When Tennessee first lined up against UAB’s fledgling football program, the Vols were on top of the mountain.
Well, they would be within 24 hours.
On Nov. 7, 1998, No. 2-ranked Tennessee beat the Blazers 37-13 in ho-hum fashion. Top-ranked Ohio State was upset that day and when the polls came out Sunday, the Vols were No. 1.
You know the rest of the story.
Since then, however, UAB has had a knack for catching Tennessee when things aren’t so swell.
That trend continues Saturday at 12:21 p.m.
The Blazers are coming off a 34-33 victory over Troy, via a Hail-Mary pass on the game’s final play.
Tennessee is in the awkward posture of taking solace in the fact that a 31-17 loss to Florida was an improvement from a 48-13 drubbing by Oregon the previous week.
UAB is still a relative newcomer to big-time football, moving up to Division I-A (now FBS) in 1996. Tennessee had a head start by more than a century.
The Blazers’ second visit to Neyland Stadium was opening day 2005. The Vols were ranked No. 3 and thought to be championship contenders.
Tennessee survived 17-10, defending a UAB pass into the end zone in the final minutes.
That was the first clue the Vols weren’t going to be contending for championships. They finished 5-6.
When the Blazers came back in the second week of the 2008 season, they didn’t have to dispel any grandiose Tennessee delusions. That had been accomplished a week earlier in an overtime loss at UCLA.
In fact, a 35-3 UT win turned out to be Dave Clawson’s finest hour as offensive coordinator.
You also know the rest of that story.
So here UAB comes again. Just like 2005 and 2008, the Vols could very well end up a five-win team in 2010.
Furthermore, I would make the case that Saturday’s game will find the two teams with less separation than in any of the previous three meetings.
I’m not sounding the upset alert. Tennessee will be a pronounced favorite and should win without needing to execute a Hail Mary or — tip of the helmet to Michigan State — a fake field-goal in overtime.
Still, the playing field might be closer to level than you’d think.
“I don’t want to really compare our players to their players,’’ UT coach Derek Dooley said Sunday night. “We won’t really know until we see them in person.
“We’re very thin at every position and young at a lot of positions. Those two things are great equalizers no matter who you play.’’
The Blazers returned 17 of 22 position starters from a 5-7 club, although several junior-college transfers have cracked the lineup.
I don’t know how many players UAB has on scholarship but it’s probably more than Tennessee does.
At one point during UT’s first defensive possession against Florida the tackles were Joseph Ayers, a redshirt freshman walk-on, and Victor Thomas, who was originally ticketed to play center this season.
Two true freshmen will apparently start in the offensive line, likely flanking second-time starter Darin Gooch at center.
UAB’s roster is barren of Rivals.com Top 250 prospects from the past five recruiting classes. But that’s not a terrible disparity at the moment.
Tennessee has eight true freshmen from the 2010 Top 250 list. After that, however, there are only three survivors from the four previous classes: Janzen Jackson, David Oku and Jerod Askew, all from 2009.
If Gerald Jones is able to return from a broken hand, he’s the only other Top 250 prospect available.
UAB is 2-13 against the SEC, with wins over LSU in 2000 and Mississippi State in 2004. And I’m not suggesting the Blazers will be celebrating Saturday.
But this battle won’t be fought at the top of any mountains.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 49
Patterson8040 writes:
Shove it. We're UT, they're UAB...no contest.
DaGodfather writes:
UT 42
UAB 14
GBO
Jakevol writes:
Patterson8049,, I hope your right.
wigmeister writes:
Closer----but big enough.
TKO writes:
Anytime you want to put your cash where your ink hits the paper, let me know. It's easy to write this stuff now, just remember to stick around and write about their top 10 ranking in three years and how the gap has widened. This stuff is easy. Just like shooting a deer after a car hits it. I guess it's tough to write a positive when the piling on is what everyone else is doing.
SummittsCourt writes:
Vols 38
Blazers 13
alabammervol writes:
What are you smoking?
tulelakevol writes:
Vols 48
Blazers 7
I'll have what Fightin Dooleys havin'.
JACK8254 writes:
I wonder how satisfied the average fan felt after another beat-down on Saturday. Lets see - he had to give a donation in order to buy the tix, the face value was $70 , $20 to park, expensive food, etc. for the "pleasure" to watch another Vol team , mostly bereft of talent, in my opinion - poorly coached, stumble around and make mental errors for 4 hours on national TV. ( in fairness, the team did play hard) I cant help but wonder how many of them started to reflect (right after the fake punt) " haven't we seen this movie before" One must conclude that game tix will most likely be easier to get for at least the next couple pf years. Food for thought.
orangecountyvols writes:
It'll big necessary to get focused on this game, having come off two emotional games against top 10 opponents.
This will tell us a lot about Tennessee. Speaking of Jones........his absence was very much evident Saturday.
Maybe we'll see Bray on a few series. Where is Askew,
since I heard his name mentioned. Did he play against U F? What a patchwork offensive line. They are doing well with what they have over there.
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Vols 35
Blazers 14
GBO!!
ncvol17 writes:
I think we need to recruit a mix of some JUCO linemen next year to help shore things up while the Young'uns get some experience.
volsoutwest writes:
Sir: We apparently weren't watching the same game. Agree, we are a little thin, a bit low on talent, but what I did see was kids giving it their all without quitting. I don't see where you get the poor coaching. In fact I contend our coaches are doing extremly well with what they have inherited. Two years and you come back and visit with us.
VOLtage writes:
Sir: We apparently weren't watching the same game. But we were spending the same amount of money.
VolGrad writes:
Vols 42
UAB 10
Go Big Orange!
MrBamSeydu writes:
UT 34
UAB 6
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
I agree..Let's go the JUCO route.
YoungUtAlum writes:
Does a good article require a pro-vol feel to it? good journalism merely reports facts and doesn't sugar coat scenarios. I'm a huge Vol fan but I have the sense to look at things as they are and the fact is we are severely shorthanded. I believe that looking at things as they are, safeguards Vol fans from setting the bar too high. We will win this weekend and I know Tennessee will continue to improve under Dooley but don't bash an article simply because it doesn't make you feel good about our situation.
Fryinpansvols writes:
C'mon Mike a 5 win team this season? I know we're 1-2 with both losses to top 10 teams in the country, but 5 wins? There is still 9 games left to play and I would predict wins against UAB, Memphis, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt ,Kentucky and a toss up at Georgia. If we win those games mentioned we would be 7-5. At worst we're .500 at 6-6. C'mon Man! BTW, is it not a reporters job to find out the facts before writing an article? Such as how many scholarship players UAB has and how many we have? Thats poor journalism! GBO!
SouthALVol writes:
Let down game to me involves a team that is riding high and is overlooking an inferior opponent. We are not riding high, and we may not be that much more superior.
vol68 writes:
The gap between a Fulmer coached team and a Dooley coached team is not that wide either. The play calling is very similar. But having said that, I'll take both CPF and CDD any day over CLK .
tennezz writes:
Lets make sure they can qualify if we do, Last time we tried that it did not work!
oskie_score writes:
That September day back in 2005 was a peek into Tennessee's problematic regression/slippage already in progress.
salute_to_the_hill writes:
Completely agree!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
No one is to or can be overlooked at this juncture of the journey back to respectability.
wags32 writes:
If Vols do not win by 3 touchdowns i will have taken a setback on what i think is a great destination we are headed to in a couple of yrs tops. I do think we will cover that spread...
Lostvolinhighweeds writes:
Then stay home.
Crybaby
doh writes:
well ,in my opinion, you have no idea what your talking about. this team is not poorly coached and there is alot of talented players playing. this team is reflecting a team who has gone through two coaching changes and lots of players leaving the program the last two years. so give them a break.
BufordTJustice writes:
It's gonna be like watching chicks box.
QB_10 (Inactive) writes:
TN offense will start the roll out passing attack, aka Jonathon Crompton--expect some points from UT.
martinvol34 writes:
Jack sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean so that sat down with Fulmer and licked the platter clean.
The team has a few holes, but I'd take Derek Dooley and his coaching any time over your whining arse.
Now get off our site! You're obviously not a Vol.
VOLliven2it writes:
I am not hating the article but believe it was downplayed that our young inexperienced team has already had to face a very good Florida team though not as good as they have been and an excellent Oregon team. Yes they got pasted and beaten solidly but as I heard someone on the radio say, "The only thing which is not what I expected was the second half meltdown against Oregon." We have to be patient. We all want to see them excell and win especially SEC games. UAB will present a challenge probably unlike they have done so before. We should rise to that occasion the best we can. I think we win but not as easy as some predict.
JACK8254: Hand in your tickets immediately and also temper your whining. In fact, just give me your tickets say for half price and I will get to attend some games. I'd love to see you take a team that has endured all this one has and do better. Have you applied for Dooley's "poor" coaching job? I didn't think so. Give this team a break. The best is yet to come, just wait and see. It may not be an 8-4 or 7-5 season but we will hang in I am certain.
OrangePride writes:
Make no mistake, this group of Vols cannot afford to overlook ANYBODY. That said, I don't think they are and I expect them to come out highly motivated to do just 3 things....execute, execute, execute. We have made BIG mistakes in our last two games and I think the coaching staff and players will really concentrate on righting those wrongs. If they do that, the Vols will win and in convincing fashion. GO VOLS!
OrangePride writes:
Right.....total beat down and Tennessee was never in it.....that's why Meyer felt so desperate he tried a fake punt from his own 39 late in the 3rd quarter. That's why there was only 7 points difference half way thru the 4th quarter. So, as always, you are totally off base in suggesting the fans didn't get their money's worth or not find themselves INTO the game. Did you not hear that stadium Saturday? That WAS NOT the sound of disgruntled, "here we go again" fans. It's trolls like you that give the name "troll" a bad reputation.......you IDIOT! GO VOLS!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
John Brown..how can I forget?? Seriously, that is a definite risk that you take when signing JUCO players.
Tamvol writes:
I cant see the same playcalling as you suggest. The last 3 years, we quit throwing the ball down field. Every pass was 10 yards or less. At least CDD has aired it out a few times already, with an all freshman line. It has paid off with a few touchdowns also. Florida's defensive line was just too overwhelming for this group, but they will get better and I definitely saw progress. I am on the CDD bandwagon.
Lizardgrad89 writes:
Weird story.
UT was #2 about to be #1, UAB was a first-year program. That is about the widest gap possible.
Even if UT was still #1, the gap would still have closed, as UAB is no longer a first-year program.
Looking for a point to the story.
Pompey writes:
...Fulmer had better players than Dooley, Fulmer is the reason Dooley does not have better players, Fulmer is gone Dooley is here, god is good....any questions?
Neyland writes:
There are still lots of mistakes to fix. First we have to be able to get off the feild on third down more efficiantly. Simms looked like he was a little better at not staring down his target, he is still doing it but not as bad. Both interceptions he stared down the receiver. The O line needs to get a better push up front and open the holes in the middle better. Our linebackers have to get off blocks better and make make tackles sooner. All in all I do see improvement each week and it is unfortunatly a work in progress. Keep working and I'll keep cheering you on. GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Neyland writes:
VandyGrad, where you dropped on your head as a baby? Are you even watching the games? Each week the Vols are getting better. I cant say the same for the Commodores. Yeah Vandy beat Ol' Miss, big deal, they got beat by Jacksonville State, a Div. 2 team. We arnt impressed, we have lost to 2 top ranked teams, games yall would get blown out on. Go to the Vandy webpage and grumble there. We dont want to here it.
mybolognahasasecondname writes:
Troy is no slouch and UAB managed to beat an instate rival. This is a trap game. The Vols will have to take this one seriously and get the job done. If they do, I predict they will upset either LSU or UGA for a signature win. They will also win out in November and get a bowl invite. That's crucial as they need the extra practice and exposure for 2011. DD is the man.
illinoisvolfan writes:
Can we add that the beer is good and people are crazy...?
volfaninusaf writes:
That's why you are dumb.
Einstein writes:
If the UAB victory was Dave Clawson's finest hour, it was his only fine hour. If Phil Fulmer had not hired Dave Clawson as offensive coordinator (yes his offense was very offensive), Phil would still be our football coach.
Einstein writes:
The good news for UAB is that they return 17 of 22 starters. The bad news is that they were 5-7 last year.
OLEVOLFAN writes:
You mean you gonna talk about uab beating troy!! Good grief people UT has played 2 top 10 ranked teams the last 2 weeks and have lost by what 4tds or so against them! WE ARE UT AND DON'T FORGET THAT!!!
UT-50
UAB-13
Juzkruzin writes:
Wanna bet on this score? I will take UAB for whatever you want to put up!! I wish it would be, but if we get out with a 21-10 score I will be happy. No way will they (Vols) put up 42 points. Let me know how to get in touch with you so we can make the bet!!
Juzkruzin writes:
I agreed 100%. Must have slept through journalism 101 and a lot of other classes. Just wondering if he even went to college, sure wasn't Northwestern. Mike got to hand it to you or throw it at you, but you have the right name because you are Strange!!
Juzkruzin writes:
I am Old also, but haven't losted my mind yet. You really think the BO will score 50 points? I wish we could put some money on this. As they say " a fool and his money shall soon depart". I wish I knew you so I could take some off of you!! I would love to see the BO score 50 points, but there is no way. By the way Oregon beat us by 5 and FL by 2 that is 7 the way I see it. I hope you are right, but I see a game under 13 points. Their 2nd string QB threw for 260 some yards last week and the Vols haven't learnt that you can blitz a QB. What did we have last week for blitizes? They should have brought someone on every play and not let him stand back there for 4-8 seconds looking for a receiver. We have a decent secondary, but you cannot keep someone covered for that amount of time, I don't care who you are. We had one real sack, but should have had 6-8 on a young QB.
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