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Tennessee’s Dan Williams, front, hauls down Georgia’s Thomas Brown as Xavier Mitchell, right, closes on the play Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Comments by Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom have fired up the Vols’ defensive line.
Audio
- Dave Hooker interviews DE Xavier Mitchell.
- Dave Hooker interviews CB Marsalous Johnson.
- Dave Hooker interviews WR coach Trooper Taylor.
- Dave Hooker interviews DB coach Larry Slade.
Vol videos
- Coach Fulmer talks about the changes made for the Georgia game
- Josh Briscoe talks about the Georgia game and its effect on the team
- Vladimir Richard talks about the changes he hopes to make in himself while at UT
Blogs
Event Details
- What: Tennessee at Mississippi State
- When: Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, 2:30 p.m.
- Where: Away Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
Almost anything can find its way onto the famed bulletin board in college football.
Quotes. Stats. Stories. Columns.
They all have their role in the tactics coaches employ from week to week to gain a motivational edge.
But for Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom's name to find its way to the old bulletin board in advance of No. 25 Tennessee's game Saturday (TV: Pay-per-view, 2:30 p.m. EDT) at Starkville raised a few eyebrows in the Vols' locker room.
"It is a little bit (surprising)," junior linebacker Jerod Mayo said Tuesday. "We don't do things like that at Tennessee, give what do you call it? Post board material?
"You know he's a coach, and whatever he wants to say he can say."
Tennessee's players are already well aware of what was said last Saturday following the Bulldogs' come-from-behind victory over UAB.
"Tennessee knows we're going to run the football," is how Croom was quoted in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. "Clear and simple. That's the way we're going to start the football game. So they better get nine of 'em at the line of scrimmage."
It didn't get too garbled, either, from Croom's mouth to Tennessee's ears.
"I heard what he said," Mayo said. "'Put nine in the box.'
"They challenged our manhood, saying they're going to run the football, we better put nine people in the box, things like that. You definitely have to get up for things like that, being a competitor such as myself and the rest of my teammates."
Mayo and his teammates proved they can stop the run last week, even without bringing help from the secondary.
Heading into last week's game, the Vols ranked 88th in the nation against the run, yielding an average of 188 rushing yards in four games.
All the Vols (3-2, 1-1 SEC) did was turn in their most complete defensive performance of the season, holding Georgia to 69 yards rushing on 25 carries.
Weakside linebacker Rico McCoy and Mayo finished with 11 tackles each.
Eight defensive linemen combined for 22 tackles, led by Demonte' Bolden and Xavier Mitchell with four each.
"We were all on the same page," McCoy said. "The defensive line did a heck of a job. They played their gaps well, and we were able to run free and make tackles."
That's the goal again this week.
The Bulldogs (4-2, 1-2) will start Anthony Dixon, who had a career-high 157 yards on 32 carries last week after losing his starting job.
Last week's starter, Christian Ducre will still get some carries against the Vols.
But Ducre and Dixon won't be compared to other running backs around the SEC, at least not by UT defensive coordinator John Chavis.
And it all has to do with avoiding that bulletin board.
"I don't compare players or teams," said Chavis, who went on to call both players quality SEC backs. "You guys do that. You guys do that for a living. It's not going to be on the bulletin board when you compare them, so you can do that."
Mitchell won't get caught up in the old bulletin board game.
The only worthwhile thing tacked up there in the Mississippi native's eyes is an extra look at the opponent's scouting report.
"We have a bulletin board, but the only time I really look at it is when I look at the personnel to see who we're playing, who we're going against - height, weight, that kind of thing," Mitchell said. "Bulletin board material doesn't mean anything. No matter what's said, anybody can beat anybody any given Saturday."
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 70
TNWOLFPUP writes:
CRVOL/TouchdownTN ..... you both probably need to take this one...
RangerForSix writes:
We'll score 35 to 40 points.
Will they?
Colliervol writes:
We'll put 35 on them. The question is can Miss State score that many. Doubtful. Ainge has done a good job running the offense and, so far, the running backs haven't had fumbleitis. Defense stuffed the run last week and GA has more offensive talent than State. Miss State is down to two freshmen QB's and I think they'll have problems if we just come to play.
B_A_VOL writes:
CRVol, sounds like you have a bit of hope. Good job. Our secondary is improving allowing us to put more pressure on the run. 9 in the box is a tad much though. A good football team can go 8 in the box but not 9. Lets see if we truly are a good football team this weekend.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
This will be a joke provided we don't suffer from the always dangerous "let down after a big win" scenario... which we could.
TN brings the wood and the shed and holds class
TN 45 Miss St. 17
steve22043#233791 writes:
I've gone on record as being critical of negative postings on here before, but I'm about to make one of my own. Can't we get someone motivated to get our coaching staff to get on some kind of a physical fitness program (especially Fulmer)? It must be hard to inspire young people to get in shape when you can't manage your own body. Not that there's not others out there (ND, MD, KS, etc) but the more successful programs tend to be the ones with coaching staffs that can coach themselves.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
He challenged Chavis' manhood more than anyones. I mean Croom isn't saying anything we don't know. Did anyone see the LSU-Miss State game? I think my granny had a couple of interceptions in that one. They came in the 3rd quarter when I wasn't wacthing but she said it was pretty easy to read their offense.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I think it also challenges their own (Miss st.)'s manhood. He is basically saying, "We all know that we couldn't throw a football through one of those cut-outs at Dollywood, so our only prayer is to run it every single down. This is our only chance so they better be prepared for it. We sure as heck aren't prepared to throw."
Two whipped Bulldog's in a row. Don't call PETA.
orangeblood writes:
I say don't worry how many you put in the box. Just line up and play smash-mouth football like last saturday. Trust the running game and hand the ball to hardesty a little more...throw a few flares to coker...we should win....oh......let me see......41-3....if not a complete shutout.
DannyVol writes:
We better be hungry because Miss. State will be. At 4-2, there is only one expected win remaining on their schedule, Ole Miss. With bowl eligibility in question, we will certainly get their best.
Strange things happen in Starkville. Good, even great teams often play poorly there. Just ask Steve Spurrier, who had more problems there while at Florida than anywhere else. It's also become sort of a graveyard for SEC coaches on the hot seat, like Mike Shula and Ron Zook.
I fully expect us to win, just like Auburn expected to beat them at home earlier this season. Even with Spurrier's history vs. MSU, South Carolina probably wasn't expecting an all-out struggle to beat them at home earlier this season.
Mississippi State plays hard enough in every game to overcome their lack of talent from time-to-time. I hope our team knows that. Hopefully, Mississippi State's win at Auburn was their lone surprise of the season.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
They are a scrappy bunch who usually seem to come up just short. Let's hope that the Vols can put them out of it early.
Ainge should probably be about 24 for 24 with 3 touchdowns. Afterwards, I hear that he will be performing miracles. Vol fans still won't be impressed though as they recall when Peyton leaped over buildings in a single bound and faked Alabama on a bootleg keeper with bullets bouncing off his chest.
iowavol writes:
I don't care how big their back is, if we fill the gaps our LB's will make plays. Said that for the first four games. We did it last week and the result was perfection. Anyway, with their arial acumen, put nine in the box and make them throw it. We would have 3 or 4 int's with one returned for a td.
RunRunPassPunt writes:
You gotta think Cut will be pretty juiced to go against Woody's offense. And now with Chavis fired up, it should make for an interesting game. Lets keep up the intensity! Go Vols!
orangebloodgmc writes:
Could it be that Croom is trying to set up our young dbs to burn them with a play-action pass? Seems like that might work one time, but I doubt 1 td would be enough to help.
volunteerTY23 writes:
we stopped the run against UGA, another week, another bulldog, another W for the VOLS. vols 42 msu 10
waterskier3#226480 writes:
what else would miss state say...we have nfl talent and we're going to our talent tn... no he knows the only way to beat us is to go at our weakness and their only strength and thats a average running game.....
Tn should win this game 10 out 10 times so if we lose and its becasue of the run will anyone be surprised??? oh we stopped a ga team that will have 4 losses so now we have a run stop defense...
I'm sorry but i'm jaded because the vols have teased us for the last 7 years with maybe a sec championship but they choke....lol.. I still love them or i wouldn't get so pissed at be an average team
GO VOLS!!!!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
whynot, are you still nursing from your mother's breast? or is your head still in the sandbox. What a stupid post.
Basketball_Jones writes:
There are no gimme's for the Vols. Want to see bulletin board material look at the SI Commerative Issue that just came out for 75 years of SEC Football. It has Crooms listed as one the Top 5 coaching legends. I'm sure its only because he's the 1st African American coach in the SEC but c'mon no need to put him in the Top 5.
I think UT wins big, 41-10.
GerryOP writes:
One "big" win and all of a sudden our FootVols are the high and mighty self righteous effete snobs "... we don't do that bulletin board stuff ..." So, which team shows up in Starkville on Saturday? Our October team or our September team?
Fulmer has been good for one big win a season for the past few years. This year UGa (Not as big a win as some of us would like to believe -- maybe UGa was over rated?), last year Cal (Did we catch them a year early?) and the year before, LSU (I guess playing a team shortly after their lives have been totally devastated by hurricanes helps?)
I've been a "true fan" since 1961 and want the Vols to win every game. But I am tired of the mediocrity and the BS Fulmer hands out when we lose -- perfect storm, played their butts off, gotta look at the tapes, x points short of going undefeated, no magic dust, yada, yada, yada. We come out and stink up the place the first four games and then, all of a sudden, the FootVols leadership "rights the ship" and all is well -- until next time.
Run the table, win the SEC Championship, win a BCS bowl, have a grand retirement party for Coach Phillip A. Fulmer and give him his gold retirement watch. It's time to move on.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
playing a running team CAN be a lot of fun for a d-lineman, assuming he has some talent. you actually get to hit people, as opposed to rushing a passing qb and always having to let up.
I think Coach Croom is trying to challenge his team more than he's ripping tenn. He's an old Alabama center, from the good ole days, and he is a tough, tough man. IMHO, the toughest people in the world are o-linemen (bsides soldiers and firefighters, of course, and the occasional pissed-off soccer mom).
TommyJack writes:
TouchdownTN: That would be "you're", not "your". If you're going to waste space here, at least get your spelling/grammar correct. You moe-ron.
webbofconfusion writes:
Lack of intensity.....
Vols get a another lack luster victory over an underestimated team, that they should destroy.
Glad to see a big win against Georgia... but to drop the intenstiy... Shame on the defense.
won't look at the bulletin board, but will practice against someone dress as superman... shame, shame.
Mitchell needs to turn the screw and tighen things up.... get the intensity back.
TommyJack writes:
Wow CR..your wit is razor sharp
TommyJack writes:
TD: I assure you I have only this one.
TommyJack writes:
TD: You're absolutely wrong on this one. What would be the point?
TommyJack writes:
TD: I won't waste anymore space on the board on this topic, but you're wrong (as usual). i don't need multiple alias's to burn your lame butt.
One last time...I have NEVER used another name on this, or any other post.
TommyJack writes:
TNGEOFF
Then peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars...Go Vols!
CR: I fail to get your point
webbofconfusion writes:
Hey kids, Pull your heads out of the sand box... and realize you are all VOL fans...
Throwing stones at one another... Really...
Brilliant!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
I agree webb. I'm positive that tngeoff and CRVol are different people and Tommyjack (hilljack) is not human.
TommyJack writes:
JDC: I think you had one too many practices without wearing your head-gear. I know NOTHING about hilljack. I'm relatively new to this board..don't have a clue who hilljack is. Don't taze me, bro
UltraVolDavid writes:
The drama on this site cracks me the hell up. CRVol is my favorite. In the real world, I'd like to be his friend.
TommyJack writes:
Ultra: Are you well?
GreerVol22 writes:
jwray...you said farted dude.....hugh! hugh!hugh!
west_tn_volfan writes:
I have news for all of you. None of you really exist, your all just figments of my imagination. Make the voices stop!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Tommyjack, sorry! My good friend TOUCHDOWNTN had me convinced that you were posing as someone else.
TommyJack writes:
JDC: No problema...TD is simply delusional
txsvol#372416 writes:
When this was a paid site, I felt obligated to read fellow fans' posts to get ready for the game. Now, I'm trying to decide whether somebody buried somebody else's mother's breast in the sand, or if it's really worth re-reading what I've scanned? Does this have anything to do with playing Miss State? Sly Croom was a fantastic college and pro player, and with the right material, and all scholarships intact, he is perfectly capable of beating us. All this juvenile bickering is unworthy of UT graduates! Where are CollierVol, IVK, and even DSAVol, and all those 'Ledbetters' named Bubba? Speaking of which, what years did former fertilizer salesman Jerry Clower play for Miss. State? Go Vols! SAVol
TommyJack writes:
TXSVOL: You're right. I apologize for getting caught up in the trivial (fun, tho)...I'm in TX too, right up the road from you
jawjavol writes:
I am concerned about the physical play of these Bullodgs. Our D looked good against a finesse offensive line that did not show up. These guys have the size to blow people off the line the way we did last week. I like our chances this week but I think the game will be tight at least into the third quarter. Miss ST will stall more of our drives but Ainge will have prettier stats than last week.
Our coaching situation will work itself out on the merits of our record. I think it is time for a change as well and I hope Fulmer will retire soon. This would be the best outcome for our program. I am not a Fulmer basher/hater/apologist but chances are a different coach with less recruiting ability might have a worse record over the last few seasons than Fulmer. Tennessee does not have enough talent in-state to annually compete for championships but the numbers are improving.
Let's just all work together to pull them through the cow paddies...er cowbells this week!
vol4jesus writes:
Recess is over children out of the sandbox....now children get back to serious posting please and on the article. Yes Cr___ ? He said what to ewe? Oh my, we will have to punish _____. Why are you laughing CR___? Its like you set him up to get in trouble. Young Mr. Croom is trying to play with the big boys so don't punish him for being challenged to blend in. Yes, vol4jesus I will pull for the VOLS this weekend.
TommyJack writes:
jAWGA..I agree re Majors. He lifted expectations and brought ENERGY, spirit, and some excellent players. Sustaining that energy for 15-20 years, however, is almost impossible. Look at Joe Pa, Bowden, Holtz et al. (CPF too?) These guys don't forget the game..the game doesn't pass them by...just tough to maintain the intensity needed year after year...My 2 Cents
bigbluevol writes:
I think there is some talent in state, but it's not all top tier. Occasionaly we lose a guy that we really would like (Patrick Turner, Michael Oher, etc) but we do pretty well. I think that the guys who go to App State and Carson Newman are good players, but they're not the great type of D 1 talent that UT needs to compete. The strategy, and it has worked pretty well, has been to try to lock in the best in state guys and then fill out the class with kids from around the country.
bigbluevol writes:
As for the physical play of MSU, I think that's true, but UAB was able to force them into a comeback situation. This UAB team is nowhere near the team that fought us tooth and nail in 05 (not that that was a great team, either, but my point remains.) As long as we come out prepared and focused, we should be ok. No looking down the road, taking care of the football, and tackling are the recipe for victory.
CrankE writes:
What was a "mere" sandwich game for the Vols now seems to have gotten their full, undivided attention.
I can't imagine how they'd overlook this game now. I think Croom has sealed his Doom.
TommyJack writes:
As much as it pains me to say, I find myself in agreement with CR. May God have mercy on me...
jdcvols#230433 writes:
TOUCHDOWNTN, have you lost your mind. Stick with the article.
txsvol#372416 writes:
Thanks, guys! When the MS State cheerleaders run onto the field, and the cowbells in the stands start ringing, y'all say, "How 'bout THEM dogs!" (Apologies to Lewis Grizzard.) Hope no Vol entrepreneur has the audacity to pull the cheap Texas Tech stunt, in honor of Tacky Jackie Sherrill's tenure at both A & M and State, and sell T-shirts with a bulldog in a noose, saying, "Vick 'em!" (Or, sell spay or neuter bumper stickers!) So, the Volunteer Air Force has to land in cowpastures the next two weeks, with one in eastern Mississippi, and the following week, in western Alabama? Where do the RV's have to park? Give me a feel for the situation, guys, I have to work this weekend! Go Vols! SAVol
cnalumni writes:
UT should win this game but not by much. The 7 point line is pretty accurate. Miss state is a very physical team. Their players are a reflection of their coach. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on the toughness of UT's Defense and offense, with the exception of Berry. He is the real deal. The players could get beat up before heading to Bama, It is definitely gut check time.
vol4jesus writes:
Gotta have the mind first to lose it...right CR__ or whichever post ewe want to use this time. A while back you told us you used multiple post names. Sorry for the confusion. The article was about practice so I infused Mr. Allen Iverson's comments about practice from the past. I also was reminding CR___ the article was about Bball practice, not the Coach of the football team.
Hopefully that cleared up some of the fog for the poster children. Oh CR___ thanks for another classless dig shamefully written. Your reputation for caustic postings is in no danger of fading anytime soon. Nonetheless have a nice day:) in poster land.
Another attempt at a kinder/gentler post
10ACVOL writes:
Please, we'll stomp these dawgs too. Dixon is a good back tho. I'm heading down to Starkville, gonna watch the vols put the 2nd L in BULLDOGS.
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