Vols will be lucky to salvage winning mark this season

	The sense of urgency at UT is heightened because there's a perception Phillip Fulmer's program is out of control. Doug Benc/Getty Images
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A few weeks ago, I was asked to contribute to SI.com's Midseason Crystal Ball by answering a series of questions that included this one: Of these four fallen preseason powers -- Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee -- which will rebound to finish with the best record, and which will finish with the worst?

My answers, which were based upon the sort of foggy reasoning that comes from doing things last minute, were that Tennessee would rebound while Michigan would tank. In hindsight, these would appear to be two of the dumbest predictions I've ever made ... which, since I also cover horse racing, is saying something. As God as my witness, I thought Bellamy Road was a mortal lock in this year's Kentucky Derby. But that, my friends, is another story for another time.

For now, the issue before us is football. My predictions, it turns out, should have been flipped. Let's deal with these teams in order:

Tennessee: When SI.com removed the cloak from its Crystal Ball, the Vols were 3-2 and coming off a 27-14 loss to a very good Georgia team. I didn't think they'd beat Alabama on Oct. 22 -- and they didn't, losing   6-3 -- but I also didn't think they'd lose to South Carolina last Saturday. Instead of being 4-3 heading into this weekend's matchup with Notre Dame, UT stands at 3-4 and will be lucky to salvage a winning record this season. That's not impossible, however, especially since the Vols' final three games are against Memphis, Vandy and Kentucky. I think Tennessee, with its strong fan base, will probably get a bowl invite of some kind, though it won't be the one fans in Knoxville were hoping for all summer.

There are problems with this team, on and off the field, that go deeper and could affect the Vols into next season. On Monday, they orchestrated one of the strangest "resignations" in recent memory, as offensive coordinator Randy Sanders gave up his job title and position on the sidelines to ... move upstairs to the press box and share play-calling duties with head coach Phillip Fulmer. Now, I've heard Fulmer described as many things (and after spending a weekend in Tuscaloosa last month, many unprintable things), but the words "offensive" and "genius" have never been among them. Tennessee has to find a solution to its offensive problems. Not only are the Volunteers trying to win right now, they are trying to land top prep quarterback Jimmy Clausen (brother to, Casey and Rick, UT QBs past and present), who is also being courted by Steve Spurrier at South Carolina.

The sense of urgency is heightened because there's also the perception that Fulmer's program is out of control. Last offseason was certainly one of the most trying in his 14 years at the school, as 11 of his players ran afoul of the law in a 13-month span beginning in March. Fulmer's program can certainly recover, and he's accomplished enough to have earned some credit with UT administrators and fans alike, but off-the-field trouble has brought down more than one coach. Just ask Barry Switzer.