And now coach Phillip Fulmer needs to replace six of his starting defensive
front seven, including the team's top two tacklers. End Constantin Ritzmann and
linebacker Kevin Burnett were projected starters who spent all or most of last
season on the shelf and are back to bolster the defensive front. Free safety
Rashad Baker returns after picking off five enemy aerials in ’02.
Quarterback Casey Clausen played through injuries and still completed 62.6
percent of his passes. But the 2003 Volunteers should stick mostly to the
ground, with tailbacks Cedric Houston, Jabari Davis and Gerald Riggs pounding
the ball inside. Four returning starters in the offensive line will pave the
way.
Casualty count: Nineteen UT starters missed a total of 71
games due to injury in 2002.
Lowest high: Cedric Houston's 779 rushing yards in 2002 was
the Vols' lowest team-leading total in 14 years.
Unfamiliar ground: Tennessee finished 85th
nationally in total offense last season.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense, punter
2002 results: 8–5 (5–3 SEC)
Bowl Game: Lost to Maryland 30-3 in Peach Bowl
2003 Schedule
A. 30 Fresno State
S. 6 Marshall
S. 20 at Florida
S. 27 South Carolina
O. 4 at Auburn
O. 11 Georgia
O. 25 at Alabama
N. 1 Duke
N. 8 at Miami
N. 15 Mississippi State
N. 22 Vanderbilt
N. 29 at Kentucky
Schedule Analysis: Fresno State will not be a pushover in
the opener, especially considering Tennessee is breaking in a fairly new defense
against a team that returns nine starters on offense and has dangerous athletes
at wide receiver. The Sept. 20 game at Florida will be its usual
ultra-challenge, and road games at Auburn and Miami are also beasts, and a road
trip to Tuscaloosa will not be fun. Georgia comes to Knoxville this year, and
the Bulldogs are starting to have the Vols' number with three straight wins. So we
see five significant challenges as the Vols try to regain their Top 10 status.
Tennessee will have to win three of those to accomplish that goal.
Final Word: Defensively, the Vols will be tough if Burnett
and Ritzmann return to form and they can find one more corner. Offensively, the
concern is obviously at wide receiver, where Clausen truly does not have a No. 1
option at this point. The running game should be solid and Clausen will look to
have a break-out year at quarterback. With the schedule being as difficult as it
is, the Vols may have a better team than last year but not have the record to
show it.
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