OneManGang
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Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Kentucky
Normally, when a Tennessee team completes a successful regular season and earns a trip to the SEC Championship Game, the final game is a cause for celebration. The seniors get a warm send off, Kentucky or Vanderbilt play their assigned roles as Chump of the Day, and theres a nice spontaneous celebration at the end of the game.
Saturday, the assembled multitude (what was left of them) just stood up, shivered in the cold rain, cussed, and went home. Most oft-heard phrase: Well, at least we didnt lose.
Going into the 2004 campaign, the conventional wisdom was that UTs defense would be strong and most of the question marks were on the offensive side of the ball.
What a difference eleven games make.
Tennessees offense has prevailed and persevered through two (count em) freshman quarterbacks, a raft of offensive line changes brought about by injuries, some bone-headed play calls and now a fourth-string quarterback, to post some impressive stats and numbers. Six-hundred-plus yards against air would be pretty impressive. UT has also scored 118 combined points against its last three SEC opponents. Not too shabby by any estimation
Then theres the defense.
In the last three games against perennial SEC East bottom-feeders South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Kentucky, the Vols defensive unit has given up a aggregate of (you may want to remove any throwable objects from the immediate vicinity) 1310 yards total offense.
WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE ON THE HILL?
Worse yet, when Vandy and the MildKats played each other, they COMBINED for a total of 27 points. Against Tennessee they combined for SIXTY TWO!!! In the three games where UK, Vandy and USC faced each other, they combined for a total of 83 points (43 of those by USC), against Tennessee those three schools scored (Arrrgghh!! Gag!! Puke!!
NINETY THREE!!!
WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE?
Flashback to last week: I want some butts, and I want them NOW!
So how did the team do compared to the Maxims?
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
Kentuckys mistake was not recruiting enough defensive players to win in the fourth quarter. Beyond that, I can find little they did wrong.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way SCORE!
Tennessee drove twice Saturday into the red zone for no results. It was typical of the day. Tennessee drove the ball to the UK one. Then, on 4th and goal, did Fulmer challenge his offensive line? Did UT call on Jabari Davis for one of his patented leaps over the pile to paydirt? No, no, nooo, no! UT sent Wilhoit out for a field goal attempt at a ridiculously acute angle that was blocked. THEN, later, having driven to the UK 8, Tennessee goes for it on 4th-and-three and comes up a yard short on one of their patented we need x-yards so well throw a (x-1) yard pass. Grrrrr!
(Sorry to make you do algebra, but you all get the point!
3. If at first the game or the breaks go against you, dont let up PUT ON MORE STEAM!
Tennessees offense has lived up to this all year. The defense seems to have disappeared. Why?
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
Coaches, are you listening?
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
This Maxim speaks mostly to defense, and to an aggressive, attack-oriented mind-set. That would seem to have been covered in the rant above.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
Those rumbling noises during the game were Gen. Neyland and George Cafego doing barrel rolls in their graves.
Are there any OTHER ways Tennessee can violate this Maxim? Wait, dont answer that!
The reviews are in: Tennessees special teams suck. Theres no other word for it. The Vols had ZERO, ZIP, GOOSE-EGG, NADA net punt return yards. NOT ONE of the five kickoff returns made it past the UT 22. Kentucky, KEN freakin- TUCKY, (dammit! blocked one field goal and one extra-point attempt.
WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE???
Steve Caldwell is listed as coaching defensive ends and special teams. He needs to do one or the other. Dan Brooks is listed as defensive line coach, Can he not coach defensive ends as well? UT has at least three people listed as offensive line coaches (Stephens, Adkins, and Fulmer.) It would seem amongst the four assistant coaches doing offensive or defensive line coaching, we could do without one and hire a FULL-TIME special teams coach. Barring that, couldnt Fulmer do it?
FIX IT! FIX IT freakin NOW!
7. Carry the fight to Kentucky and keep it there for sixty minutes.
The offense fought all the way. The defense showed up for UKs last two series.
Gee, thanks, guys.
At some point earlier this year, I suggested that UT's offensive staff owed their paychecks for that week to Chavis and his staff. I would like to reverse that that say that Chavis and the boys owe the offense for USC, Vandy and UK.
Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - picked the Vols to go to the SEC Championship Game pre-season. I believe our appearance there to be one Hell of an achievement no matter how badly Tennessee looked in its last three SEC outings.
I hope the Aubriners spend all this coming week peeing and moaning about their spot in the BCS poll and speculating on their MNC chances instead of prepping for hapless Tennessee. I firmly believe that Ears Tuberville is due to screw the pooch yet this year and Saturday would seem as good a time as any.
MAXOMG
© 2004 One Man Gang
Normally, when a Tennessee team completes a successful regular season and earns a trip to the SEC Championship Game, the final game is a cause for celebration. The seniors get a warm send off, Kentucky or Vanderbilt play their assigned roles as Chump of the Day, and theres a nice spontaneous celebration at the end of the game.
Saturday, the assembled multitude (what was left of them) just stood up, shivered in the cold rain, cussed, and went home. Most oft-heard phrase: Well, at least we didnt lose.
Going into the 2004 campaign, the conventional wisdom was that UTs defense would be strong and most of the question marks were on the offensive side of the ball.
What a difference eleven games make.
Tennessees offense has prevailed and persevered through two (count em) freshman quarterbacks, a raft of offensive line changes brought about by injuries, some bone-headed play calls and now a fourth-string quarterback, to post some impressive stats and numbers. Six-hundred-plus yards against air would be pretty impressive. UT has also scored 118 combined points against its last three SEC opponents. Not too shabby by any estimation
Then theres the defense.
In the last three games against perennial SEC East bottom-feeders South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Kentucky, the Vols defensive unit has given up a aggregate of (you may want to remove any throwable objects from the immediate vicinity) 1310 yards total offense.
WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE ON THE HILL?
Worse yet, when Vandy and the MildKats played each other, they COMBINED for a total of 27 points. Against Tennessee they combined for SIXTY TWO!!! In the three games where UK, Vandy and USC faced each other, they combined for a total of 83 points (43 of those by USC), against Tennessee those three schools scored (Arrrgghh!! Gag!! Puke!!
NINETY THREE!!!WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE?
Flashback to last week: I want some butts, and I want them NOW!
So how did the team do compared to the Maxims?
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
Kentuckys mistake was not recruiting enough defensive players to win in the fourth quarter. Beyond that, I can find little they did wrong.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way SCORE!
Tennessee drove twice Saturday into the red zone for no results. It was typical of the day. Tennessee drove the ball to the UK one. Then, on 4th and goal, did Fulmer challenge his offensive line? Did UT call on Jabari Davis for one of his patented leaps over the pile to paydirt? No, no, nooo, no! UT sent Wilhoit out for a field goal attempt at a ridiculously acute angle that was blocked. THEN, later, having driven to the UK 8, Tennessee goes for it on 4th-and-three and comes up a yard short on one of their patented we need x-yards so well throw a (x-1) yard pass. Grrrrr!
(Sorry to make you do algebra, but you all get the point!
3. If at first the game or the breaks go against you, dont let up PUT ON MORE STEAM!
Tennessees offense has lived up to this all year. The defense seems to have disappeared. Why?
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
Coaches, are you listening?
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
This Maxim speaks mostly to defense, and to an aggressive, attack-oriented mind-set. That would seem to have been covered in the rant above.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
Those rumbling noises during the game were Gen. Neyland and George Cafego doing barrel rolls in their graves.
Are there any OTHER ways Tennessee can violate this Maxim? Wait, dont answer that!
The reviews are in: Tennessees special teams suck. Theres no other word for it. The Vols had ZERO, ZIP, GOOSE-EGG, NADA net punt return yards. NOT ONE of the five kickoff returns made it past the UT 22. Kentucky, KEN freakin- TUCKY, (dammit!
blocked one field goal and one extra-point attempt. WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON OVER THERE???
Steve Caldwell is listed as coaching defensive ends and special teams. He needs to do one or the other. Dan Brooks is listed as defensive line coach, Can he not coach defensive ends as well? UT has at least three people listed as offensive line coaches (Stephens, Adkins, and Fulmer.) It would seem amongst the four assistant coaches doing offensive or defensive line coaching, we could do without one and hire a FULL-TIME special teams coach. Barring that, couldnt Fulmer do it?
FIX IT! FIX IT freakin NOW!
7. Carry the fight to Kentucky and keep it there for sixty minutes.
The offense fought all the way. The defense showed up for UKs last two series.
Gee, thanks, guys.
At some point earlier this year, I suggested that UT's offensive staff owed their paychecks for that week to Chavis and his staff. I would like to reverse that that say that Chavis and the boys owe the offense for USC, Vandy and UK.
Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - picked the Vols to go to the SEC Championship Game pre-season. I believe our appearance there to be one Hell of an achievement no matter how badly Tennessee looked in its last three SEC outings.
I hope the Aubriners spend all this coming week peeing and moaning about their spot in the BCS poll and speculating on their MNC chances instead of prepping for hapless Tennessee. I firmly believe that Ears Tuberville is due to screw the pooch yet this year and Saturday would seem as good a time as any.
MAXOMG
© 2004 One Man Gang
