 receptions bring the Vols back.

Vols 40, Idaho 17: Spencer Jennings rushes for 127 yards and two TDs.

Vols 24, Georgia 20: Another huge day for Roy Wood -- 14 catches, 153 yards and a score. FS Robert Estes picks off a pass at midfield to seal it.

No. 15 Alabama 55, Vols 35: Drew Nichols throws seven touchdown passes for the Tide.

South Carolina 27, Vols 24: UT sinks under the weight of five turnovers.

Miss. State 23, Vols 20: Eli Hall passes for 297, including long TDs to Calvin Owens and Joey Wright, but the Vols can't sustain a run game and throw three INTs.

No. 5 LSU 16, Vols 9: Hall's three INTs cut off comeback from being down 16-2 in Death Valley.

Vols 38, Vandy 17: Eli Hall hits 24 of 33 for 330 yards and five touchdowns (and, finally, no INTs) to get UT the win that ensures their getting a bowl spot.

No. 25 Kentucky 34, Vols 28: UT gives up more than 120 yards to a rusher for the third straight week, this time UK's Leon Miller with 125. Eli Hall passes for 335 yards and four TDs as the Vols are in catch-up mode most of the game. They accept a spot in the Music City Bowl against Clemson (6-6).

Vols 31, Clemson 27: UT piles up a 31-10 lead thanks mostly to Spencer Jennings (130 yards rushing), then holds on as Clemson's 3,000-yard passer, Mario Daniels, leads a comeback with two fourth-quarter TD passes.

UT finishes 8-5 with a bowl win a year after going 4-8, so Coach Slacker is off to a promising, though hardly spectacular, start.

TE Roy Wood catches a school-record 99 passes for 1,300 yards, but somehow doesn't make All-American.

Eli Hall hits 63 percent of his passes for 3,500 yards and 25 TDs (and 19 INTs).

Jennings rushes for 1,183 yards.

MLB Daniel Newell makes a team-high 77 tackles and DT Mike Williams leads with 7.5 sacks.

A 16-player recruiting class is 58th in the nation. Meh.