2009 Tennessee Volunteers Betting Recap
The 2009 season had to throw Tennessee Volunteers fans and all online betting specialists for a loop. A proud and stable program, one that had been coached by just two men in the past 20-plus seasons, went from an emotional removal of longtime head coach Phil Fulmer in December 2008 to a whirlwind hiring of brash Lane Kiffin in a matter of weeks, only to see Kiffin leave in a flash to become the head coach at USC. The dizzying journey ended when Vols fans woke up one morning and wound up with unknown and unheralded Derek Dooley as their head coach.
In his one season at the helm in Knoxville, Kiffin certainly made headlines – sometimes good, sometimes bad. Though the final record was mediocre (7-6), Tennessee was improved in 2009. While they were no longer outclassed on the field, the Vols persistently came up short in several heartbreaking upset bids. The Volunteers played then-No. 1 Florida tough, losing 23-13. Two weeks later they lost narrowly at home to Auburn, 26-22. Again, two weeks later, the Vols came up just short when their game-winning field goal attempt was blocked at Alabama as time expired. Had one or two of those games gone the other way, the season could have been one of the more notable turnarounds in college football.
2010 Preview To Bet Tennessee Volunteers
NCAA football betting veterans can’t be blamed for wondering just what to expect from new head coach Derek Dooley and the 2010 Volunteer offense. There are questions at all key positions. Kiffin didn’t get a lot credit for it, but Jonathan Crompton quietly threw for almost 3,000 yards and had 27 TDs in 2009. Now Crompton’s game management skills are gone and backup Nick Stephens transferred in the spring, leaving only Matt Simms at the QB position. Simms signed with Louisville out of high school, transferred to junior college, and joined the Vols in the spring. The job is his by default. Simms will line up behind five brand new starting offensive linemen. David Oku was a highly rated recruit out of high school. He and Tauren Poole will share running back duties as both Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown are gone from the 2009 squad.
Six defensive starters return (two at each level of the defense) including several experienced seniors. Defensive End Ben Martin was one of the nation’s top recruits when he signed with the Vols. They’ll need Martin and fellow senior end Chris Walker to be bookends to keep secondary from being exploited and provide cover for an offense that will surely struggle early on.
From a sports betting perspective, a schedule this tough couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Volunteers. Home matchups with Oregon, Florida and Alabama in the first half of the season will test an inexperienced Vols squad. Trips to LSU, Georgia and South Carolina offer little relief from the rugged home slate. Dooley will be a coach of the year candidate if he can lead the Vols to the postseason in 2010.