By JOHN ADAMS, Scripps Howard News Service

The 2008 football season began with Arian Foster closing in on Tennessee's career-rushing record. But the team struggled, and so did Foster.

He finished his career with 2,964 yards -- 114 yards short of Travis Henry's school record.

The Southeastern Conference has won three consecutive national championships, and its long-term television hook-ups with CBS and ESPN are the envy of every conference in college football. So how much better could it get?

You should find out when the bowl bids are announced this December.

After Tennessee's 45-point outburst against Georgia, the Vols' most optimistic fans might have wondered, "Has the offense turned the corner?"

The question would be worthy of debate if the schedule had been laid out differently, and last week's open date had led to any other opponent except Alabama.

All Alabama's defense gives you are excuses.

Shocking development from Urban Meyer's Sunday teleconference: The University of Florida coach gets along just fine with Kiffin.

That's your cue to say: "Huh?"

It's true. Meyer said he has a long-standing relationship with Tennessee first-year defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

As the University of Tennessee wraps up its preseason training camp and looks toward game week, it's an appropriate time for housekeeping. That includes acknowledging the large elephant in the corner.

It's not going away.

Tennessee's first football season under new coach Lane Kiffin is little more than a week away. But the program is still years away.

The Southeastern Conference has long been recognized for outstanding football coaches. But the recognition doesn't necessarily extend to preseason football magazines.

Preseason publications rank every position in the SEC. Their all-conference preseason teams might run three-deep.

Now we know why Rick Pitino owned a restaurant when he was coaching Kentucky.

It wasn't the food. It was the social life.

Maybe you think Pitino's recently reported sexual encounter with a woman in a Louisville restaurant was an isolated incident. Then, you might want to drop by later today when I put on a dunking exhibition.

Ask a question, get an answer. How simple is that?

In the give and take between media and coaches, there's nothing simple about it. Some football coaches would rather shred their playbook than give a straight answer.

A Tennessee fan from Northeastern Ohio asked via e-mail recently how much more UT and Southeastern Conference football would be available on television. He said his local cable provider wasn't sure.

That's not surprising. I doubt anyone outside the SEC really gets it.

In fact, my guess is the rest of college football is in for a shock.

There are two kinds of football schedules in the Southeastern Conference -- tough and tougher. But the slightest difference in schedules in a conference as demanding as this one can sometimes determine a championship.