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Insider Mailing: FOOTBALL IS HERE, Edition

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Who is the next recruit to likely commit to the Vols? What “insider” information does @VolRumorMill have here? – Todd Mawyer

Daniel: Tough to say…maybe Joejuan Williams? I’m not sure on his exact timeframe, but he’s been on campus something like six or seven times, so he has to be thinking about it.

Houston: LOL! If could guess when recruits will commit, I’d be in Vegas making ALL of the money.

If last years OLine was a 3 out of 10, what do you expect this year to be? – @gmannVOLS 

Daniel: Five – at least that’s what I see as a reasonable goal for this group. I’d put them at a two or three last year, and have said this offseason that if this group can be an average SEC unit and put up middle-of-the-road stats, this team should have the opportunity to compete in the SEC and meet a lot of the rising expectations for this program.

Houston: I need to see them a few more times before I’m ready to predict anything. A year of experience, strength-building and cohesion should make them better, in theory, but I don’t know how much better that will be. The good news is that they don’t have to be great for this offense to have success, they just need to be not terrible.

Reed: First up, a three is generous for a which group finished last in the SEC in sacks allowed by a wide margin, but I’ll accept it since they were semi-serviceable with Dobbs at quarterback. I think they’ll be in the 5-6 range this year depending on who steps up at both tackle spots. I’ve been impressed with Brett Kendrick at right tackle this year – but that position battle is far from over as is the race for the left tackle spot. The Vols need someone to be more than a starter by default at both of those spots. If they can find that, they could possibly be in the 7 range, or middle of the pack in the conference. If that happens? Atlanta.

How many joules of mechanical work were created between McKenzie/Mosley yesterday? #AskaDobbs  @cjc_is_alive

Daniel: 

Houston: Easily 2.3 Kilojoules, if not more.

Reed: I always answers questions like this with π.

Over/under on how many RTI tailgates there will be this season? – @richmond_325 

Daniel: I’ve heard there could be a couple in the works, but nothing has been finalized yet. Two seems like a pretty solid over/under though. We’ll obviously update you when we have more information.

Houston: Hmmmmm….I’ll set it at 10 and take the under.

Who would you rather have fall on you, Kahlil McKenzie or Daniel McCullers? – @LoneNutVolFan

Daniel: I’ll say Kahlil since it looks like 75% of his body weight looks like it is in his lower body. I’ll take the 50/50 chance that his upper body lands on me harder and I survive.

Houston: No.

Reed: I’m probably dead either way, but I’d go McCullers over Kahlil. Willing to bet McCullers has a higher percentage of body fat than Kahlil and thus provide the greater, though still slim, chance for survival.

Between the RTI crew, who can bench the most? – @Travis_Cabage 

Houston: Kevin…but he only uses one of his legs properly when he walks, so it’s a push.

Reed: I’m definitely going Sir Kevin Hughes here.

Daniel: I’m using this space to formally challenge anybody in the company on the bench press…or in the Circle of Life.

Is it possible to make a good Fantastic Four movie? With this cast and it still sucking, I’m not sure. – @TonyGeist 

Houston: Yes, but we may never see it. The “gunshy” is at an all-time high with FF.

Reed: The just released rendition is the worst reviewed Marvel movie of all time – a dubious title for sure. You’re right, Tony. I thought the cast would save it and I was wrong. I do imagine that a Disney produced Fantastic Four flick would rock though. Until that happens, they’ll all suck.

At the end of last year you remember Barnett storming the backfield almost every play. The opponents had to hold constantly. I’m not talking about the petty holding that occurs in every play but the near chokehold that was apparent so often. My questions is this… Now that our D Line is that much more fierce can officials be talked to before the game and be told to look for it? – Chad Young

Daniel: I’m sure the coaches will try to tell the officials to look for it, but after watching the Oklahoma game last year, it appears that there are some games where the refs will just do what they want. You make a good point though. There will be times when this group is unblockable legally, and some drives, or even games, could come down to how willing the refs are willing to throw the yellow hanky.

Houston: Yes. My guess is that holding will be a huge point of emphasis for Tennessee’s coaching staff this year. Respected groups get those calls, and with Tennessee’s DL having some serious horses now, expect them to get some more favorable officiating than they did at times last season.

With Lil’Jon here on 9/11 for a performances.  If Gameday comes for UT v. Okla, is he the celebrity picker? – @DrewUTLaw

Daniel: Literally anybody in the world is fine except for Kenny Chesney at this point.

Houston: Yikes…Good question. He probably would be, but I doubt GameDay will be here for that game.

Reed: Yeah! Yea, yea…

With Jennings at WR, do the Vols get an A+ for our 2015 WR signing class (assuming P. Williams is cleared)? – @JonahGibson

Daniel: That’s a good question. I’d probably say more like an A or A-. Love the upside of both of those guys, and time may prove that it’s an A+ class, but with Williams coming off an injury and Jennings converting from another position, I still want to see them produce on the field before declaring it an A+. I can’t say too much about Vincent Perry yet. He looks quick, but I haven’t seen any live reps with him yet. Obviously losing Joc Bruce hurts the depth a little bit.

Houston: If Williams is cleared, then yes. They still need another strong class of WRs in 2016, but Jennings looks like a big-time player over there right now.

Reed: There’s no doubt the move helps the class and position as a whole but I want to see Jennings (and Williams) in a game before I give them an A+.

First of all, I love what Butch Jones has done and is doing for the Vols, he’s bringing us back! But do you think Fulmer had a couple of good years left? – Sam Chaffin

Daniel: I guess it depends on what your definition of “good” is. I certainly think the Vols would’ve been better than 35-40 in the last six years, which is their record since he left, had they retained Fulmer. But I still think it was the right move because they didn’t have the benefit of hindsight at the time. Tennessee should be a program that competes for titles, and though it has been wondering in the desert for a few years because of some poor decisions, it’s completely understandable that they moved away from Fulmer because of the overall trajectory of the program at the time.

Houston: I love Phil Fulmer and always will, but it was time for him to go.

Reed: He definitely could have had Tennessee in the 8-10 win range in a couple seasons after his firing, but there’s no doubt the overall trajectory of the program was on the decline during his last five or so years. In those last few years, his staff as a whole didn’t have the drive needed to succeed in the SEC as the conference increased its competitiveness and depth. I’ll never forget hearing a story about his later years – the recruiting office had to call and beg the staff to come to campus to visit recruits on several big recruiting weekends.

Who are the candidates to be the starting kicker/punter? Mason Armstrong

Daniel: It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Aaron Medley will be the starting kicker. It’s a three-way race at punter between freshman Tommy Townsend, Maryland graduate transfer Nathan Renfro and walk-on Trevor Daniel.

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