Adams: Miami gives UT real hope against Florida

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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