1. The Full Monte: Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin drew up effective game plans for Florida and Georgia. He'll have to be at the top of his craft again. If Alabama runs the ball at will, UT will stay on its heels all day.
2. Confidence Man: UT's big win over Georgia two weeks ago buoyed everyone's confidence but none more so than Jonathan Crompton. Alabama's defense can deflate a quarterback in a hurry. Ask Ryan Mallett or Jevan Snead. The Vols have to find ways for Crompton to experience some level of success. Good luck.
3. Cody vs. Cody: Tennessee center Cody Sullins weighs 260, light by SEC offensive line standards. The guy in his face, Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody, weighs 354, big by any standards this side of sumo wrestling. On paper, at least, it's the definition of a mismatch.
4. Beware the Kickoff: It's about time Tennessee figured out this kickoff coverage deal. Four games in a row the Vols have given up the big return. And don't sleep on receiving end - Alabama opened the 2007 game by recovering an onsides kick.
5. Hero Alert: A decided underdog, Tennessee needs someone to make a special play at a special time in the game. Make that play in an Alabama game and you're a hero for life. Channel Dale Jones. Or Johnny Butler.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
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Comments » 93
volguy#211935 writes:
Somebody, please, pull off a Dale Jones-type play! Even if I am drooling down my chin one day and I don't know my own name, I will remember that play!
BEAT bammer!
GO VOLS!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
1.) Run Blitz... bring a controlled blitz, with a linebacker or two on a delay. we need to get the pressure on McElroy without leaving ourselves vulnerable to draw plays.
2.) Make them chase us. It usually is more desirable to run more of a north-south pattern in the running game, but we need to get outside for this one, and wear Alabama down by making them run.
3.) Protect Crompton- the 3-4 defense makes blitz pickup very difficult. The backs will need to cut down the linebackers when they come through.
4. Get off the field quickly on defense- Mark Ingram gets better as the game goes on, simply because the defenses get tired. If we can preserve ourselves early, we can weather the storm late.
5. If at all possible, get off to a quick start. Alabama is a tough team to score on but if we can a quick two touchdown lead, it only helps us by making it harder for Alabama to grind it out with Mark Ingram.
VolTex writes:
At the start of the year the only two games I didn't think the Vols could win where Gators and Bama. I'm standing behind that. It sure would make for a great day if they could pull this one off. I fear we see the bad side of Crompton again which might have more to do with Bama D then Crompton. Anyway. Go Vols !!
sidwalkvol writes:
Not saying Big Orange will prevail, but would not be too surprised, either. May God grant the bammers to have Orange nightmares and curse how we ruined their hope for a NC!
(Not really praying for a win; just offering a hoped-for benediction.)
VolunteerLifer writes:
Hre are the keys that I see:
I think Kiffin will come out throwing the ball to try to open up the run. Bama's defense appears geared to stop the run first, and if we can establish the pass first, it will open up the running game. So, the key is: Can Crompton establish the pass as a threat? If he does, then we can run, if he doesn't then we might not be able to run the ball.
I would think we'll have to rotate as many DL's and LB's as we dare to keep them from getting gassed against bama's running game. So can a rotating front seven keep bama from running effectively? I'm not worried about their passing game, as it doesn't appear to be explosive, and we have a good secondary and EB.
on ST's, we just need to play good and solid on coverage, and don't give up turn-overs in the kicking game. we don't have to be thinking of breaking one and fumble the ball cause we're trying too hard to break one.
dirty_don writes:
The Bear is a nerd.
jmr68ut writes:
This is a tough row to hoe; maybe too tough. Just hope we don't get embarrassed with mistakes!!! GO VOLS!!!
Volomatic writes:
What ever happened to the sky high kickoff we used to do. Let them call a fair catch at the 20 or 25
If crompton can come out on fire we may be able to pull the upset. Just watch out for the corner blitz on the roll out or may see stephens trying to win it for us.
West_TN_VOL77 writes:
6. What would really be funny is if we do slip and beat bama (which you think will take a complete miracle), Is not having to worry about your posting on hear for a few days after the game...lol...now that's funny...maybe even funnier than big cody eating little cody....da
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
hero for life in the alabama game...you left out a big one....first play from scrimage .....peyton to joey kent on a slant route for a touchdown...with john ward echoing ...give him six.....!!!!!
RunningWithTheVols writes:
Johnny Butler? Doesn't he mean Johnny Jones ala '84?
UTfan4life2 writes:
We have more freakin articles on Bama than we do on our Vols.
Hardrocknox writes:
Quote from Bear Bryant " You have never played against a real man , Until you have played against the Men from Tennessee. "
dirty_don writes:
1. Monte is not only Lane's Daddy, He is about to be Nick Saban's daddy.
2. Your right you are not GA your GAY.
3. Too easy. insert your own joke.
4. What if we never punt.
5. Fumbling and throwing pick 6's is very special.
P.S. The Bear is a Nerd.
gillblog writes:
This isn't a question of 'just make it to the 4th qt and we have a chance'. The Vols MUST stay with Bama the entire game. Ingram..... geeze... he runs over people even when he can't stand up on the sidelines.
VolunteerLifer writes:
Good analysis and you may be right. One reason you may be so good statistically in defending the pass is that when teams just can't run, they turn to try the pass. In other words, it helps if your defense KNOWS the pass is coming. I disagree that Kiffin set up the pass with the run against ga. I saw Tennessee come out throwing and it disrupted the dogs. so we'll see.
I think UT is a team that a ranked team does not want to play right now. We're coming off a bye week, will be well rested, have all our guys healthy, and have a well-rehearsed game plan. We're also coming off of our best offensive game in years, and played our best defense of the year. we're an improving team, and neither you nor Nick Saban know where we are in that process. We could take a step back or another step forward. We're a big unknown on offense and ST's, and you never know what Monte will cook up for you on D. I wouldn't count us out of this game so easily. Good luck to bama, but
GO VOLUNTEERS!!! TAKE IT DOWN THE FIELD!!!!!
utfpmd writes:
Oh, I hope the Bama players are also this overconfident!
bobbarbilly writes:
BAMA is a brand of jelly found on most store shelves in the south. Bought some red plumb while ago, brought it home and dumped it onto a saucer and all it did was quiver...quiver...quiver.
More accurate than tea leaves.
LibertyVolance writes:
I've followed this rivalry since early 60s. No Bama is not Georgia. That's why we plan to beat you. It doesn't matter to us where you're ranked or where it's played or how good you believe your defense is. We could care less. Looking forward to this game tomorrow with more excitement than any game this year. Go Big Orange.
monsterman writes:
Alabama is ripe for the picking.
Their heads are probably swelled so big after being number 1 and everybody telling them they are the greatest thing since sliced bread that they had to go through a case of WD-40 just to get their helmets on.
I sure hope that is the case. Stranger things have happened.
I believe. Go Vols!
sizeDD writes:
Nice quote.
Kevinyaheard writes:
Is it just me or does Mark Ingram remind me of Travis Henry??
PennVol writes:
How 'bout the team that scores the most points will win b/c strange things can overcome mistakes (like the officiating crew at Fla/Ark).
TommyJack writes:
Is it me, or does bammer987 sound EXACTLY like gatorZZMV? Hmmmm?
sizeDD writes:
I was thinking Beavis or Butthead
murrayvol writes:
No, he means Johnny Butler who took a roundabout 56 yard route to a td in a 21-0 win over Bama in 1939. Probably covered about 90 yards total.
GahLee writes:
You have got to be realistic.
Javy won't return one punt for a score, let alone two, secondly your offense isn't that good, shut down the run and you are no better than us.
You will be surprised at well Cody will play for us.
You are indeed better than Georgia but who cares.
We don't have to hold you down for four quarters, just make enough pays when we have to.
Look for Eric Berry and Janzen Jackson to have big games in the secondary, Julio will not be a factor, which is nothing new, he has done nothing to this point.
murrayvol writes:
Could it be one of them KNS multiple personality guys?
RollTideJoe writes:
Vol-un-tear, adjective - one weeping from the Vol Nation because the team is mediocre; wants to be like 'Bama, but are not; adopted hick song called Rocky Top; pretenders.
Iron Fact: Most VolunTEARS, although passionate about football time in Tennessee, have themselves wanted to be a Crimson Tider and someone who follows a team with more than two national championships in 100 years.
WytheVol writes:
Good Luck, CT987. I have a feeling McEloy's passer rating will be that or lower tomorrow (98.7)... Once UT figures out how to shut Ingram down, it will be your defense needing the breaks. UT has as good of a defense that Bama has played this year, that and the fact that M. Kiffin has had 2 weeks to prepare for it.. I know you don't see that, I understand. Your glasses are Crimson, mine are Orange. Saban is a hell of a coach and will have the Tide prepared, everyone knows that. But I truly feel you will be extremely concerned going into the final minutes of the game. I'll be here to eat my crow if the Tide spanks us... I just cannot believe it will happen.
Good luck to you guys....
But GO BIG ORANGE!!!!
RollTideJoe writes:
1. Realism for the Tide is to win eighth in a row, not 50% losses.
2. Javy will display one of the top return men in the nation.
3. Cody will have his hands full with Mount Cody.
4. Georgia is a joke this year, so don't put too much stock in that win.
5. Bama's depth will wear the Vols down by halftime.
6. Eric Berry misses lots of tackles. He is nothing more than hype for a Heisman. Julio has been triple teamed all year, but McElroy will spread the ball around until the Vol secondary will have to play man-up and then Julio will show you how good he is.
dirty_don writes:
LawCoVol is from Lawrence County TN as am I, which is in Southern Middle TN right on the Alabama border. It is the windiest part of Tennessee. You know why? Because Alabama sucs.
WytheVol writes:
He can run over some people... But how many kids does Ingram have before we make this comparison?
WytheVol writes:
You're seriosly going there on Eric Berry??? He has missed a few, yeah... But a lot? Come on dude... That Alabama shine has got you awful drunk if you're taking shots at one of the best defensive players in the country.
EB will break the INT record on McElroy on a pick 6 or two. In fact... I predict UT's defense gets at least 3 picks in this game, after we make Ingram a non factor. You won't see UT triple teaming anyone. Your offense will have to earn that respect, thus far it hasn't.
All the talk about Crompton... McElroy hasn't proved anything. He will have to tomorrow for the Tide to win...
volatil writes:
If we were to count like Bama, we would have 12 titles too !
txvolsfan writes:
I think Nu'Keese runs a punt back for a TD because your special teams are also suspect.
I see also some wildcat with Nu'Keese and maybe the G-gun once again.
McElroy is very suspect and I don't think he can beat us, so Monte will make him prove me wrong.
You have more talent but I think we have a fighters chance in this game and it will get interesting.
GO VOLS
TXVOLSFAN
TheAntiSaban writes:
What do Alabama fans and vultures have in common?
They've been trying to live off a dead bear for 25 years.
lraby#227214 writes:
What does a maggot and a Bama fan have in common?
sizeDD writes:
America is obsessed with Kiffin.
On tidesports.com BAMERS were hating on Kiffin for using the copter and one of them asked "why is everyone so obsessed with Lane Kiffin", my response:
People are obsessed with Kiffin because they hear the train coming.
FEAR THE KIFFIN AND GO VOLS!
dirty_don writes:
ok, what?
Down_The_Field writes:
wants to be like bama???
over the last 13 years....
UT - 10 wins 3 losses over alabubba
WytheVol writes:
I agree with all that TVF... I truly believe Monte will go after McElroy hard and heavy. McElroy will lose this game for Bama if in fact they lose it. Monte won't be double-triple teaming Jones, he's going to force McElroy into many bad decisions.... My guess is thats the game plan. We may not get many sacks, but I predict 3 picks off G-Mac, before he learns to fall.
And Ingram... I remember a young lad named Moreno that was introduced to EB not so long ago... Bama fans should hope EB doesn't lay the same smack on Ingram tomorrow. Ingram is a damn fine back and can run some people over. But this time the unstoppable force meets the immovable object... and the force will be stopped....
GO VOLS!!
VolunteerLifer writes:
Eric Berry has 50 tackles in six games while playing part time as a backer and part time as a safety. That means he hasn't missed many tackles. If you are unconvinced of his tackling prowess, I suggest you watch the game on Saturday.
BlueTickLady writes:
CT987. I was in the stands last weekend watching you all play SC. Let me tell you that the BAMA fans sitting around me did not sound nearly as confident as you do now. Nor did the coaches on the post game show, they were talking about how you can’t expect a win based on the color you are wearing.
I saw an opposing team come into your house with a pretty good defense and a bad offense. I expected a good old fashion chicken plucking to ensue, but it did not materialize.
I don’t think there was a single punt or kickoff return that did not get pulled back from either a block in the back or holding penalty. Now I did have more than my share of adult beverages that evening so it is possible that a penalty free return slipped by me, but my how those little yellow flags were flying. Not saying you all won’t return one all the way against us, but based on last week there seems a better than average chance that it will not stand even if you do.
Your QB threw it right to the SC defenders a couple of times. I could see it happening even before the throw was made. It reminded me of some of our passes this year. Not sure if that is typical or not since I don’t keep up with your team that closely. But I am not sure I see a big advantage for you there either, assuming the new and improved Crompton comes to play.
Hardesty was leading the SEC in rushing yards before the bye week which includes the week we played Florida, and Brown was not doing badly either. Not sure you have that much of advantage in the run game either.
Clearly top to bottom you all have the better players this year and should expect to win, but top to bottom FL was more talented than Ole Miss last year. And you all were better top to bottom then Utah.
So maybe some of us VOLS are more hopeful this year. We know that at a minimum this team will not roll over and play dead, will play hard to the final buzzer, and will give their all for TN on Saturday, unlike the last two years. We likely will not be going in scared either – after all what do we have to lose? You never know when some big orange magic will happen. . .
I will say I went into the game last week thinking you all were much better than Florida, and left thinking you were still probably better than Florida. I expect you all to beat them in the SEC championship this year. My hope is that when the one loss team SEC team wins the NC this year that one L shows up next to the TN game.
By the way nice house you all have, I enjoyed the entire day.
volpreacher writes:
Sorry to burst your bubble, but this WILL be a close game. You are saying these things to convince yourself. And McElroy isn't any better than Crompton, that my friend gives me hope. Look for the shocker. Vols win in a close one.
VolunteerLifer writes:
Georgia isn't a world beater, but they are not a joke, by any means. They have some good wins against spurrier and arky, pretty good teams, and they have a razor thin loss to LSU, another good team. I know you want to take away ANYTHING we have accomplished this year, but we're not going to let you get away with it. The win over Georgia was a good one, especially considering how we wiped the field with them, something no one else has done, and a very important one for our program.
madmax1247 writes:
vols 26-24
Tidemachine1 writes:
That is because Bama is the best!
Shake_Bake writes:
1. Stop Ingram and you stop Bama!
2. Don't make stupid mistakes with the football! (TO's)
3. ST play must improve for Tennessee!
4. Crompton - play with confidence, don't panic!
5. Coaches - have a good game plan; maybe a surprise or two!
Go Vols,...no mistakes, play smart, cover the gaps and zones, tackle, come on...you can do it!! GBO!!
lraby#227214 writes:
They can both live off one dead bear for thirty years.
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