Event Details
- What: Tennessee vs South Carolina Gamecocks
- When: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, 7:45 p.m.
- Where: Neyland Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
South Carolina State Book
Another week for Tennessee has meant another week of fixing special-teams problems.
The Vols hope to get through Saturday's game with South Carolina without making any terrible gaffes in the kicking game - for a change.
Kickoff coverage wasn't a disaster against Alabama, but the Tide still managed a 30-yard return to its 45 to set up a short drive for a field goal.
The killer breakdown was the inability to protect on field-goal attempts. Two were blocked.
"We're not very good on special teams ... and it's killing us,'' said head coach Lane Kiffin.
Look for defensive tackles Montori Hughes and Dan Williams to beef up the line in hopes of preventing penetration on field-goal attempts.
Long range, Kiffin said shrewd recruiting evaluation is the answer.
"We've got to continue to recruit great players and great depth,'' he said. "If you start missing on five or six guys every year, with four classes that's 20 to 24 guys you can't play at this level.
"Special teams will always have to do with the bottom of your recruiting class, so you've got to be recruiting really good players and not missing on guys.''
At least three walk-ons have been playing on UT's kickoff units.
Berry Appreciated: As it's turned out, Eric Berry's Heisman Trophy campaign might not have been so unrealistic after all. None of the favorites - all quarterbacks - has made an iron-clad case yet, leaving the door open to a defensive player getting in the discussion.
"If we were taking care of business and winning more games and the ball bounced to him a couple more times,'' Kiffin said. "It doesn't seem like there's a front-runner or anybody with big-time stats running away with it.
"So if there was a year, this would have been it.''
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is a Berry fan. This time last season Berry was on a highlight-reel binge. He had a 45-yard interception return against the Gamecocks.
"It took about two minutes to run him down on that pick he had,'' Spurrier said.
Everyone knows about Berry's phenomenal interception-return ability, but he's pretty nimble with a fumble, too.
He has 101 yards on three career fumble returns, an average of 33.6.
Spurrier Near Milestone: Spurrier is one SEC win shy of tying Johnny Vaught of Ole Miss (106) for second on the all-time league chart. Paul "Bear" Bryant had 159.
Of Spurrier's 105 SEC wins, 87 came at Florida and 18 at South Carolina.
Monte Vs. Spurrier: As Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin split two games against Spurrier during his two seasons as head coach of the Washington Redskins. But Kiffin got the one that counted, a 35-13 victory in 2003 in which the Redskins were sacked six times and threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.
Spurrier dominated a 2002 preseason game, 40-14. That's the one Kiffin recalls.
"He came out no-huddle,'' Kiffin said this week. "It's preseason, what are you going no-huddle for in preseason?
"You know what a good guy he is, though? Honest to gosh, he told one our equipment managers ... he went out before warmups and Steve told him, 'Tell Monte I'm going no-huddle to start the game.'
"So I think he's just trying to throw us off. He went no-huddle. It's preseason, but that's the kind of guy he is. He's a good guy - but I hope he loses.''
Rocky Road to Rocky Top: The rockslide that closed I-40 earlier this week was well-timed for UT fans who are glad this isn't their year to go to Columbia.
That makes it a headache for South Carolina fans trying to get to Knoxville. Wonder if that was a factor in South Carolina returning about 3,500 tickets.
Extra Points: Tonight matches the youngest teams in the SEC. South Carolina has 15 true or redshirt freshmen on the two-deep depth chart, Tennessee 14. ... The Gamecocks have never beaten UT in consecutive years. They won 27-6 last year in Columbia. ... UT tight end Luke Stocker has already matched his 2008 total of 13 receptions. ... The Gamecocks are 4-1 this year in games decided by a touchdown or less; UT is 0-3. ... South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood has made mid-season All-America in several publications, including The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated.
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 33
dvols writes:
yes they do..... win the kicking game!
CrankE writes:
True. Special Teams play is costing us wins right now.
Another perspective: If our offense were breaking the plane more often, then this wouldn't be an issue. How many opportunities has UT had inside the 20 that should have been TDs, but were turned into FG attempts?
More TDs please. GO VOLS!!!
SmokeyHound writes:
lets get eric berry in this game - he really needs an interception... get him an interception..i want him to. put him in zone, and man him on alshon and blitz him. just do everything u can with him. just GET BERRY THE BALL!
andy112382#209793 writes:
Stupid rock slide doesn't make it easier for me coming up to the game from Augusta, GA! Oooh well, through Atlanta I go!
GO VOLS!!!
cloudodust writes:
Cunningham replaces Line-Drive Lincoln.
the10sevol writes:
"South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood has made mid-season All-America in several publications, including The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated."
er-ic ber-ry ! er-ic ber-ry !
is there, seriously, any sports publication, columnist, or news service that doesn't have eb 1st team A-A? (exclude the blogger trash).
does norwood play special teams, too?
GBO
Sovol writes:
The boy from Ala. doesn't deserve a lot of credit for blocking the field goals. They hit him in the chest.
TENECSTUD writes:
HOW MANY GAME'S DID SHE COACH?
UTsloV writes:
Yes,Norwood plays on SC special teams.
ctownvol writes:
We're going to wear black jerseys....
tennezz writes:
She`s senile, Whats your excuse?
rockytopatl writes:
I don't want to bash the guy, but if he never TOLD Kiffin the quad was bothering him, as has been reported, he deserves some criticism. Coach K had plenty of time to work it closer and get him an easier kick.
crimsonviper writes:
If your dear old grandma had given your dad a dime for a condom we would not have to put up with you.....word
ctownvol writes:
July 21,2009. Now the person who informed me of this might be wrong, but that is the info I received on October 30,2009. Lots of things can and do change in 90 days. I guess we'll see tomorrow around 7:45. It's not my first choice either, but if they win I won't mind.
ctownvol writes:
What's up D? Is it just me or do you find it amuzing someone actually signed off with "Word"? How's things up around Summerville?
ctownvol writes:
Ooops. AmAzing.
crimsonviper writes:
He's into the rap i guess.He dosen't know football so he just crashes threads.
Everything is good here.
Quiet in dawg land?
ctownvol writes:
Surprisingly and amazingly quiet. I love it. On a clear night my neighbors can hear my stereo belting out Rocky Top for at least 2 or 3 miles.
nc14 writes:
Berry is special, enjoy him while he's here.
nc14 writes:
Special teams? I thought it was the refs, and Spurrier and the headsets... My goodness, pick one son. It can't be all these reasons. At some point you must look inward. Oops, accountability might be over your head Kif.
the10sevol writes:
.sknaht
OBG
wayoutwill writes:
It's right back to those all important "maxims" that the General came up with and as old and "uncool" or "unmodern" as they may be,it should still be something that every Vol player should know by heart.I guess that "Kiff" doesn't require that his players recite them and put as much importance on them as Coach Johnny(Riverboat Gambler) Majors and Fat Phil did.I would guess that IF the same importance was placed on them as the General thought should be placed on them that our special teams play would be ahead of it's current pace.A great defense and a great kicking game will win more games than any modern day offense will ever win.I also like the idea of having special team players made up from non-starters except for a few possible exceptions,mostly in the return man.We got to get this game this week-end to have a decent season,Spurless Steve will throw everything and the kitchen sink at us!
steamboatticket#484773 writes:
test, testing, 1,2,3...this is a test
sig4ever writes:
The good 'ol General's Maxims once again --
The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.
wayoutwill writes:
Thank you very much sig4ever,that is the best post I've seen in a long time and I'm gonna belive that you are a member of the Vol Football team and that the current Vol Coaching staff stresses the importance of these maxims even today.Hopefully you guys will win out the rest of the season by following them(maxims)!Again,let me say thank you for posting them,they are the lifeblood of our football program!
VolAlum2003 (Inactive) writes:
I AGREE. Those ridiculous "modern day offenses" with all of their stupid "passing" and "running" and "blocking" will never catch on.
You mark my words, they'll go the way of the horseless carriage by George! Why, when I was your age we didn't do nothin' but kick the ball, run it back, and memorize our maxims...AND BY GOLLY, WE LIKED IT!
These kids today and their Foot-Ball... when I was a youngin' we didn't have no stinkin foot-ball, we used a live hog! All day long we'd kick that hog and run it back! And back then we didn't get Touch-Downs or points...we played for the privilege to drink Cod liver oil...straight from the Cod. BY GOD IT BUILT CHARACTER!!
kb7398#233189 writes:
Fulmer is not responsible...
Down_The_Field writes:
special team is "killing us." my very words over and over on this site since after the flar-duh game.
this won't be fixed this year. it's gone on too long.
i am confident that this staff will address it over the off season and we'll see a difference next year. i think CLK works better when he's pi$$ed off and he's pi$$ed off.
GO BIG ORANGE!!
volsfannsc writes:
Actually, TN is second in the SEC in production inside the red zone...it's just that we don't get in the red zone as often as we should.
TheFuj writes:
This is not rocket science, but with Berry being one of the best with a fumble or interception return, maybe we should think about him returning kicks and punts. Just think about it. It just may win you a game.
layoffthevolteam writes:
We are missiing the boat from the river..
This is theway it will play out...
In the pros the most valuable person is the
kicker and the special "T"s
In thepros if you miss first some easy shots or
if you miss a goal that means disater you are gone. Look @ the turn over in the NFl.
Coach Kiffin( kiff,biff) I wonder how many men
who might have the privilebe to meet with the
coach call the Coach some of their pet names... This man is sharp, cuthim some slack
or get with Hamilton and you two can be a 2man
search team.. This is the greatest assembly of
coaches ever.
One way you can tell is the talking heads on these games reviews never mention Coach O Monte
lb coach, qb coach and so forth. There is a special
time coming sit back and be thankful unless
you from ala. if you are you can hearing the drums of the Pride of the Southland playing
its blowing in the wind.............
secsecsec writes:
I may not have understood CLK's following quote correctly: "Special teams will always have to do with the bottom of your recruiting class, so you've got to be recruiting really good players and not missing on guys." But, if what he is saying is that his lower recruited quys- the non-starters- are the players on the special teams- then that might be the issue. Both Meyer at Florida and Saban at Alabama put their best players- their 4 and 5 star players on the special teams. Meyer even rewards the players on the special teams with better meals for making the special teams- as a result- they have guys really trying to get to play on the special teams as it is a sign of honor on their team. From my point of view you also run the risk of losing a top recruit on special teams. But you might also win some close games.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
yeah, if someone may have an opinion different than your own they should be fired----------maybe you should be fired too, hater --------if someone is too obnoxious to listen to then change the dial
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