Adams: Change of identity alters season's course : govolsxtra.com

As Tennessee players ran off the field at halftime, it's a wonder security guards didn't check them for identification. Did you recognize those guys?

You didn't see them in California for the season opener. They were nowhere near The Swamp last month.

But they were everywhere Georgia turned at Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

UT had 28 points in the first half. Georgia had two first downs.

The Vols were off and running to a 35-14 victory against the 12th-ranked Bulldogs. It was a shocking performance for a team that was blown out by the Gators and soundly defeated by Cal.

And no one looked more shocked than the Bulldogs. They wouldn't have looked any worse in the first half if the New England Patriots had shown up in UT jerseys.

Has any UT team ever done more with an open date?

The Vols didn't just improve in the last two weeks. They changed their identity.

The team that too often couldn't run the football ran. The team that couldn't tackle tackled.

And the team that looked so incompetent against Florida looked like the best team in the SEC East against Georgia.

Some UT fans began the afternoon wondering who their next coach would be. Now, they might be wondering if they should make reservations in Atlanta for the SEC championship game.

OK, so maybe I'm getting carried away. But in a division where the play has been so uneven from one Saturday to the next, the journey from worst to first isn't what it used to be.

Was this an aberration? Possibly.

Never mind the Cal and Florida debacles. The Vols gave up 27 points to Arkansas State two weeks ago. That's still on the books.

Also, you have to wonder what's going on with Georgia. The Bulldogs had only 12 points in a loss to South Carolina last month, but they were good enough to beat Alabama in overtime in Tuscaloosa. Although Georgia defeated Ole Miss 45-17 in their last outing, the game was tied at 17-all late in the third quarter.

Credit the Vols with finishing what Ole Miss started. Their offensive line often dominated Georgia's defensive front. When it didn't, their running backs broke tackles. Quarterback Erik Ainge was nearly flawless in his passing, and the Vols didn't drop a pass.

Wide receiver Lucas Taylor was perfect in his passing. He completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to LaMarcus Coker, who couldn't have been more open if he had been hiding on the sideline when the ball was snapped.

The Vols not only beat the Bulldogs. They fooled them.

And that was just the offense.

Georgia rushed for 328 yards against Ole Miss but managed only 69 against the Vols. Sure, the Rebels have the worst defense in the SEC, but UT's hadn't been that much better until Saturday.

The Vols stonewalled Georgia on its first possession and didn't allow the Bulldogs to cross midfield until the third quarter. Running backs Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown, who combined for 270 yards against Ole Miss, had 50 on 19 carries against the Vols. Georgia's passing game wasn't much better.

Heavens to Henderson! I haven't even mentioned UT's special teams.

Georgia's Mikey Henderson, who returned a punt for a touchdown last year against UT, was no factor against the worst-ranked punt-coverage team in the country. The Vols didn't just cover punts against Georgia. They covered everything, including a betting line that had them as only a one-point favorite.

The Vols haven't looked this good in Neyland Stadium since the 2006 season opener when they led Cal 35-0 after three quarters. That victory began their comeback from a 5-6 season in 2005.

Maybe this was the start of something, too.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.