What Does 4-0 Mean?

Go ahead.

You can get excited.

As I’m sure you’ve heard 100 times by now, our beloved Titans are 4-0 for the first time ever (!). This is most definitely a cause for celebration.

[This wonderful start has been made even sweeter compared to the disaster that has been the 2008 University of Tennessee Football season. That’s all I’m going to say about UT; it hurts too much to talk about it more.]

When the Redskins beat the Cowboys yesterday the only team which has looked consistently dominant through four weeks dropped back into the pack. In a season where no team has distinguished itself as best-in-class isn’t it easy to see this Titan team grinding its way to the top? Sure, the Cowboys are good. The Steelers will most likely bounce back. The same could be said for the Colts and Jags. But the point is that the Titans are right there man. Any conversation about the best teams in the NFL today has to include our boys in blue.

It is even better in division. As of today the Titans enjoy a 2 game lead over the Jaguars and 3 games over the Colts (alongside a 48 game advantage over the Texans). As already mentioned, Indy could indeed get better and the Jags won the 2nd meeting with the Titans last year after loosing the first. Granting all that, the Titans most definitely control their own destiny and that is a position we’re not accustomed to enjoying.

I’m so giddy I’m even going to ease up on the Collins criticism. He did a great job yesterday of not trying to be great. He simply moved the ball down the field where the defense was weak (that weakness generally being CB Cedric Griffin). Kerry playing game-manager doesn’t appear to be nearly as bad as Kerry playing integral role in the offense.

The situation is better than we could have hoped for. There a few qualifiers but by and large this is a sweeter day than any Titans fans can remember.

Quickly, the qualifiers:
1. There is still a lot of season in front of us. Despite what the Lions and Rams would lead you to believer, NFL coaches are good at what they do. It is entirely possible that one (or more) of the remaining 12 Titans opponents figure the Titans out to some degree.

2. The leading candidate to reveal itself as the Titans’ Achilles heel is still the passing game. Kerry Collins has already been much better than I had hoped. In fact, the WRs seem to have found some life when he’s behind center. That doesn’t take away from the fact that we have no legitimate deep threat. The ceiling on passing plays for the Titans is approximately 25 yards and that length is only reached once every other blue moon. I anticipate this becoming a factor; mitigating the consequences will be key.

3. Tied right in to number 2 is the fact that Kerry Collins is largely immobile in the pocket. The play of the Titans O-line has allowed Kerry to be the best Kerry he can be and here’s to hoping the trend continues. I have a suspicion, however, that an athletic, intelligent, veteran defense (like the Ravens next week) will pin their ears back and come at Collins over and over. Kerry can’t get out of the way and the Titans don’t have a deep threat. The Titans will have to depend on the O-line and the draw play to take the heat off. I know our Offensive linemen are top notch but they can only block so many people. Considering it could be the Ravens who expose the Titans in this area makes my stomach hurt.

Still, the feel-good vibe coming across the river from The Coliseum remains. Let’s say that Baltimore comes in and does just what I’ve said. The Titans would be 5-1 going into the by week with Kansas City waiting when they return. If I could have told you at the beginning of the season the Titans would be 6-1 going into their home game against Indy late in October what would your reaction have been? What if I added we’d be leading the division with wins over Jacksonville and Houston while Jacksonville had already beaten the Colts?

I for one might have broken out in Riverdance.

There’s no guarantee the Titans will even make the playoffs, let alone win their division. However, we’re setting pretty four games in, prettier than we ever have. It’s hard not to think of 1999 from this position. The only thing I can say is drink it Titans fan; this is new ground for us. There is no guarantee it will last but that is no reason not to revel in what we have while it is here. 4-0 means our favorite team has earned us the right to saturate ourselves in the pleasure rooting for a very good team brings.

As an addendum, I went to the Vikings/Titans game yesterday so here are some post game thoughts:

1. Paul Kuharsky has lost his mind. We know this because he asked if Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson are comparable. He seems to conclude no but to even ask the question is laughable. However, his article does provide the most accurate player comparison for Chris Johnson, courtesy of none other than Kerry Collins:

'He's got as many skills as anybody I've played with, including Tiki [Barber],’ Kerry Collins said. ‘He just gives you that burst, gives you that speed that just comes along every so often. He's a football player. He's got all the physical skills, no doubt about it. But the guy's also got a knack for knowing what to do with the ball.’

There you go! The Westbrook comparison never squared with me because Chris Johnson plays bigger between the tackles than Westbrook, not to mention that Johnson’s receiving skills – while good – aren’t in the same league as Westbrook’s. You also can’t compare Johnson to Reggie Bush because Johnson is already a better running back than Reggie Bush; Bush’s receiving abilities also outpacing Johnson’s. The Tiki comparison is spot on; he was fine running the ball (contra Reggie Bush) but could be used out of the backfield as a receiver (like Chris Johnson) but wasn’t quite the receiver Brian Westbrook is. Way to go Kerry. At this rate I’ll be opening a Collins fan group on Facebook.

Speaking of Chris Johnson, the guys at Music City Miracles have taken to calling him Crazylegs and I like it. I’m calling for an official adoption: Chris Johnson = Crazylegs. Let it be written.

I noticed yesterday at the game that LenDale White was introduced as the starting running back and gave one of the best intro performances of the day. It was sort of like Ray Lewis’ Murderer’s Twitch dance but LenDale added something from Triple-H’s playbook when he spewed water into the air. However, after introduced LenDale as the starting running back the Titans proceeded to give Chris Johnson the first [eight] carries of the ball game. Interesting, no?

2. Before the game my friend Kenny and I at the Big River Grille on Broadway. It’s not a bad place to take in a pre-game meal. The stadium is within viewing distance and the food is good. I only bring this up because I want to introduce a story about something Kenny observed. When I returned from a bathroom trip Kenny told me he had been watching a guy out of our booth’s window. This guy had been sitting on a street bench for sometime before he started talking excitedly to no one in particular. Once he had commenced chatting with the invisible he abruptly stood up, reached into his trousers, and began pulling his underwear out piece by piece. Once this task was completed he walked hurriedly down the street toward the river. After recounting these events to me Kenny went on his own restroom journey. I found out later that the stall he had chosen contained another discarded pair of underwear, these being thoroughly soiled. When we left the restaurant and headed toward the stadium we passed the underwear-ripper who was gazing across the water laughing hysterically. Kenny’s theory is that the gentlemen discovered his underwear were haunted and had a good laugh after putting the ghosts in the trashcan. The only thing I could definitively conclude is that underwear was much too great a factor in Kenny’s trip to see the Titans.

3. What gives with the Titans fans booing? This is beneath us and should stop posthaste. Yesterday our fans, including the section I set in, booed Gus Frerotte when he went down in the fourth quarter. I said to my section “You are booing a guy who got hurt!?!?” and thankfully no one threw a beer on me. What I was told is “Well, we’re booing because he’s faking.” His subsequent return to the game appeared to justify booing the dirty faker. Arriving home, I queued up my DVR and fast-forwarded to Frerotte’s injury on the recording. Clearly Vanden Bosch hit Frerotte late. Not only was it late but the hit landed in Gus’ groin courtesy of Vanden Bosch’s helmet. Show me the man who can take a football helmet to the crotch and not need a few minutes and I’ll show you… someone I doubt is a man. The lesson, as always: STOP BOOING! We have more class than that.

4. Far be it from me to perpetuate the Vince Young drama but I’ve got to include a note about our once and perhaps future QB. I sat near some gentlemen with binoculars who gave our section their observations on Vince’s sideline behavior. These fellows told us Vince was standing away from everyone else, perhaps listening to the chatter between the OC and Collins. One of them remarked – much to his own delight – that Vince probably wasn’t listening to the play call but rather “Nelly or Little Wayne.” I rolled my eyes and went back to watching the game. Now Kuharsky is reporting basically the same thing I heard from the guys with the binoculars and it is all quite depressing. I’ve said it before: I’m a Vince guy. I still think he represents the best of the Titans QB depth chart. Even being firmly on the Vince bandwagon this is getting hard to stomach. I realize that there is no real way for us to accurately interpret just what Vince’s behavior on the sideline means or what impact it carries with the team. What we can say is that standing apart from your team never looks good and feeds into Vince’s image problems.

Going solely on what I read on Titans message boards and the conversations in the stands it appears that the fan base’s attitude toward Vince has reached toxicity. I didn’t hear a good word all day about Vince on site and the conversation online doesn’t provide much better. I really don’t see light at the end of the tunnel unless Vince will specifically address the fan base, profess his love for them and the game, apologize for the events of the past several weeks, and then go out and play well. I know that is next to impossibility. I don’t even think this is necessarily what Vince should do. I just don’t see how anything less will reconcile Titans fans to Vince. This whole thing remains one of the saddest set of circumstances between a player and his team’s fans that I can remember. I hate that it has come to this.

Jonathan Crompton vs. Nick Stephens - Tennessee Quarterback Battle is On

The News-Sentinel quoted Fulmer tonight as saying that Crompton and Stephens will split playing time with the ones during practice this week, and whoever is most consistent will get the start against Northern Illinois on Saturday night. It didn't include a statement about both playing or BJ Coleman or anything like that, but more details are sure to follow.

At the earliest stage of this quarterback "controversy", I'd simply caution to not make the same mistake with Stephens that Vol fans made with Crompton (and most fans make with a new QB) - don't expect the world out of a kid who, until Crompton went 8 of 23 yesterday, wasn't good enough to get a sniff as the starter. Nick Stephens has been the backup for a reason, and any game action he sees, whether it's against NIU or UGA, needs to be heavily tempered with low expectations. In part, a 1-3 start has done that for us. But let Stephens be Stephens and it won't take long to see what the kid's got against our schedule. Don't lean heavily on his one completion to Brandon Warren for 42 yards against UAB, because the most important parts of that sentence are "one completion" and "UAB". Just because Crompton has been that bad doesn't mean Stephens will automatically be that good.

And if it turns out that Crompton is back under center again Saturday night, we need to support him too. The season is bad enough already without a divisive quarterback situation. The whole Tennessee family - no matter who Crompton thinks that consists of - needs to find the good in what's already a bad situation. And hopefully, the Vol offense will find its life somewhere along the way.

I'm running out of words to describe it.

To celebrate 500 posts here at SESB, allow me to present the 4th quarter drive charts in today's Tennessee-Auburn game.

- AUB (own 20) 4 plays, punt
- TEN (opp 38) 3 and out
- AUB (own 11) 3 and out
- TEN (own 43) 3 and out
- AUB (own 20) 3 and out
- TEN (opp 46) 3 and out
- AUB (own 20) 3 and out
- TEN (own 46) 3 and out
- AUB (own 5) one first down, ballgame

Hats off to John Chavis and the defense, seriously. You cannot ask your defense to play any better than they did.

The Tennessee offense is indescribably bad and almost totally inept.

They were definitively inept in the 4th quarter. Seriously, how long do you think we could've kept trading punts? Because I think it would've gone deep into the night unless Gerald Jones ran one back.

Here's a totally legitimate question: is Jonathan Crompton - 8 of 23 for 67 yards - the worst quarterback to play under center of the last three decades? Don't we have to put him now in the group with CJ Leak and Joey Matthews?

While most are still likely to target Fulmer, and the concerns coming into this game are still completely valid...say something good about the Clawfense.

Go ahead.

I'll wait.







No?

Florida gave the Vols a gift. At halftime, I told my friend on the phone Tennessee just needed to get out of there, didn't matter if it was 15-14 with six field goals. Just get back to Knoxville with a win by any means, and we can work on improving later.

But instead, the Vols eat a loss that ranks right up there with UCLA in terms of indefensibility.

Combined with another blowout to Florida and a quarterback who inspires zero confidence in anyone, and the rest of the SEC schedule looming ahead...

The decision to make students pay for tickets is going to look real good next Saturday night against Northern Illinois. How many of them are going to show up for that one? How many of any of us?

The schedule will present the Vols an opportunity to play at least one top five team in October. But right now, it's almost impossible to look at the rest of this season in a positive light.

Because the reality is, UCLA is about to give up 40+ points again, Florida beat us by 24 and then got exposed by Ole Miss in Gainesville today, and Auburn hasn't looked really good all season.

Two teams that are incredibly similar, as shown by the game and the drive chart, have an important difference:

Auburn looked offensively inept against Mississippi State and Tennessee. They won both games. The Tigers still have work to do, certainly, and Tony Franklin's system may not ultimately have any better fate than Dave Clawson's. But Auburn gets to deal with all this mess on the sunny side of a win.

Tennessee has looked offensively inept when they weren't playing UAB. They're 1-3.

Winning wouldn't have made Tennessee's offense any better than it actually is. But the Vols should, without question, be 3-1. You can't defend either loss. And yet, here we are.

It always takes more strength to have hope than be cynical. It's easy to be cynical, even when there's plenty of reason to be.

But hope is awfully fleeting right now in Knoxville.

SESB Live on the Air - Take 2

I taped a short segment today with Gridiron Breakdown - you can check out the live broadcast and call into their show at BlogTalk Radio on Saturday morning, 10:30-12:00 EST. The show originates from Alabama and they'll have a ton of stuff this week on Alabama/Georgia and the Auburn/Tennessee game as well. The show is also available at their website in archived format if you miss the live broadcast.

Check them out - also thanks to Jay from the show for his help on the Dave Clawson/Tony Franklin piece we did that was the featured story on Bleacher Report yesterday afternoon.

(Note: You can still check the archived broadcast at their website, where they talk Tennessee-Auburn from about the 35:00-55:00 mark with myself and Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser, or you can grab just my part here)

That's enough shameless self-promotion for one day...

Go Vols.

Coach Phil Fulmer & Tennessee Football: How We Got Here

(Note: One day after Ghost of Neyland at Third Saturday wrote the definitive piece on potential Fulmer replacements, lawvol at Gate 21 has written a post of equal worth on keeping the balance between feeling like we should move in another direction while still being an honorable and true UT fan about it. Go read both of those posts.)

What we can all agree on, besides that one idiot who called SportsTalk the week we won the National Championship to complain about Randy Sanders' playcalling, is that we Tennessee fans were a happy lot from the day Fulmer took the sidelines as an interim head coach in 1992 through the end of the 2001 season. He led stunning upsets of first Georgia and then Florida with Johnny Majors on bed rest. He blew out Boston College in his first real day on the job.

From 1993-1997, with one Jerry Colquitt knee injury aside, Fulmer did everything right, except he kept losing to Florida like everyone else in the country. Again, my personal favorite underused stat in all of Tennessee Football: from the Alabama loss in 1994 to the Arkansas loss in 1999, the Vols were 1-4 against Florida and 37-0 against the rest of the SEC.

And how quickly we forget that Phillip Fulmer turned our greatest frustration - Alabama - into seven blissful unprecedented years of joy.

When he finally did beat Florida, we turned it into the 1998 National Championship. That season was bookended by another SEC Championship from 1997, and a return to the BCS in 1999. And after an obvious rebuilding year in 2000, the Vols again ascended the ranks of the elite, upset Florida in Gainesville to win the SEC East, and were on the precipice of playing for another National Championship.

While it's still true that the 2001 SEC Championship Game is the most heartbreaking loss in Vol history for me, what I've started to wonder now, in 2008 with things the way they are, is if the Vols hadn't fumbled it away in the Georgia Dome, would it have made any difference?

At this point, I don't think anything short of Tennessee beating LSU and then going on to beat Miami to win another National Championship - which is too great a leap in logic for me, especially considering I believe that Miami team to be the best this decade has seen - would make a tangible difference in Fulmer's current state now from seven years ago.

The Vols did respond to that loss with a satisfying beatdown of Michigan, and as stated, we were all pretty happy.

The last seven years, things have changed. And the history major and Vol aficionado in me would like to track the ebb and flow of what Fulmer has done in those seven years, to show how we went from ten years of joy and love from 1992-2001, to a state of affairs in 2008 where even the most positive and supportive Vol fans are using words like "exit strategy" and already discussing who the next head coach will be.

With everything right in the world in 2001, the Vols began preparations for the 2002 season with...

Preseason 2002: High Expectations
The Vols were ranked in the top five in both polls, Steve Spurrier was gone, and there was no other dominant SEC team thought to be in the same league as the Vols (though Georgia would later prove otherwise in '02). Even without Travis Stephens, Donte' Stallworth and the most dominant defensive line in modern Vol history (Overstreet/Henderson/Haynesworth), it was believed that Tennessee would become the Florida of this decade, and assert its will on the rest of the conference.

September 21, 2002: The Worst Five Minutes of My Life
All that went straight in the toilet with 4:55 to play in the second quarter of the Florida game. After watching the Gators get dismantled by Miami, optimism soared even higher. On a rainy day in a defensive struggle, Florida scored on 4th and goal at the 1 to take a 7-0 lead with 4:55 to play in the half. From there, Casey Clausen, Scott Wells and Derrick Tinsley combined to put the ball on the ground four times in four minutes, which the Gators converted into 17 points and an insurmountable, surreal 24-0 halftime lead. Tennessee never recovered.

2002: Injuries & Losses
Really, what do we remember fondly from 2002? The six overtime game against Arkansas was exciting, but not an important win. In that game, Casey Clausen suffered the injury that would keep him out of the Georgia game. In Athens, Kelley Washington suffered the injury that would sideline him for the rest of the season. Defensive players were dropping like flies. All this helped Alabama end Tennessee's seven year winning streak, an unfriendly date with #1 Miami tacked on another loss, and 2002 just seemed like everything had gone wrong at the wrong time. But the real kicker was...

December 31, 2002: Maryland 30 - Tennessee 3
The Vols were fumble-happy against Florida, banged up but game in losses to Georgia and Alabama, and purely outmatched against Miami. But against Maryland - Maryland - the Vols were outplayed, outcoached, out-efforted, out-everythinged. This was, at the time, the most disturbing loss in the Fulmer Era, because you just hadn't seen a Tennessee team take a beating like that from a lesser opponent. A bad end to a bad year.

September 20, 2003: Hail Mary in The Swamp
Early solid efforts against Fresno State and Marshall helped get the taste out of our mouths, and Casey Clausen's prayer to James Banks was the start of the good things on this day that would put everybody back on track. The Vols won for the second straight time in The Swamp 24-10, and all was right with Fulmer and the world again.

October 11, 2003: The Game-Changing Fumble
The Vols got too far behind at Jordan-Hare in a game they eventually lost 28-21. But still, the SEC East was theirs for the taking when Georgia came to Neyland Stadium. In a dogfight, UGA led 13-7 but the Vols were driving to close the first half. That's when a fumbled exchange led to a 97 yard Georgia touchdown, and instead of going in with a 14-13 lead, the Vols trailed 20-7. That opened the floodgates for more turnovers in the second half of a 41-14 Georgia win, and suddenly the win over Florida was far behind us, the Vols had lost back to back SEC games and four straight to Georgia, and the seat started getting warm again.

October 25, 2003: Five Overtimes
Showing us the value of one play and one game, because if this one had gone the other way and the Vols had lost three straight, I'm convinced Randy Sanders doesn't survive 2003. But Tennessee used five overtimes to turn a lifeless game into an emotional win over Alabama, which spearheaded them forward towards...

November 8, 2003: Taking Down Miami
On a national stage in an environment where the Canes hadn't lost in forever, Tennessee used defense and old school football, timely turnovers and gutsy play from their senior quarterback to steal a 10-6 win. And suddenly a season that looked lost now found the Vols back in national prominence. You forget that the Vols rose to #6 in the polls at the close of the 2003 season. And the reason you forget is...

January 2, 2004: Another Peach Bowl Loss
Those who are looking for "good years" from the Tennessee program would've had one in 2003, but the Vols went to Atlanta and acted like Florida State or Miami, getting in a pregame fight and then trying to set a school record for personal fouls in one game. Along the way, they lost to another second-tier ACC school for the second year in a row, 27-14 to Clemson, and what should've been a top five finish turned into an average #15 ranking and a 10-3 season.

September 18, 2004: James Wilhoit & Two Freshmen QBs
Again, say what you will about Fulmer and Randy Sanders, but the work they did in 2004 with Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer was tremendous. Against the Gators, Tennessee stood toe to toe despite playing two freshmen, and what James Wilhoit gave away on an extra point, he made up for from 50 yards in an epic 30-28 win. This is the last time Tennessee has beaten Florida.

October 2, 2004: The Auburn Buzzsaw
Those who always think we're going to play for the National Championship if we beat Florida (including me) got the reality check that the Vols were playing with freshmen quarterbacks after all when Auburn came into Neyland Stadium and scored 31 points in the first half off multiple Tennessee turnovers. This loss, no matter how bad, actually ended up helping the next item on the list, because when Auburn blasted Tennessee and Georgia destroyed LSU on the same day, most Vol fans thought there was no way...

October 9, 2004: Stealing Georgia's Christmas Tree
Double-digit underdogs and playing with the same freshmen quarterbacks, the Vols went to Athens and bested #2 Georgia 19-14 in one of the best wins of Phillip Fulmer's career. Suddenly, Tennessee had beaten Florida and Georgia, and were sitting pretty atop the SEC East standings. (The line here is from Georgia's postgame radio show, which we were happily listening to on our way out of Athens, where Happ Hines opened the show by saying "You know, I woke up today and it was like Christmas morning. Everything was going to be great. And Tennessee came in here, and not only did they steal our presents, but they stole the %#$! tree.")

November 6, 2004: A Stupid Playcall, Randy Sanders Edition
At 7-1 and ranked #9, the Vols met a Notre Dame team that was vastly overmatched but game in the first half. With time winding down and Tennessee some seventy yards from the end zone, the Vols ran a draw on first down and didn't call time out, clearly not trying to advance the ball or score any points before the half. But then on second down, the Vols decided to throw after all. A botched snap led to Erik Ainge injuring his shoulder and being lost for the season. With Rick Clausen at the helm, the Vols lost to Notre Dame 17-13. The Vols still probably don't beat Auburn in the SEC Championship Game if Ainge is playing, but they do play in a bigger bowl game. That one, however, also worked out well.

January 1, 2005: Cotton Bowl Beatdown
After a game effort in the SEC Championship, Rick Clausen led Tennessee to a stunning demolition of Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, 38-7. The Vols finished 2004 at #13, 10-3 with two losses to undefeated Auburn, and SEC East Champions in what I would unquestionably call a good year. Which of course, set the table for...

Preseason 2005: High Expectations & Two Quarterbacks
Like 2002, the Vols entered the season as a top five selection and the clear cut favorite in the SEC East race. Rick Clausen's "productivity" in the absence of Erik Ainge led to Fulmer and Sanders opening themselves up to the idea of both playing. And everything from there...

2005: %#@!
Between special teams disasters and untimely turnovers, it took Tennessee two full months to realize they simply weren't a very good football team. The parallels to 2008 are alarming already. These Vols lost 16-7 at Florida thanks to special teams, tried to save the season in The Rally at Death Valley, which was beautiful at the time but only muddied the QB situation further and allowed Erik Ainge to regress...meanwhile, another punt return sealed Tennessee's fate against Georgia, then fumbles by Corey Anderson and Arian Foster at the one yard line on consecutive weeks doomed us against Alabama and South Carolina. It wasn't until Notre Dame blasted us (and then Vanderbilt finished the job) that the Vols realized "Hey...maybe we just aren't very good.") At this point, all the Vol angst fell on Randy Sanders, and he left the program. The remaining venom was directed toward Fulmer, but he continued to make a habit of turning those moments into his greatest triumphs by...

September 2, 2006: Unleash the Fury!
California came to Knoxville as a National Championship contender. In two and a half quarters, the Vols buried them in a 35-0 hole that could've been oh so much worse. And in one breath, we exhaled 2005 and inhaled the hope of things to come.

October 28, 2006: A Stupid Playcall, David Cutcliffe Edition
At South Carolina, the Vols were 6-1 and stood at #8 in the polls. Though they lost a 21-20 heartbreaker to Florida, the Vols had trashed Georgia and beaten Alabama, and were on their way to beating South Carolina when Cutcliffe inexplicably called a running play for Erik Ainge deep in South Carolina territory. The swift Ainge couldn't escape pressure, got his ankle rolled and was subsequently lost for three weeks. Though the Vols would beat Carolina and were game with Jonathan Crompton against LSU, they lost there and subsequently were blown out by Arkansas. I'm not saying the Vols win both of those games with Ainge in there. I am saying we don't lose to LSU. Every play carries significance - if Cutcliffe doesn't call that play and Ainge doesn't get his ankle rolled, are we having these conversations about Fulmer today? Maybe the Vols wouldn't wound up in a better bowl game, because instead...

January 1, 2007: Penn State Has Our Number
This one too may seem largely insignificant, but bowl games are the aftertaste of the season, and in this case the Vols started 7-1 with renewed hopes of national prominence, and ended 9-4 and average again. This too is a game Tennessee could have and should have won.

September 2007: Defense Takes an Absolute Beating
The Vols lost the season opener for the first time since 1994 to what was at the time a good Cal team, 45-31. Later that month, Florida hangs the worst Vol defeat since 1981 on the program, 59-20 in Gainesville, and Tennessee appears to have fully regressed. At this point, there's not much good to be said about the team or the program, and with Randy Sanders gone Fulmer appears to be hanging alone by a thread...

October 6, 2007: Fulmer Saves the Day Again
Against a Georgia team that would finish #2 in the nation, the Vols came out angry and efficient, and absolutely bested Georgia in every facet in a sweet, sweet 35-14 win. On the morning of October 6, Fulmer's seat had never been hotter and there was nothing tangible for Vol fans to believe in. On the morning of October 7, the Vols were in first place in the SEC East.

October 20, 2007: Alabama
The 41-17 beatdown in Tuscaloosa was bad for the moment, because it took the Vols' SEC destiny and placed it back in Florida's hands. But in the larger picture, after seven straight wins over the Tide from 1995-2001, Alabama had pulled even in the last six years at 3-3. Another low, low day.

Late October-November 2007: Close Wins & Good Fortune
Florida immediately gave the Vols hope again by losing to Georgia and placing our fate back in our own hands. Tennessee responded with the ugliest of ugly wins against South Carolina, a stunning shutdown blowout of Arkansas, then went to the wire with Vanderbilt and way past there with Kentucky...but won them all. And when the dust had settled...the Vols were SEC East Champions.

December 1, 2007: Erik Ainge's 4th Quarter to Forget
Again, the value of one play or one game: if Erik Ainge doesn't throw two ginormous interceptions in the 4th quarter of the SEC Championship Game against the eventual National Champions, are we having these conversations about Fulmer? If Ainge doesn't make those mistakes and the Vols steal a win in Atlanta, they're SEC Champions. They go to New Orleans, back to the BCS, and beat Hawaii (an assumption I feel safe in making). They finish 11-3 and in the Top 10. Would that be enough to buy a reprieve from...

September 2008: An Exercise in Frustration
These facts, we all know. A Clawfense that's averaging 12 offensive points per game against UCLA and Florida. A loss to the former that's indefensible, especially considering how other teams have treated the Bruins. A loss to the latter that's laced in ineptitude, with two trips to the three yard line, no points, and another special teams disaster. A program in turmoil and a coach who may be too far gone.

It wasn't one of these things...it was all of them. And to his credit, Phillip Fulmer has saved the day on more than one occasion as you can see: in 2003 against Florida, Alabama and Miami, in 2004 at Georgia, in 2006 against Cal and last season against Georgia. Every time the program has been shaky and the whispers got loud, Fulmer quieted them with a huge win.

And there are points along the way that again, seemed so insignificant at the time...but if the Vols had beaten Clemson in 2003, or not called the plays that got Erik Ainge hurt in 2004 and 2006, or had Ainge himself not thrown those interceptions in Atlanta last year...maybe these are different conversations.

But this is reality.

As lawvol points out in his piece, there is a percentage of the fan base where the voices are too loud...that has crossed the line to a degree that it won't matter now if the Vols finish this season 10-2. I think those people are ridiculous, and I don't ever think you go after a coach in the middle of a season. For the people like me who prefer to discuss exit strategies that play out over several years in the best interest of the program and all involved, and for all of us...we want to see this thing go forward in the right direction. And right now, that's with Fulmer because right now he's our head coach.

More than anything, looking at the progression/regression over these last few years teaches us the value of every play and every Saturday. There will always be what-ifs, fumbles, upsets and questionable play calls. The head coach at Tennessee is responsible for making the best of all of those, living in the reality of the present moment and doing what's best to get a win this week. Right now it's Fulmer. And Fulmer's done this before. So even in the midst of what may be an inevitable exit strategy, with all the green and red in his past...Fulmer and the Vols must do what they must do to get a win this week, like every week.

And it's our job to get - and stay - behind them. No matter who's wearing the headset.

Now...who wants to talk about Auburn?

QB Josh Nunes Re-Opens Recruitment

"The quarterback of the future" has changed to a soft commit to Tennessee, according to this article from the News-Sentinel, citing his father. Josh Nunes is now expected to make multiple official visits in what can only be viewed as the aftermath of the Florida game and overall experience. This kid is considered one of the elite quarterbacks in the nation and had been firm towards the Vols.

Next thing you know, they'll start telling me the sky is falling.

Crossroad: Dave Clawson & Tony Franklin

When David Cutcliffe left Tennessee for the second time to become the head coach at Duke - where the Blue Devils are currently averaging 252 yards passing, 158 yards rushing, haven't thrown an interception and are scoring 31 points per game - many in Knoxville welcomed the new hire of Richmond's Dave Clawson. Clawson was outside the Tennessee Family, where the same "vanilla" scheme had been run for the better part of the last three decades. Clawson promised to get the ball to the playmakers. And the words that've spread through the SEC like honey on our lips - the spread offense - began to be whispered in Knoxville.

We hadn't seen it, but we loved it.

Down on The Plains, Auburn got a glimpse of it. Al Borges, whose arrival at Auburn in 2004 coincided with the Tigers' 13-0 season and the sudden maturation of Jason Campbell, resigned late last season as offensive production had declined: in Auburn's nine losses from 2005-2007, the Tigers averaged only 16 points per game. Whether it was depleted talent, coaching, misfortune or all of the above, Borges gave way to the one and only Tony Franklin.

Franklin came from Troy with a previous stint in Lexington and a history of installing "his offense" on the high school level, and what he did in two weeks of practice in preparing the Tigers to face Clemson in last year's Chick-fil-A Bowl was remarkable: Auburn put up 423 yards of offense against the #6 defense in the nation, War Eagle won, and undoubtedly optimism was high in the state of Alabama.

As Tennessee and Auburn prepare to face off on the last Saturday of September, things have changed.

In Knoxville, the Vols had a fairly decent day against the worst defense in the FBS. But that performance against UAB was bookended by two separate exercises in futility. At UCLA, the Vols had nine three-and-outs, couldn't convert on four first half interceptions, and watched a pass-heavy offense go 19 of 42 and ultimately lose to the Bruins, 27-24. Last week against the Gators, Tennessee picked up only 258 yards and looked completely lost at times, especially in the red zone, where the Vols made it to the three yard line twice and came away with nothing.

Throwing out the UAB performance and Nevin McKenzie's interception return for a touchdown against UCLA, the Vols are averaging only 312 yards of offense and 12 points per game. That includes the performance against the UCLA team that's been shredded by BYU and Arizona for a combined 90 points.

Auburn has only lost once, and that in a close game against the defending National Champions. However, the Tiger defense and special teams have been opportunistic, scoring three touchdowns. Take those away from the totals, and the Tiger offense is only slightly ahead of Tennessee, averaging only 16 points per game. That includes the brutal 3-2 win over Mississippi State. The yardage has been better, at 355 per game.

But it's not what either of us wanted.

So now the two paths cross on Saturday afternoon, and honestly I have no idea what to expect.

But I know it's a tremendously important Saturday for both teams.

A solid Auburn defense gave up 178 yards rushing to LSU last week, giving Vol fans some hope. But for Tennessee, there's no solid evidence that this offense can move with consistency and efficiency.

For Auburn, even with slightly better efficiency, the presence of Chris Todd and Kodi Burns leads to the always frustrating quarterback controversy.

Chris Todd has been the trigger man for the last three weeks, though many of his completions have been dumps to the backs and tight ends. But in talking with Jay Skipworth at Gridiron Breakdown, I get the sense that Auburn's quarterback situation is still a large point of contention among the fanbase, even though Kodi Burns hasn't taken a snap in the last two games.

When things aren't going well, a dual-quarterback system or a quarterback controversy is an absolute nightmare. No matter who is ultimately responsible, the minds of fans and media will always immediately jump to "the other guy should be playing!" in the face of turmoil. Tennessee learned this lesson in 2005 with Erik Ainge and Rick Clausen, Virginia Tech is learning it right now, and Auburn will find themselves in a tough situation if the offensive inefficiency and losses continue.

More from Jay on the Auburn offense:

Having seen this offense installed at Troy, I know it works when you have the right personnel. And right now, Auburn is trying to run an up-tempo offense with a bunch of converted power players. Chris Todd has the intellect of the offense down; he's like a coach in what he knows about it...I fear Auburn is feeling such a push from the competition (particularly that in the state) that they may not be patient enough to get it in place. I know the fan base is running out of patience. And in spite of his ardent support, we all wonder when or if Tuberville will run out of patience for it as well.

One thing I like about Franklin is how he's blunt and direct. When the Auburn offense isn't playing well, he says so. There's no hidden coachspeak or generalities, he says the things the fans are thinking, and for that I like him.

And there's precedent for a team winning with a new system and old players - the Gators did it two years ago. And it's only September, with plenty of time still for success in 2008.

Which is why Saturday is so important for both teams.

No matter how it looks, one team is going to win and one is going to lose. For the winner, the season still carries hope and the team is still relevant. And no matter how many yards are gained, it's another week for that offensive system to gain its footing.

For the loser, you're unranked and suddenly unimportant in the SEC picture. And especially if that offense continues to struggle, even against what are probably good defenses on both sides, it's another huge step backwards. If Auburn needs patience, losing to Tennessee won't provide it. If Tennessee needs more rhythm and consistency, a 1-3 start will bring the biggest difference between the two to further light: Franklin might be disliked by some, but Tommy Tuberville is safe.

Dave Clawson might be disliked by some, but Phillip Fulmer will be the target.

The winner Saturday gets another week for their new offensive system to gain strength, and for Franklin or Clawson to prove that their systems are better than the shockingly low numbers they've produced thus far. Expectations were too high and the on-field result is too low on both sides right now. The winner on Saturday gets to take a big step in the right direction, both for their season and their offense. The loser takes a backseat ride through the rest of the SEC race and is nationally irrelevant.

Both teams desperately need this win. And for Dave Clawson and Tony Franklin, one man's offense will earn a week's reprieve, while the other's goes further into the depths of fan frustration and football irrelevancy.

Random Thoughts - Wednesday September 24

No matter how bad football season makes you feel, The Office is still coming back tomorrow night to make it all better...

A Rundown of Potential Fulmer Replacements
If you're into that sort of thing, you should without question check out Third Saturday's outstanding work in compiling a comprehensive list of NFL and college head coaches & coordinators who might make a good fit in Knoxville, complete with bios (Butch Davis is 57?!)

97 Tennessee/Auburn SEC Championship Game on ESPN Classic
While you definitely want to avoid the "classic" 26-26 tie between the Vols and Tigers on The Plains from 1990 that's showing later this week, you can check out my favorite game atmosphere of all time on Thursday at 3:00 PM on ESPN Classic, and watch Peyton Manning win an SEC Championship despite the Vols turning it over six times.

SESB Live On the Air, Take Two
If you were wondering, the guys at Gridiron Breakdown had technical difficulties last week during their live show, and weren't able to play the interview we taped last Friday. But we're going to try it again this week in discussing the Tennessee/Auburn game. We'll link to it again before then, but you can catch the live broadcast Saturday morning, 10:30-12:00 EST.

EDIT: And just so you don't think I'm making the whole thing up, here's the unaired interview we taped last week.

Do you realize...
...that if the NFL season ended today, the Broncos, Bills, Titans and Ravens would win their respective divisions, while preseason favorites San Diego, New England, Indianapolis and Cleveland are a combined 4-8 with one quarterback out for the year and another one getting ready to be replaced by Brady Quinn? Do you also realize that I took Braylon Edwards and Carson Palmer in the second and third rounds of my fantasy draft?

Let's all shed a tear for the New York Yankees...
...whose 13 year playoff streak came to an official end yesterday. While ESPN weeps and has promised several gut-wrenching pieces on SportsCenter this morning, I'd like to take this time to point out that the Atlanta Braves went 14 straight years...and won their division 14 times. The Yankees used that fancy wild card to get in three times. The Braves got no such treatment from ESPN. I'm just saying. This morning, Hank Steinbrenner is super bitter, attacking the current playoff system and Joe Torre and the (potentially) playoff bound Dodgers. Meanwhile, the world prepares to become Cubs fans.

WWE: The Road to No Mercy
Live attendance is down, John Cena is hurt and on the shelf for months again, Ric Flair retired and the already-low ratings are now getting killed by Monday Night Football. But next Sunday, there's good news on the horizon: Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels. Main Event. World Heavyweight Championship. Ladder Match. Old school wrestling fans: rejoice.

Gators 30 Vols 6 - The Tipping Point?

"That loss is on me. I'm a big boy with broad shoulders. I can handle it." - Phillip Fulmer

One year after suffering the worst loss of his career, Phillip Fulmer was a late fourth down stop away from equalling the worst home loss of his career. That day came fourteen years ago with a team that started Todd Helton at quarterback against a Florida team ranked #1. This day saw a good Gator team - and time will tell if they're a great one - against a Tennessee team that does have some talent, still thinks its good, but instead found a new way to be frustrating in a 30-6 loss that, in many ways, felt worse than last year's 59-20 job.

While the Gators piled on points in Gainesville last season, some things were clear: the Vols weren't very good. At least on defense, simply not very good. After getting burned by Cal and Florida, there was no debate about that. Tennessee, on the Third Saturday of September 2007, wasn't very good.

On the Third Saturday of 2008, Tennessee might have some reasons to think its good. But they'd be better served living in reality: this team is 1-2 with a win over the worst defense in the FBS, a loss to UCLA that looks worse every week, and another "non-competitive" loss to the Florida Gators, who've won four straight in the series now, which means Urban Meyer is undefeated against the Vols. For the record, Steve Spurrier was 1-2 against Tennessee before he won five straight.

And it's the fact that there are quotation marks around "non-competitive" that makes it even worse.

Like I said, Florida is a good team. Their true worth will come out in the weeks ahead. They've got an explosive offense that was going to get its points, and they scored 20 without any help from the Vol offense or special teams.

But the Vols actually outgained the Gators 258-243, while only running five more offensive plays in a virtual dead heat in time of possession.

Could Florida have done more if they had to? Maybe - they only punted once. Which means it's the same answer for "Does Tennessee have a good defense?"

But it's the fact that they didn't have to that has me questioning, for the first time, whether Phillip Fulmer is the right man for this job.

The UCLA game I don't blame on Fulmer. I put that one on Dave Clawson. The blowout losses last season left you wondering about talent more than coaching. 2005 fell in the lap of Randy Sanders.

The way this went wrong yesterday, I don't know where else to go but to Fulmer.

Sure, it was Arian Foster's penalty that hurt a drive. Montario Hardesty fumbled to give the Gators a field goal, but that happens sometimes.

Even Jonathan Crompton fumbling against the fullback, I don't necessarily blame on Fulmer.

But the two biggest sequences of the game can't go anywhere else.

First, Brandon James was allowed to run a punt back for a touchdown against the Vols for the third consecutive year (his 2006 return was called back for a penalty).

When Mark May said Fulmer should have to take a Greyhound Bus back to Knoxville if he punted to DeSean Jackson, we laughed. Then the Vols punted to him and Jackson made them look stupid.

After the obligatory commitment to work on the special teams, the Vols let James score the game's first points on his punt return last season.

This year, everybody knows about James and not to kick to him, use any "special" formations or do anything of the sort. And the Vols, after watching him drop the opening kickoff and then take it back across the 50, instead of kicking away from him or even kicking it out of bounds, kicked it right to him, and watched him turn a 10-0 game into a 17-0 hole that put the Vols' hopes in the shredder only eleven minutes into the contest.

I've lost patience with "we're going to work on the special teams." I don't even care if you tell me we're going to work like heck on them. When Fulmer made the comment that "that's not us"...uh, yeah, it is. Giving up backbreaking punt returns has been Tennessee Football in the last two seasons. And in the absence of a special teams coordinator, the burden falls squarely on Fulmer.

But even with our hopes in the shredder, the Vols resurrected them.

Jonathan Crompton is what he is. He's not Erik Ainge, he's not Casey Clausen. He's certainly not the cerebral mind that Rick Clausen was (show me the play this season where Crompton worked his progression and didn't lock in...show me any play from yesterday where Crompton even looked at a second receiver). My Dad made the point that when you take these kids from small high schools who don't play much of any competition on that level, you just never know what you're going to get. Sometimes you get Heath Shuler. Sometimes you get this.

But he is what he is. Getting pissed at him isn't going to change that. Crompton can grow, even if that's a longer process than any of us expected or want.

Nonetheless, Crompton directed a balanced offensive attack to the three yard line twice. The fumble was unfortunate, but again...sometimes you fumble.

What I cannot find a good excuse for was the drive at the end of the half.

Consider the following:

- A play early in the drive where the Vols lined up in the G-Gun, then stood around for at least twelve seconds, not making adjustments or anything, just standing there...until the play clock hit zero.

- The fact that the drive only progressed because of a too many men on the field penalty against Florida, on a play where Lucas Taylor slipped three yards behind the secondary and Crompton horribly underthew him

- The clincher for me: everything that happened from the 1:13 mark.

At 1:13 in the half, the Vols took their second time out on a dead ball. There was plenty of time to do whatever we wanted with the ball in Florida territory. But instead, Fulmer called time out.

It was at this point that Crompton started doing something that I'm not sure the CBS cameras caught or not: after every play, looking frantically back at the sideline, raising his hands in that "whatdoIdowhatdoIdo?" motion.

And the answers from the sideline certainly took their sweet time.

Crompton's tension became tangible in the stadium. The Vols wasted precious seconds. And even when Crompton hit Josh Briscoe to set up first and goal, the Vols were already giving it away.

I told my friend there next to me in Z11 that if we scored it'd be by accident. The Vols got to the one yard line and had 3rd and goal with over :30 to play. Crompton did that sideline look again.

And the Vols let fifteen seconds run off the clock before they finally decided "Well, let's just call time out."

On 3rd and goal at the 1 with :31 to play with no time outs, you can still run it and if you don't score, you can get off another play.

On 3rd and goal at the 1 with :16 to play with no time outs, you can't run (or if you do you have to score). The Vols shot themselves in the foot with alarming precision.

Two plays later, Crompton was picked off in the end zone, and I came the closest to booing I've ever come in my orange blooded life.

I still don't agree with them...but at that point, I understood.

Who gets the blame for that whole mess? Fulmer.

Clock management, indecision and getting no points ultimately fall to Fulmer. When your quarterback looks to the sideline in a panic, and you've got nothing for him...that's Fulmer. That's what's on his shoulders, and that's what I'm having a really hard time living with.

Maybe there's some sort of veto system between Clawson's play call and Fulmer's ultimate acceptance or denial. Maybe that's what slowed us down. Either way, when it's your ship, you cannot allow this sort of inefficiency. Because it is on you. And you're the only one who can fix it.

It's true that I used to feel these losses more. Part of that is because I've got more going on in my life at 26 than I did at 19, and other things of worth to give me joy and pain. Part of that is because I realize that there are more important things in life than Tennessee Football (though they're few).

But part of that is because after a decade of playing Florida to the wall, the Gators are now back to handing it to us. Or simply being good at getting out of our way while we hand it to them.

1-2 doesn't hurt as much as it should at Tennessee...because we started 1-2 last year.

There's trouble in Knoxville.

Now...I don't ever think a head coach should be fired in mid(or in this case, early)season. Nor do I want to talk about "Will Florida lose twice?"...because the Vols just need to play Auburn and go from there.

But watching that punt return and that drive unfold yesterday, for the first time in my mind, I started thinking to myself, "You know...maybe someone else could do this better than Fulmer."

We don't need a new head coach today and we probably won't get one in 2008 with a fresh contract and a new offensive coordinator.

But we might need an exit strategy.

A Broken Staff

Please allow me to go all Biblical for just a second; hang with me…I’m going to make a point.

In the book of Isaiah a bad guy by the name of Sennacherib invades Judah. Judah’s king Hezekiah knows that his kingdom is dinky and unable to defend itself so he dials up Egypt and asks for their help. Sennacherib gets wind of this alliance and tells Judah that looking for Egypt for protection just won’t work. He says “you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.” The meaning is obvious: you end up relying on Egypt and rather than helped you will end up hurt.

So what does that have to do with SouthEastern sports? Friends, I’m your Sennacherib (except I’m a good guy, of course). You, the Titans faithful, are Judah. I am warning you – Kerry Collins is a broken stick. You lean on him too long and you’re going to end up with a badly wounded hand.

The more I cruise the Titan message boards the more I see people predicting or even announcing a new Golden Age of Titan football ushered in by our own personal Caeser, Kerry Collins.

These people either began watching football last year or have blocked out the past 12 football seasons like an abuse victim hiding from the past.

There is a reason that Kerry Collins has been cut by the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints, the New York Giants, and the Oakland Raiders. That reason isn’t because those teams thought Kerry was just too good to keep to themselves.

Even those who’ve come to Titan fandom since Kerry arrived only have to remember how Kerry even came to be a Titan: he was stuck at home well into August (past when quality free agents are signed to teams). He was an emergency option, signed only when the situation with Billy Volek went into the toilet. He played like an emergency option too: 6 interceptions against 1 touchdown with a 42% completion percentage.

The bottom line is this: Collins has been a decent quarterback in days past. Note: “days past.” More recently, he was a bad starting quarterback. Note his 5 seasons throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and long list of teams which cut him. At this stage of his career he is a good backup, nothing more. Large numbers of Titans fans – and Merrill Hodge, the embarrassment of Bristol – cannot allow themselves to forget Collins’ career, ignore his performance in his most recent stint as Titans starter, and expect him to go from toad to prince just because we need him to.

On a related note: it appears that the Vince Young soap opera has come to an end. The final revelation is Fisher’s decision that Vince will be on the pine once healthy while Collins finishes out the string. Fisher presents this move as healthy for Vince, allowing him to relax and learn for a while away from the pressures associated with starting. For a number of reasons I don’t see this ending well. One, Nashville isn’t exactly Philly. While I am repulsed by the Titans fans booing Vince, booing really isn’t that big of a deal. Secondly, and this is more worrisome, I don’t know how this move can work out well. I can’t remember an NFL scenario where a young QB was thrust into a starting role, enjoyed a winning record on the field, then regressed mentally, was put on the sidelines for a time, and came back stronger. I also don’t see how this will be conducive to Vince regaining his confidence but I’m willing to trust Coach Fisher. Believe me – I want this to work; I’m a Vince guy and would rather have him back when he’s healthy than have Collins play even one more snap than is absolutely necessary. I’d love to see Vince realize his considerable potential in a Titans jersey. Maybe I’m just too negative but I have my doubts about it happening.

[Let me go on record: I will happily be wrong. If Kerry Collins becomes Rich Gannon, hurrah! If Vince bounces back from this ordeal and matures under Collins into the player every one thought he could become, hurrah! I’ll gladly accept any scorn coming my way because of my doubts].

Having said all this about the QB position let me switch over to what is good: the Titans are 2-0! The defense, offensive line, special teams, and running game appear to be capable of beating good teams as long as the passing game doesn’t get in the way. I continue to be amazed at Chris Johnson’s production. The Titans are heading into a 5 game stretch featuring three games they should win fairly easily (Houston, Baltimore, and Kansas City; Houston perhaps being the exception) and two games against good opponents who look more shaky than they should (Minnesota, Indianapolis).

One last thing: if there were a big, talented, and young receiver with a reputation for soft hands, willingness to go across the middle, and performing well even with shaky quarterbacks who wanted out of his current team what would you be willing to pay? I’m talking about Anquan Boldin and man, what I would give to see the Titans bring him to Nashville. He wants out of Arizona, we need a legit number 1, and it says here that sending an early pick or so to the Cardinals for him would be a good move by the front office.

SESB Live On the Air

What we're calling "The Summer of New Things" here at SESB - and well timed on the name with fall officially arriving this weekend - continues with our first radio interview this weekend. I'll be taping a segment on Friday for Gridiron Breakdown over at BlogTalkRadio. The weekly show airs live on Saturday mornings from 10:30-12:00 (EST) and you can call in and join them at your leisure. My segment will be taped, but we'll try and get an mp3 of it here at SESB.

To borrow from that modern day poet, Kevin Garnett..."Made it Ma...top of the world! Top of the world! (Incoherent rambling)"

Seriously...we're excited.

Tennessee-Florida: Keys to Victory

It's only lunchtime Tuesday, but I'm heading to the Outer Banks for a wedding tomorrow morning and then heading into Knoxville from there on Friday, and since we're uncertain of internet availability and certain of 18 hours in the car, here's what I've got.

The Vols and Gators have met 37 times, with Tennessee now holding the slimmest of margins at 19-18. Florida has won three straight, coinciding with the arrival of Urban Meyer on the scene in Gainesville.

Once the Vols broke Steve Spurrier's death grip on them in 1998, this series enjoyed an entertaining and highly competitive run of games: in the nine meetings from 1998 to 2006, six of the games came down to the final drive, and the Gators held a 5-4 advantage over that time period.

But last year, the floodgates were opened anew, and Florida trashed the Vols 59-20, scoring the game's final 31 points in the last quarter and a half. It was the worst loss the Vols have suffered since 1981.

In 2008, a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator have Vol Nation in mass uncertainty, still frustrated by the season opening loss at UCLA. Meanwhile, Florida is ranked No. 4 but has a few questions of their own. This game, as it always is, will be the pacesetter in the SEC East race.

Florida is favored by a touchdown in Knoxville, though many on both sides are predicting a much larger number. If the Vols are going to win on Saturday afternoon, they'll need to do the following things:

1. The Auburn Offensive Blueprint
No team has given Florida more trouble recently than Auburn. The Tigers were the only team to beat the National Champion Gators in 2006, and got the best of them again last year in Gainesville. How has Auburn done it?

Brandon Cox was the quarterback of both of those teams, who's not a guy that beat you by himself or put up big numbers. Playing styles aside, Jonathan Crompton should take heart in the fact that a QB of Cox's reputation beat the Gators twice.

The key factors in those two games:

- Run/Pass Ratio
What every Vol fan knows and hopes Dave Clawson also believes: you have to run the ball to beat Florida. In 2006, Auburn ran it 40 times and passed 27. In 2007, Auburn ran it 44 times and passed 26. The Tigers didn't put up jaw-dropping rushing yardage: 133 yards in '06, and only 99 yards last season (both numbers were hampered by sack totals). But what they did do was...

- Win Time of Possession
Even with moderate success at three or four yards per carry, the Tigers were able to keep Florida off the field...which is generally the best way to stop them. Auburn had a sick 13:26 advantage in 2006, which means they had the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game. They had a 5:54 advantage last season, which is also substantial. Florida's offense can't score if they don't have the ball. Which also means...

- Don't Throw Interceptions
Here are the numbers on Brandon Cox in those two games:

2006: 18 of 27, 182 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
2007: 17 of 26, 227 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

Again...the quarterback doesn't have to be the man. He simply has to be efficient. For Tennessee, all of this should be familiar...

- Remember the History of this Rivalry
The team that wins the rushing yardage battle has won the Tennessee-Florida game 16 times in 18 years. Every Vol fan knows this and will be screaming for Tennessee to run, run, run.

I can't really say this any better than I did in the preview piece on this game last year, but it's all still true. Every Tennessee team that's tried to outscore Florida or throw for a ton of yards has lost. Heath Shuler threw five touchdowns against Florida and lost in 1993. Peyton Manning threw for over 400 yards against Florida and lost in 1996. The Tennessee teams that have beaten the Gators - 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004 - were all committed to running the football. Sometimes it was by necessity, when using inexperienced quarterbacks in '98 and '04. It seems awfully necessary right now.

David Cutcliffe never fully understood this, and I think it was his greatest flaw as an offensive coordinator. Cutcliffe teams were 1-7 against the Gators. Randy Sanders, for all his flaws, understood this and made it a point of emphasis. His teams were 3-4 against the Gators (and his 2000 offense is one of the two that won the rushing battle and still lost the game on a day the Vols had no business even being in the game, but Travis Henry's 175 yards almost got it done).

Does Dave Clawson know this? He keeps saying we've got to find what we're good at, we've got to find our fastball. In two games, our fastball is a rushing offense that's averaging six yards per carry, with Arian Foster averaging 7.8 yards when he gets it. That's your best option.

Learn from Auburn. Keep Florida off the field. Don't ask your quarterback to do anything other than not get you beat. And above all...run. Run. Run. Run. Run.

Run.

2. The Georgia Defensive Blueprint
How did the Dawgs beat Florida last year? Yeah, they scored 42 points...but they also sacked Tim Tebow six times, and kept Florida from throwing all over the place.

Tebow finished the day with only 22 pass attempts, and ran the ball only seven times. Part of that was due to his banged up shoulder, but Georgia was relentless in coming after him.

You saw it again two weeks ago with Miami. The Canes made it a point of emphasis to harass Tebow at every turn. By the 4th quarter, penalties helped finish off what little momentum they had built, and when Tebow found more time he tore them apart. But both defenses sent everybody after Tebow and trusted their secondary to make plays. Does this put you at risk to give up the big one? Yes. But it also means your defense can turn some big ones of their own.

Tennessee's secondary is trustworthy. DeAngelo Willingham hasn't been beat all year, and Eric Berry/Demetrice Morley should be the best safety tandem in the SEC. Berry is the best individual player in the Vol secondary since Deon Grant, and he's only a sophomore. And the Vols are deep and experienced.

Playing a soft zone to keep everything in front of you is a terrible idea. Florida's speed will make defenders miss, and they'll eventually pick the Vols apart and wear down the defense, again. The priority has to be putting everything up front, stopping a Florida run game that's been largely sub-par from the tailback spot, and putting contact on Tebow.

The biggest thing the defense that gave up 59 points last year could do early is hit Tebow.

Doesn't have to be a sack. Just a hit of consequence. Something to get that big roar from the Neyland crowd, which will be full of fans who are highly skeptical but will still be there if the Vols do something good.

One of the biggest plays in the 35-14 stunner against Georgia last year was the opening kickoff, when a finally-healthy Britton Colquitt kicked it into the end zone for a touchback for the first time all year. And no matter how angry and upset the Vol faithful were about what had happened earlier in the season, from that play on they were locked into the game at hand because the team gave them something to cheer about. Even something small and seemingly insignificant.

A hit on Tebow early would both restore some swagger in the Vol D that was toyed with last year, and put the fanbase in the moment and make them the factor they should be.

Trust your secondary. Play up front and don't let Florida find its running game. And make Tebow the target.

3. "Johnny, don't be a hero!"
If the Vols ask Jonathan Crompton to beat Florida the way they asked him to beat UCLA, it's going to be a long day for him and us.

As mentioned earlier, Crompton needs to be enrolled in the Tee Martin School of Quarterbacking: don't get us beat, throw it away when you need to, manage an offense that should be run-oriented. You don't need to make those laser rocket arm throws. You need first downs, not touchdowns.

Crompton has a good connection with Lucas Taylor and Gerald Jones, and we're all excited to see what Brandon Warren can do with more touches. This one starts with Dave Clawson not asking him to do too much and emphasizing the run, and Crompton playing wise football instead of hero football. Keep it simple and you won't look so stupid.

4. Turnovers
Usually the most telling statistic in any game. The Vols are tied for second nationally with seven interceptions...and they've only played two games with an off week in between. If a ball comes loose, the Vols need to be there. Florida is a great team that requires the opposition to make the most of opportunities given them; what the Vols failed to do against UCLA, they must do if Florida gives it away.

Likewise, this needs to be a two hands on the football day for the Vol offense. The biggest play in the Florida game last year was Arian Foster's fumble on a drive that - remember? - saw the Vols with the ball down 28-20. In one moment it was 35-20, and then it was over.

Crompton can't play the hero. Foster can't fumble. The Vols must be opportunistic to win.

5. Finding The Rhythm
This is really all of them combined into one. Vol fans aren't going to wait until 2009 for the Clawfense to start firing on more cylinders than not. We're neither blind nor stupid and when you say you're still looking for your fastball, we all know it's the running game. And sure, hitting some deep passes would keep the defense honest. But you need to force-feed them some honesty with the tailbacks and the offensive line.

Playing this game at home, the crowd can make a difference in disrupting Florida's rhythm. It's very important for something good to happen early for the Vols - it'll give those who doubt a reason to believe, and it'll make this team play with the confidence necessary to beat Florida.

More importantly, early rhythm is key. And Crompton has started really well in both games this season, whether that's due to scripted plays or something else. But the key, again, isn't 300 yards passing, it's consistency.

Run the football. Keep Florida off the field. Go after Tebow and trust your secondary when they are on the field. Keep everything simple for Jonathan Crompton and make sure he plays within himself. And if the Gators give you an opportunity, take advantage of it. This is the rhythm we're looking for.

Look, we're still Tennessee and nobody is going to leave Saturday shaking our heads at a loss but proud of our effort. No one is going to shrug their shoulders and chalk up a loss to less talent, because it's not a talent issue. The same people who are all upset right now still, deep down, have a level of expectation with this football team that will surface on Saturday afternoon. They get pissed because they expect to win. Because at Tennessee that's always the expectation.

So don't sell me on we can't or that Florida's automatically five touchdowns better than us. If the Vols come out throwing and play soft zone, we're going to get buried under an avalanche of three and outs and find ourselves in a three possession hole in the second quarter that will negate the ability to run the football. So yeah, if that happens, we could get beat and beat badly.

But if the Vols focus on doing what they do best, and then actually go out there and do it...then we're in for a fight.

An early turnover, an early score gives the Vols hope and momentum to play with confidence. A good Florida team battles back, but a game Vol team stays with them. Daniel Lincoln knocks one home to give the Vols a tight lead late, and Eric Berry saves the day by forcing a turnover on the final drive. Son.

Will's Pick: Tennessee 23 - Florida 21

Big Orange Roundtable - Florida Week

Your Mom and Wilt Chamberlain have the questions this week, and they give us a chance to make a little side-rambling about Mike Griffith's report card after the UAB game.

Generally, Griff is one of the News-Sentinel writers I agree with most. He doesn't overly dwell in the realm of the negative, he's usually factually correct...and well, he's not John Adams.

Having said that, Griff's report card from Saturday's 35-3 win over UAB is a picture of the mindset of a significant percentage of Vol Nation right now.

And part of that mindset is totally insane.

Tennessee's offense ran for 266 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 fumbles and averaged a whopping 6.5 yards per carry.

Griff gave them a C.

Lucas Taylor caught 9 passes for 132 yards. Gerald Jones caught two touchdown passes. Brandon Warren made his real Tennessee debut.

Griff gave the receivers a D+.

Tennessee held UAB to a field goal and won the game by 32 points (and not that it matters, but they covered).

Griff gave the overall performance a D+.

Have you lost your mind?

Look, if you want to be negative, God knows you've got company. If you want to question Crompton & Clawson (there's a "cc's" joke in there somewhere), you can. If you're still upset about UCLA, me too.

But good grief, let's be rational.

D+?! If that performance by the tailbacks is a C...good grief Mike, what's an A look like?

Tennessee fans need to stop being so spoiled, suck it up and deal. The same people who didn't enjoy Atlanta last year because it came with three losses are clearly still in need of therapy in 2008.

If you want to be negative and hateful...wait 'til Sunday.

I can't read the comments on the News-Sentinel articles anymore because they make me furious. There are legions of Vol fans who're spreading the word that Florida's going to win by at least five touchdowns on Saturday. Vegas says Florida by a touchdown. Vol faithful say Florida by whatever they want.

How did that happen?

If you want to be pissed, you may have reason to be after Saturday's game. I'm not misled about just how average we've looked thus far, nor have I forgotten the worst loss of my lifetime the Gators handed us last season. And no one is required to be as optimistic as I generally am.

But if you're one of the Vol "fans" who're trashing us right now...if we win, do you celebrate as much as the rest of us? And do you see the imbalance in that?

I cannot stand the fairweather bunch who will spend six days running us down because it's easy...and then if we do find a way on Saturday night, will turn right around and want to celebrate us. I cannot stand all this negativity coming into the Florida game when we haven't even played yet. If you want to get bitter about things, you wait until after we've lost to do it. Right now we're 0-0 in SEC play and the score of the Florida game is likewise. Shut up.

Optimism and negativity aside, here's a realistic attempt to grade the Vols this week, as posed by The Stilt:

How would you grade the VOLS performance this past weekend?

QUARTERBACK: C-

Crompton was average: 19 of 31, 240 yards, 2 scores and 2 picks. UAB's defense isn't very good so it gets downgraded to slightly below average. The kid is still feeling himself and the new offense out...and yes, of course, we hope he gets a better feel by Saturday.

RUNNING BACKS: A

Look, I don't understand with the aforementioned numbers how it's anything but. What more did you want from any of those guys?

WIDE RECEIVERS: B-

Lucas Taylor continues to be underappreciated. Gerald Jones got two touchdowns, and both men seem to be generally on the same page as Crompton. Brandon Warren looked good when thrown to. Arian Foster made a nice play on his one reception. Luke Stocker needs a catch early in the Florida game to regain his composure. You could question the reserves, but it's not their fault if they don't get thrown to and we're busy running.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C-

Again, UAB now has the worst defense in the FBS, so competition has to be a factor. Lots of yards after contact for the tailbacks, whose skill and speed had more to do with the 266 rushing yards than smashmouth blocking did. Penalties frustrated, Crompton was sacked and defenses are still forcing bad throws with pressure on him. This line must play up to its potential next week.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

Contain but few tackles for loss against Webb and UAB, though this unit has done a good job of stopping the tailback for two straight weeks. Bolden and Williams are experienced in the middle, and the ends must continue to grow.

LINEBACKERS: C

Bending but not breaking against a decent offense; missed tackles will haunt if they reappear on Saturday. Ellix Wilson has been solid, Rico McCoy needs to show up more.

SECONDARY: B-

Eric Berry (son) and friends have seven interceptions in two games, including Berry's drive-stopper last week. DeAngelo Willingham hasn't been beat all season, and this is a unit with versatility that can come in handy.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

Chad Cunningham keeps almost kicking it to the end zone. Daniel Lincoln didn't get a chance to redeem himself, the Vols didn't get many chances on kick returns. Kick coverage has improved since last year.

COACHING: C-

The philosophy grade was an F through the first six quarters of the season, and better improve on Saturday. The Vols did finally say "screw it" in the second half and found great results. Poor clock management at the end of the first half I'm going to blame on the coaches more than Crompton. If they're still looking for what they're good at, I can't help them. Still...the Vols won by 32 points.

OVERALL: C+

Again...32 points. UAB's not very good and they weren't going to tell us everything about our football team no matter the score. The Vols play hard even if they don't always play smart, and the issues don't appear to be talent-related (with the possible exception of Crompton, but that'll take some time to fully answer). Nothing definitive can be said about this team until Saturday night.

Check out YMSWWC for his grades and everyone else's...and hey, you can join us on Facebook by clicking the link in the right hand column.

It's that week.

Tennessee vs. UAB Live Blog

Final Score: Tennessee 35 - UAB 3
Dave says Brent Vinson is seeing his first action today on this drive...which is horribly inaccurate.

UAB punts, and the Vols are three runs away from covering. BJ Coleman this time? Nope, Stephens again. Tough life for Poole with the second team o-line against UAB's first team defense. He makes his own way on a first down run. Dave Baker tries to make something out of nothing on Arian Foster icing his knee.

BJ Coleman falls down handing the ball off. Crompton hasn't quite done that yet.

They make the point that the Vols are always deep at tailback...but this might be our most explosive group since Travis Henry/Travis Stephens. That '04 Cedric Houston/Gerald Riggs tandem was good...but Foster/Hardesty/Creer look stronger on the three deep. Add Poole to the back of that list after a solid burst at the finish.

The Vols finish with 545 yards and 35 points, which is good. The balance looks good too (282 pass, 263 rush) though some of that is helped by Nick Stephens' late pass to Brandon Warren. Defensively, the Vols allow 275 yards but only 3 points, and again swarm the turnovers with three picks.

So...where do we go from here?

The Vols have enough talent to beat Florida, I don't think that's the issue. Will the offense find rhythm and consistency? Exactly how good is this defense? Can Jonathan Crompton move from risk to reward? Will the Vols run the football?

We didn't get any of the definitive answers today, and we knew we wouldn't. The Third Saturday in September defines our season more often than not. We'll find out which way we're headed in seven short days.

Fourth Quarter - Vols 35-3 - Tennessee Drive
Priceless example of why we won't mourn the loss of Raycom:

Dave #1 is trying to introduce Nick Stephens, the quarterback, but then confidently says "He caught a three yard touchdown pass last season." And then he corrects himself because he realizes he's talking about Luke Stocker, the tight end.

And then he ropes one to Brandon Warren!

Two "broken tackles" on a rollout later, and that annoying UT fan next to you is already saying "Why isn't HE playing?!"

While we're milking it down and getting the backups some minutes...

- If 2008 is like 2007, you need to cheer for South Carolina today for no other reason than the fact that Carolina has already lost once and Georgia hasn't.

- In both Michigan/Notre Dame and USC/Ohio State, I find myself feeling the need to watch as a college football fan, but completely disgusted with all four teams and the idea that two of them are going to win today.

- We've seen just enough from the starters today for me to construct a rational argument that we're going to win next week. Just you wait.

Fourth Quarter - Vols 35-3 - UAB Drive
And now for one of my favorite parts of football: all the gamblers are sweating it out, because don't look now, but the Vols are covering by a deuce.

Defensive starters are still in...there's 10:00 left...I'm getting nervous...about the injuries, not about the spread.

I hope Joe Webb is faster in the 40 than Tim Tebow. Because otherwise, we're in a lot of trouble.

Dan Williams throws a straight right hand! And I hope that wasn't Eric Berry who ate a stiff arm on that play.

Nope, Morley. Embarassing.

30 yards later, and they're flirting with field goal range and the points that would put them back over in Vegas.

Congrats to Coach Cut and Duke, who win 41-31 over Navy and are 2-1.

Great coverage by Willingham in man, and your money is safe...for now. (Notice how I operate on the assumption that you, of course, bet on the Vols)



Fourth Quarter - Vols 28-3 - Tennessee Drive
Penalties for the Vols at this point: 8 for 70. Lennon Creer busts off a 15 yard run that's sure to only confuse coaches and fans alike in the next week while trying to figure out who should get the carries. Here's a hint: Arian Foster.

Brandon Warren gets his first catch in Knoxville, and the home folks give him the love he deserves. Me and Josh are hoping he holds off on scoring that first touchdown until we're there to see it.

We're getting an automatic four yards running the ball right now. We've made our point. Now - not at every point we tried it last week or in the first half today - but NOW is the point where you figure out how to throw, when you're up 25 in the 4th quarter. On cue, Crompton hits Denarius Moore.

Crompton's going to finish with a Chris Todd-like afternoon: numbers that look pretty solid (minus the two picks), but an on-field actuality that isn't quite there yet.

With first and goal at the four, they should throw the ball to Luke Stocker.

But then again, that was Creer's drive, and he deserved that score.

Okay, let's look at it again:

Arian Foster: 12 for 101
Montario Hardesty: 7 for 28
Lennon Creer: 8 for 93
Total: 27 carries, 222 yards, 8.2 yards per carry

Fourth Quarter - Vols 28-3 - UAB Drive
Joe Webb runs for 22 yards then slams into...our kicker, like a big man. Then he throws an interception to L-ix Wislon to follow up.

We're almost into "don't get anybody hurt!" mode...I will say that Lucas Taylor is four catches away from tying the single game record, and I'd like Crompton's passing day to end on a good note before we see Nick Stephens/BJ Coleman just in case.

End of Third Quarter - Vols 28-3
The ultra-rare facemask on the quarterback penalty!

Tennessee is averaging 7.0 yards per carry. That's really all I have to say.

Third Quarter - Vols 21-3 - Tennessee Drive
When people use the phrase at any point "We're going to better next year anyway", remind them about Arian Foster and Lucas Taylor's contribution today. Hardesty's getting the snaps this series and made a nice block - Foster has 101 yards on 12 carries, Taylor has 9 catches for 132 yards.

Lennon Creer sighting! I knew when Fulmer said last season that he reminded him of Chuck Webb - the holy of holies in the all-time Vol RB talent pool - it was too much way too soon.

I mean, he scores a touchdown on the next carry from 45 yards out. My bad.

Third Quarter - Vols 21-3 - UAB Drive
What's the record for blocks in the back on kick returns in one game?

Arian Foster: 12 carries, 101 yards, 8.4 yards per carry.

Rico McCoy drops a touchdown, he hasn't been sharp. We get a great spot from the ref on the 3rd down play, and I hope they punt this quickly so they don't review it.

They do.

Third Quarter - Vols 14-3 - Tennessee Drive
I miss the giant orange T banner over the tunnel.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RUN THE FOOTBALL. Kevin Cooper whiffs on his block but it doesn't make any difference to Arian Foster. 7.1 per carry.

Luke Stocker officially has a complex. I think he and Brandon Warren were playing good cop/bad cop there.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THE FOOTBALL TO ARIAN FOSTER. Why is this so hard?

Right now my greatest hope is that it's all been decoy and the real Clawfense is coming out next week against Florida. You can't go away from the run just because the kid falls forward for four yards. That means you run it again, genius.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENS. This is only making me more upset. RUN THE FOOTBALL.

If I hear "we've got to find what we're good at" from anyone on the coaching staff next week, I'm going to cry real tears.

Montario Hardesty scores a touchdown standing up. That red zone touch should make all those guys who're too hard on Foster having the ball in crucial situations because he might fumble smile.

I can't stop shaking my head, literally. Why does it have to be so complicated? We didn't have to lose to UCLA. This game doesn't have to be this close. Run. The. Football. Please.

Third Quarter - Vols 14-0 - UAB Drive
I'm not there yet, but we're one big UAB play from them being very much in this football game, and having flashbacks from last week and the opening week of 2005...which is the last reference I'd like to make to that season.

We don't necessarily look lifeless, but we're not on top of it either. UAB moves inside the 35.

Offensively, right now I'm envisioning a sit-down interview with Dave Clawson after an 8-4/7-5 season where he says "we were just learning the system all season, now we'll be fine."

The defense is a quarter-step slow in breaking on what should've been an interception...Road House comes in and buries a 47 yarder. If they convert on that 12 play drive earlier and Eric Berry doesn't make an end zone interception, this game is anywhere from 14-9 to a UAB lead. Oh, the ebb and flow of our season...

Start of Third Quarter
...and the answer is:

Navy (Jimmy Carter, Roger Staubach)
Michigan (Gerald Ford, Tom Brady)
Miami OH (Benjamin Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger)
Stanford (Herbert Hoover, John Elway & Jim Plunkett)

And this guy for ESPNU is one of the most excited play by play men I've heard in a long time, which is a good thing.

Watch the onside kick...nevermind.

Lucas Taylor is going to go down as one of the more quiet positives for the Vols this decade. He had a great statistical season last year that was mostly overlooked, he's got over 100 yards receiving already today. That's two straight nine yard completions on first down. You know, maybe this is just all set up and we're going to run 50 times next week. God, I hope so.

Crompton continues to show that he doesn't throw it well under pressure. Cutcliffe needs to get on the phone and say whatever version of "throw it away!" he wired into Erik Ainge's subconscious. He locks into Taylor again for another first down on 3rd and 7.

Off the interception - second half play selection: 7 pass, 2 rush.

Halftime - Vols 14-0
The Halftime Stats:

TOTAL YARDS:
Vols 219 (162 passing, 57 rushing)
Blazers 138 (102 passing, 36 rushing)

TIME OF POSSESSION
Vols 11:54
Blazers 18:06

Jonathan Crompton: 11 of 18, 162 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Joe Webb: 11 of 19, 102 yards, 1 INT (27 yards rushing)

Arian Foster + Montario Hardesty: 10 carries, 53 yards

Some quick thoughts:
- Again...where's Brandon Warren? Or any other receiver?
- Statistically, the defense is still fine (and on pace to once more be the #1 run defense in the country after this week)...on the field, they've had lapses again
- Chad Cunningham is doing a great job kicking off
- We continue to be more interested in finding out if Crompton can throw it than getting Foster and Hardesty carries...some of that is the 2:00 Drill and I understand that, but still...

Around the nation:
- Cal once again proves that they're worthless east of the Mississippi, getting hammered 21-6 by the Maryland team that lost to MTSU by 10 last week. Also, the Maryland band is prostituting themselves by playing the ESPN College Football Theme
- Chase Daniel has thrown for 215 yards in 26 minutes; Mizzou all over Nevada 31-10 in the second quarter
- Iowa and Iowa State are in a streetfight...3-0 Hawkeyes late in the third quarter
- Duke and Navy are, in fact, playing on ESPNU (Navy still up 24-20), with a great triving question: Which 4 schools have produced both a Super Bowl winning QB and a President of the United States?

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 - Tennessee 2:00 Drill
Alright, here's what we did best against UCLA...90 yards in 1:41?

Rascal Flatts or the PerfecT1o Gala the night before the Alabama game? I CAN'T DECIDE!!

Crompton looks like a high school quarterback and I don't mean that as the full insult it sounds like. He takes his drop, hops twice, locks onto his primary target and fires. Simple. Did it twice in a row with no problems, then UAB brought pressure and Crompton throws it into the stands.

And good grief, in 2008, that's roughing the passer.

Luke Stocker drops a ball that puts us in field goal range at least. Brandon Warren has done nothing but pass protect thus far today. Right on cue, there's Dave echoing the same thing.

Crompton continues to be a work in progress...rhythm requires all the parts working well together, and we can't put together a string of good throws and good catches. Dave points out that he's struggling in the second quarter...same thing happened against UCLA.

Home cooking from the clock operator...is negated by a false start penalty. And here come the boos even though we lead 14-0. Look, it's not as pretty as I wanted either.

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 - UAB Drive
This quarterback is the second coming of Rohan Davey and JaMarcus Russell combined. He takes your bullets.

Do we get a sack for that? Either way, nice job by the defense with the short field to cut it off immediately. And another nice job by Fulmer to call that timeout and be thinking about more points, even with the short field.

You know it's a good week next week when the Raycom game is Alabama/Arkansas.

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 - Crompton Interception
Alright, look...the booing is ridiculous on a play that amounted to a good punt. These are the same people who've already forgotten that they used to boo the fact that we never would've thrown on 3rd and 10 from the 1, especially after having thrown on 2nd and 10.

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 - UAB Drive
Even with GamePlan, there are still some games I'd like to see but can't. For instance, check out the offense down in Durham: Navy 227, Duke 208 at halftime with the Midshipmen leading 24-20 over Cutcliffe's boys.

Dave #1 says "This game doesn't have any rhythm in it." The prophet speaks.

As UAB continues to move through the air, we continue to feel worse about next week. Tebow with time + 2 deep = disaster. Meanwhile, the Blazers are eating the clock as if it were village peasants.

But...Eric Berry, son, whose only crime was trying to run that ball out of the end zone.

UAB currently leads time of possession by 6:15.

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 - Tennessee Drive
Joe Webb makes two Vols look bad, but then steps on the line and we get the ball back and take no damage from a 12 play drive.

The foot shooting continues with an illegal shift on 3rd and 1 to make 3rd and 6. Crompton does a nice job making a couple defenders miss, but has twice made a bad decision on when to tuck and run on third down, and the Vols have their first three and out of the afternoon. And let's just say that with Brandon James returning punts next week, we might want to consider kicking out of bounds.

Second Quarter - Vols 14-0 UAB Drive
That was the worst "attempt" at pass interference I've ever seen from Rico McCoy. And Rico normally doesn't need to be reminded that this isn't touch football. If you're going to obviously go for PI, for whatever reason, then at least get your money's worth. He spun that guy around all gentle and playful like as if he was a she.

This is followed by more insanity where the Vols jump offsides on 4th and 1.

And are we blitzing anymore? Are we saving it for next week, I hope?

Eric Berry just tried to pick up a fumble one handed. Maybe when he's a junior.

An impressive drive for UAB...thus far.

End of First Quarter - Vols 14-0
Some stats:

TOTAL YARDS
Tennessee - 164
UAB - 45

Jonathan Crompton: 6 of 8, 118 yards, 2 TDs
Lucas Taylor: 3 for 78
Gerald Jones: 2 for 34, 2 TDs
Arian Foster: 6 carries, 41 yards

As suspected, we can do what we want against these guys. So let's spend the rest of our time finding out what we do best so we can do it - in rhythm - next week.

First Quarter - Vols 7-0 - Vols Drive
Nice quick hit to Lucas Taylor for the big gain. Every time Montario Hardesty gets hit I expect him to not get up.

Well, and here's either Raycom or GamePlan for ya: I finish watching an enjoyable ESPNU commercial, and then get "On the next E:60...", followed by the jump back to live action just in time to see Crompton hit Jones for another touchdown. At this point, it's obvious the kid and the coordinator have great flow with Taylor and Jones. If this keeps up, I'd like to see more of the young WRs get in this game and get some touches.

First Quarter - Vols 7-0 - UAB Drive
We should rename this "Tebow Target Practice" at this point the way this kid is running around.

Frantrell Forrest is an awesome name.

Have we decided who our best two corners are yet? Marsalous Johnson is getting plenty of playing time...I know Rogan's banged up and Vinson hasn't seen the field yet, but that might be something good to figure out now instead of on the job next week.

You can also tell these guys watched the UCLA film ("And every other film from John Chavis' career" respond the naysayers) on these 7 yard underneath routes.

Swayze Waters is also an awesome name. I can't think of an actor with the last name "Waters" fast enough to make a joke.

First Quarter - Tennessee Drive
Our band is playing something new that I can't quite deduce...

Crompton makes a nice throw to Lucas Taylor on 2nd and 10, who does a nice job of breaking tackles in space and getting good yardage. Still thinking ahead...Crompton's gotta not lock on one guy, he's gotta work the progression. Florida may not miss those tackles and Crompton might get picked off.

Then he shuts me up with a patient touchdown pass to Gerald Jones.

AllState's good hands have made their way to our kicking nets. Great.

First Quarter - UAB Punt
Josh makes note in the comments that Raycom is now in HD (in their final season)...which still doesn't mean they've hired competent cameramen to actually show me where that punt was going to land or who it might hit.

They are, however, continuing the glorious tradition of shafting those of us who don't have HD or plasma TVs - my screen cuts off on the left side so far that instead of reading "RAYCOM SPORTS" is see "COM RTS"

First Quarter - UAB Drive
Eric Berry, son.

Tennessee Opening Drive
You saw a lot of what you wanted to see - more running that passing, including an impressive opening run by Foster (4 carries for 34 on the drive), a throw to the tight end, a run on third and short and a commitment to go for it on 4th down.

But it still got no results.

It's way too early for frustration in this game (and always too early for booing the home team). Still, the rhythm eludes us. That Gloria Estefan is full of it.

Kickoff & Opening Drive
Do you think that when ESPN gives Raycom/LF/JP Sports the boot next season, they'll do the same to the ridiculous Rascal Flatts intro? Because I don't need 'NSYNC With Cowboy Hats (credit: Lanie Britton) to get me ready for football.

Okay, so I'm obviously not there, so I'll have to give me thoughts on the new Neyland renovations as they're presented to me on television. I like the brick and I like the fact that Peyton Manning's name is somewhere, though I'm not sure I enjoy it over the tunnel where the team runs out (stressing the team over individual thing, you know).

The orange pants are put away, and perhaps any chance we had of seeing them against Florida next week burned up in the California spotlight...but you never know...

Defense first, and away we go...

I think that was Chad Cunningham who kicked off and almost put it in the end zone. I know those are the same ****ing lazy students who put the gaping hole in our upper deck because they're too busy sleeping or drinking to make the 12:30 kickoff. At least this isn't as blasphemous as it was when they did it in a pivotal game against Arkansas last year.

The UAB quarterback (who has a name, and it's Joe Webb, but we refer to him as such to make the point) just ran for 15 yards in a draw and is talking trash to our defenders.

And for the record, it's L-ix Wilson. He's part of the defensive unit that stopped the option - not something to be taken for granted in Knoxville - forcing a punt to Gerald Jones.

More Pregame
ESPN GamePlan says I get no Raycom coverage until exactly 12:30...so while I can't tell you what Dave Dave & Dave are saying, I can offer you a safe haven should things go wrong today:

The PerfecT10n DVD campaign is now fully underway, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the National Championship season in 1998. Tee Martin is on hand at Neyland today for pregame festivities...it's my understanding that Al Wilson will be there for Florida, Cedrick Wilson for Northern Illinois, Billy Ratliff for Mississippi State, Peerless Price for Alabama, Eric Westmoreland for Wyoming and Cosey Coleman for Kentucky.

You can check out clips every Monday from the DVD at the official website...a small piece from Syracuse is up now.

Pregame
The Vols will fly fully under the radar today with USC/Ohio State nationally and Georgia/South Carolina locally, but that's fine with me. I know we didn't look good against UCLA offensively, but going against a team that's given up 550+ to Tulsa and Florida Atlantic, I don't want to hear excuses, I want to see results. I'm picking the Vols 48-10, which is at and above the 30 points we're favored by. Give me something to believe in.

Morning - 7:54 AM
Check back here before kickoff at 12:30, where we'll be bringing you live thoughts on the Tennessee/UAB game throughout the day. The Vols are favored by 30, and I'm told temperatures in Knoxville are supposed to hit the low 90s today...so it should be interesting as always.