Tennessee Stat Book
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tauren Poole, ice pack wrapped around his left hand, chose his words carefully, but powerfully after Tennessee's crushing, 10-7 loss to Kentucky.
The senior running back's college career was over, but his focus centered on how the Vols approached a game that could have extended it for another month.
The sense of urgency that he and UT's 12 other seniors brought to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, Poole said, wasn't shared by the rest of their teammates.
"The whole game, no one wanted to be out there," Poole said. "We're all trying to encourage people because people were out of it. When it's like that, you're not going to be able to execute, I don't care where you're at. The result was what it was. Couldn't move the ball.
"Here we're sitting, 26-year streak gone. It's embarrassing just to be a Vol right now."
Poole, who finished with nine carries for 32 yards, made a point to praise the defense, which, after surrendering a field goal in the first quarter, forced the Wildcats to punt nine times and limited them to 217 yards of offense. Instead, he lamented what went wrong on offense, where the Vols couldn't get much of anything established in a scoreless first half before failing to do more than Tyler Bray's 53-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Rajion Neal.
The Vols (5-7, 1-7 SEC) outgained Kentucky, 271-217, but were limited to single-digit points for the fifth and final time this season.
"The defense was on the field for too long," Poole said. "It's an embarrassment. It's really embarrassing to say the least. It sucks for this football team. We can't change anything.
"I told them last week, when this is your last, you want it. You want it all. You want to go for it all. You want to play for it all, you want to play every down like it's your last. When you've got another year, you're not going to play like that. It's obvious that that's what happened today."
Senior linebacker Austin Johnson, tears in his eyes after his final game at UT, said the Vols who will be back for 2012 were short on leaders.
"This team is young and there's too many guys that it's all about them, their stats and stuff," Johnson said. "As long as they come together as a team, there's some bright futures ahead of them.
"We didn't have a good week of practice and I could see it in the guys. People were like 'Well, we might not go to a good bowl game' and stuff like that. That wasn't it. We wanted to go to a bowl game, period. It didn't matter what bowl game it was."
Throughout the week, Bray, who completed just 15 of his 38 pass attempts for 215 yards and two interceptions, was locked in a battle with an illness that had him struggling all week, coach Derek Dooley said. Dooley labeled the quarterback's play Saturday as "lethargic."
The illness, Bray said, had nothing to do with it.
"It shouldn't have affected me at all," he said. "I went there and played horrible. First half was horrible, second half, I had that one drive, that was about it."
Asked if certain players on offense were playing only for their personal statistics, Bray shook his head.
"I mean, there might be, I don't know," he said. "I couldn't care less about my stats, I've said it multiple times, so far as I know."
After the Vols' 49-7 loss to Arkansas earlier in the month, Neal said "it could get real bad around here" if UT was unable to pick up its usual wins over Vanderbilt and Kentucky to advance to a postseason bowl game. Reminded of that Saturday, Neal, who led the Vols with four catches for 125 yards, said he would be spending more time with his friends and family over the next few days.
"You've got to stay around your coaches and definitely stay as positive as you can," Neal said. "Kind of shy away and stay out the way and not (in) the eye of everything."
Wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers took a different approach in the hours after the loss. The sophomore wide receiver, who declined to be interviewed after catching two passes for 38 yards, interacted with a number of angered fans on Twitter and urged them not to be negative.
"Ima miss my seniors," he wrote. "Wish we could have sent yal out right. But on my life you'll be proud of us in the future."
For Poole, it was hard to overlook the past.
"It sucks because it's a learning experience for a lot of these young guys," Poole said. "We don't have another chance to be a Vol anymore. That was it for us."
Andrew Gribble may be reached at 865-342-6327. Follow him at http://twitter.com/Andrew_Gribble and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/gribble
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Comments » 301
arkyvol writes:
sounds like what this team needs is a coach. it sure as hell didn't have one today.
gwbask writes:
Team appears not to be on the same page. Sad after approx 16 weeks.
vol4good#206163 writes:
That pretty much says it all! A TEAMs Attitude is a direct reflection of it's coaching Staff! Really sad day in Tennessee.
OklaVOL writes:
It sure looked like they weren't very excited about playing for something. I feel sorry for the seniors. I have supported CDD, but he better get something done in 2012 or he will be gone.
BustaRhymes writes:
I too, am ASHAMED to be a Vol... something that I never thought was possible growing up... Been a Vol fan since '72 when I was 5 year's old....
NorthwestVol writes:
These comments from the players bother me more than the score.
TheFuj writes:
You could tell they did not want to be out there. One would have to question "blowing the game" on purpose. Just wanting to get season over with. No little bowl. No going back to Nashville. Cold bowl game, and cold practices. Team looked horrible. Coached terrible.
BustaRhymes writes:
Sorry - possible was supposed to be "impossible" in my previous post...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Bang the drum slowly, we are as bad as it can get.
Play calling was atrocious.
Neal's fumble turned the game, right thru his hands.
Geezsus
wharfrat writes:
Everyone needs to get a grip, you cannot seriously think Tennessee is better off with another coaching change right now. Recruiting is what is needed, this team devoid of meaningful numbers of talent, and someone to coach the special teams, where we lost in every game. A change at offensive coordinator is desirable
SignalMtnVol writes:
Ding ding ding - we have a winner. Poole was always about himself. Remember declining to go into a game for Kiffin? Hello pot, this is kettle.
dvols writes:
tell him to his face.....
you waste of life!
jimr07 writes:
I have been a fan since i was 7 also. that would be 1941 for me and i still am.. the world did not come to an end.
utclassof1992 writes:
This is what happens to your program when you throw your tradition down the toilet and p*&# all over the name of the coach that brought you more wins than any other coach in UT history not named Neyland. A lot of us older guys tried to warn you about the road you were heading down. Here comes the Lane Train....uhhh, I'm going to USC=panic hire in Dooley. It was obivous from the third game of 2010 that Dooley was in over his head in the SEC. And now it is obvious that his players are not buying into him. I hate to say it, but KARMA is just biting deeper into the UT athletic department. It is kinda nice to see the "chase the new hotness" crowd eating crow, and they need to remember that this is the change they asked for. They should not cry about it. Fulmer don't look so bad now, does he?
SignalMtnVol writes:
Yes. As a matter of fact he does. He was great in his time, and deserves a ton of respect, but not a longer tenure.
botetourtvol2 writes:
It's OK to over react act times - If you are a Vol fan - you will get over it - if you are really ashamed and can't get over it - pick another team.
jumboliyah writes:
NEWSFLASH: Seniors are supposed to be the leaders!The lack of leadership has been apparent for this senior class. If the non-seniors weren't focused the seniors should have put a boot in their butt and got them focused!
Sovol writes:
If they don't want to play send them packing. I would rather lose with effort then win with players with this attitude. Bottom dwellers.
tdvol1989 writes:
Have you read some of Dooley's comments about not thinking a bowl game would have helped? He sounds like the players. They are all just at a loss and one too many has said something to the effect of not being ready or not caring or not preparing well.
All I can say is that losing never makes things better, especially to a horrible team you had beaten 26 times in a row. If you don't want a bowl game, then win anyway and decline the offer.
But, if we have a coach that doesn't give a rip about beating Kentucky, then what more evidence does ANYONE need that we need a coach.
Done with Dooley
davischarlie688 writes:
It should not have come down to a final game to become bowl eligible. Dooley needs to quit trying to be a comedian with the press and do the job he was hired for. He needs to not worry about what he's wearing (orange pants) and the orange dog, but get out there and recruit some prime players, not everyone's leftovers. It's ashame when you celebrate a Vandy win as if you won the national championship. Vandy is going to a bowl game. As for Poole, good ridance you are overated and afraid to attack the line.
alwill61 writes:
I was in Lexington today and to say they didn't want to be there is an understatement. There was no energy, no leadership from the sidelines or on the field. Missed field goal, ignorant decision to run a pistol or whatever on the 7 then a 3rd string QB that can't throw drive the length of the field. Tailback lines up behind the QB in shotgun obvious run 8 out of 10 times. Any other formation was a pass. Poole gets a good run or two, take him out and put Lane in. Never gave him a chance to get a rhythm going. Target and stare down to DaRick most every pass play. It's an easy offense to figure out how to defend and that's ALL coaching. Any game that you get out coached by Joker Phillips, Randy Sanders and Rick Minter there is a problem somewhere with UT coaching. No heart or motivation...that's on the players AND the coaches.That being said Kentucky was bound to win sometime. Better this year when it didn't really matter than a season when it might. Let's hope for a good off season and a better 2012.
thevoice writes:
Maybe so, but he just disclosed the true feelings of his teammates. Still waiting for a Tommyjack appearance.
utclassof1992 writes:
So, this is better than winning 8-9 games a year, 10 occasionally, and making a trip to Atlanta about every 3 years. We were in Atlanta and in the game with the National Champions for 58 minutes 11 months before we fired CPF. 2 losing seasons in 17, not 2 losing seasons in a row. Fulmer was a king compared to the last two clowns we brought in here.
arkyvol writes:
you can't be serious. how many stud players are going to sign up to play for a team that just lost to arguably the worst team in football which started a q.b. who hadn't played the position since he was in high school four years ago? i say 'arguably' for reasons i don't need to explain. this guy needs to go and the sooner the better. bama went through a few before saban. it shouldn't take that many to find a head coach who doesn't take half a season to figure out that his center can't center.
jgl#233810 writes:
Not winning the Fulmer Cup again is kind of nice. Phat Phil lost control of the program & was the beginning of the slide to football irrelevance. The problems that exist now began with him, not with Lame Kiffy and not with Derek Doofus.
The_Ghost_of_Duke_DeLuca writes:
Fire Fulmer!
JimmyJoe writes:
PLAY HARD EVERY PLAY! PLAY HARD EVERY PLAY!
We can always find an OC to call better plays... But this team started quitting from the time Dooley showed up. It's a mentality that you can't fix with a few better players....I'm sure it won't get any better after this disaster.
thevoice writes:
I agree that he'll get another year. But honestly, why isn't 2010 and 2011 enough to realize that the culture hasn't changed or that it will change in 2012?
Intelligent responses only.
lemeshousomthen writes:
offense and defense
tdvol1989 writes:
Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but I do hereby certify that:
I SERIOUSLY believe Tennessee would be better off with a different coach.
Our players are way better than Kentucky's players. Talent won't fix stoopid play calls.
LJS1984 writes:
What a joke. Tennessee lost to a Kentucky team that was playing a Wide Receiver at QB. LOL!!!!
utclassof1992 writes:
We had one. Won around 70 percent of his games. Brought a Sears trophy to Knoxville. Had 2 losing seasons in 17 years. Won 8-9 games a year consistently. We ran him off like he stole Mother Neyland's prize vase during a down cycle in which he still managed to get us to Atlanta with one of his worst teams. Remember that as you make excuses for Gomer Dooley.
AirForceVol2786 writes:
Listen bro, just because people don't agree with your opinion doesn't mean we aren't true vol fans. I support every kid who wears the orange, but not always the coaches making money and losing to kentucky. Dooley needs to go. He is an embarrasment.
BamaVol writes:
This is not the best day of my life, but I still love my Vols. My blood still runs orange. We will be back. The kids (players) just doesn't yet understand what it means to be a Vol. I believe we need an OC and Oline coach, but that is up to CDD. If he doesn't make changes, and a couple more years of this, the AD will. Look up my Vol fans, we will be better.
dk writes:
Yes, Fulmer was just as bad. Went 5-7 2 out of his last 3 seasons. Main person responsible for the lack of talent on this squad. That and the Kiffin mistake.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Tj is just staring.
Nuff said
Middle_TN_Vol writes:
I am at a loss for words. I have never seen a UT team so unprepared. I have noticed that Dooley never accepts responsibility for any losses. A simple comment like "we need to do a better job of coaching" would sure go a long ways with your players. What they say to players behind closed doors is one thing, but don't think he should rat them out publicly.
Secondly, the play calling was awful. They need higher percentage type plays and passes for a young team to succeed, not all those long throws to the sideline. Dooley needs to take a hard look at his coaching staff, especially on offense.
utclassof1992 writes:
30 players left the program because of Lame and Ogre because they hated them. We got hung with Dooley because we hired flash, not substance and loyalty. Very little of the current disaster is Fulmer's fault. Slide to mediocrity? We were in Atlanta playing for the SEC Championship 11 months before we fired CPF. Don't follow your logic, and can't understand the hate for one of our legends.
Clarkrm0706 writes:
Going to start our fourth year after Fulmer, How many years before your blame Fulmer excuses end?
vollerdash writes:
Sounds like we have a house divided. I dont think we have a coach who can bring all the pieces back together,Dooley you had your chance. Please step down so we can move forward.
tdvol1989 writes:
For me, it is enough. Add to that the response postgame by Dooley and the players and that should convince even the most dedicated Dooley supporters. He has already proven that he is not a very good coach. Now, he has the whole program talking about how they didn't care and have no leadership.
So, not only has he proven to be a mediocre coach, he has the whole program swirling in negativity. So, how can anyone justify hoping next year will be better? Based on what? His 2012 recruiting class? But, they will be freshmen and we all know that young guys play bad. So, they cannot help.
JimmyJoe writes:
COACH HARD EVERY PLAY! COACH HARD EVERY PLAY!
Dooley has to coach on second down. You can't just sit there and write on your note pad and watch 2nd and 2 become 3rd and 5....over and over again. On 2nd and 10 you can't run a dive play and set up 3rd and 10 over and over again.... Coach you have got to understand that you can't attempt a 45 yard field goal with the kicker you have.... Just go for it or drop a pooch punt...we ought to be pretty good at pooch punts... Of course I'm not telling you anything that you shouldn't already know... Most 13 year old girls around here know that stuff...
utclassof1992 writes:
Uh, that would be two of the last FOUR, and between the two bad years were a 10 win season and a 9 win season and East Championship. 2008 was a bad year and bad OC hire that would probably have been fixed in 2009 had we done things right. Sorry, not buying it. Hamilton and Haslam nuked this program as the idiots sat by and clapped.
jobrando#216494 writes:
But Coach says his team sucks and Sunday they will begin work to change that.
wallingdad writes:
when ky kicked the field goal i thought someone called time out because UT did not move. they simply watched. at least that is what i thought i saw.
SummittsCourt writes:
All said and done the Vols are a 5-7 team with a 1-7 SEC record.
We all have a right to be mad, embarrassed and ashamed right now.
However, tomorrow the sun will rise.
Last four years in review
Fulmer 5-7, bad loss to Wyoming after being fired
Kiffen 7-6, bad loss to Va Tech in the Bowl game and then he quits
Dooley 6-7, should've been 8-5 (LSU/UNC)
Dooley 5-7, injuries & hard schedule not withstanding, but losing to a bad UK team with a bowl on the line = really bad
Overall - 23-27 (0-2 in bowls), loss to UK, 4 losses to UF & Bama and 3 coaching changes.
Is this the worst senior class ever? What will they be remembered for?
I am a Dooley supporter and I firmly believe next season will be better - we do not need more upheavel with another coaching change.
TopTenn writes:
We did that once. Heck, we may do it again.
TennesseeVolFan_GA writes:
Sorry to say it folks...This is lack of Coaching, leadership, seeing the current state of your team.
I call it like I see it!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
As far as Fulmer
Wyoming
before they fired their coach!!
HSVol writes:
KNS: anything but F's and you are a failure.
Hart: anything but a new coach and you are a failure.
Dooley: anything but a graceful exit and you are a bigger loser than you've already been on the field.
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