These are College Level players not Junior High.
There are expectations of players that come to play at a school like UT just as there are expectations of students in any academic program at the University.
1. You expect someone who's been admitted to College knows how to spell, add and subtract, know how to type, or read a clock to get to class on time.
Similarly, you expect a football player at a school like UT to be able to pass the ball accurately to the target. Neither of our QB's have passing down yet, Crompton is as apt to throw the ball 15 yards past the receiver as he is to throw it 15 yards short. You expect a running back to know how to protect the ball so he doesn't fumble it. Foster, need I say more. You expect offensive linemen to be able to block, defensive players to know how to hit and tackle. College football is about teaching players offensive schemes, defensive schemes, learning what it's like to play in a game where everyone is a star not just one or 2 players like they were used to in College. It's not the place to rehash fundamentals.
2. You expect any college student to understand, this is the real world. If you don't study, don't do your work, you may very well flunk out.
College football players at UT are expected to understand that this is the big time. It's the SEC and a top tier program (At least it's supposed to be). If you want to mark time and half earn your scholarship, try UT Chattanooga or Carson Newman. You are expected to perform like you should be in the NFL at this level. That means giving 100% of your effort. We haven't got anywhere near that out of this year's team.
3. You expect students at a University to have somehow qualified to be there based on tests of their ability. This assures the University has students who are capable of doing the work and the instructors aren't wasting their time on someone who'll never graduate past the fry pit at McDonalds. Call it Talent or Aptitude.
You also expect players at UT to belong there and not at Northwestern Community Southeastern College. If our players are really trying to the best of their ability, they do not belong anywhere near an SEC team with a very few exceptions.
4. Lastly, a college student should show some pride in what they are doing. They ought to respect theirself enough to give their best effort to be successful.
Similarly, UT's players should show pride. After all the mouthing off last week, Arrests, not showing up for classes, and most of all, their play on the field Saturday, there's no doubt they aren't showing any pride in anything.
The fact is, we ended the career of a man who's served UT football for nearly 40 years because we blamed him for the poor seasons we've had of late. After Saturday, I'm not so sure it's his fault entirely. Oh, he recruited and signed these thugs, but I don't think he told Brandon Colquit to be an alcoholic, I'm fairly sure he didn't buy anyone a back of weed this week, I'm sure he didn't sit on anyone and keep them out of class, I don't think he told Arian Foster that it'd be a good idea to go on strike and not play. I'm fairly sure he didn't tell the offensive line to lay down and allow a normal 4 man rush could kill our offense. It's a long list.
I'm not saying Fulmer shouldn't be replaced, like I said, he recruited this bunch. That said, their failure to live up to what people expect of athletes at this level is very much responsible for this mess.
Skipper
lol:
