By staff writer ken tysiac
This is the last thing Phil Fulmer needs. Ordinarily, playing No. 9 California in one of the most attractive opening games in the nation would be good exposure for Fulmer and Tennessee.
Not this year. Not after going 5-6 last season and missing a bowl for the first time since 1988. Not after losing to Vanderbilt and South Carolina in the worst of Fulmer's 14 seasons as coach.
California is the second-best team in the Pac-10 behind perennial national championship contender Southern California. The Bears have a Doak Walker Award-caliber running back in Marshawn Lynch and a defense that should match Tennessee's. "It'll be an absolutely great test for us," Fulmer said at his news conference this week. No kidding.
The poll voters seem to think Tennessee will come out of its funk this season. The Volunteers are No. 23 in the preseason according to The Associated Press, but that vote seems more based on reputation than reality. On the offensive side, junior quarterback Erik Ainge completed 45.5 percent of his passes last season. On defense, Tennessee ranked second in the nation against the run last season, but returns just one starter on the front seven, tackle Justin Harrell. Tennessee fans hope the return of David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator will help Ainge, but the Volunteers have four new offensive-line starters in front of him. If ever there were a case to be made for an SEC team opening with Northwest Saskatchewan State, it's this Tennessee team. Instead, Fulmer gets a top-10 opponent. Fulmer should have more than enough goodwill built up to survive even if the Volunteers suffer through a second disappointing season. He did coach Tennessee to a 13-0 record and a national championship with a victory against Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl eight years ago. But given the Volunteers' personnel losses and results from last season, Fulmer appears to have a long climb ahead to restore the program to elite status.
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