Coaches busy rebuilding UT's offense Cutcliffe starting from the ground up with hungry staff By DAVE HOOKER, hookerd@knews.com February 21, 2006 February is a time to relax. It's a time when college coaches often choose family instead of football. Not this year for Tennessee. February has meant long days and late nights for UT's coaching staff. Once recruiting the 2006 class concluded on Feb. 1, the Vols went to work — serious work — on the upcoming season. David Cutcliffe has been the taskmaster behind the increased mid-winter workload. "We're having to talk through every detail of everything we're going to do," said Cutcliffe, who was hired as UT's offensive coordinator in December. "These coaches have had to stay here a lot. "There are a lot of things going on. The whole staff has been really busy. We're all really having to pour ourselves into the offseason program." For Cutcliffe, there is plenty of motivation among his offensive staff. Half of the group is driven to put a 5-6 season behind them. The other half wants to prove they belong at UT after being hired over the past offseason. "I think this staff is hungry," Cutcliffe said, "and I don't think that's just words." The primary goal for UT's offensive staff this month has been completing Cutcliffe's new playbook. Cutcliffe said UT's passing game and formation make-ups will be significantly different than they were last season. Cutcliffe, who first coached for the Vols from 1982 to 1998 before leaving to be the head coach at Ole Miss, said much of UT's running game will be the same. Once the playbook is complete, UT's coaches will hit the practice field on March 2, just four weeks after National Signing Day signaled the completion of their 2006 class. New playbook aside, Cutcliffe also has tested his players during team meetings with some of the most elementary terminology. It's back to the basics, pure and simple. "We're in Football 101," Cutcliffe said. At the heart of Cutcliffe's reclamation project is UT's quarterback situation. Cutcliffe said sophomore Erik Ainge was, indeed, slowed by a turf toe injury as he said after a disappointing 2005 season. Cutcliffe said the toe injury, which affected Ainge's throwing motion, is healed. Cutcliffe said he's encouraged by redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton's work ethic as he recovers from surgery to his throwing shoulder last fall. "Going in right now, I see Erik Ainge as No. 1 and Jonathan Crompton as No. 2," Cutcliffe said. "But that doesn't mean there's not competition." UT assistant coach Trooper Taylor is the man in charge of resurrecting one of UT's most disappointing units in 2005. Taylor coached running backs since being hired by UT in January 2004. He has been moved to wide receivers. The message is clear. "Be ready to run all day," Taylor said. "We're going to run, run and then run some more." Taylor also is working on his wide receivers' hands with a unique drill. Taylor will place a penny in the bottom of a bucket of rice and make his players dig through to pull it out. Taylor said he learned the "Rice method" from NFL great Jerry Rice, who wrote about the training style in his book. In order to better their pass-catching ability, Taylor said UT also ordered two more machines to throw balls to UT's receivers. Conditioning also has been addressed since UT's players returned for the spring semester. Most of UT's wide receivers have been asked to lose between 10 to 15 pounds while many of UT's offensive linemen have been asked to lose 20 pounds or, in some cases, much more. "I want everybody on our offensive football team to be able to run," Cutcliffe said. "We're already in better shape right now than I think we've been in quite some time. That's going to be a plus." Cutcliffe isn't willing to dole out any rave reviews when asked who may have impressed him during his short return. He's still learning the ways of an offense that underachieved last season. UT finished the season ranked 90th nationally in total offense. "There are older guys that are starting to understand," Cutcliffe said. "We've made progress in that area but we've got a ways to go." February has proved that Cutcliffe hasn't had any problem getting his coaches to follow him. The next step is the players. "They've got to buy into it," Cutcliffe said. "They've got to buy into what we're doing." That begins March 2.
I wish him good luck, I am really sorry that health matters prevented him from being a part of the Fighting Irish. I'm sure he'll get you guys back on track pretty quick. Terry
:!: I agree. Charlie Weis doesn't trust anyone with his offense, but he trusted Cutcliffe. That says a lot. I think Tennessee is on the way back right now. .............JO'Co