KNOXVILLE -- A lot of things could run through Lane Kiffin's mind this week, as major college football's youngest head coach prepares his Tennessee Volunteers for a Saturday game against Western Kentucky.
More than 100,000 people in person and millions more on television will watch Kiffin's first game as a college head coach. He has publicly maintained a tunnel-vision approach, trying to maintain that this week isn't different than others.
The Times Free Press broached this topic and several others with Kiffin in an exclusive one-on-one interview Monday night.
Continue reading at the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
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Comments » 32
govolsfan#214750 writes:
Prepare for the thunder. Go Vols!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
I can't help but feel we'll be ready to go... the team has worked harder than they've ever had to. I think they'll be ready to start in mid-season form...by the time we reach the Florida game, I think we'll give them the best shot we have.
WytheVol writes:
I don't care what he says. On Saturday...100,000 plus looking over him and expecting HIS team to play great, he'll have some butterflies. Good to get some info on Poole and Lamaison. I am sooo ready for Saturday. Go VOLS!
Bloodrunzorange writes:
Go Vols! Go CLK! Kick WKU's butt!
vol88 writes:
Interesting interview.
But it's "peeking" into the future, Wes.
KennesawVol writes:
I've seen nothing about TV for this game. Who is carrying this game on TV?
iowavol writes:
Over/Unders for Saturday:
45 Points
225 Rushing
200 Passing
+3 T/O Margin
<200 yards - 10 Pts - defense
3 70+ Drives
1 Big Hit by Berry
Waldorf writes:
Under
Under
Under
Under
Under
Under
Over
(Not being negative I just expect a really ugly offensive game with a 21 point win).
Irwin_Linker writes:
45 points - under
225 rushing - over
200 passing - under
3 + TD/m - over
10 points by WKU - under
1 big berry blast - over
gnm53108 writes:
Thank you kns.
Great read.
gnm53108 writes:
Good 3 days and some odd hours away post.
Points...under
Rushing..over
Passing..under
T/O margin..under
Defense..under
Drives...over
Berry...Way over.
iowavol writes:
Love the "big berry blast". I can see the Sonic Commercial now - the dork on the left smacks it out of the whimps hands as he takes a sip and says "go all out or don't go at all".
dvhill100 writes:
The same channel that carried the Jefferson Pilot noon games will probably be the same this year for the ESPN package. In Charleston, it is the same. You should be able to go ESPN and find the channel in their tv listings.
KennesawVol writes:
Thanks for the info.
10volunteers98 writes:
I want to see the Vols come out like they were shot out of a cannon! No more slow starts.No more having to warm up like an old Ford.No more struggling with teams we`re supposed to crush.And I believe that`s exactly what we`re gonna see,folks!This team will look like lightning compaired to past under-prepaired Fulmer teams.GO,VOLS!!!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
I know in Knoxville it's on MyVLT2 (channel 8 on comcast) but I live in Cleveland, TN and have Charter... I'm not sure if I'll get to see it down here.
SavTnVol writes:
Maybe CLK can learn from Pete Carroll and Urban Cryer.....When playing a less able team..Run the score up plumb thru the ozone level.....thats what the pole voters seem to look at.....Prediction: after 2 weeks Top 20, after 3 weeks top 10....Go Vols
SavTnVol writes:
In the words of a great American...No Brag, Just Facts.......Top 10 after week 3
john1998 writes:
"... and millions more on television will watch Kiffin's first game as a college head coach"
That is simply a stupid statement.
A noon kickoff on the SEC Network against Western Kentucky will generate barely as many viewers are there are actual attendees. Maybe fewer. 150,000 viewers at some point in the broadcast, tops.
Just another example of unexplained hyperbole.
Pass the Koolaid...the circus has almost arrived.
the10sevol writes:
bolivarbob-
let's start a write-in campaign to appoint Rucker the "beat writer" for kns. they usually link to his stuff anyway, so let's make it official.
note to coach kiff -
wait 'til saturday when the Pride of the Southland splits the T and 100,000+ roar the Big Orange engine to life (think saturday night race in bristol). may not give you butterflies, but it's gonna make the hair on your scalp stand up, guaranteed. welcome to Neyland, coach.
GBO
iowavol writes:
Hey John, where do you get your data? I'm guessing 150,000 will be watching TV in Knoxville alone, not to mention the rest of the state of Tennessee and the entire state of Kentucky. And what about the college football enthusiasts who want to watch the best game out there (that may be a stretch but we are up agains Army and Navy). Don't forget the Kiffin haters in Florida, Alabama and California and the rest of the SEC fans who will want to see what he really can do. Heck, I'm up to a couple of million in 2 sentences. 150,000? Really? That few?
gnm53108 writes:
Yeh,I dont care where they got it from,I'm just thanken them for posting em here.
Go VOLS!
SHAWVOL writes:
It is time i cant wait to see the VOLS return to a top tier team i will be there saturday morning bright and early with plenty of red bull running through my viens its going a great day as we smash western ky i am sure espn will find something bad to say about us even if we beat them by 100 and if eric berry intercepts 10 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns he still want get any heisman respect either
757vol_fanatic writes:
nerves don't always equate to winning. when you think of where the coach comes from, USC and the NFL (even if it was the Raiders) i'm sure he's had his fair share of nerve racking moments. When you're opening up with a team you trust and know you can compete with anybody why be nervous? i'm not and i don't think he should be either
so yeah i'll take him as my coach, you keep urban and watch the SEC slowly change over the next 2 seasons.
tmartin writes:
I dont care how "focused" he thinks he is. When the T opens and 107,000 erupt, he will feel the jitters. No man on earth wouldn't. Don't care where he has been, he's never experienced something like that. He might wet himself.
tnvolfan30 writes:
I highly doubt the "talking will soon be over." I know some Gator fans, and they NEVER stop talking, so stop lying to us and yourself. And no, he hasn't called you guys out "all offseason." Let's not stretch it. Just calm down and get ready for another Sub Division team this weekend. (What a Uber D-Bag!)
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Yes he is. Don't know the time, though.
blitzshoot writes:
IT's TIME!
BlueTickLady writes:
ESPN SEC Regional coverage, the old JP / Raycom channel.
But I would guess that most every local watering hole in the South will have it on at least one screen. And it will be 5:00 somewhere.
So support the local economy where you live. Pop a top off a frosty Orange beverage of your choice and enjoy. Doldrums are officially over :)
Go Vols!
Puwaha writes:
In the Chattanooga area it will be on WDSI-DT Fox 61.
sitinhere writes:
under
over
under
under
under
under
over + NCAA record
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I know what you mean about CLK's self-proclaimed lack of nerves going into his first college football game EVER as head coach. It does seem unnatural, but maybe it's not as crazy as it sounds.
For one thing, he HAS been around a big-time football environment all his life. For another, if he is indeed working as long and hard as everyone says, he may literally not have had or taken the time to look that far into the future. I know in the past when I have faced some big, complicated, important project, when looked at as a whole, it seems impossible, but once I started DOING something about it, however small and inconsequential, it didn't seem so hard and I didn't feel as overwhelmed by the immensity of it. Finally, CLK has gotten himself and the staff acquainted with the UT football traditions and atmosphere in small, anticipatory doses all along.
Now, I agree that if he doesn't feel a little shiver the first time he leads the team through the T on his first football Saturday, or the first time he experiences a difficult game situation, that WOULD be weird, but he just doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would be paralyzed by shock or self-doubt, no matter what football-related situation he finds himself in. "I could be wrong, now; but I don't think so", with a nod to Randy Newman's theme for the "Monk" TV show(;-D)!
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