Tennessee at a glance

2001 schedule Sept. 1 vs. Syracuse Sept. 8 at Arkansas Sept. 15 at Florida Sept. 29 vs. LSU Oct. 6 vs. Georgia Oct. 20 at Alabama Oct. 27 vs. South Carolina Nov. 3 at Notre Dame Nov. 10 vs. Memphis Nov. 17 at Kentucky Nov. 24 vs. Vanderbilt 2000 results (8-4, 5-3 SEC) Southern Miss W 19-16 Florida L 27-23 Louisiana Monroe W 70-3 at LSU L 38-31 at Georgia L 21-10 Alabama W 20-10 at South Carolina W 17-14 at Memphis W 19-17 Arkansas W 63-20 Kentucky W 59-20 at Vanderbilt W 28-26 vs. Kansas St. L 35-21

In addition to a dominator like Henderson at DT, the Vols have an underrated standout in DE Will Overstreet and a quality SEC mike-man in Dominique Stevenson. In the secondary, Andre Lott moves from safety to CB where he figures to rank as one of the best in the country. The defensive backfield should be a strong suit.

While Henderson led the SEC with 12 sacks and Overstreet is one of the more durable and effective DEs in the country, I will be watching junior DT Albert Haynesworth closely this season. Blessed with tremendous physical ability, the 6-6, 310-pounder needs to produce to the level of his talent on a game-to-game basis. Till now, he's offered just glimpses of star quality.

Stevenson, who was the Vols' third-leading tackler last season, is a rock at MLB. However, the focus will be on talented sophomore weakside LB Kevin Burnett and 6-0, 210-pound junior strongside LB Eddie Moore. They have to effectively make up for the graduation loss of Anthony Sessions and Eric Westmoreland.

In addition to Lott, the secondary looks to be in excellent shape with RCB Teddy Gaines, SS Steven Marsh and FS Rashad Baker. Exceptional depth is provided by CBs Willie Miles and Jabari Greer, along with safety Mark Jones.

OFFENSE
Offensively, Clausen is the key. The 6-4, 210-pounder needs to build on a freshman campaign that saw him complete 62.4 percent of his passes while tossing 15 TDs (and six interceptions). If Clausen should struggle or go down with an injury, the Vols are fortunate to have a capable backup available in sophomore Joey Mathews.

In past years, the running game at Tennessee has been a strength. It wasn't long ago that they were attacking with Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stephens and Onterrio Smith. Now let's fast forward. Lewis was a key performer on the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Henry was just selected by Buffalo in round two of the NFL draft. And Smith, after sitting out last year as a transfer, is now playing for the Oregon Ducks. The only RB of this group who remains at Tennessee is Stephens. He'll open as the starter, but at 5-9 and 190 pounds, he'll need some assistance in the backfield. But with depth at RB a major, major problem, the Vols may have to count on a freshman or two. Jabari Davis and Cedric Houston top that list.

In the passing game, the Vols are led by junior wideout Donte' Stallworth and versatile senior Eric Parker, who will also handle punt-return duties. Stallworth will be looking to get his numbers back to where they were in '99, when he averaged 17.7 yards per reception (last season his average dropped to 14.8). Leonard Scott, a backup receiver, excels as the Vols' primary kickoff returner. With Cedrick Wilson and David Martin moving on to the NFL, there isn't much proven depth at WR, as has been the case in recent years. That's why redshirt freshman Kelley Washington, who was listed as the No. 3 QB after spring practice, may move to WR in the fall. The 6-4, 220-pounder has the size you look for and is a quality all-around athlete.

Along the offensive line, the Vols received a major blow in the spring when sophomore standout Michael Munoz was lost for the 2001 season with a knee injury. This forces Anthony Herrera to shift from guard to LT, with senior Reggie Coleman on the right side. Senior Fred Weary and 6-8, 320-pound junior Will Ofenheusle will be the OGs, with sophomore Scott Wells at center. Overall, despite the absence of Munoz, the Vols should field a solid offensive line.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Besides the running game, the biggest question has to be who will fill the shoes of punter David Leaverton. Redshirt freshman Dustin Colquitt lacked consistency in the spring, while junior Seth Reagan was unable to take advantage of the opportunity and win the job. The kicking situation, though, is in good shape. Junior Alex Walls rarely misses, connecting on 18-of-20 field goals last season.

Overview: Early on, while Clausen is continuing to develop at QB and the RB position is taking shape, the Vols may be forced to rely heavily on what figures to be an outstanding defensive unit. Henderson is a big-time force at DT, while Overstreet may be the most underrated defensive lineman in college football. Stevenson keys what should be a solid linebacking corps, especially with the big-play potential that Burnett brings to the defense. With a battle-tested secondary returning, keyed by super blue-chip senior CB Lott, expect this group to produce a number of game-changing plays.

The key offensively will be Clausen and whether the Vols can upgrade the running game with the incoming freshmen. While Munoz's loss is a major blow at OT, the Vols have enough talent and depth to field a decent-to-solid offensive line. At WR, Stallworth has to take his game to an All-American level, while Parker and Scott figure to make their presence felt as much in the return game as at WR. It will also be interesting to see if Washington is able to contribute as a wideout.