Former All-American Volunteers linebacker Al Wilson was at Bristol Motor Speedway for a charity event ahead of the big Tennessee game there in September. Wilson knows a thing or about winning as a Vol considering he was on the 1998 National Championship team. He talked to the media about what he sees with this incarnation of the Volunteers and what he expects from them this season.
Via The Knoxville News Sentinel's Grant Ramey:
"The junior class this year, when they were freshmen, we all said that when they become juniors, it should be a pretty good season for us," Wilson said. "Now is the time.
"The linebackers have been given great leadership by (Jalen Reeves-) Maybin. That's what it's all about."
Wilson draws parallels between this group of Vols and the 1998 team — led by a senior in Wilson at middle linebacker — that won the first BCS national championship.
"I think the key word was team," Wilson said. "We were an absolute team. We called ourselves a team of no stars. The guys went out and played for one another. We went out and held each other accountable. The leaders stepped up when they needed to and showed great leadership.
"To be a great team, to win a national championship, those are the kind of things you need."
Expectations are certainly high for this team after finishing 2015 on a six-game winning streak and beating Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. Tennessee will need to end a 12-year losing streak to Florida and beat West Division rival Alabama if it wants to go far this season though.
[h/t Saturday Down South]
