Yesterday, Jan. 4, in history

[rustyshackleford]

it just hit me yesterday while i was in school that it was the ninth anniversary since our beloved vols had held up the sears trophy and proclaimed to everyone that they were the national champions. wow, that seems so long ago. now nine years later, many believe that fulmer & co. can never reach the pinnacle again and that they have fallen into the category of an average football program.

wow, it seems so long ago that we fought for sec and bcs titles and now we have been thrown to the peach/ chick fil a bowl constantly.

so what event do you all think has contributed to the decline of ut football over this last decade since the title. personally, i go back to the 2001 sec title game as the game that ut begin its undeniable decline.

 

[allvol]

it just hit me yesterday while i was in school that it was the ninth anniversary since our beloved vols had held up the sears trophy and proclaimed to everyone that they were the national champions. wow, that seems so long ago. now nine years later, many believe that fulmer & co. can never reach the pinnacle again and that they have fallen into the category of an average football program.

wow, it seems so long ago that we fought for sec and bcs titles and now we have been thrown to the peach/ chick fil a bowl constantly.

so what event do you all think has contributed to the decline of ut football over this last decade since the title. personally, i go back to the 2001 sec title game as the game that ut begin its undeniable decline.

To be honest, I think it was when Georgia hired Richt. The SEC East changed from a 2 team race into a 3 team race. It was alot easier to go 7-1 in the SEC before Georgia returned from mediocre status. South Carolina hiring Spurrier only increased the competitiveness of the SEC East. The SEC West teams are also much better than they were in the 1990s, with LSU winning one national championship and Auburn going undefeated in another season. In the late 90s, the SEC West was putting a heavy dose of 3-loss teams into the SEC Championship game. From top to bottom, the SEC is much better now than it was in the 90's.... however, the top teams in the SEC in the 90's were really good.

 

[Business]

I went to the 2003 41-14 Georgia ass beating. I didn't want to think we we're declining but that game was where I said "Oh Hell, We ain't "high quality" anymore

 

[Jasongivm6]

it just hit me yesterday while i was in school that it was the ninth anniversary since our beloved vols had held up the sears trophy and proclaimed to everyone that they were the national champions. wow, that seems so long ago. now nine years later, many believe that fulmer & co. can never reach the pinnacle again and that they have fallen into the category of an average football program.

wow, it seems so long ago that we fought for sec and bcs titles and now we have been thrown to the peach/ chick fil a bowl constantly.

so what event do you all think has contributed to the decline of ut football over this last decade since the title. personally, i go back to the 2001 sec title game as the game that ut begin its undeniable decline.

It was the 8th anniversary.

 

[utvol0427]

It was the 8th anniversary.

I was going to point that out, but didn't want to seem like an @$$. 8 years ago today, I was riding in the back seat of a Dodge Intrepid on I-40 East heading back from Tempe.:rock:

 

[General Jack]

To be honest, I think it was when Georgia hired Richt. The SEC East changed from a 2 team race into a 3 team race. It was alot easier to go 7-1 in the SEC before Georgia returned from mediocre status. South Carolina hiring Spurrier only increased the competitiveness of the SEC East. The SEC West teams are also much better than they were in the 1990s, with LSU winning one national championship and Auburn going undefeated in another season. In the late 90s, the SEC West was putting a heavy dose of 3-loss teams into the SEC Championship game. From top to bottom, the SEC is much better now than it was in the 90's.... however, the top teams in the SEC in the 90's were really good.

All good points... which lead to the question of whether we are still able to keep up? Past few years suggests some doubt to that end.

 

[Bobby Dodd]

Although I am a Fulmer supporter, I felt awful during the entire 2002 season. I thought that Team would do well considering how we did the year before.

When I went to the Homecoming game against Miami, and we lost 26-3 at Neyland, I started to think we would never be back as a football power.

However, the next two years were much better, and I started to believe that we could make it as a national power again. 2005 was a clear disgrace, and 2006 was an almost great year.

 

[General Jack]

Although I am a Fulmer supporter, I felt awful during the entire 2002 season. I thought that Team would do well considering how we did the year before.

When I went to the Homecoming game against Miami, and we lost 26-3 at Neyland, I started to think we would never be back as a football power.

However, the next two years were much better, and I started to believe that we could make it as a national power again. 2005 was a clear disgrace, and 2006 was an almost great year.

In a strange way, 2002 was almost as bad as 2005 because it was more of a surprise. We got smashed by Florida, Bama, and Miami at home, and we hadn't suffered though as much recent mediocrity. While last year was awful, it was the culmination of a slow downward trend many had seen developing for some time.

 

[Vercingetorix]

In a strange way, 2002 was almost as bad as 2005 because it was more of a surprise. We got smashed by Florida, Bama, and Miami at home, and we hadn't suffered though as much recent mediocrity. While last year was awful, it was the culmination of a slow downward trend many had seen developing for some time.

Agreed. If I have to point to a specific game as the turning point, it's that 2002 game in the rain against Florida when Clausen fumbled about 10 times in the first half. We'd had a great (if ultimately disappointing) year before, Spurrier was gone and the path seemed wide open for Tennessee to assume Florida's long-time spot atop the division and chase after more NCs. Instead we laid an egg against Zook then stumbled to four more losses, including an embarrassing shellacking in the Peach Bowl. While 2005 was worse, at least you'd seen it coming. 2002 seemed out of nowhere.

And yes, I agree that the biggest single reason for our decline was Richt coming to Georgia. A three-horse race is a lot harder to win.

 

[hatvol96]

And yes, I agree that the biggest single reason for our decline was Richt coming to Georgia. A three-horse race is a lot harder to win.

Ron Zook was at Florida for three years. There should have been no "three horse race" in that period.

 

[utvol0427]

Ron Zook was at Florida for three years. There should have been no "three horse race" in that period.

We had our chance after 2001 to take over the SEC East and failed to do so. We had just won the East and played for the SECC and Spurrier left UF. We had a chance to go on a run in the SEC like UF did in the mid 90's, but we blew it.