Dave Hooker audio
Mississippi State Bulldogs
When a winning program loses, the losses are magnified, and the flaws are exaggerated. So it's no wonder some Tennessee fans think this UT offense is the worst ever to fumble a football.
That's ridiculous, of course.
The Vols actually are averaging more points per game than tonight's opponent, Mississippi State. Moreover, they are averaging more yards than 15 Division I-A teams.
This isn't even the worst offense of the Phillip Fulmer era. The 2005 team scored 98 points in its first six games. This team has scored 104.
In fact, the farther back you go, the better this offense looks.
UT's 1988 team had 102 points through six games. Its 1978 team had 92.
The 1958 team didn't score but 77 points all season, and its coach didn't get fired.
Tennessee 13, Mississippi State 6: If you aren't impressed with this UT offense, you need to talk to some 1901 fans (surely, any self-respecting medium can facilitate that). The 1901 team didn't score more than 12 points in a single game.
Georgia 31, Vanderbilt 17: Georgia left offensive tackle Clint Boling will be easy to spot on the sideline today. He will be the big guy sitting next to the team orthopedist and nervously patting his knees.
Trinton Sturdivant started at the position last season. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in preseason.
Vince Vance replaced Sturdivant. He suffered a season-ending knee injury last week against Tennessee.
The Bulldogs will have to overcome other attrition as well. Four players with starting experience are out for the season with injuries.
Their injury outbreak has extended to recruits. Their No. 1 signee, quarterback Aaron Murray, suffered a broken leg Thursday
South Carolina 24, LSU 23: Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier probably hates being tricked almost as much as he hates losing. LSU tricked and beat the Gamecocks last season.
LSU's perfectly executed fake kick, featuring a no-look pitch, was the highlight of the day on ESPN last October. But the trick might be on LSU today.
Spurrier knows how to capitalize on a vulnerable secondary, and LSU's secondary looked plenty vulnerable last week against Florida.
Auburn and Mississippi State, whose passing attacks have struggled for most of the season, also had surprising success against the Tigers.
So will the Gamecocks.
Alabama 31, Ole Miss 23: The Rebels were good enough to upset Florida in The Swamp. They're also good enough to upset the Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium if the wrong John Parker Wilson shows up at quarterback.
Wilson completed less than 50 percent of his passes against Tulane, Arkansas and Kentucky. He was almost flawless against Clemson and Georgia.
Something in between should do in the Rebels, who rank next to last in the SEC in total defense.
Arkansas 27 Kentucky 24: One of the biggest surprises of the SEC season was the performance of Arkansas' offensive line against Auburn's heralded defensive front. Its blocking helped Michael Smith take over the rushing lead in the SEC.
If Arkansas can run the ball on Auburn, it can run the ball on Kentucky.
Top 25: Texas 34, Missouri 31; Southern California 45, Washington State 0; Penn State 34, Michigan 17; Oklahoma 45, Kansas 28; Texas Tech 48, Texas A&M 20; Oklahoma State 51, Baylor 27; Ohio State 31, Michigan State 24; Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 23; South Florida 34, Syracuse 13; Wake Forest 27, Maryland 23; North Carolina 24, Virginia 17; Pittsburgh 30, Navy 28; Cal 27, Arizona 24.
Record: Overall 118-26 (.813), 62-59 (.512), against the spread.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Notre Dame beats Tennessee 72-44…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 44
fltapout writes:
no sh@#
fltapout writes:
Ky will beat Ark. and Missouri will beat Texas.
TommyJack writes:
Murray: What can you tell us about this 1901 team?
spvol writes:
Hack
TommyJack writes:
poser
HeckuvaStandpoint writes:
Boycott Vols0075
HeckuvaStandpoint writes:
The "sheep" are those that fail to see...the ones that blindly follow..the ones that don't question mediocrity.
volsfan74 writes:
Workinlikehek: Please don't classify this idiot as a journalist. I'm a publisher over several news papers in eastern n.c. and I can promise you I would not have him on my staff. If E.W. Scripps had any sense they would can his butt, he needs to hop on the same get the heck out of K-Ville train that Phil Fulmer and Dave Clawson should/ will be on after the Bama game. John, do Knoxville Sentinel readers a favor, first learn to write, then educate yourself on the game of football. After you do those things head to the hills of Ky. and get a job as a copy editor at some small weekly paper.
redneckerson writes:
... and support all the sponsors in his list. Also, somebody please disable his cut and paste function.
TommyJack writes:
Heckuva: You mean sort of like the "Ites"?
cdldoc#211897 writes:
I played on that 1901 team...er...I think?
murrayvol writes:
TJ, sometimes you really piss me off.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Kinda like those who still rise to ol' JA's bait.
Playing like a violin.
How are the Boerne Greyhounds doing this year?
TommyJack writes:
:)
TommyJack writes:
Hounds are undefeated.
threehundredbowler writes:
Scott, you would do well to keep your mouth shut,truth or not.A publisher would never openly say anything about a fellow journalist,leading me to have doubts as to you being a publisher.If you are,you are one sorry a-- hol-.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Could you be a little clearer how you really feel about that particular post?
volsfan74 writes:
Threehundredbowler, obviously you don't know much about journalism, you must have tough skin and accept the fact that criticism is lurking and thats what makes you a better writer. Do we really want to compare our current offensive struggles to teams 50 to 100 years ago, the game has changed tremendously. Do we want to compare our current offense to that of Miss State? O' by the way I've been called a h*ll of a lot worse than a** hol*.
givehim6 writes:
Bit of sarcasm hu John?
TommyJack writes:
To the "journalists" on here... I recall, way back in the day, a New York sportswriter asked Joe Namath if it was true that he majored in basketweaving at Alabama. Joe reflected a second and then said "No, I started off in basketweaving, but it was too hard. I switched to Journalism".
06143831 writes:
Hey Adams, why don't you do a little more research. To compare stats from decades ago, let alone a century ago is crazy. Why don't you do a little more investigating and pull up the NCAA average points per game in 1901 and 1988. It's ok to score 88 points in a season if it's average. Scoring more points than just 15 schools this year is not something to brag about. Please resign from your job if this is the best that you can come up with. At least mount a sensible defense if you are going to defend UT's offense.
If you can do that, you should win the nobel prize.
threehundredbowler writes:
We are not talking about compareing offenses.We are talking about putting a fellow human being down.There are ways to vent your displeasure toward another human being without name calling.That is simply childish,the same as I when I called you as- ho--. For that I offer my apology.Name calling is nothing more than stupid,as I was.It is ok to disagree but not to look like a fool doing so.John Adams,Coach Fulmer and others such as some posters, may not always be right but they need to be treated like humans.Tell them you think they are wrong and state your reason for your way of thinking.most of us know little if anything about one another.Chances are,most of us are pretty down to earth Volunteer loveing fans that are very disgusted right now.Difference of opinion is not cause for hateful name calling.What makes me anymore right than you or others?What makes you and others anymore right than me?It is simply opinion verses opinion and you know how that goes.Everyone has one.Be polite and respect others just as you want others to respect you.If you would try it,you might like it.
volsfan74 writes:
Damn, TJ that was funny! Thanks for getting us back on track. So does anyone have any predictions for tomorrow nights ball game?
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
This writer has split personalities. He likes to have it both ways, Just like Bill Clinton and Barak Obama. Close friends of mine, so just go along with it and things will turn out OK. 9-11, Freddie Mack and Fannie Mae, etc etc.
abrown#232236 writes:
Adams -- that Fulmer is failing is a fact. That we've been in decline, slack on fundamentals, poor at growing talent -- all facts. Fulmer is also a 30 year, home-grown Tennessee Vol who has presided over alot of gridiron success. We need to respect that longevity and commitment, and even if change is imminent, we need to treat him with dignity and not be a bunch of low-lifes, like the hyenas in Lion King. BTW Adams, let talk about you. You are a professional whiner. Your chosen pursuit is to bellyache -- period. You are not qualified to offer viable solutions to things you blather about, and even if your observations are accurate, that has little value. Knowing what's broken is not worth a darn unless you can fix it. Critics like you think you are so clever, but your skills and strength are quite average. And if we do cast a critical eye on your journalist skills, insight, entertainment quotient or prosaic stylings -- well, you're bland and middling at best. Let's add it up: Boring, unskilled, ineffective -- yet know how to stir it up a little by being a b!tch. This all earns you the title "Ellsworth Toohey of Scruffy Little Town Sports Journalists." Hope ya feel honored.
TommyJack writes:
That was beautiful, man. I've heard Adams called a lot of names, but Ellsworth Toohey has to be a first.
KnoxVolian23 writes:
Wow, you guys actually think JA is being serious when he is comparing this years football team to those of 50 years ago in this article. Ever hear of sarcasm?
fltapout writes:
Do you here the voices calling????
http://www.medicinenet.com/psychotic_...
JayTee writes:
Bowden Wyatt
1955-1962
Overall record at UT: 49-29-4
If any of you were to check history you find would Fulmer is in very good company. If Bowden Wyatt had not been one of Neylands boys from his championship team he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did.
Adams is right there have been teams at Tennessee just as bad as this one but the coaches just haven't got to hang around to enjoy the misery.
Don't bash the messenger just because you don't like the message? Just don't read Adams columns if you don't like him.
We need to be using that pent up energy to get a new coach.
SpringCityVol writes:
I'm tired of John Adam's sycophantic blather. His allegiance to CPF and his failed strategies defy logic and reason. He is, at best, a fascist hack who deserves the misery he embraces.
TommyJack writes:
Adams is aligned with CPF? Is that what you said?
TheVolMan writes:
Vols0075 is King of the Sheep Weenies. He continues to support a failed coach and harbors a grudge against the writer who saw the writing on the wall and had the guts to tell the truth. And, like all of the anti-JA weenies, Vols0075 has a comprehension block over the idea of boycotting JA's articles. He can't stop reading them - too funny. It's one thing to be a Sheep but to also be a Weenie - that's priceless.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Aren't pigs flying in Boerne?
Don your little sweater and get ready to move to the front.
That is all.
SpringCityVol writes:
How much sh*t do you need on a sandwich before it becomes a sh*t sandwich?
stormblast writes:
The 1901 team? Are you kidding me?
How can you compare any team that has played 107 years after that team? You can't. That's how.
Look, if you want to compare every team since the 1869 Princeton-Rutgers game (1st game ever), then let's go ahead.
The greatest team of all time is the 1899 Sewanee team.
They went undefeated. Beat Texas 12-0, Texas A&M 10-0, Tulane 23-0, LSU 34-0, and Ole Miss 12-0 all in a span of six days, all on the road (they used trains back then). Every game they played was a shut out except for the next to last game against Auburn (Sewanee won 11-10).
But, you can't compare that team with the worst team of the last 20 years. Even statistically. The forward pass wasn't evented when the 1901 team played. They didn't have numbered jerseys or even orange uniforms.
How can you compare it?
murrayvol writes:
I've got to say that's a name I never thought would appear on this board. Ayn would be honored. Perfect!
murrayvol writes:
And if Clint Stoerner doesn't fumble in 1998, this discussion would have concluded in November of 05'.
Colliervol writes:
I look good if you compare me to Keith Richards but that ain't saying much.
ect1983 writes:
Great picker----who ya got next week ???
ect1983 writes:
Nope----they're too ignorant----those orange glasses won't permit insight,sarcasm....Moths to the flame
ect1983 writes:
Post of the Year, VolMan
ect1983 writes:
Yes, He WAS kidding...Hilarious that u and others take JA so seriously.....
abrown#232236 writes:
I understand irony, and I know Adams is being sarcastic. My point is that he's not good at it. It is only fair turnaround that Adams' journalistic prowess be evaluated and shredded. He is not worth a darn -- he habitually goes after the low-lying fruit, and his "barbs" are dull and unimaginative. As a sportswriter, he is a Division II cellar dweller. Whether I agree or disagree with a writer's views, I respect a talented reporter/writer/editor. This guy is none of the above, and he deserves to be called out on it, just like a politician or...a football coach. It is easy to rabble-rouse the VOL nation -- but that ability to scrape a raw nerve is a cheap gimmick -- it doesn't make you good. Having Adams as one of our key columnists is the same as settling for a 7-5 team. Sharpen your tools, John and please try to write something that "pops" and is interesting. You are a mediocre, lethargic talent with very few surprises, and your attempts at wit occasionally work, but are usually about as satisfying as a flat Coke. Sounds like you and the man you are most critical of have much in common.
stormblast writes:
No seriousness taken here either ect1983.
Just a rebuttle. No seriousness intended. Thanks though.
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