2012 Tennessee Volunteers football team

Last updated

2012 Tennessee Volunteers football
Tennessee Volunteers logo.svg
Conference Southeastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Record5–7 (1–7 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney (4th season)
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri (1st season)
Base defenseMultiple
Home stadium Neyland Stadium
Seasons
  2011
2013  
2012 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Eastern Division
No. T–5 Georgia xy  7 1   12 2  
No. 9 Florida x%  7 1   11 2  
No. 8 South Carolina  6 2   11 2  
No. 23 Vanderbilt  5 3   9 4  
Missouri  2 6   5 7  
Tennessee  1 7   5 7  
Kentucky  0 8   2 10  
Western Division
No. 1 Alabama x$#  7 1   13 1  
No. 14 LSU * 6 2   10 3  
No. T–5 Texas A&M  6 2   11 2  
Mississippi State  4 4   8 5  
Ole Miss * 3 5   7 6  
Arkansas  2 6   4 8  
Auburn  0 8   3 9  
Championship: Alabama 32, Georgia 28
  • # BCS National Champion
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
  • % BCS at-large representative
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • * Ole Miss and LSU vacated all wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Volunteers played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was coached by Derek Dooley, who was in his third season with Tennessee. On November 18, 2012 Dooley was fired after 11 games following a 41–18 loss to in-state rival Vanderbilt. Dooley ended his three-year tenure at Tennessee with losing records of 15–21 overall and 4–19 in the SEC. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney was named interim head coach for the final game of the season against Kentucky. [1] The season was Tennessee's third consecutive losing season, a streak the program had not matched since 1909 to 1911. [2]

Contents

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 317:30 pmvs. NC State * ESPNU W 35–21 55,529
September 84:00 pm Georgia State * PPV W 51–13 87,821
September 156:00 pmNo. 18 Florida No. 23
ESPN L 20–37 102,455
September 227:30 pm Akron *
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
CSS W 47–26 81,719
September 293:30 pmat No. 5 Georgia CBS L 44–51 92,746
October 139:00 pmat No. 19 Mississippi State ESPN2 L 31–41 57,831
October 207:00 pmNo. 1 Alabama
ESPNL 13–44 102,455
October 2712:00 pmat No. 17 South Carolina ESPN L 35–38 80,250
November 312:00 pm Troy *Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
SECRN W 55–48 84,189
November 1012:21 pm Missouri
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN
SECN L 48–51 4OT89,272
November 177:00 pmat Vanderbilt ESPN2L 18–41 40,350
November 2412:21 pm Kentucky
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
SECNW 37–17 81,841
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[3] [4]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP RV23RVRVRV
Coaches RV23RVRVRV
Harris Not releasedNot released
BCS Not releasedNot released

Coaching staff

NamePositionSeasons at
Tennessee
Alma Mater
Derek Dooley Head coach3Virginia (1991)
Jim Chaney Interim head coach / Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks4Central Missouri State (1983)
Darin Hinshaw Wide Receivers/ Passing game coordinator/ Recruiting Coordinator3UCF (1993)
Jay Graham Running Backs1Tennessee (1996)
Sam Pittman Offensive Line1Pittsburg State (Kan.) (1985)
Sal Sunseri Defensive Coordinator, Line Backers1Pittsburgh (1981)
John Palermo Defensive Line1Florida State (1973)
Charlie Coiner Special Teams, Tight Ends1Appalachian State (1986)
Derrick Ansley Cornerbacks1Troy (2005)
Josh Conklin Safeties1Northwestern State (2003)

Game summaries

NC State

1234Total
NC State770721
Tennessee22010335
  • Location: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Game start: 7:36 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:29
  • Game attendance: 55,529
  • Referee: Matt Moore
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Dave Neal (Play-by-Play), Andre Ware (Color), Cara Capuano (Sideline)

The Tennessee Volunteers opened the season in the Georgia Dome against NC State in the annual Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Junior college transfer WR Cordarrelle Patterson put a show early on in his debut as a Volunteer, catching a 41-yard touchdown as well as rushing for a 67-yard touchdown on a reverse, both during the first quarter. Tyler Bray threw for 333 passing yards with two touchdowns, including a 72-yard pass to Zach Rogers, who beat NC State star cornerback David Amerson down the field. The defense not only recorded a safety but also forced four interceptions by NC State quarterback Mike Glennon. Despite Bray losing a fumble at the end of the first half, Tennessee would continue to dominate the rest of the game. On the opening possession of the 2nd half, Rajion Neal rushed for an 8-yard touchdown, which would be followed by a 20-yard field goal by Michael Palardy to extend the Vols lead to 32–14. NC State responded in the fourth quarter when Glennon threw a touchdown to Bryan Underwood to whittle Tennessee's lead down to 32–21. Glennon threw two of his four interceptions during the fourth quarter, and after one more Palardy field goal, Tennessee would go on to win 35–21. [5]

Team players drafted into the NFL

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Cordarrelle Patterson Wide receiver129 Minnesota Vikings
Justin Hunter Wide receiver234 Tennessee Titans
Dallas Thomas Offensive guard377 Miami Dolphins
Mychal Rivera Tight end6184 Oakland Raiders

References

  1. Wolken, Dan (November 18, 2012). "Tennessee Fires Derek Dooley After Embarrassing Loss". USA Today . Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  2. Climer, David (November 17, 2012). "Loss to Vanderbilt Will Seal Derek Dooley's Fate". The Tennessean . Nashville. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  3. "2012 Football Schedule". The University of Tennessee. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  4. "Tennessee Volunteers 2012 Regular Season NCAAF Schedule". ESPN. December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  5. "Cordarrelle Patterson's 2 TDs help Vols down N.C. State". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 1, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  6. "2013 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 13, 2024.