Miami couldn't beat Florida on Saturday but it showed Tennessee how to beat Florida.
There's nothing complicated about it. And it's not much different from last year.
You control the ball with a running game and short passes, eliminate special-teams blunders, shut down Florida's running backs and pressure quarterback Tim Tebow.
I know, easier said.
But Miami accomplished much of that despite its limitations, which might not be as numerous as detailed in preseason publications. The Hurricanes kept the ball away from Florida for much of the first half, battered Gators running backs throughout the game, and pressured Tebow with great success until the fourth quarter.
What more could you ask of an ACC team?
You could ask it not to do anything stupid on special teams. You could ask as much of UT next week.
As the Vols prepare for Saturday's Neyland Stadium walk-through, they don't have to mention Florida. It's understood.
As prevalent as parity might be in college football, it's not so prevalent that one of the worst teams in Division I-A strikes fear into an upper-level BCS team that is playing on its home field. Never mind the difference in schemes, UT can prepare for Florida while it's ostensibly practicing for UAB.
This is about self-improvement more than the competition. The Vols have to shore up their special teams, cut down on their offensive mistakes and prepare themselves for a game that won't end with the last play of the first half.
Translation: Right all the wrongs that sabotaged them in a 27-24 overtime loss to UCLA on Labor Day.
As commendable as that sounds, it wouldn't matter if Florida were as dynamic on offense as I expected. It isn't.
In a 26-3 victory against Miami, the Gators hardly resembled an outfit that was being touted as one of the best offenses in SEC history. Their running backs struggled to get past the line of scrimmage, their receivers dropped passes, and Miami dominated their offensive line.
The dismal play of the offensive line, which was without injured guard Jim Tartt, was most glaring. In preseason, coach Urban Meyer singled out that line as an area of strength. You never would have guessed it against Miami.
Florida's offense was reduced to its worst memories of last season: When all else failed, Tebow was forced to make a play running, or throwing under duress. He made just enough against the Hurricanes.
Florida looked invincible in routing UT 59-20 last season. It looked vulnerable Saturday night.
But if the Vols are to capitalize on that vulnerability, they obviously have to improve significantly.
UT must rely heavily on its running game against Florida, a team that prefers a fast-break pace. It can't afford special-teams mishaps (and I consider punting the ball anywhere near Brandon James as a special-teams mishap). It can't let Florida's playmakers turn short passes into long gains.
And it can hope the same Florida team that played Miami shows up in Neyland Stadium.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 106
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
ROTFLMGDAO!!!!!
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
yeah, surely Florida's coaches won't think in their extra week off that we might try to duplicate Miami's D effort and have an answer for it.
Titan writes:
Guys - the way we played against UCLA, let's worry about UAB this week and not get ahead of ourselves. You ain't seen ugly until you lose to UAB.
vickynphil writes:
"You control the ball with a running game and short passes, eliminate special-teams blunders,"
Ya sounds real easy John Adams!!! Think we could have beat UCLA with the same game plan????? UT at one time won many games with that plan, can't do it anymore WHY???????? Special Teams blunders???? UT has to be one of the best in that category!!!!
BigVolinCarolina writes:
I agree with you, Titan--handle UAB first, then think about Florida.
Adams forgets one thing in his article: though Florida doesn't win every game they play in each year, they do LEARN from their mistakes. Tennessee, on the other hand, doesn't seem to learn. We keep making the same mistakes over and over.
I'd like to see that change this year!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
The cold hard facts are that they gave up one field goal. They won 26-3.
They had some mistakes, but they still won.
Get a grip.
vickynphil writes:
"UT must rely heavily on its running game against Florida," John Adams must be nice and sweet to get payed to STATE THE OBVIOUS!!!!! Maybe you should give up sports writing and run for political office?????
bigtimevol writes:
I see a big Neyland victory...a victory to turn the tide. Alot of folks will forget about an ugly start by playing the type of mistake free, executing football we're capable of playing.
vickynphil writes:
John Adams "if we pound the rock" "don't get our ears pinned back" "work like heck" " be Tennessee" "dedication and focus" and any other FOOLMERisim's??? Adams: Miami gives UT real hope against Florida???? YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO OUT PERFORM FOOLMER AS THE BIGGEST BAFOON IN KNOXVILLE!!!!!
VOLS85 writes:
chewy,
you are a carbon copy of the same phooey that has been trolling this site for years, and it gets you nowhere. You, workin, and gatorforlife should get a hotel room...
99gator writes:
it's doable.
i wouldn't bet on it.
very difficult, but doable.
99gator writes:
but, florida has to be beaten......because florida usually doesn't do anything stupid to beat themselves
NeylandWest writes:
Show of hands...how many of you guys lead normal, healthy lives outside of football season?
Just curious.
jmbigorange#280428 writes:
The thing i don't like about this article and it is very alarming to me is the fact that because Miami played UF tough that means we have "HOPE" of beating them. This to me is disturbing. Back in the 90's every game against UF we had a chance to beat them because we were UT. An SEC power just like UF. But now that is no longer the case. Now we have to "HOPE" we can pull an upset. We no longer belong with the UF's, UGA's, LSU's, & soon to be Bama's. I hate the fact that we are no longer a nationally relevant team.
VOLS85 writes:
everyone put your hands down...
volunteer_cowboy writes:
look at all the players that are leaving after this year, better yet look at whats left for next year!!!!!!!!
rockytop47 writes:
It is not distrubing, we are very capable of beating UF! Most of this is stating the obvious, but he is right. Special teams are still hurting, but if your All-American punter lays off the boozes we are all talking different right now. Also, people forget two years ago UCLA beat USC and last year were an outside NC contender. That whole scenario was an ambush for UT and the media set it up. Craft could be great who knows, just because he finally had the chance and because he was listed as third string means nothing he just got on CAMPUS! I remember a guy named Manning who was third string in a game against UCLA and he turned out pretty good. Anyway, we can beat UF, but it will take a good team effort. Atleast, some guys have class on here like gator4life.
DekanGator writes:
The part of this story that in not brought up, How Tenn is going to controll the ball running.
Yes I know Tenn has a great "O" line, but so did Miami.
FYI Miami never got inside the 32 yard line and scored a field goal, The second half the never got inside the 50 yd line,
Florida's "D" has improved and Deep on the line, But the real test for florida will come a week from Sat,
Should be fun boy's
Let's get it on !
xvolx writes:
how can we have a special teams blunder? we dont even have a special teams coach. I watched the ucla replay. why dont we play morley and berry 20-25 yards deep against again against fla.. that will really impress them. I got over cal. because they were faster, more experienced and better coached. ucla game is still knawing at my gut.
xvolx writes:
sorry gnawing. im old and its late.
murrayvol writes:
NeylandWest: I saw about three hands. How about you?
coach75 writes:
you have got to be joking! after the way they looked against a 3rd string qb and a pac-10 offense
vickynphil writes:
VOLS85 is that your pen name John Adams??? A middle school kid could have wrote that pathetic article!!! Do you really put in eight hour days to write that????
kdaff51 writes:
Children, Children, Children
firefulmer writes:
How to beat Florida??? The tips he gave us are 100% accurate. The only problem is we will not do any of them. Our coaches are stupid and pathetic. We will not run the ball. Chavis will not blitz until the score is well out of UT's reach. Florida will run the ball. Florida will have a big play or two on special teams. Crompton will suck! Magnify the UCLA game about 10 times, and that is how pathetic it will be.
RocketVol writes:
Every team Tennessee plays will force Crompton to beat them (after his performance -v- UCLA) - Tennessee will not run the ball well. UT better watch the Michigan film too. Chavis will stop blitzing in 4th qtr and play prevent - Florida scores 3 times in final 15 min.
rep88 writes:
yea we are not going to be able to pound the rock because they are gonna put 9 men in the box and crompton couldnt hit water if he fell out of a boat. they can play 1-1 all night on the corners and we cant take advantage of it gonna be a long year for the orange with 8 behind center
TVT1 writes:
Try beating UAB THEN worry about Florida.
LongtimeVol writes:
Cal last year was faster, more experienced and better coached than UCLA this year? That may be so, but after Cal opened up that can on us last year they went 6-6.
So how does that rationalization help us this year?
Please stop the madness!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
We will have new and updated charts by Fla time.
Chief will adjust Slade down to only playing off 7 yards instead of 10. Force them to throw into the middle.
This will be practiced vs the Blazers.
Bigger_Al writes:
Adams is a buffoon.
ect1983 writes:
Bigger Al....No , JA isnt a buffoon; he tells it like he sees it; personally JA, I think you have gone soft since the Fire Fulmer piece....I hope you get back to normal. And Al.....you and all you other JA haters read everyone of his columns.....don't you ? JA---get tough again...I think u have lost your mojo
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
"You control the ball with a running game"? JA, you failed to mention that UT has a combined rushing total of 26 yards vs UF in the past two years (-11 in ’06 and 37 last year). "Stay the course" "Work like heck" "Sprinkle some magic dust on it" "One or two plays away from being undefeated" Blah blah blah...
OrangeMandM writes:
John Madden says... "If they get the ball in the endzone, they get 6 points..." ha ha
Bigger_Al writes:
Adams is a buffoon. He writes two types of articles about Tennessee football: Ones that point out how beatable UT's opponents are, and ones that rub salt in the wounds of UT fans. He repeats this cycle endlessly.
Here is an article by an excellent writer:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/20...
Adams wouldn't dare write an article critical of Meyer.
Greyback_Vol writes:
How about some of y'all quit bashing Adams every time he writes something. He's not my favorite sports writer, but all of the p*ssing and moaning gets old.
Stopping UF's offense is really not much different than stopping other attacks. It all comes down to fundamentals, something that Miami did very well the other night. If the 'Canes had some weapons on offense UF would have been in a real game.
DroopyDrawers writes:
Adams is so full of it his eyes are brown. Go back to Tuscaloosa.
huntined#565710 writes:
gatorzz
Meyer did run up the score I think because maybe Foley and some of them had a bunch of money on the game and they were a 21 point favorite and they were only ahead by 20 so he passed the ball and kicked a field goal with 25 seconds left on the clock THAT BEAT THE LINE BET..
Waldorf writes:
What Adams said is 100% true.
Too bad we've got Fulmer running the show and Florida has Meyer. Oh yeah, and Chavis will have even more reason to use the Mustang against the wide open offense Florida will brign to town.
Florida hangs 50 at Neyland next week, possibly 60. I just hope the offense starts clicking so we can get to 20 again.
Vol13 writes:
Florida will win this game something along the lines of 38-13 or 41-17. We WON'T run the ball on them and they will be in our backfield for much of the day. The overall speed differential and talent differential is pretty glaring when you study theirs vs. ours. We have no proven playmakers outside of Gerald Jones, and his "provenness" to date is questionable. Crompton is Joey Mathews, The Sequel.
Florida's offense will misdirection us to death and have our defense playing tentative and on their heels. I also suspect that we'll tackle poorly, as we haven't seen this much speed to defend on the field since last year.
Sorry guys. But that's reality. The gulf grows wider between these two teams, who were not that far apart a few short year's ago. I'm also a big believer that a team adopts the personality of their head coach. Ours hopes that we play mistake-free and have a chance to win. Theirs expects victory when he gets off the bus and demands perfection.
Waldorf writes:
Vol13 -
Whew, that may be the harshest words written about Crompton to date. Don't know if I am ready to go quite that far yet.....
xvolx writes:
I like what spurrier said about running up the score. "when they quit trying to score, I will"
RocketVol writes:
Gatorzz, I don't think there will be any whining - he's used to playing second fiddle to Florida. I really think that if Crompton is on target and turnovers are few, and low offensive penalties on Tennessee it will be a good game. But I do think that Meyer will "go for the win" and Fulmer will play "not to lose" = Florida win. With the penalties and turnovers in game #1 UT has proven undisciplined - the intangibles are in Florida's favor.
99gator writes:
since this has been a topic lately.....
spurrier's philosophy on running up the score was basically......that there was no such thing.
he thought that for some reason....."running up the score" exists only in football.
his thought was basketball players continue to shoot, baseball players continue to hit....why can't football players do what football players do.
also (and he said this before the nebraska fiesta bowl debacle), if florida has put up a certain amount of points.....they have to stop throwing the ball and run the ball......but, if nebraska (who was an option team at the time) puts up a whole bunch of points.....what do they do, start throwing the ball?
basically, he was of the opinion that florida received many a butt whipping over the years and he wasn't going to apologize for dishing out a few.
i also believe that he thought it had a positive psychological effect on the other team when you played them the next year. does the other team really believe they can win when you beat them by 38 the year before? that kind of thing
jasonn1970 writes:
Football is a game played for 60 minutes. If you don't want the score run up you need to play better. It's just that simple.
Bigger_Al writes:
DC - It's because we have Adams to write such headlines. You don't.
Go4Two writes:
Based on the post on this site I'm not sure why we are playing the game. 50 ,60 points at home I think we were undefeated at home last year. Maybe we should go ahead and play for the heck of it
jack_2222#231746 writes:
I can't remember-- did Georgia run up the score when they beat the hell out of Florida last year?
Go4Two writes:
The Gators are beatable they lost 4 games last year for a reason.
fishportion writes:
Not to defend Adams, but when I saw that Florida game, I also thought they're beatable. Likewise with the way Alabama struggled. Whether the Vols can improve enough to take advantage of any of those weaknesses is another story. And obviously those schools will be working to improve too.
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