2012 Tennessee Volunteers football team
American college football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
- Derek Dooley (3rd season; first 11 games)
- Jim Chaney (interim; final game)
| 2012 Tennessee Volunteers football | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Eastern Division | |
| Record | 5–7 (1–7 SEC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Jim Chaney (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro-style |
| Defensive coordinator | Sal Sunseri (1st season) |
| Base defense | Multiple |
| Home stadium | Neyland Stadium |
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31 | 7:30 pm | vs. NC State* | ESPNU | W 35–21 | 55,529 | ||
| September 8 | 4:00 pm | Georgia State* | PPV | W 51–13 | 87,821 | ||
| September 15 | 6:00 pm | No. 18 Florida | No. 23 |
| ESPN | L 20–37 | 102,455 |
| September 22 | 7:30 pm | Akron* |
| CSS | W 47–26 | 81,719 | |
| September 29 | 3:30 pm | at No. 5 Georgia | CBS | L 44–51 | 92,746 | ||
| October 13 | 9:00 pm | at No. 19 Mississippi State | ESPN2 | L 31–41 | 57,831 | ||
| October 20 | 7:00 pm | No. 1 Alabama |
| ESPN | L 13–44 | 102,455 | |
| October 27 | 12:00 pm | at No. 17 South Carolina |
| ESPN | L 35–38 | 80,250 | |
| November 3 | 12:00 pm | Troy* |
| SECRN | W 55–48 | 84,189 | |
| November 10 | 12:21 pm | Missouri |
| SECN | L 48–51 4OT | 89,272 | |
| November 17 | 7:00 pm | at Vanderbilt | ESPN2 | L 18–41 | 40,350 | ||
| November 24 | 12:21 pm | Kentucky |
| SECN | W 37–17 | 81,841 | |
| |||||||
Rankings
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Seasons at Tennessee |
Alma Mater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Dooley | Head coach | 3 | Virginia (1991) |
| Jim Chaney | Interim head coach / Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks | 4 | Central Missouri State (1983) |
| Darin Hinshaw | Wide Receivers/ Passing game coordinator/ Recruiting Coordinator | 3 | UCF (1993) |
| Jay Graham | Running Backs | 1 | Tennessee (1996) |
| Sam Pittman | Offensive Line | 1 | Pittsburg State (Kan.) (1985) |
| Sal Sunseri | Defensive Coordinator, Line Backers | 1 | Pittsburgh (1981) |
| John Palermo | Defensive Line | 1 | Florida State (1973) |
| Charlie Coiner | Special Teams, Tight Ends | 1 | Appalachian State (1986) |
| Derrick Ansley | Cornerbacks | 1 | Troy (2005) |
| Josh Conklin | Safeties | 1 | Northwestern State (2003) |
Game summaries
NC State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC State | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| • Tennessee | 22 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 35 |
- 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
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cordarrelle Patterson | Wide receiver | 1 | 29 | Minnesota Vikings |
| Justin Hunter | Wide receiver | 2 | 34 | Tennessee Titans |
| Dallas Thomas | Offensive guard | 3 | 77 | Miami Dolphins |
| Mychal Rivera | Tight end | 6 | 184 | Oakland Raiders |
- Reference:[6]