I feel as bruised and beat up as the Vols were after the Florida game.

I have to hand it to the Tennessee fans, last week they were about as riled up as I've seen in my eight years covering football in Knoxville.

It seemed the Big Orange Nation was desperate for a win over Florida, still angry about last season and looking for someone to take it out on.

Well, sorry I was right about the game being a tossup with Florida winning, OK?

Unlike like many, however, I have trouble finding too much fault with the team for the loss to the Gators.

I though Tennessee played hard and nearly beat an athletically superior and more experienced opponent.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe pulled a rabbit out of his hat on that Lucas Taylor to LaMarcus Coker trick play, and Florida's kicker was missing field goals while James Wilhoit was hammering it home from 51 yards. John Chavis held the Gators in check for three quarter before his exhausted unit (check the time of possession edge Florida had) finally caved in the end.

If there's such a thing as a good loss, that was it.

Tennessee learned a lot from the defeat. Namely, that the offensive line isn't as good as many had been lulled into thinking, and that there's a reason Demetrice Morley wasn't starting.

Morley is talented, but he better get up to speed and find a sense of urgency if the Vols are to count on him.

The Vols have two scrimmages, I mean, games, to get ready for Georgia.

Marshall is a cream puff this year.

I look for the Vols to approach 50 points, and hammer the Plundering Herd into submission.

I see many young players getting opportunities, and going for the throat, as the chance for future playing time is on the line.

These are the types of games I merely weather. You know Tennessee is going to win, but by how many points?

Yeah, yeah, Marshall runs some option ... but only a smattering of plays, and it won't be nearly as polished with that attack as Air Force.

I'm not even sure Marshall is as talented as the Falcons.

Did you know the Thundering Herd has more penalty yards per game than any team in the nation? Did you know Marshall didn't even manage an offensive TD or 200 total yards against Kansas State?

This certainly isn't the Marshall that played UT within 34-24 in 2003.

I won't waste your time with any more commentary on what promises to be a lopsided game.

Key Players: QB Jonathan Crompton, tailback Montario Hardesty and safety Demetrius Morley for the Vols; QB Bernard Morris, LB Dennis Thornton, MLB Josh Johnson.

Key Stat: Kick return yardage. Tennessee ranks last in the nation in this department. This is a good week for UT to pile up some stats and get young players experience.

Over Under: Ainge 3 TD passes, Crompton 1 TD pass; Hardesty & Coker 175 yards rushing combined; Marshall 70 yards rushing.

Keep An Eye On: Marshall QB Bernard Morris. If he keeps too many times on the option, he won't finish the game healthy if history is an indicator.

Griff's Picks

Alabama (plus 2) over Arkansas, Bama straight-up

Auburn (minus 43) over Buffalo

Kentucky (plus 23) over Florida, Gators straight-up

Georgia (minus 26) over Colorado

Miss. St. (plus 10) over UAB, Miss. St. straight-up

Wake Forest (plus 3) over Ole Miss; Wake straight-up

S. Carolina (minus 30) over Florida Atlantic

Vandy over Tennessee State

LSU (minus 36) over Tulane

Tennessee (minus 22) over Marshall

12-13 vs. spread; 21-5 straight-up

Your Questions ...

Q: What's with the learning curve at UT with respect to the kick return game? General Neyland's maxims and George Cafego's hard work is all but forgotten. Additionally, is UT the poster child for sitting on a lead or is there another team that puckers as much as the Vols coaching staff. I heard Les Miles was notorious for that.

tnorthern@verizon.net

GRIFF: Phillip Fulmer pointed out that the Vols' national return average — last among 119 teams — is a result of Demetrice Morley slipping at the 1-yard line against Air Force and a team booting the ball deep when UT was anticipating an onsides kick.

Whatever. I agree the Vols are awful in this department, and it continues to amaze me. Seems to me someone would have the guts to run one back hard. I don't think it's a matter of talent, I just don't think Tennessee has a guy tough (crazy?) enough to crash into an oncoming team on a kick return.

Maybe they don't think it's important enough. I just don't believe there's no one talented enough, and I know the coaching is sound in this department.

As for Les Miles, I don't think he's a great coach. LSU was clearly superior to Auburn, talent-wise, and it lost.

Q: I am listening to the archived broadcast of you on the Sports Page on Wednesday and am wishing you were on the air more. I also wish you were still covering football full time. You do an excellent job. Anyway I heard you mention on the show about Jonathan Crompton still pushing Ainge. We seem to have forgotten about Crompton with Ainge's good start. How close is he to Ainge right now and how do you see the whole situation playing out over both of their UT careers?

Rob Jerkins

Rob.Jerkins@cs3.com

GRIFF: Thanks for the kind words about me and Bob Hodge's show from 10 to noon on Tuesdays, the check is in the mail.

I think Crompton is an outstanding prospect, but I don't see the coaches messing with a good thing anytime soon, and so far, Erik Ainge is doing what little the coaches ask of him.

As you could see, when the plays broke down, Ainge struggled. His vision isn't what you would hope it to be, as he rarely gets through his progressions quick enough.

In all fairness, I haven't seen Crompton under the gun in front of 100,000, so I couldn't say for sure if he would do better. In the scrimmages, he certainly looked better than Ainge.

As for their careers, if Ainge keeps winning, he's the man. I'd say the month of October will go a long way toward deciding who No. 1 will be heading into next season.

Q: Mr. Griffith, Our latest Oklahoma-Oregon story has me asking Heisman Trophy voters if Adrian Peterson took any kind of Heisman hit as a result of the outcome. Is merely losing a nationally televised game like that enough to do damage? Or is the performance, and not the final score, what ultimately matters? If you get just a few moments, I would sincerely appreciate your response. Thank you,

Guerin Emig, Tulsa World

GRIFF: I left the "Mr. Griffith" part in there so the AskGriff bashers could get a chuckle out of it. Why not? I do. Shoot, I am 40 and do not feel (or act) a day over 18. Here was my response to the Tulsa World newspaper:

Adrian who?

Just kidding.

Of course he took a hit. Wins and losses are a huge factor with most voters in determining the Heisman winner. Just ask Peyton Manning.

Personally, I'll keep an eye on Peterson, because he's a fabulous talent.

I'm not sure he's better than Auburn's Kenny Irons, though.

It's a long season, we'll see what happens. It's not like Peterson is off the map, as the cameras love his moves and long runs.

Q: I anxiously await the Monday News Sentinel during football season so I can read your report card article. I almost always agree with your assessment. However, I have a bone to pick with you in reference to the Florida game.

Your appraisal of the special teams totally ignored what to me was a critical error by James Wilhoit. He did a great job of touchbacks and field goals. The thing that really upset me was his last kickoff that went out of bounds and gave the Gators possession at their 35 yard line from which they immediately went 65 yards for the winning score. It certainly made Florida's job easier.

Seems to me, if you can kick the ball through the uprights like he did, he should be able to kick it between the sidelines. I just feel like it played a large role in the loss and felt you should at least have mentioned it! Thanks for listening and keep up the good work.

Eddie Hagewood

Hagewoode@knology.net

GRIFF: Aw man! I hate it when folks are right. I did ignore that. But Wilhoit's 51-yard field goal was sooo clutch, and those three touchbacks, and the kickoff tackle at the 8? That was some awesome special teams play. Any time Britton Colquitt averages over 48 yards punting, it's big.

I suppose I could have been more critical, but overall I thought I might have hammered the team a bit too hard on the report card in hindsight. After all, it was a one-point loss to a top 10 team, and they nearly managed to win without a run game.

There's something to be said for the Vols' hard play, even if the results weren't what UT fans were hoping for.

I think this team is headed in the right direction this year and next year.

After that? It's scary. Recruiting has really dropped off the past two years.

Q: Griffith, Your jaded East Coast attitude toward hunting is very disappointing. Hope you are a vegetarian so poor guileless cattle and pigs and chickens and catfish can live. In your own detached way you kill lots of animals that do not even have a hope of escaping. For example, you do wear shoes? I will read your columns less for now I find your opinions less valuable.

Charles Layman

Vol in Alaska

cdldoc@mtaonline.net

GRIFF: Don't you just know you're in trouble when someone you don't even know just calls you by your last name with no "Mr.'' in front of it? I dunno, maybe not. Maybe that's just my "jaded East Coast attitude,'' whatever that is.

I never lived on the East Coast. In fact, Fayetteville, N.C., was as close as I came, serving at Ft. Bragg in the 82nd Airborne. It was there I learned to hunt opposing soldiers, fire various weapons and run an arms room with nearly $1 million worth of inventory.

Look, I can't help it if I root for Bambi, OK? It's kind of like wanting to see Vanderbilt win. Neither the animals, nor the Commodores, ever seem to have much of a chance against the Big Guns. (Jay Cutler aside).

I'm not saying hunting should be outlawed. It's just not my style, and it fails to do anything for me as a sport.

Clay pigeons and skeet shooting? Cool. And that Labrador retriever show where the guy honks a horn and the dog fetches? I'm all over it.

But killing one of God's creations for the sake of sport or popping squirrels with BB guns?

I'd rather be inside playing Madden '07. That's just me. Please don't take offense, none is intended.

I respect your right to hunt. Please respect my right to pull for the animals to escape. Deal?