PMC2726
Believe
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- Aug 5, 2010
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When I started following the Vols in the 60's, Florida had only beaten UT once in history. But when we started playing them every year under the new schedule alignment, and Spurrier took over, we almost never beat them.
I used to loathe Spurrier because we couldn't beat him and he always rubbed it in. But the ones I should have loathed were the coaching staff at UT for NOT being able to scheme against Spurrier's offenses to at least slow them down enough to give us chances in some of those games.
Now, I respect and like Spurrier and actually pull hard for USC east when they are not playing the Vols.
I supposed it's easier to criticize your own than give credit where credit is due to your rival. Spurrier revolutionized college football. Did any team in the SEC find a way to "at least slow them down enough"? Fulmer did pretty darn good against Spurrier @ Florida relative to what anyone else did. Let's not forget the last SEC team to win back-to-back SEC titles, in Spurrier's prime no less. But Tennessee's defense then wouldn't be relevant now, right? I think Miles and Sumlin would disagree.