Derek Dooley closed out his first spring practice as the head coach at Tennessee on Saturday afternoon with the White squad triumphing 16-7 over the Orange team in the Vols' spring game. Many of the questions that Dooley was facing a month ago remain to be sorted out in fall camp, but the head coach is leaving spring with a much firmer handle on his team than he began.

Much of the talk and analysis of the 2010 Vols, at least at this early stage, has centered on perceived shortcomings on the roster. You don't have to look hard to find them. Dooley is no blind optimist, and shares some of those concerns--primarily about depth--but the head coach didn't have to think hard when asked to name a few, if any, pleasant surprises he discovered on the roster this spring.

Fans might be somewhat encouraged to hear that the offensive line--one of those perceived shortcomings--is one of the spots Dooley is leaving spring with some positive feelings about. Not that the head coach doesn't potential issues up front, but exiting spring, Dooley says things are better there than he might have initially hoped, on both sides of the ball.


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