Tennessee Stat Book
Quarterbacks D-
Tyler Bray was sick all throughout the week and the only word coach Derek Dooley could come up with to describe his performance Saturday was "lethargic." The sophomore could never find a rhythm and, outside of two long passes to Rajion Neal, wasn't able to lead the offense with as much authority as he did last week against Vanderbilt. The Vols thrive off Bray's energy, and it was clear he didn't have the necessary juice Saturday.
Running Backs D-
Outside of Marlin Lane's 20-yard run in the second quarter and a Da'Rick Rogers 11-yard end-around, the Vols weren't able to pick up any extra yards outside what the offensive line was allowing. And that wasn't much. After a game in which he looked like he rediscovered his quickness thanks to the new pistol formation, senior Tauren Poole ended his career in disappointing fashion, carrying the ball nine times for 32 yards.
receivers D
Rogers was unable to find many openings in Kentucky's secondary and the same went for the rest of this group. Even though Bray was nowhere near 100 percent, Rogers, Zach Rogers, DeAnthony Arnett and Mychal Rivera were all guilty of at least one drop. The lone bright spot of this unit was Neal, a converted running back who had four catches for 125 yards and a touchdown.
Offensive line F
As coach Derek Dooley said afterward, the Wildcats' poor rush defense wasn't worse than the Vols' rush offense. Considering the competition and considering the progress made last week against Vanderbilt, this was the unit's most disappointing performance of the season. Even though the Vols don't boast any playmakers in the backfield, the line largely never gave them a chance, as the Wildcats finished with seven tackles for loss and provided a significant amount of pressure on Bray.
Defensive line B+
Malik Jackson was a fixture in the backfield yet again and added two more tackles for a loss in his final game with the program. The Vols also got a lift defensively from Jacques Smith, who has struggled for much of the season but ended it by adding two more tackles for a loss among the five total from the line.
Linebackers B
Austin Johnson appeared to give the Vols a timely turnover by stripping the ball out inside the 10-yard line, a takeaway that would have ended what eventually the only touchdown drive for the Wildcats. A.J. Johnson was solid at the second level, capping his freshman campaign with nine tackles, one for a loss.
Secondary B
There wasn't much for the defensive backs to do against the Wildcats, who rarely tried to test the Vols through the air with a wide receiver playing quarterback. Brian Randolph was active and led UT with 12 tackles, and Prentiss Waggner gritted through his sprained shoulder to add five.
Special teams D
The Vols weren't able to generate anything in the return game, weren't spectacular punting the football and again missed a critical field goal. Michael Palardy had another attempt blocked, missing from 46 yards in the second quarter to end his disappointing sophomore campaign.
Coaching C-
The Vols couldn't find a way to move the offense with Tyler Bray clearly struggling at quarterback. The defensive staff adjusted quickly to Kentucky's limitations on offense, but even that one field goal allowed early proved to be costly for the Vols, who came out completely flat emotionally.
Overall D+
The 26-game winning streak over the Wildcats and the 2011 season are both history, which puts the Vols pretty much at rock bottom. Derek Dooley acknowledged the challenge facing him, and the UT coach isn't taking any momentum with him into the offseason and his third year with the program.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Softball: Tennessee 2, Georgia 1
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
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Comments » 150
Clarkrm0706 writes:
"George, one of the school's six Heisman Trophy winners, said Saturday that he believes former Florida coach Urban Meyer will be introduced as Ohio State's coach sometime early next week."
I guess Dooley turned them down.
1963VOLS writes:
about right
Flabbergasted writes:
I'm flabbergasted.
kantanuuv writes:
I just want to be clear...
This was year zero.
No?...Year one?
Wait, wait! Year minus one...right?
Orange_Kool_Aid_22 writes:
The coaching staff gets a C- after a loss to a Kentucky team with a WR in at QB. I'm sorry but if a coaching staff cannot make the adjustments to win a game like this they don't need to be coaching in the SEC. Hopefully there will be some U-Haul vans pulling up in Knoxville soon. I'm sure the Sun Belt conference has a few teams that could use some position coaches and water boys. Coaching F!
demonicstrawberry writes:
What does it take to get an F in coaching? Losing to Carson-Newman?
kantanuuv writes:
When CVDjr was first hired, some of the posters here wondered if he considered this to be a stepping-stone to the UGA head coaching position.
I'm thinking, no...no...Georgia's probably not interested.
D60 writes:
What kind of an idiot gives coaching a c- you couldn't have watched the same game I did....duh
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Coach knew TB had been sick. Ridiculous after first half that he didn't bring Worley in while we still had a chance to pull it out. I want Dooley to stay another year, but most of the offensive coaches need to get the axe now!! Dooley needs an ultimatum for next yr to win minimum 8 games.JMO
dbs writes:
3 things...
1. Special teams is an F. Subpar kicking, no return game, blocked FG.
2. A grade of C- for coaching is a homer call. Gibble, are you still afraid of Barbara Dooley? They ended the streak, now have 2 losing seasons in a row, showed yet again an ill-prepared group of players, and even had the opposing coach call them out for not being prepared. Coaching is an obvious F.
3. To Coach Dooley - your constant public bashing of your players is coming home to roost. One leadership maxim to learn - praise in public and punish in private. You tell the public your team isn't very good and after long enough it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. My guess is financially speaking the lost ticket, concession, merchandise and advertising revenue from your continued tenure will be less than your buyout. Wonder if local merchants are clamoring for a change after watching less and less fans frequent their establishments on football weekends?
OK - number three was a bit of a rant.
I sincerely hope the powers that be run the numbers. And I truly believe we'd get a better recruiting class with a big time coach with a proven record than waiting for this train wreck to run to its logical conclusion in a year.
N2TheVOLS writes:
I never thought I would see the day where the Vols finished last in the SEC East. What is worse is we are only one game away from being last in the SEC.....
mlfree53#214595 writes:
Coaches- F-
kantanuuv writes:
A couple of quotes from CVDjr's post-game news conference...
"We're a really REALLY bad football team."
"The climb out from the bottom starts today."
Uh oh...
BigDaddyK writes:
Amen! Tauren Poole says "no one wanted to be out there today." That's coaching. If you don't have your team ready to play, that's an F in my book!
Mr_Bandman writes:
My thoughts exactly. Calling the wildcat at the UK 6 (the play that ended with a botched snap/turnover) was just plain dumb. I'm quite sure someone will take offense to that statement....don't really care....we lost to Kentucky....I'm not a fair weather fan, and as recently as this morning I would likely have defended CDD against those calling for his head on a plate, but I can't defend this one---our team played without passion, without direction, without will.
OrangePhoenix writes:
I actually think not having a legit QB helped UK out. Tennessee was clearly not prepared for it, and we all know how they have struggled against running QB's/wildcat formations over the years.
On top of that the terrible calls. It was a very winnable game.
This one is on the players, especially the younger ones who appeared to not handle on the road at Thanksgiving well at all.
The players and Jim Chaney.
spacificislander writes:
Coaching C-,
HAHAHAHAHAHA
Lose to a 4-7 Ky team with no QB....
And this is just slightly below average???
Adjusted quickly to a team that threw 5 or 6 passes back to the line of scrimmage??? why did they not single cover everyone and put the rest of the D in the box? Why did we allow over 4 yards/carry to a team with absolutely passing threat??? C-. I wish I had you guys for professors in college, as long as I didn't come in a take a dump on your desk I would have passed.
jobrando#216494 writes:
This is funny....These guys are taking Dooley to heart in that the problem is not coaching but these lousy players....
Dooley gets the F- Chaney gets an F- and Wilcox gets a B
sportsdoc2016 writes:
Coaching has to be an F!! Are you kidding me? Chaney should have been fired on the spot for the wildcat call. Losing to team headed by a WR who didn't even warm up as a QB is inexcusable. Heads must roll.
thevoice writes:
Gribble/Ward issued an F? Oh my!
tdvol1989 writes:
No and let me tell you why. First, how do you give good grades to the D Line and Linebackers when a Safety leads the team in tackles? The Linebackers got burned often on misdirection so I would lower their grade.
And, how can you not even mention the call to go to a Wildcat inside the 10 when it comes to coaching? That is just dodging the issue. Step 1 is always admitting you have a problem.
vol2004 writes:
Coach lets run the wildcat, I think it might work.
luke255#536431 writes:
Dooley went 4-8 in the WAC the year we hired him to coach in the best confrence in Football so he has actually improved!! I was disgusted when they hired DOO-LITTLE because of never having PROVEN he was a good coach. FIRE him tomorrow and bring in Jim Tressel who do you think would bring in a better recuiting class? Every year he stays he is just going to keep bringing us down. The people that stand behind him are the same idiots thats would have stood behind Shula at Alabama before they fired him to get Nick Saban.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
easy to say that wildcat was dumb after the fact it being botched-------if it had gone for positive charges noone would be commenting--------its not like we have a succesful conventional running game ----what was dumb was Neal just standing around confused and not looking for the fumble
scott_m99 writes:
Carson-Newman is better than KY
georgiavol91#379211 writes:
G/W,
You guys just decide to start Christmas vacation a little early and mail this one in?
The defense was constantly embarrassed in this game. I will never take a shot at the players. The coaches are responsible for getting them ready to play. They failed.
WV_Vol writes:
I agree with the C for coaching. Wilcox and the rest of the Defensive staff did pretty well to even out the F of the offensive staff. They had one drive early which led to the field goal. The other drive was a result of an over-tired defense that had been on the field too long. Bottom line is this: you give up 10 you should win every time. Offense was completely ridiculous. Personally, I think Wilcox and company have done a great job.
RockyMountainVol writes:
Yeah, that's the solution: hire Jim Tressel.
We go 9-3 next year and, a year later, the NCAA vacates all the wins because of Tressel.
I was a big supporter of Bruce Pearl but, dammit, if we can't learn a lesson from that, we never will.
RockyMountainVol writes:
Don't you ever get tired of walking through life looking backwards? FULMER IS GONE and, rightly or wrongly, he's not coming back, except maybe for the 20th reunion of the NC team.
Mr_Bandman writes:
It's also really easy to say it was dumb, when it was, in fact, dumb. I knew as soon as I wrote that down it would draw sanctimonious comments like "easy to say..." It was a dumb call. Call it what it was. You're probably right---if the wildcat had worked, noone would be commenting, but that's because we probably would have WON THE F'ING GAME AGAINST A TEAM WE SHOULD HAVE SOUNDLY BEATEN. We are ALL commenting on it because it was dumb, and it was a perfect microcosmic example of the whole stinking game!
nomietn#281095 writes:
Top 10 reasons to fire Coach Dooley now rather than give him one more year:
1. He wears those terrible orange clown pants every game. Wearing colorful costumes to work shows a real immaturity.
2. He has lost credibility in the football world and has greatly damaged UT's reputation as a competitive program all of which will reasonably harm recruiting.
3. He appears to get lost in the stress of his sideline duties.
4. He talks too much.
5. Works too hard on his comedy routines and anologies when he should focus on preparing for the next opponent.
6. Seems to be playing the role of a coach he saw once in a movie or at the breakfast table.
7. Knowing Nick Sabin does not make a person Nick Sabin.
8. He has never produced a winning team, and was never our first choice.
9. His results are embarrassing, and there is no reason for optimism.
10. We need to move on and get a years head start on rebuilding our program with a new, first choice, coach with a solid past and a bright future
utnsee#209595 writes:
Fire JiM Chaney NOW!
phhome writes:
My words exactly!!!!!!!!
utnsee#209595 writes:
Go Get Bosie State's OC
greg03#259145 writes:
not to loud,they may put them on the schedule.
WV_Vol writes:
Not saying I disagree about Dooley but surely you can come up with something better than "he wears orange pants" and "seems to be playing the role of coach..." Your arguments are ad hominem and immature.
CityVol1 writes:
I disagree with the grade for the offensive line. I'm no football expert but it looks to me like there are usually decent holes. Kiffin was right about Poole and Lane runs like he's lost. I think our OLine is good--just need better support from the backfield.
jobrando#216494 writes:
He never accepts responsibility for his teams poor play. Always trashes his players to hide his own failure.
VOLinTX writes:
I think that an F might be too harsh. They all appear to have gotten to the game on-time. When will it get better? Hopefully soon. F+
Millisa writes:
Fire Dooley ASAP We need a Coach like Pat Summitt.
luke255#536431 writes:
Let us not forget he is 11-14 record at Alabama and overall record as head coach is 28-35. he is 4-12 against SEC teams which the wins include Vanderbilt, Kentucky and ole Miss the 3 worst teams in the SEC. I could go on but my point has been he is NOT a high caliber coach and never will be! Still not sure why we higher a guy coming off a 4-8 record in the WAC would do any better in the SEC. Dooley is as good a head coach as Barak Obama is president, hopefully they both will be fired next year.
budd#207344 writes:
Did you put both your names on this because neither one of you had the nerve to do it themselves? I used to think you were just young. Now I know you are either prostitutes or just stupid
WV_Vol writes:
Better reasons. Also, two losing seasons in a row. Losing by large margins in the SEC. No bowl appearance this year.
volbob writes:
I thought it couldn't get any worse...and then I watched the post-game interview. Phil always said something like "try like heck"; Kiffin shuffled from side to side looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there; Dooley basically blew it all off and stressed, yet again, that UT isn't any good. Of course, the offense was worse than terrible, but to keep saying that the whole team is no good doesn't exude much confidence. Sounds like he was just trying to cover hit tail. Agree with Poole's comments - no one on the offense acted like they cared. Did that attitude have something to do with the suspensions of Milton and the others? Did someone's dog die? Horrible excuse of a football game, but I'm tired of hearing "we just aren't any good" coming from the head coach. He is supposed to be a friggin' leader. After this, I'll be surprised to see Bray, Hunter and Rogers return next year. If the coach isn't supportive of them, watch them find another place that is. Nine months of torture just to find out what's left. Lovely.
oldvoltimer62 writes:
There is no report card for this game noone showed up today. Game grade z for zero.Sad!
sly_stone99#434111 writes:
And when you do that the results are what you saw today. This team doesn't believe in him anymore. When that happens some kind of change has to occur.
kd45music writes:
I'd say D+ is being a bit too generous. This was a flunking grade.
VolnTex writes:
The TN defense held KY to 217 total yards, 10 first downs, and 10 points. TN DID NOT get beat by a WR at QB, so you can all stop singing that song. TN got beat by their own lousy offense. TN's 10 points was the LEAST AMOUNT scored on KY all year! Western KY scored 14! Four teams scored 30 or more on KY this year, one broke 40 and another broke 50! Don't blame the D in this one. Wilcox has outperformed every other coach on staff.
knoxchatter writes:
As recently as Thursday, Dooley was saying that Bray was still 'very rusty...not even close to 100%"...it was obvious very early in the game today that this was true. Would it not have been a smart coaching move to put in Simms or Worley, with his blown redshirt, at least while the game may have still been attainable early just to see if it would have made any difference? After the game, Dooley described Bray as 'lethargic' the whole game? What was the rationale of continuing to play him? Of course, the outcome was not solely on Bray's shoulders...but...but, it was another example of poor coaching decisions and management, which has been prevalent all season!
volfan7 writes:
Fulmer never lost to Kentucky. He is looking pretty good now, isn't he?
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