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Crompton on turning around UT offense
Auburn Tigers
Championships are clinched in November. But often times, they’re lost long before then.
While it’s only September, Tennessee finds itself needing an SEC win in a bad way. A 30-6 loss to fourth-ranked Florida last weekend dropped the Vols to 1-2 for the second year in a row. They’re starting 0-1 in the SEC for the fourth straight year.
The Vols are in desperate need of a conference victory Saturday against No. 15 Auburn.
“We have to win,” wide receiver Gerald Jones said. “We have to win every game. That’s my frame of mind. This is a must-win game. This is a big game right here.”
But it’s not just big for the Vols.
As much as Tennessee (1-2, 0-1 SEC) needs a victory to hold on to any hope for a second straight trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game, Auburn (3-1, 1-1) needs a victory to stay close in the SEC West after losing to No. 5 LSU last week.
It’s a pretty daunting challenge for the Vols.
Tennessee needs its struggling offense to have its best day of the year against an Auburn defense ranked 10th in the nation in points allowed (10.3 per game) and 19th against the run (84.3 yards per game).
And they’ll have to do it in Jordan-Hare Stadium, one of the SEC’s loudest venues.
Quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who ranks 13th in the SEC in passing efficiency, has started only one other SEC road game in his career, a 31-14 loss at Arkansas in 2006.
“It’s been so long ago, I really don’t know what to take from it,” Crompton said. “It’s been two years. No matter what, it’s SEC football and it’s going to be hostile no matter what. Just play ball.”
Just playing ball, though, has been difficult at times for the Vols.
This week, UT coach Phillip Fulmer spent much of his Tuesday press conference fielding questions about fan discontent and promising to turn things around.
Several players spoke up in defense of Fulmer and UT’s coaching staff, which has taken increasing heat from fans after another lackluster start.
“Everybody’s passionate about their football as we are too. It’s frustrating because we know it’s not us,” defensive end Wes Brown said. “We haven’t played to our potential. You know we have talent. You know we have guys that can make plays. We know what kind of team we can be, and we haven’t shown it yet.
“We haven’t put four quarters of solid football together yet. It is frustrating, but I know that we have it inside of us to get it done.”
Saturday would be a great time to start.
Auburn has struggled under first-year offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, whose spread offense has sputtered at times, including a 3-2 win over Mississippi State in which the Tigers had 315 yards of total offense and three fumbles.
Tennessee can certainly relate to Auburn’s struggles on offense.
Despite its ability to move the ball at times, Tennessee has struggled with inopportune turnovers – like a pair of turnovers inside the 5-yard line last week – and drive-stopping penalties that have cost Tennessee points.
“It’s ridiculous,” Jones said. “We have a 15-play drive, an 11-play drive and a 13-play drive against Florida, a top-five team, moving it 60, 70 yards and we shoot ourselves in the foot inside the 5. We know what we’re capable of doing, but we’re tired of saying what we know we are capable of doing. We just want to do it.”
If the Vols can do it today, there’s still time to turn things around. Northern Illinois comes to Knoxville next week for a breather before the Vols jump back into conference play against Georgia, Mississippi State and then Alabama.
A few more slip ups, though, and the Vols run the risk of going back down a path that wide receiver Josh Briscoe and the other UT seniors have been down once before in 2005, when Tennessee finished 5-6.
Briscoe, for one, wants the turnaround to start now.
“We’re a better team than that,” Briscoe said. “This group of seniors, that’s going to be the last group of players that was here that went 5-6. We’re ready to get this thing turned around. That was a sour feeling all year that we don’t want to have to go through again.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 465
tulelakevol writes:
first
SeanJean writes:
Who cares.
tulelakevol writes:
Why do we have to wait until we are down,1 and 2 on the season, to start talking about playing four full quarters of football? Why does our football team suck? Why can't we beat Florida? I know, don't ask the hard questions.
cterblan writes:
You can't say UT doesn't try...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mult...
tulelakevol writes:
That answers my question about why our football team sucks. The center is too concerned with the opposing teams shoelaces than BLOCKING!!
gohawks1 writes:
From the article - "Quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who ranks 13th in the SEC in passing efficiency....."
Dang, it's even worse than I thought. There are only 12 teams in the SEC.
invisiblekid writes:
Caught that the other day, both QB's at LSU are ranked higher at this point.
BigVolOnBoard writes:
OK, going out on a wing here -
UT 24
AU 21
burpee_von_rotweiler_IV writes:
Wes brown says: "You know we have talent. You know we have guys that can make plays. We know what kind of team we can be...." I would add you have the best facilities--the best of everything--so what's the problem? The Lady Vol basketball team has the best of everything too and how are they able to come up with national championships? Hint: When Pat's ladies mess up, they get that steely-eyed stare instead of a clap clap we'll get next time attaboy! When the ladies mess up again, she flies down off her perch, grabs them in her iron talons and chews their heart out. They don't make a third mistake.
luckymacy#423360 writes:
Holy cow, another quoted 'this isn't us' from a player article. How original and in depth. Must be a real slow news day. Why doesn't someone interview the AD and ask him some tough questions we'd all love to ask him and if he refused to meet with reporters then meet with his boss and write a story on that. Let's see a story detailing the full contractual obligations to CPF with respect to terminating him and his staff. Let's interview some state legislatures who'd have to maybe OK his termination and get their spin... Just like our football team, the 'reporting' here is just way too predictable and needs to get a lot better. ;-)
gohawks1 writes:
ikid (4:29) - yeah, it's really bad when your team's QB ranks further down the list in passing efficiency than all other 11 SEC QBs plus a second stringer.
TommyJack writes:
IP: Where you been man?
beavbullvol writes:
Forecast for Hell:
Especially hot, dry, and absolutely no chance of frozen precipitation.
Auburn 21
Tennessee 3
VolsRoadRash98 writes:
Agree 100% sbcheek!
pax_americana writes:
A wing, more like the ledge of a mountain, with rocks crumbling beneath your feet.
AU - 35
UT - 10
This coaching staff has no idea how to get the ball to its playmakers, has no innovation, and refuses to remove Arian sideline-to-sideline Foster from the lineup. Oh yeah, and Crompton is awful.
Therefore, Big Vol, how do you think UT is going to score more than 10 points on offense?
I think irrational exuberance aptly describes your projected score.
Perhaps we can at least agree on this: After Phil loses by 3 or more touchdowns on Saturday and gets woefully outcoached, tickets to the UT-NIU game will be 5 bucks each and the attendance for that game will be about 50,000.
gohawks1 writes:
TJ - been checking in regularly; just too depressed for a while to comment on Fulmer's follies. I was so fired up before the season began, and had high hopes for the season. But alas, here we go yet again. To quote Fulmer himself from a recent article on GVX: "It's all c r a p".
beavbullvol writes:
I just want to see Crompton try to run over one the DBs at Auburn the way he did against Haden from Florida. That was priceless. No wonder he says such stupid things after games when he takes a whack like that!!!
chrisw2967 writes:
Aub-28
Tn- 7 and thats if Fulmer doesnt try to go for 2 and then it will be 28-6
Volgrad says take tn and the points cause fulmer has only lost 2 times after a fla lost.
Lofton4Three writes:
It appears that Gerald Jones has become the voice of the vols.
uahvol75 writes:
yall my three roomates are die hard alabama fans but one of em told me a joke that i thought was funny, even tho it was on UT..He said, "Hey did you hear that Phillip Fulmer is leaving!?! Yeah FEMA hired him b/c he can evacuate 100,000 people in 15 minutes..
anyway go vols beat auburn
beavbullvol writes:
then let him play QB!!! Free Gerald Jones! Free Gerald Jones! Free Gerald Jones!
oldbasshead writes:
Is UT on the decline or not? I went to the Utsports.com site and found these satistics. From 2001 - 2007 UT has played a total of 36 games against Fl, Ga, Ala, LSU, Aub, Miami, and bowl game opponents. UT won 16 of those games and lost 20. UT has a losing record against these teams. If it weren't for wins against Vandy, Ky, Arkansas, Miss, Miss St and weak, out of conference teams, UT would not have a winning record over all since 2001.
tnbanker_govols writes:
Too bad it wasn't that simple against UCLA and Florida!!
BigVolinCarolina writes:
I sure hope we win. I'm certainly gonna pull for us.
I've got a big feeling that, after this game, tix to UT home games will be easy to come by. If we lose to Auburn, I'd be willing to be that we'll be doing good to get 75,000 into Neyland.
GoVols!
MusicCityVol writes:
The Tennessee coaching job is Fool's Gold. It looks great because of the dollars and facilities but its a tough place to win football games. I'm sure that if Fulmer were terminated or left his position we would have candidates lined up from here to the Pacific ready to take his job. The problem is Tennessee has the worst ratio of fan base to recruiting base in the country. No one cares more than our fans and no state in the SEC with the exeption of Kentucky has less home grown talent. Sure the UT job would have a great payday and great facilities but so does every other SEC job and every other SEC school has an easier time recruiting in their backyard (exception again of UK and Vandy). In the 113 years of the Tennessee program the Vols have always been a regional power until Fulmer took us to the next level. Now, as others have posted, he will be a victim of his own success. He raised the bar higher than is realistic for Tennessee. Regardless of who is the coach its NEVER going to be as good as the late 90's. We have to deal with that and be realistic. Go VOLS, Beat Auburn!
dvols writes:
what you do is tie the shoes together!
mattlock writes:
we need one of those motivational posters for the UT team. . .we can put Fuler's pic on there with his hat over his face from the Florida game. . .is anyone handy with photoshop:
Just Win: Sounds easy, but really not so much. . .
jwright13#576991 writes:
it's called NATIONAL RECRUITING...MORON
gohawks1 writes:
tngeoff - thanks, bro.
By the way, is it just me, or is anyone else displeased with the new GVX format? I find it much harder to follow the thread of comments now. Maybe that was their intention all along.
GreeneVol writes:
I doubt McNeil will feel too bad about that SI pic, especially considering the probability that dirty play was sent his way by the Gators. Hey let's face it - everybody's gonna take their shots at the Vols right now. So if you're ashamed of that pic, get over it and continue to support these guys. Our guys. Hang in there Volunteers!
hubbardcove writes:
I don't agree with your resignation for UT to be less than a national power.
If we do that, we will see how little statehood has to do with elite players wanting to play for elite teams.
Recruiting is national for everyone who is working for a national championship.
cdonsbach writes:
GO VOLS!
Beat the War Beagles!
Wilhelm16 writes:
i am sick and tired of hearing that there is no home grown talent in tn. The talent is there it's just that no one cares because Tennessee isn't as "sexy" as Florida or Cali but if they cared to tread off the beaten path they would find talent where you least expect it. Perfect example Core Brewer went to Portlan High, now playing in the NBA. There are players like this in many small towns and in every sport. And don't try the whole we don't have as many people line bottom line what phil needs is some guys who grew up watching the vols who bleed orange and who have a strong childhood emotional connection to our team. Tonight Brentwood Academy is gonna be down here in Alabama where i am stationed for the time being to play against Prattville high, hoping to talk my wife into going and also hoping that BA smacks them in the mouth TN style.
Orange4life writes:
Really never seems to amaze me more, so called fans of UT or fans of Ut bashing sounding more stupid everyday. How bout this just cash in all the rest of the remaining games. Fire the whole staff, and let the freshmen and sophmores play the rest of the way. Get behind our football team and cheer them on, they need us!
Go Vols, listen to no one and do your thang!
LasVegasVol writes:
I'd pee on a sparkplug if I thought it would help.
This doesn't exactly fit the theme. But just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone I met last weekend. Had a great time back in Big Orange country. Lot's of fun chatter with the folks in section C. My wife treated me to an early b'day trip and except for the pitiful performance on the field, we had an awesome time. Thanks to the folks we met tailgating and mooched a few beers from. We sure do appreciate it. I'd sit another 2 1/2 hours on I-40 after that wreck like we had to do last Friday driving in from Nashville if it meant I'd end up in Neyland watching the Vols. Good or bad, gotta try to keep the faith. Go Vols! Beat Auburn!
GreeneVol writes:
Re Crompton level of play question: Contrary to what everyone thinks, this is a rebuilding year for the offense. New coordinator, new starter at QB. Because of this circumstance, I say the jury's still out on this battery.
TommyJack writes:
Exactly: The great shoestring caper was funny as hell. No dirty play, no nada. To try to make something else out of it is supremely stupid.
gohawks1 writes:
hubbardcove (5:13 p.m.) - agreed. Even those teams with fertile recruiting grounds must recruit nationally to compete, especially in the SEC.
cgreer#227330 (5:09 p.m.) - I also pull for a big orange victory in every game. Things aren't looking too rosy right now, though.
budd#207344 writes:
Please know what you are talking about before you say things like we were a regional power until Fulmer. We were always in the top ten all time winning programs. That's before Fulmer. We still are but further down based on his performance from 2001.
And no we do not have to be like this. That's a loser's view
MusicCityVol writes:
I certainly agree that recruiting is a national endeavor. And nationally we do as good a job as anyone of pulling in out of state talent. We have to in order to stay competitive. Having said that, my point remains. UGA, UF, LSU, Bama, Arkansas, Texas, USC, Penn St., Ohio St., Florida St., Miami, Oklahoma, and others all have huge advantages over Phil or any Vol Coach. We have always and will continue to have a tough time competing when they have equal facilities, similiar budgets, and significantly better in-state talent. We were always a regional power that Phil turned into a national contender. I guess I say all that to say, whoever we get to replace him will have many of the same challenges. We are who we are. We will have 8 and 9 win seasons sprinkled in with a few 10 and 11 win years w/ conference championships over the course of any decade. That's who we have always been. I can't imagine that changing if we got Lombardi to coach from the grave.
MusicCityVol writes:
I agree that Tennessee has become an excellent basketball recruiting state.
hubbardcove writes:
While I have not read every post on this board, yours is the first I have read that suggests we "Fire the whole staff, and let the freshmen and sophmores play the rest of the way."
We need our team to be ready when the season starts, when the game starts, when the 3rd Qtr starts. The mental mistakes, the poor clock management, the questionable offensive calls are the responsibility of the coaches.
I am not calling for the coaches to be fired. I am critical of their performance thus far.
It is easier to understand when you don't live in the extreems.
gohawks1 writes:
Orange4life (5:18 p.m.) - sophomores.....
VolnFlorida (5:21 p.m.) - exactly. Want a good laugh? Try typing in the word c r a p (without the spaces) and see what happens. That's just wrong.
bcm4ut writes:
We hear this same speech from fulmer and his players EVERY YEAR. If phil's around we'll hear it again this time next year, and probably next week too. It will be interesting the hear what the excuse will be though.
Auburn-24
Tenn-3
MusicCityVol writes:
I agree we are in a down cycle. College football is cyclical. Look at FSU, Nebraska, and Miami currently. Look at USC, LSU and Georgia in the 90's. Look at Tennessee in the 80's. It goes up and down. We are in a down cycle. Firing Fulmer may make things better short term but we will back in 8 and 9 win territory before long. I know I sound like a downer but my point is that the expectations of Phil are unrealistic.
hubbardcove writes:
My point is that we should not lower our expections to be less competetive than UGA, UF, LSU, Bama, Arkansas, Texas, USC, Penn St., Ohio St., Florida St., Miami, Oklahoma, ect.
Every team has it's challenges to recruit the elite players.
budd#207344 writes:
The expectations of Fulmer are not unrealistic. He and coaches before him at UT have set the expectations. Fans follow the program because of those expectations. We have one of the best physical plants for football in the nation. We are third in the country in people in the NFL. That and winning will get recruits just as it always has. Settling for less than the best gets you Vanderbilt football
MusicCityVol writes:
I don't think our opinions of the program are as different as it may appear. I agree that the coaches and players have to expect and believe that we can compete at the highest levels. I think we as fans should place realistic expectations on the staff. We are all frustrated with the season thus far. QB play has been poor and coaches have made mistakes. I just don't want the Vol Nation to run off the most successful coach of any of our lifetimes and then be disappointed when the grass isn't greener.
rep88 writes:
get this boys from what i have been told from friends of alot of the football players they dont even care. None of the ones that she hangs around even care that they are 1-2. That makes me more pissed off then us sucking does. But to my prediction i say 24-0 Auburn. This is the worst tn football team since mid 80's and i dont see that changing
hubbardcove writes:
I understand your point to be the grass is not always greener . . .
I am not calling for anyone's job, just better performance in the job they have.
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