Demoralized UT Football Team, Loses to Wyoming 13-7. What Went Wrong this Season?

It was pretty obvious from watching the radio voice-over replay of the UT-Wyoming football game this past Saturday, that the football team is as demoralized as the fan base. While many of the fans are angry, many have accepted reality and simply very dissapointed. When I first saw the results of the game late Saturday night, a 13-7 loss, I was not surprised.


With Coach Phillip Fulmer's announcement on November 3rd, that he is being forced out after 17 years as Tennessee's head coach, it is not surprising that the team morale would be low, and with two remaining games, Vanderbilt away, and a resurgent Kentucky team at home, this team is in jeopardy of losing more games in a single season than any Tennessee team in a history that spans more than one hundred years.


What went wrong this year? How could this have happened to a team that was a preseason top 25 team (14th), which some predicted would exceed the expectations. The wide open offense that was expected never materialized, in fact, almost no offense materialized. The offensive line, returning almost intact, had been one of the best in the nation last year. The question marks for the season were supposed to be the defense and how well the new quarterback would perform. Only the defense has performed.


An opening loss to UCLA can be blamed heavily on the kicking game, but critical mistakes and a failure to execute offensively were responsible for most of this year's losses! Why? In my opinion, as simply a fan and not a football expert, the following factors weighed heavily:

- Neither of the two quarterbacks, Jon Crompton or Nick Stephens performed well enough to win in the SEC. They could not consistently hit open receivers, and could not make proper reads at critical times in the game.

- The offensive line and the running backs could not adjust to the new system brought in by the new offensive coordinator, Dave Clawson.


- The coaching staff often failed to make timely adjustments during a game, when things just were not working out. Second half adjustments had been a strong point of Tennessee coaching over the years, but not this year. As the season progressed, and it was obvious there was something terribly wrong with the offense, from the outside it appears there was a lack of innovation/new plays/adjustments to try to turn things around.

In Phillip Fulmer's defense, he lost his offensive coordinator to Duke, and his starting QB to the NFL. Some expected him to struggle a little, some expected his new offensive coordinator and new starting QB to light up the scoreboard, but nobody expected this kind of season. Die-hard UT fans are hurting, but I am sure Coach Fulmer is hurting more than we are.

Many older UT fans believe Fulmer stabbed Johnny Majors in the back and stole his job while Majors was out for heart surgery. I am not sure if anybody knows the whole story, but the bottom line is that Athelitic Director, Doug Dickey, a former Vol head coach, made a decision that Fulmer would be better for UT football in the long run, and decided not to renew Major's contract. At the time, there were a considerable number of rabid fans who were disilusioned with Johnny Major's teams, which were very good, but seldom were considered great. These fans were sure Fulmer would, bring the program to new heights, and for the next few years. Helped with his excellent recruiting skills, for awhile he did.

But things changed. New coaches came into the SEC. Coaches who knew how to win, and how to recruit in their own talent rich states. UT could no longer go into Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina, and recruit the cream of the crop. Most four and 5 star recruits were staying home. Also, these new coaches brought innovative offensive schemes which brought explosive offenses, while the Vols pretty much continued with their traditional run first and pass when necessary. UT's winning percentage against the upper echelon teams in the SEC began to drop.

So, in some ways like the decision Doug Dickey had to make, Athletic Director Mike Hamilton made a decision which he believed best for UT football in the long run. As painful as it may be to many in the UT family and on the current team, many fans believe he made the right decision.
But, we should not expect an immediate turn around. A Nick Saban-like two year miracle is too much to ask for.

I believe Coach Fulmer deserves out thanks and respect for what he has done for UT football. From what many who know him much better than we know him have said, he has made a difference in the lives of many who have played for him. He has avoided painful NCAA sanctions which can cripple a football program. In meeting him once, on the first day of practice at the Fiesta Bowl during the 1998 National Championship season, he was a very nice and humble man, taking time to talk to me one-on-one, as the Arizona and national press corp waited to interview him.

Let's hope he can find some way to inspire the team to win these final two games. Nothing can erase the bad memories of this painful season, but these two wins would certainly ease the pain for Coach Fulmer, the team and the fans.

GO VOLS!

The Hope of a Tennessee Football Fan

You are anxious to get home and sit down before the Television, push the record button on recorder and see the Big Orange take on South Carolina in Columbia. You are aware than many UT football fans are so upset with how this years season has gone, that they are loosing interest, and may not be watching. Your team handled Mississippi State 34-6 two weeks ago, and lost 29-9 to Alabama last week.

But as a loyal Vol football fan since the age of 6, having traveled many miles while in the Army to see the Vols play in Knoxville and other places, how could you not watch, and hope. Yes, you realize that the confidence you have had in the past, has dissolved to desperate hope, even against South Carolina, which could almost always be a certain W in an otherwise disappointing season.

This years game pits Coach Phillip Fulmer against his old nemesis, Steve Spurrier. In days of old, Spurrier VS Fulmer was almost always for the championship of the SEC East when Spurrier was the coach at Florida. Not his year. Your coach of 17 years, having won 150 games at Tennessee, is having more than his share of misfortune and losses.

You are aware that the fan base is divided, between running Phillip Fulmer off, or hanging on to give him the opportunity to bring the Vols back to glory days. Few have doubted that he is a good recruiter, but many have began to doubt that he is the motivator who can get the most from the many Blue chip recruits who come to Tennessee. They are looking around and seeing what others are doing at Alabama and Georgia, and wishing " we had a coach like that". Words from the athletic director, obviously concerned of the growing concerns of not only the fans but of the growing number of disgruntled the boosters with deep pockets as well, have not always been 100% supportive.

As with the last weeks game against Alabama, you are hopeful this will be the breakout win which will turn the season around and save the coaches job. After all, the Vols did play better against Alabama than they had against others, and just could not measure up to the Crimson Tide, who were highly motivated by one of those coaches "like we would like to have".

As you watch South Carolina intercept a ball and run it back to the one yard line, and return a fumble and run to our 4 yard, line and score on both opportunities, you wonder why you don't feel the deep disappointment you felt in other games this year. Are you getting numb? Are you accepting the fact that this year is lost? Even a minor Bowl bid may be out of reach.....how could this be? You still hold on to the hope that the Vols will come back in the second half, and when Ut's best football player by far, Sophomore Eric Berry returns a spectacular interception, leaving two Gamecocks on down on the turf in pain, your hope spikes.....Yes we can come back!

But we did not. Some questionable calls, and failures to get first downs on critical third and fourth down plays, and a very good south Carolina defense which covered our receivers very well using mostly one on one coverage, and stacking the line on a young QB who they knew could not beat them by passing, saw to it that we did not come back. Our defense played well, but as in so many of the games this year, mistakes by the offense accounted for most of South Carolina's points.

With three games left, and the possibility of only one or possibly none of UT's three remaining games to be televised on a national or regional network, you realize that you have probably seen your last Vol game of the year, and you certainly won't be traveling to see one in person. But you hope they win all three and you hope the Vols get a Bowl bid.

You can only hope that by next year, the Vols have ironed out the problems with the offense and that the mistakes that have plagued this years team are somehow eliminated. You know it is too much to hope for, that Tennessee could go out to a junior college somewhere and find a decent QB, and wonder how in the world the Vols failed to recruit one of the thirty or so excellent QB's around the nation this year who are making names for their selves.

Of yes, and one last hope!!! You hope they give Fulmer one more year to turn it around.

Is Mid-Year Coaching Change at UT Pending?

Hello Tennessee Volunteer and SEC football fans.

It is pretty clear that my prediction of a UT upset of Georgia was more wishful thinking than anything else. Also it is pretty clear that Georgia is much better than Tennessee. The Vols did not give this one away, they we were just whipped.

During this 26 to 14 whipping, which was much worse than the score, the Tennessee defense could not stop the Georgia run, and only Georgia could stop Georgia's passing (with interceptions in the Red Zone). On the other hand, Georgia outcoached UT, being able to stop the run, often keeping an extra defensive back in the box, and daring the young QB Nick Stephens to pass to win, even after Stephens connected on a well thrown 60 yarder.

So, at 2-4, and 0-3 in the SEC, where does this leave the Tennessee football program and Phil Fulmer's future with the Vols?

Athletic Director Mike Hamilton has reportedly stated that he would not rule out a coaching change at mid-season, even though the Tennessee model is to evaluate all coaches at the end of the season. He stated there is a contingency fund with enough money to handle the buy outs for the coaches. Mr. Hamilton ruled out an intervention from the AD level of an "Auburn Style" replacement of the Offensive Coordinator. Auburn's move was rumored have been made in mid-season, at least in part because of a riff between offensive coordinator Tony Franklin and other Auburn coaches. Hamilton said one of the few reasons he might intervene would be dissension on the team, but did not mention any dissension. He went on to say that he was aware of some apathy among the fan base, and that apathy can kill a program. When asked about a possible 6-6 record, he said that obviously the goal at Tennessee is not a 500 season. Perhaps more revealing than anything else he said, was that some boosters have come to him (but not too many), with the talk of replacing Fulmer before donations from large boosters are affected. The UT football program provides 80% of the UT Athletic Department funding.

What is obvious to most fans who follow UT is that the football program has been slipping since the Peyton Manning years, ever so close to the middle of the pack in the SEC. Manning's influence on recruiting cannot be underestimated. As John Pennington, who writes for the Knoxville New-Sentinel points out, the class of 2002 made their official visits to UT during Manning's last year. Since that time, the Vols have had two 3 loss seasons, Two 4 loss seasons, one 5 loss season, and who knows how many games they will loose this year.

Phillip Fulmer is a fighter. He will not give up, and reportedly the moral on the team is still good. In his defense, to loose a good offensive coordinator like David Cutcliffe, and a pro-caliber QB like Eric Ainge, install a new offense with a new coordinator and young QB, have a recruiting class that was below UT standards because of turnover among the coaches when Cutlciffe left, is enough to cause any coach problems. It hardly seems fair to fire a coach who has done so well over the years under these circumstances. But who said the big business of college football had to be fair?

During this week's Phillip Fulmer show and review of the Georgia game on television, Coach Fulmer looked very tired and sad, as one might expect. Florida Coach Evan Myer during his television show the week Florida lost to Mississippi, seemed unable to manage even a small smile. The impact of a single loss, much less a potential loosing season is devastating to the coaches at these high profile football schools.

Coach Phillip Fulmer's future at UT will be determined by how well he can motivate this team and correct the demonstrated deficiencies as the season progresses. A loss to Mississippi State on Saturday might well be enough for AD Hamilton to intervene. After all, a few years back losses to Sylvester Croom and MSU were the final straws for Ron Zook at Florida and Mike Shula at Alabama, and recently contributed to Ole Miss bringing in Houston Nutt to right the wayward Rebel ship.

I'm rooting for Fulmer. Go Vols.

UT Offense Sputters to 13-9 Win Over Northern Illinois

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer made an anticipated quarterback change, going with redshirt sophomore Nick Stephens over struggling Jonathan Crompton in Saturday's game against Northern Illinois. Stephens, from Flower Mound Texas, near Tatum (East Texas), managed the game well, tossing a perfect 54 yard TD pass, going 10 of 17 for 156 yards, with one interception and one fumble as he was hit hard from the blindside.

Unfortunately, the Vol offense as a whole continues to be much less productive than fans and coaches expect from what was billed in preseason as an explosive offensive. Although RB Arian Foster ran for 75 yards, UT managed only 225 yards of total offense. Big plays have been sadly lacking so far this season.

The defense continues to play well, and are ranked 5th in the nation in total yards allowed. Compare that to the Tennessee offense ranking of 97th. The question marks this year were supposed to have been with the defense. Northern Illinois, a decent mid-major team which scored more than 30 points against Minnesota, managed only 195 total yards and 3 field goals.

Needless to say, if the offense continues to sputter and is unable to move the ball effectively as the Vols enter the heart of their SEC schedule, it is doubtful the defense will be able to carry the team.

Tennessee needs to find a way to get the ball into the hands of some of the playmakers and better athletes on the team. Expect the Vols to play three running backs against Georgia, Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer, and to get the ball more to big tight end Brandon Warren, a transfer from Florida State with lots of potential. Don't be surprised to see offensive coordinator Dave Clawson figure a way to get the best athlete on the team, Defensive Back Eric Berry (from Georgia), some playing time with the offense. Also, one would expect more direct snaps to Gerald Jones in the so-called G-Gun package. Jones is a receiver who played QB in high schools and can throw and run. For the most part, the receivers have been disappointing this year. A good showing from this underachieving group is essential if the Vols are to have a chance to beat Georgia in Athens this weekend.

One can only imagine the pressure Coach Fulmer is feeling, with the 2-3 start and the self destruction the Vols have shown so often this year. Some remarks by retired Tennessee coach Johnny Majors did not help. Majors was asked about the Vols while a recent guest speaker at the Huntsville Alabama Quarterback Club. Majors stated he was not about to get into what was going on the Knoxville right now, but reportedly did say that Defensive Coordinator John Chavis has carried Phil Fulmer for the past 10 years, and that it was not surprising that Fulmer did well in his first years at Tennessee becuase of the "good program we left him."

Tennessee has too much talent to be 2-3 at this point in the season. Fulmer has developed a reputation for failing to get his teams ready to play up to potential early in the season, and then
getting them on track just in time save the season. ie, thumping Georgia in Knoxville last year.
It is that time again........Against conventional wisdom, I predict UT will upset Georgia this weekend, on the leg of Britton Colquitt, who is back from a 5 game suspension. UT 27, GA 24.
GO VOLS.

Thanks

QB Change at UT?

Coach Phillip Fulmer has stated he will give Nick Stevens an equal number of snaps with Jon Crompton in this week's practice. Under pressure from the media and the fans, he has made it no secret that he is not at all happy with the 8 for 23 passing by Crompton in the 14-12 loss to Auburn, and that he will be giving others a chance. Crompton's passing has been the worst of any QB during the Phillip Fulmer era at Tennessee. Other than Nick Stevens, some fans are urging that BJ Coleman also be considered.

While there is no doubt that Crompton did not live up to expectations in the Auburn and Florida games, it is fair to say that the loss at UCLA should not be attributed to him alone. He hit several key passes in a frantic drive to tie the game in the 4th quarter that took less than a minute.

If it happens, a mid-season change at QB for Tennessee will not be unprecedented. It has happened several times over the past 20 years. Casey Clauson, who passed for 9577 yards at Tennessee, second only to Peyton Manning, started out as a 3rd stringer before moving up win the starting job in 2000.

Expect both Crompton and Stephens to play in Saturday's game against Northern Illinois.
While Northern Illinois is catching UT at a tough time, and some expect the score to be ugly,
I am sure that Coach Fulmer is reminding the team that Northern Illinois opened the season at Alabama a few years ago, and upset the Crimson Tide. The Vols can't afford to be looking forward to Georgia next week.

Thanks for checking in!

Another Vol giveaway, 14-12

As this scenario plays out week after week, Tennessee fans are no longer is shock, rather we are numb. .....Yes, Tennessee gave another game away by fumbling the ball inside their own 5 year line. This one came at the 3, on a botched handoff from QB Jonathan Crompton to RB Arian Foster. Had it not been for this fumble which was ponced on in the end zone by defensive tackle Jake Ricks for an Auburn touchdown, Tennessee would have won the game, instead of loosing 14-12. Perhaps this Tennessee team should consider punting on first down inside the 5.

It was a traditional SEC defensive struggle. Very physical, with both defenses playing very well. Hand it to Auburn. When they needed a critical stop, they usually got it. Auburn held Tennessee to only 191 yards of total offense. Auburn had only 221. The Tennessee punting was excellent in the second half, resulting in Auburn starting from deep in their own territory most of the time.

The Tennessee offense again sputtered throughout the game. What few drives the Vols were able to mount usually came to an end with questionable calls such as long passes on 3rd and short. QB Jonathan Compton was able to keep a couple of drives going by scrambling for first downs when his receivers were covered, but was unable to pass effectively. Credit part of that to the Auburn defense and part to bad decisions and poor throws.

The Auburn fans appeared disappointed in their teams offensive performance, at times booing, perhaps failing to fully appreciate the defensive efforts of the Vols. The biggest cheers came when Auburn inserted QB Kodi Burns late in the first half and again near the end of the game.
Burns was able to scramble effectively and complete some critical passes in the first half, but could not move the ball late in the game, except for a critical third down pass for a first down which allowed Auburn to run out the clock.

For Tennessee fans, perhaps the highlight of the day was the presence of Peyton Manning on
the Tennessee sideline. Auburn fans enjoyed seeing him as well. We missed out favorite song, "Rock Top" which was heard very few times.

Looking ahead, without drastic improvement in the offense, the Vols will be fortunate to come away with a 6 and 6 season. Next weeks game at home against Northern Illinois will likely result in many of the normally sold out 106,000 plus seats in Neyland Stadium being vacant, as UT fans show their displeasure.

My family and I appreciated the great atmosphere of Jordan-Hare stadium and the courtesy shown to the considerable number of Tennessee fans by the Auburn crowd. My daugher spent as much time talking to Auburn fans as watching the game. It again made me proud of the SEC, and this part of the country.

Congratulations to Ole Miss and to Alabama. Goes to show that anything can happen on any given Saturday,especially in the SEC.

Thanks.

Sad Start to UT's SEC Season

Hello Tennessee and SEC football fans in the Chattahooche Valley/West Georgia/East Alabama.

In the early minutes yesterdays of the Tennessee - Florida game, I almost thought I had fallen asleep and was having the recurring nighmares of past Vol-Gator games. Memories of the 1998 National Championship, and the solid UT teams under Doug Dickey and Johnny Majors and 1990's under current coach Phillip Fulmer are still engrained in all Tennessee Volunteer fans. Stories of the great Tennessee teams of 1951, 1938, 1939 are remembered with pride by many. Undefeated, untied and unscored upon. This feat by the 1939 Tennessee team will almost certainly never be duplicated.....but enough of that....back to today's reality.

How could this possibly be happening again? Predictions of a decent team with strengths which would allow it to be competetive in the SEC had come into question during the season opener at UCLA, but I preferred to think that the mistakes in that shocking loss would be corrected prior to the Florida game, and that we would be competetive with Florida in Knoxville. Were it not for the mistakes, we would have been.......but, mistakes aside, Florida was the superior team, and probably would have won in a close game......not the emabarassment we witnessed.

Even though the Vols outgained Florida in total yardage, and had an equal number of first downs, they were outplayed and outcoached. The explosive offense we were promised under new offensive coordinator Clawson has not yet materialized. QB Crompton has not yet matured into a QB of the mold of recent Vol QB's. In fairness to him, the numerous tight games UT found themselves in last year did not allow Coach Fulmer to get him enough game experience to step in and replace Eric Ainge without growing pains.

Can Phillip Fullmer dupicate what he has done in past seasons after slow starts, i.e, last years SEC Eastern Division Championship with questionable experience and multiple injuries at several positions? Can he bring UT back to a level of competiviness and respectability UT fans expect and deserve? More parity of recruiting and talent levels among SEC teams and the addition of more excellent coaches in the last few years make it a challenge to avoid the Vols being relegated to middle of the pack in the SEC, without a doubt the strongest and most competetive conference in the country. We will have to wait and see. I believe he can.

Hats off to Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn and Vanderbilit, who continue to make us proud of the SEC. They are playing well and deserve our respect.

True Tennessee and SEC fans will continue to look forward to the exciting matchups next Saturday, including Tennessee at Auburn and Alabama at Georgia. A good Tennessee showing at Auburn is absolutely essential to restoring some level of confidence among Volunteer fans.
Go Vols!