Tennessee Stat Book
Bowl games were once taken for granted at Tennessee. In fact, they were so common, anything short of a New Year's Day bowl was practically an insult.
From 1989 through 2004, the Vols ended 16 consecutive seasons in a bowl. Nine of those bowls were played on Jan. 1 and three others - including one for the national championship - were at least as prestigious.
Prestige no longer matters. Neither does the date. Any bowl will do.
It's not so much about the extra game. It's about the extra practices.
All season long, first-year coach Derek Dooley has been stressing improvement for a young, inexperienced team. What better way to improve than to keep practicing through December? It's akin to having two springs worth of practice.
The Vols wouldn't just be preparing for a game. They would be preparing for next season.
I don't believe a bowl game sets the tone for the next season. I do believe extra weeks of practice can expedite the rebuilding process for a down program.
That's why the last three regular-season games are so important to the Vols, who can become bowl eligible by beating Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Kentucky.
That seemed unlikely during a blowout loss to Georgia and those wretched second halves against Oregon and Alabama - all of which added up to a 2-6 start. But the second-half comeback in a loss to South Carolina and a runaway 50-14 victory over Memphis on Saturday night indicated the Vols have the wherewithal to win out.
Despite all the injuries, attrition and bad losses, the team's psyche is intact. Freshmen have provided needed depth, and the offense has perked up.
Now, if the defense can just slow down Ole Miss on Saturday and Kentucky in the regular-season finale, the Vols can end November on a four-game winning streak and earn their way to a bowl game - and those much-needed extra practices.
If you just asked "What about Vanderbilt?" you haven't been paying attention.
The Commodores are in the process of unraveling, as you might have noticed if you watched any first-half series of their 55-14 loss to Florida on Saturday afternoon.
The Commodores have been outscored 168-35 in their last four games and rank 118th out of 120 teams in total offense. They also rank 92nd in scoring defense. How's that for balance?
Ole Miss and Kentucky can score. But so can their opponents.
The Rebels have allowed 35 points or more in five games and rank 100th nationally in scoring defense. Kentucky has given up an average of 34.8 points per game in the last seven games and ranks 85th in scoring defense.
Not all of their problems are on defense. Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli left Saturday's game against Louisiana-Lafayette with a "mild concussion." He's expected to be OK this week, but concussion symptoms aren't always predictable.
Kentucky has had to play the last three games without leading rusher Derrick Locke (shoulder), and just lost promising freshman running back Raymond Sanders to an abdominal injury.
UT has injury issues as well. But they have been offset, in part, by the development of younger players.
Sixteen freshmen were listed on UT's two-deep depth chart against Memphis. Eight of the 24 starters were freshmen.
Their progress figures prominently in UT's stretch run, which - in a best-case scenario - will lead to a bowl game and an opportunity for further improvement.
I'm talking about practice.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns.
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Comments » 21
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Good comments John. But, in the long history of the football Volunteers...bowl games have ruined many seasons. Tom Siler used to comment about the poor play in bowl and even questioned whether the players wanted to go to a bowl, go thru the practice sessions. Back in the days og Gen. Neyland, he rarely took them seriously, either. Back in the past, Vols were allowed to travel to site of bowl on their own five days before game...barely time enough time not only to work the kinks out...but were out of shape as compared to their opponents.
nor_cal_vol writes:
@Ralph:
Salient points. I think this team, if fortunate enough to win out, would be eager to participate in the post season. After what they had been through in Sep and Oct, a perfect Nov would make them very hungry.
FWBVol writes:
I respectfully understand what you are saying and historical perspective you are placing on things. The first bowls I remember are the Gator Bowl that was Dickey's last game as coach and the win over Air Force in the, I believe it was 1971 Sugar Bowl following the 1970 season. That's when I really started to understand what it was to be a Tennessee fan.
However, while you make valid points, depending on when the bowl game is played, coaches might keep kids on campus and practice all the way up to the time team leaves for a bowl game that is played before Christmas.
Depending on when a game is played after Christmas, a coach might give the team two or three days off before having them meet in the bowl destination city.
Providing we make a bowl, the most likely places would be Nashville and the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, Memphis and the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31 or Birmingham and the BBVA Compass Bowl on Jan. 8. If a kid gets out of football shape in two or three days then he probably wasn't in that good of shape to begin with.
I can understand why some players might not take a lesser bowl too seriously, but I would hope that we don't have any of those kind of players on our team.
volsr4me writes:
Poor ole Duke. Quit your crying things change and it was time for Phil to hang up his whistle.
I certainly enjoyed being a Vol fan during Phil's days on the hill but it was time for a change.
I suggest that you get over it and give these new Vol player's the respect that they deserve.
As well as our new man at the helm Coach Dooley.
GBO
MidTennVol writes:
Why are we talkin' about PRACTICE? Why are we not talking about the GAME? Why are we talking about PRACTICE?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2...
Lostvolinhighweeds writes:
Man, you need to quit smokin' that bitter weed and get yourself some of the good stuff.
nola_vol writes:
That extra practice that bowl games provide (allow) is PRICELESS. For a team as young as Tennessee's, extra practice is better than gaining another 2 scholarships. Its net-impact is like adding 1/4 of a football season's-worth of maturity, position skills, and football knowledge to each player on the team.
The faster this young team can improve the better our recruiting will be. A strong regular season finish will generate a lot of buzz among potential recruits. A bowl game appearance would then shine a spotlight on that buzz. As fans, we pooh-pooh minor bowls. But for any potential recruit, it's their chance to take a no-cost, first look at a near-unique situation—a perennial football power starting freshmen all over the field, and eager for more.
If we can pull off a bowl game, by February the top 200 high school seniors would all know that Tennessee is a place where you can play early, and that Tennessee's coaching staff knows how to develop players quickly.
(There's a yankee-fella down in Tuscaloosa that claims you can build a winner that way!)
acworthdave writes:
I agree the extra practice is very valuable. However, getting to a bowl game and winning would be quite a feat for many other reasons.
1) Kiffin would be sitting on his couch watching us play.
2)We would have the same record as last year.
3)We keep the UK streak alive.
4)We could actually have a better record than UGA (important since I live in Atlanta area).
GOJO writes:
****
Speaking as s season ticket holder for nearly 50 years, you spoke my sentiments exactly Duke
BustaRhymes writes:
John is correct - we need the practice - and the Vol nation should be enthusiastic if this group of kids (freshman) end up earning a post-season bowl. While I would personally like to see them play in the Music City bowl... the bowl down in Birmingham would offer the most practice time...
Go Vols - win out - get to a bowl!
aldntn writes:
Though not of the scale of some years, these Vols have several things to play for: not the least of which is to show that they are a team of the future.
GO VOLS
dvol writes:
Great Post !!!! That would be Priceless!!!!
murrayvol writes:
And you're doing.....well, what you do Duke.
murrayvol writes:
No Lostvol, he needs to go straight to the needle.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Tennessee in days long ago their precision blocking was keyed like a thrashing machine that reduced opponet's defensive lines into mince meat. but the Vols generally were off about a month and were told to stay in condition...some did, but most did not. The overconfident Vols were told to return after Christmas for a few workouts for the New Year"s game on their own. This did not work effectively as their opponet's arrive at the site togeather before Christmas and even praticed after Christmas dinner..they had worked and praticed themselves into excellant condition, all fired up and ready to upset the Vols....and they generally did. Most of the time the Vols appeared sloppy and out of sync....looking nothing like the team when they played the last game of the regular season. The KNS writer Tom Siler would usually lambast the team and the coach for poor showings.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Talk aboutkeeping in good football shape...three days are the limit...the body's lungs and muscles began to deteriote, A young man must have a hour's of running at the very least three days a week, I doubt a football player at home with mom's cooking. Its tough to push away from the table. The team should allow players to pay home visits at the start of long lay off...then return to practice at school after a few days. Stay together, travel game site together working out every day< that's the way Joe PA., has always done with his bowl teams. Allow me to make clear the"HOUR's running, what I meant was three twenty minutes of running three times a week. It must work, I think Joe PA'S teams won more games than any other in bowl games.
leedsvol2007 writes:
Duke,
I agree with you on Fulmer but it is spilled milk at this point.
What concerns me is now and 3 weeks of additional practice with all the young players we have will do nothing but benefit us next fall.
Plus the seniors who currently are competing against the youngsters for playing time should be more apt to coach the young players with enthusiasm during that period of time. They won't be around next spring.
I was at Auburn in 1988 when a young inexperienced team went down there and was physically manhandled by the Tigers. Reggie Cobb almost got killed on one play.
That team lost its first 6 games but rallied to win its last 5.
That experience plus being manhandled by LSU and Washington State lead to a real effort to improve.
In 89 we went 11-1, in 90 9-2-2 and in 91 9-3 and some of those manhandled linemen like Myslinski,Still, Fisher, McCrae, Davis and Lenoir went on to become some of the greatest offensive linemen in Tennessee history.
It does not matter the bowl if we can get to one the added practice will help us make one more step back.
GoVols!
mybolognahasasecondname writes:
Sir you don't know football. Fulmer rested on his laurels for 10 years and his ego was the only thing excelling for the last decade. A national championship bought him 10 years but that's all. Wake up and smell the coffee.
mybolognahasasecondname writes:
Maybe I'm looking at a glass half full, but isn't the silver lining that the coaches could focus on recruiting with no bowl? I understand getting to a bowl is a draw but as long as steady improvement continues isn't that a given for next year?
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Until Tv came into the picture, bowl games were mostly popular with the particapating teams..not the public at large around the country. But to the team's fans and the faculty too. it was neat to travel to another city take in the sights, and be taken care of lavishly by the city's Chamber of commerce. for close to a week it was one big party one would never forget. Both teams and their faculties were treated like kings by the host bowl city. Of course the city hoped the visitors would spend a lot money while in town. Coaches' like Neyland and others it is believed were paid only for regular season ,,.certainly not for post season games. An astute military man, he hoped his players stayed in shape, accept resonsibility as a part of becoming a man. Neyland who had only two losses in seven years did little coaching in his few days at the site...It was time for the players to learn the dedication of hard work...he hoped they won, but it might be a lesson if they lost.The Vol coach had his winter home ar Sarasota, Florida, and was an avid deep sea fisherman in the Gulf. Next to Knoxville, he loved Sarasota in the winter like no other place. It is believed post season games were not his cup of tea. One year he and his Vols were invited to play against the top team in East at New York's Yankee Stadium for children's milk fund. Only a paltry 32,000 fans showed up for the game...a bitter pill for everyone to swallow. The Vols won handily. It is thought that the Vols lost money on the trip. It was in the middle of the GREAT depression. To show you how tight money was, you could sit on the 50 yard line at Shields-Watkins for 50-cents. Even today, by the time you pay expenses for band, friends of the politicans out of Nashville, plus the faculty professors and their wives, The University probably loses money. You can imagine how tight it was during the depression.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Another interesting look at Neyland was the fact when the football season was over he lived a life of his own...he turned down all speaking engagements, refused to chat on the radio. He rarely if ever talked about his job at home with his family. Despite his military demeanor, the ramrod straight Neyland had a good sense of humor, he ordered two of his players to exchange rooms, saying, "You two guys remind me of two cadets at West Point". One of the players involved in room swap, asked, "Who was the other guy , General?" At coaches' convention, he was known as a courtly gentlemen. He would closely listen to any private conversation from any of his fellow coaches to close it out, he was man's man. Always friendly and courteous.
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