Tennessee Stat Book
For as long as he can remember, Jim Bob Cooter has wanted to be a football coach. Not a lead guitarist, astronaut or Supreme Court justice - a football coach.
Thursday night at Neyland Stadium he was.
Tennessee played its first junior-varsity football game in 15 years. Most of the paid coaching staff was out recruiting. Coordinators David Cutcliffe and John Chavis were on hand for loose supervision only.
Mostly, they kept each other company around the 50-yard line. Cutcliffe even chatted on a cell phone at one point (maybe to Troy Fleming?).
"They let the G.A.'s have a little fun tonight,'' said Cooter.
It ended up fun. Cooter, a fan favorite during his years as a sideline-bound, walk-on quarterback, is the offensive graduate-assistant coach, a springboard to what he anticipates to be his career.
He called the plays Thursday, along with inactive quarterback Bo Hardegree, while defensive G.A. Raasaan Haralson helped set the defense.
In the final minute Cooter was the target of the requisite sneak Gatorade soaking.
"I had a sick feeling something was up,'' he said. "Ten guys over there in white shirts and they found me.''
He wouldn't have had it any other way, though. It's part of coaching and a good part at that.
It meant Tennessee won, in this case 37-20 over Hargrave Military Academy.
The start, that wasn't so much fun.
Cooter will have a great story to tell about his very first play call in a college game.
Backed up at the 3 after a punt, first-and-10. A Hargrave linebackerbroke through and slammed into quarterback Nick Stephens as he attempted to hand off to Roy Olasimbo in the end zone.
Fumble. Recovery. Touchdown. Tennessee starts out in a hole on the scoreboard.
"An interesting situation to start out down 7-0,'' Cooter said.
Cutcliffe knows how he felt. (See Cal and Florida games).
The second play was only a slight improvement. Olasimbo lost a fumble but at least Hargrave didn't scoop it up and score.
It got better after that. The Vols ran the ball well and Stephens hit a couple of deep passes.
"They put a lot of responsibility on our shoulders and I feel like we handled it pretty well,'' Cooter said.
"All my career I've been over there doing similar stuff, signaling in plays, thinking about the game. But it's a little different when you're calling the shots.''
Cooter has called the shots in intramural games, but nothing like this. In pre-game warmups, Cutcliffe made a few recommendations but pretty much left it up to Cooter and Hardegree to run the game.
"The players we had determined the game plan we used,'' Cooter said.
"You feel confused when a play works and it doesn't work anything like you planned it.''
Hardegree also has aspirations to coach and he sounded like one in the postmortem.
"Luckily,'' said Hardegree, "we were able to run the ball and usually the past years have been pretty good for Tennessee when we're able to run the ball and throw it downfield.
"The guys responded for us.''
And he didn't even need to see the film first.
Cooter would expect the guys to respond. He certainly would have in their shoes.
"I wish we'd had a jayvee game every year,'' he said. "I'd have been a lot happier man because I love this situation, all the guys getting to play.''
The guys who usually don't get to play got to play. And he got to coach 'em up.
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.
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Comments » 18
wyomingvol writes:
Keep these dudes around.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I'll be the first to say (EXTREMELY SARCASTICALLY) Fire Fulmer. Hire Cooter.
Introducing Coach Jim Bob Cooter, head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.
If you think ESPN gives us a hard time now...
Great Job Jim Bob!! (hard to say that) Good luck in the future!
threehundredbowler writes:
anyone that dosen't have the same opinion as eVolution,crvol,and jwraymond are idiots.At least they think so.They are the only reporters on this site that are intelligent enough to post.I love these guys.They OWN US ALL.
eb502us#225637 writes:
I'm sure Cooter knows how to run an offense better than "dink and dunk" Cutcliffe!!!
inquiry writes:
they need to do these JV games as often as possible during the season.. perfect way to keep aspiring future stars game ready and eager to practice..it used to be a staple at the problem years back, why stop doing a good thing? I still remember Condredge Holloway vs Notre Dame jV in the rain at Neyland.. one of the best games I've ever seen over there..
vol4jesus writes:
The only thing to remember is your sad state of affairs mired in your bog of disarray and murkiness. Pessimism abounds amongst the continual Tsunamis of negativity. Even sadder is to think one owns somebody else. Deranged self-deception and enthroning self as the pontiff of posters is your grand illusion. I was bought with a price I couldn't pay , nor could anyone else. Introspection reveals much as to where we find our true joy(not thriving on hatred) in life. To all the poster children have a blessed day and make it a goal to serve someone else other than ourselves today. Paul harvey gooday! Jv game had how many fans? 500 huh.
utvols1 writes:
What garbage, VFJ. Listen, get a reality check. Just look at the last 5 seasons and ask yourself if the Vols could do better with improved coaching?
It must be that you (and a few other delusional zealots on this site) love a "at or below average" football program. Given the investment in facilities and players why shouldn't the stakeholders demand a better product? Go peddle your huffy bike somewhere else.
DaveVol writes:
Can't we all just get along. If only the Vols could capture the passion on this site!
mtnvol writes:
WWCD (What Would Cooter Do?)! Cooter, Cooter, Cooter! We need more Cooter!!
DaveVol writes:
I need more cowbell.
volsfan327 writes:
Hey Strange, why don't you run down the info on all these reports about Jon Gruden being in town this week! Whats the scoop!
webbofconfusion writes:
I love reading all the Xbox coaching that goes on. If I had my druthers... Chuck Norris would be our coach. We wouldn't need offense or defense we would just return the ball for a touchdown on kickoff returns... and strip the ball when kicking off and take it in the endzone.
We all need more cowbell, and less soapbox!
Mclevenger1682 writes:
CRVol:
You, evolution, and jwraymond are entertaining at best. I do not share the opinions you guys have, but I Laugh everytime I read something you guys wrote. I think we can stand to wait and see what happens the rest of the year. I think the TEAM will be able to pick themselves up and make the plays, even if they are horribly called. We may not have a shot at the NC, but with some help, we could still play in Atl in dec. Longshot I know, but I have seen stranger things in my life!
Mclevenger1682 writes:
True. True. It pains me to see the struggles on "D" that used to be our strong point. I Will support this team no matter what. I bleed Orange through and through.
missrvrvol writes:
Was it me, or did Cooter look healthy, trim and clean shavened last night?
UTFAN1993 writes:
MISSRVVOL,You're probably asking the question to the wrong group of people. See there was only 499 other people there besides you and the majority of these guys don't go to games anymore.
yeavols#228407 writes:
Whatever this phooey is about winning the SEC after TN beats GEORGIA in 2 weeks, please come back to reality. I know the last 10 years was the best years (no sec champ, no BCS bowl, and more regular bowl losses than wins) in your minds. To think that we are going to even get to the SEC champ with a 2-2 mark unranked in the top 25 with a defense like swiss cheese, needs their medications changed. We haven't even been able to win the Peach Bowl in the last 10 years. GEESH! GET REAL.
vol4jesus writes:
Sphs__If it appears venemous sorry. As my mother used to say,'if the shoe fits wear it.' Cr___has done what I said. He has enthroned himself not as the watcher of the skies , but the watcher of poster land.He has positioned himself as the 'all-knowing one' to lead us to the unpromised land. It is an accurate assessment. Especially since he didn't deny the self-enthronement.
UTvols1 thanks for the encouragement. No where have I ever said that I was satisfied with the results of recent years. I just choose not to burn down the house at the first sign of the enemy coming to plunder it.
DaveVol attempts(not through yet) to satiate/get along with flame-throwers of hatred/negativity fall on deaf ears that desire only unhappiness til current head coach is gone....then we get our next whooping boy for unhappy posters. Most people who are continually negative are true venom spewers and don't understand true happiness..or where it can be found./
an attempt to rectify prior offense through kinder/gentler post
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