People in this world are always telling us what they believe. Well, I’m going to take a different approach today.

“I don’t believe in superstars, organic food and foreign cars. I don’t believe the price of gold; the certainty of growing old.” — Don Williams

I don’t believe people should still be pointing fingers at Randy Sanders. Amazing as it is, a few folks are still rallying around the old “it’s all Sanders’ fault” flag.

Well, it was not all Sanders’ fault that Tennessee’s program has suffered a downturn. That should be ridiculously clear by now.

Someone wrote to me a couple of weeks ago explaining that UT is just now beginning to recover from Sanders’ time as offensive coordinator.

OK, let’s say that’s true (even though I don’t believe it). For argument’s sake, two years later, Sanders is still to blame for the offensive shortcomings.

But the biggest problem on this team is its defense, not its offense. Unless Sanders’ long-lampooned play-calling rubbed off on the defensive coaching staff, I’m not sure how ol’ Randy is to blame.

Tennessee has given up at least 180 yards rushing in five of their last eight ballgames (they also happened to have lost all five of those games). Heck, they’ve been run over for more than 200 yards in four of those games.

If you want to point a finger at how SEC football teams lose games … extend one at the rush defense.

Personally, every time I watch Kentucky’s Andre Woodson throw a touchdown pass, I get the feeling that Sanders, who is the Wildcats’ quarterbacks coach, is extending a finger at all of us.

But then again, he wouldn’t do that. He took all the ill-will that frustrated fans deposited on his doorstep and he took it with patient class. More class than I could have shown.

Whether he was ready to be the offensive coordinator at Tennessee is debatable. Whether he had full control of the offense is also debatable.

But whether he was the reason for Tennessee’s overall slide is not. Time to move on.

“Well, I don’t believe that heaven waits, for only those who congregate. I like to think of God as love … He’s down below, He’s up above.” — Don Williams

I don’t believe that offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe means it when he says he didn’t call enough rushing plays at Florida.

Tennessee ran the football 21 times against the Gators for a grand total of 37 yards. At least that’s better than last year’s minus–11 yards rushing.

But if you’re averaging less than two yards per carry, what offensive coordinator in his right mind would call more running plays? Especially in short yardage situations?

And if you think that was just a bad week, think again. As Jimmy Hyams noted on his radio show this week, the Vols have called 81 rushing plays this year. On more than half of those attempts they’ve gotten two yards or less.

Now, that’s something I can’t believe.

The time has come to stop praying that Tennessee will line up and jam the ball down an opponents’ throat on third and short. They can’t do it anymore. Not against the big boys anyway.

Cutcliffe’s statement, in my opinion, was aimed more at trying to maintain the confidence of his offensive line and his running backs. But confidence building or not … zone blocking or not … there’s no way he actually thinks he should have called more running plays.

“Pound the rock” is to UT coach Phillip Fulmer as “attack, attack, attack” was to Johnny Majors. If Tennessee thought they could run the ball on third and one, they would. That you can believe.

“I don’t believe virginity is as common as it used to be. In working days and sleeping nights. That black is black and white is white.” — Don Williams

I don’t believe Tennessee really does have the talent it used to. Not the talent advantage anyway.

As we’ve discussed in this space for two years now, the SEC was a two-horse race during the Vols’ heyday. Now, you’ve got LSU and Florida at the top. Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State are at the bottom. And seven more teams are bunched together in the middle.

Tennessee is in that seven. Top 10 recruiting classes don’t mean much when a half-dozen other teams in the conference are also in the top 10. The Vols will be on an even playing field with more than half of their remaining opponents.

The days of saying, we’re “not utilizing our talent” are over. The talent advantage just isn’t there anymore.

“But I believe in love. I believe in old folks. I believe in children. And I believe in you.” — Don Williams

I do believe Tennessee is going to win tonight versus Arkansas State. I believe the Vols will look better in the second half than in the first. I believe the open week will be brutally long. And I believe Georgia will be the game to save the Vols’ season in two weeks.

John Pennington hosts the Hall’s Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.