Tennessee's post-game press conference Saturday produced a couple of strange quotes.
One came from head coach Phillip Fulmer: "Our team was uptight or something. Because that wasn't us."
Another came from quarterback Jonathan Crompton: "We should have won the game in my opinion."
Their comments were in reference to a 30-6 loss to Florida at Neyland Stadium. UT fans probably were more mystified by the comments than the game itself.
First of all, the consensus among fans and media is that the Vols - coaches included - usually do look uptight against Florida, whose recent domination of the series isn't attributed solely to talent.
The Gators are more aggressive; the Vols are more tentative. The Gators protect the football; the Vols don't. The Gators play as though they're on the verge of another big play; the Vols play as though they're on the brink of another mishap. The Gators play smart; the Vols play dumb.
Those distinguishing characteristics were never more evident than Saturday. So why would the losing quarterback suggest that his team had any business winning the game?
One reason: After playing a game as demanding as football, players aren't in the best frame of mind to analyze what just happened.
Another reason: As competitive as most college athletes are, they rarely want to admit that an opponent is superior. It's a coping mechanism. Better to think that the unfavorable outcome was determined by your own mistakes, which are correctable.
If UT chooses to follow that path post-Florida, it can cite statistical evidence. Total offense: Vols 258, Gators 243.
Here's a more revealing statistical comparison: Florida running backs Emmanuel Moody, Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin carried 24 times for 123 yards, a 5-yard average; UT running backs Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer carried 20 times for 56 yards, a 2.8-yard average.
UT's offensive strength was supposed to be running the football. And Florida's weakness was supposed to be at defensive tackle.
If the Vols can't run on Florida, can they run on Auburn on Saturday? Or Georgia? Or Alabama? Or South Carolina?
The list is long and daunting.
In the best-case scenario, UT's running game was supposed to take the pressure off a new quarterback. Instead, UT eschewed the run and relied heavily on Crompton's passing in the season-opening loss to UCLA. Then, the Vols tried to run against Florida but couldn't.
As a result, a greater burden has been placed on Crompton, who too often has looked over his head.
Three years ago, after Fulmer's only losing season as a head coach, he summed up the 5-6 record as a "Perfect Storm." He could apply the same movie title to his current offense.
You have a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive system - though it doesn't look strikingly different from the old.
With all this newness, you might assume the offense would improve the way a young secondary did last season.
But you also might have assumed the Vols could have successfully leaned on their running game and defense along the way. That hasn't worked out.
UT's 1-2 record looks even worse when you consider the competition. UAB has yet to defeat a Division I-A opponent, and its two other non-BCS opponents both moved the ball more effectively against the Blazers than UT did.
After beating UT in overtime, UCLA lost to BYU 59-0. At least, BYU is nationally ranked. UCLA lost 31-10 on Saturday to Arizona, which was coming off a loss to New Mexico.
But maybe the team that lost to UCLA wasn't the real UT. And maybe the teams you saw the last two Saturdays at Neyland Stadium were impostors as well.
If that's the case, I would strongly advise the real Vols to reclaim their season. Fast.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
Phillip Fulmer through the years
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 91
Phowell23 writes:
Actually a good article by Adams. Thanks.
rabidvol1998 writes:
John,
Use your sarcasm for the veteran coach if you want, but picking apart the answers of 20 year old football players should be beneath a veteran reporter.
What should a player say? "we suck and we'll have a losing record" or how about "I played well but my teammates are lame?".
The players work their butts off, play hard and show up to answer stupid questions the best they can.
Go Vols beat Auburn
DemocratVol writes:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/UTcoach...
Please sign the petition. I plan to deliver this in person. It's time for Mike Hamilton to hear from the average joe fans that make up the bulk of the people that buy the tickets, buy the merchandise, and make the Vol Nation a formidable nationwide force.
VolHooch42 writes:
Watched the Auburn / LSU game with some friends & one of them remarked...."Now that is what an SEC team should look like".
Auburn's defense is fast, tough, & now really P***** off, & I hope that the VOLS will regroup & get it done.
tenuscvol writes:
Tells it like it is especially with regard to the expectations. I was thinking he exact same thing yesterday. I remember watching the Vols years ago and thinking "watch this" right before the snap because I was exited about what was about to happen because it was usually good. Now, right before the snap, you grit your teeth, squint your eyes and go "Oh Shoot! what can go wrong here because there's a decent FREAKIN chance that it will!.
Good aritcle John.
rabidvol1998 writes:
grvol - tell us about what you do for a living and how you rank nationally?
teedub writes:
Great article. John has a knack for cutting through the spin. I'm glad someone is keeping us honest.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Adams has been telling it like it is for quite sometime, like him or not.
Is he perfect at his job? No. But he seems to be more accurate than most want to give him credit for.
eschroeder writes:
In my eyes this seems to be a sound offensive system, just bad execution (which yes, comes down to coaching). Guys are getting open, Crompton's not finding them; we are making runs, that get nulified by stupid penalties. It only takes once a drive for either and then there's no rhythm. When it happens a second time, we lose all momentum and everyone's waiting on something bad to happen next.
We all knew when Cutcliff left, it could be a bad start with a new system, then we got all excited at the start of the season and started believing what we wanted to believe. The folks at Auburn are saying the same thing about their new coordinator.
auttat writes:
What world is Crompton living in? You should have won that game????????
As if the way the team played wasn't embarrassing enough. Please get the mic out of this guys face.
auttat writes:
Crompton, it was over after the opening kickoff, buddy!! Guess you were too worried about the boo birds. Better get used to them.
BobbyGraham writes:
Philip Fulmer is 40-39-1 in his career against top 35 teams. He has made his living beating the Kentucky's and the Vandy's of college football.
wittenfaninky writes:
I found an interesting article on bleacherreport.com (dated 7/8/08) about the contract M Hamilton put together for Fulmer. Hard to believe major donors would agree to such a contract, but it is what it is and it's going to put UT in a hole for a long time. The article is so true.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35...
If I were looking for a new coach to lead a major college football program, I'd head straight to Jason Garrett of the Cowboys. We need someone that is relatively young, proven, and would be a good role model for student athletes. It would be nice to have a coach that attacks instead of one that sits back and waits to be attacked. I knew we were in trouble yesterday when Fulmer declined the ball after winning the coin toss (big mistake).
doctorvol#211700 writes:
I'm going to bed; we just fumbled at the one after wasting the clock, again.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Good article, JA. Quick and to the point! If you had told me we would hold Tebow to under 100 yards passing and under 30 yards rushing, I would have envisioned a blowout by us. Has Tebow EVER been held to those low of stats???
I was pleasantly suprised by the articles about the recruits, at least they seem to have optimism. This is going to go one of two ways: Really bad like in 2005, or really good like how Michigan last season got beat by App. St and got destroyed by Oregon at home but went on to the citrus bowl to beat the defending national champs, Florida! College football is one tough cookie to predict, but in this case all we know is whichever way to goes, it'll either be real good or real bad, I will hope and pray for the first! Either way, I am always a Vol fan who'll bleed orange!
GO VOLS!!!
rabidvol1998 writes:
How about sharing your pee wee football stats if you played.
Your lack of an answer is answer enough.
DennisVols writes:
Has anyone else noticed the lack of passion this team seems to have. I remember UT teams running through the T and you could see and even hear their passion as they took the field. Yesterday I saw a team going through the motions.
Yesterdays game ended 15 seconds after the opening kickoff.
CBS camers showed players already with their heads down before the 1st qtr was 1/2 over.
You will never win at anything you don't beloeve you can win at. This team has already lost games they have yet to play in their heart.
rabidvol1998 writes:
DennisVols - The only people who have lost games yet played in their heart are many of the posters here and the boo birds.
The players never quit, the fans did.
Go Vols beat Auburn.
firefulmer (Inactive) writes:
Am I the only one that undertands the Vols (except for Berry and Jones) have no talent? The talent is not there. I get sick and tired of all the talk about what a great recruiter Fulmer is. Am I the only one that notices, as the seasons go on, the Vols "regress" instead of "progress"? This bunch of BS didn't start Saturday, last week, last year or 2005. It started back in 2001. Since then, I can count on one hand the number of "good" wins the Vols have. Maybe one day the idiots in Knoxville will wake up and realize what our pathetic excuse for a coach has done to the football program. Last year's article stating that Fulmer needed to go was 100% accurate. He should have been fired 7-8 years ago.
TENN80 writes:
John Adams has the facts straight. Its time for Tennessee football players and coaches to look truth in the face. They are who we saw Saturday --- a mediocre football team that has so many problems there is little likelihood they can be be turned around in time to save the season with Auburn and Georgia next on the schedule. The biggest offensive problem we have is running the ball consistently. We have no running game because Phillip Fulmer has never recruited personnel for a run oriented game. He wants a pro-set offense --- not a running game. If you think this is not true look at all the quarterbacks we have had since Tee Martin , ten years ago. Not one of them could run and throw the ball and not once have we won anything of importance since Martin graduate in 1998. We are not going to win any championships until we can get three runners in the backfield, one of whom can throw a completed pass now and then. In essence we need to be a running team and not a throwing team. I fear that will never happen as long as Coach Fulmer is aboard. Therefore, we must brace ourselves for further disappointments.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
FireFulmer, what you just wrote is exactly what I've told my fellow UT alums/friends for several years.
This didn't just happen overnight or last year--it's been going on for years. Personally, I noticed it in the 2002 season. Perhaps something happened in Fulmer's head after the loss to LSU in the 2001 SEC Championship Game. Yes, we recovered to drill Michigan in the bowl game after that, but since that time it's been obvious we're a totally different program.
I got your back, FireFulmer.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
My bad, FireFulmer...see my 10:58 post to your comment.
PaulTheVol writes:
People in Knoxville accuse Adams of being too negative or anti-UT. In my opinion all of the columnists in Knoxville take it too easy on the football program. The national media is much harsher on the program.
This program has been in an overall decline for several years and we are now to the point where we are pretty much irrelevant on the national stage. Fulmer can't cherry pick the best talent in the southeast they way he could 10 - 12 years ago. Now he has to "coach up" the talent he has and that has never been a strength of his coaching staffs.
Just to show how far this program has fallen - if Peyton Manning was now a senior in high school does anyone seriously think he would come to Tennessee? Me neither.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Rabidvol, I wasn't at the game but I heard the boos on TV.
I'd be willing to bet that the fans were not directing the boos at the players. No doubt, those boos were directed at the coaches.
I'm proud of our players because I know they work hard, but I believe the coaches just aren't putting our guys in position to win--and haven't been since 2002.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Our defensive line is talent void. Bad
thevoice writes:
Demo, what use is a petition? Don't you think Hammy already knows what fans think? Stop going to the games dang it!!! It's really that simple. I support those kids, our players. But I don't support anything else about the program. And according to JC, players don't give much credit to us fans anyway.
rabidvol1998 writes:
BigVol - I agree with you on the players. However, it is hard to "direct" a boo. I respect the opinion of those who think we need a change, but there has to be a better way to express that opinion than booing and fighting with other Vol fans.
Go Vols beat Auburn.
firefulmer (Inactive) writes:
BigVol, I'm with you 100%. Since the 2001 SEC game, the Vols have not been the same. LSU won that game with a backup quarterback and running back. We took the starting q/back (forget his name) and running back (Toefield) out. For years, I have cried and complained about Fulmer ruining our football program. Hopefully, more and more Fulmer supporters are understanding what we knew years ago. I'm still sick over our losses. Do we have a chance to win 7-8 games?
rabidvol1998 writes:
I disagree with your assessment, but respect your approach. Where are your seats, I need a few more?
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Rohan Davey?
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
1998 Could possibly be greatest and worst thing to happen to this program.
FedUpVolFan writes:
Newsflash!
Coach says we might try a new punter!
Oh yeah.Coach is righting the Titantic!
Sail on!
orange_n_blood writes:
I am tired of anyone blaming the fans. The fans have suffered through years of medicore teams. The SEC is always been one of the top conferences in the nation and every team in the SEC has done things to get better except UT. If other teams have a few down years they start looking for a way(any way) to get better. The head people at UT just seem to be content with losing and letting Fulmer take UT further down. The team on the field Sat. was a pitiful excuse for a UT team. I am tired as a fan of losing to FLA every freakin year.
rabidvol1998 writes:
I'm in section C, so wrong side of the field for me. I think you are right about prices so I think Mike should reduce the seating and give us all more room for our butts.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Or, just workout, maybe?
rabidvol1998 writes:
Feared - I run marathons, but still don't fit. Oh well, I usually stand anyway.
airjet#410590 writes:
For years we have heard quotes from coaches and player saying something like, "We are better than that", or like this weekend where one will say we shot ourselves in the foot, or "that's not us." You get the idea. If the players and coaches are so good, then be that good! Right now, they aren't that good as they say they are. I am tired of all the talk.
SFOrange writes:
No fire in this team. UCLA is horrible, so are the Vols.
3-4 wins.
utucla writes:
FireFulmer and BigVolinCarolina, I too have been saying this for years about Fulmer....But in acutuality it really started happening in '99.....that team had just as much talent as the '98 team less Al Wilson....that was the first year that I started noticing that the players began to have some quit in them....and it's been growing ever since....
jabark82 writes:
The time is now! Get rid of Fulmer. Shake the program up and get someone in here who wants to play for the Orange and White!
Check out my website for in-depth opinions and analysis. www.sidelinesportsreport.com. Site to be fully updated Monday evening.
JohnsonCity_George writes:
herecomethejudge, where are your seats? I'm looking to upgrade....
xvolx writes:
"that wasnt us". this means fulmer had his eyes closed during the first two games, and cant recognize the team he put together. You stabbed majors and ala. in the back and probably sanders too. Its never you.
cdonsbach writes:
I've never been President of the U.S.A but that doesn't mean I am not entitled to criticize the job he is doing.
I understand where you're coming from, these are young men that are hopefully doing the best they can. All I'm saying is that you should understand that people spending thousands of dollars a year on UT football have a right to voice their concerns when they feel they are not getting a fair return on their investment. I know that college kids are not paid but the coaches are paid handsomely and in my experience mediocrity isn't rewarded in any line of work.
cdonsbach writes:
"Who cares if anyone likes or hates Fulmer..."
The donors paying his salary do genius.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
I think we have established a strong identity. At least my Vandy friends think so as they snicker.
We are like a tire shreading as we go along. Bumping and thumping, pieces flying off and the driver says, "Its fixable, don't worry".
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
So what's wrong with those comments? They couldn't have won? Or if our team played up to it's potential it would have won? Yes! Of course dear ole John's pickin' up on the spite and discontent and pouring gas on the fire again. He is the loser. Our team is a winner, win or lose. Go back and think about of the wins our teams have had, and the other teams we beat.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
It's actually hard for a college program to be onthe top in men's basketball, women's basketball, and men's football all at the same time, it's a pride and humility situation . something else has to give. Someone has to rise above the quiet storm to avoid pride, which comes before destruction, humility is formed by our loses.
BigVolOnBoard writes:
Excellent article. Vol fans are lucky that at least one reporter at the KNS sports section calls it as he sees it, without his mini skirt and pom poms.
PennVol writes:
I heard we are 1-8 against Top 10 teams in Neyland since 2000, losing by an avg of 16.6 ppg. We have our top recruits at these games and we're getting blown out, the fans are booing.
It's a downward spiral. I think the half filled stadium at the N.Illinois game after another blowout this weekend at Auburn will start the ball rolling.
leedsvol2007 writes:
I agree Fulmer should go.
Regardless of whether he is retained or dismissed there are problems that need to be addressed immediately.
Penalties: We have got to stop the stupid personal foul & early movement penalties. Foster's penalty on Saturday put us in a big hole. As a team you can accept some blocks in the back and face masks as these are effort penalties in most cases. Personal foul penalties for fighting and shoving are unacceptable it shows a lack of poise and class.
Kicking: Cunningham is not the kicker Colquitt is and therefore we have a problem until Colquitt returns. Obviously the kid is doing his best and he needs to try and improve.
Quarterbacking: Crompton has struggled but I would not give up on him just yet. Do we really believe this coaching staff is so inept that they would not play either Stevens or Coleman if they thought they were ready at this point?
The G gun has looked very good can Gerald Jones throw the ball? The option pass has been a staple of offenses for about 100 years. If Jones can throw he will keep defenses honest. With Crompton struggles in the red zone Jones might be a solution until he sees the field better.
Enthusiasm: While I do not think effort has been a problem I don't like the laid back attitude of this team.
While there have been a lot of negatives you have to like the continued good play of Taylor, Briscoe and Jones. Despite his struggles against UAB Stocker and Warren have played well as has Eric Berry.
The defensive line is not as talented as some groups we have had but is playing hard and has for the most part held its own. We need for our ends to develop to have a chance at winning the games coming up.
Coaching. I thing the coaching has been poor thus far at least in terms of strategy. Against UCLA we should have run more early. Until Crompton begins to read defenses more quickly the game plans need to be built around Foster and Hardesty with the pass used as a change-up.
A number of years ago Auburn boarded a bus with what was supposed not have been a very good team. Shug Jordan came on to that bus looked his squad over and said to them I have a feeling that some of you don't think we can beat Tennessee. Anyone feeling that way get off this bus right now because I don't want you on the sideline. They dominated that day and went on to a great year.
I think Fulmer needs to take the same tact this week.
GoVols!
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