Help finding a scarring play

[g0d0fm15ch13f]

I grew up watching the Vols go from national relevance to whatever we were in the 2010s, supposedly I watched our NC but I have no memories from that. I've always pinpointed the beginning of the downfall as our loss to clempson in the Peach Bowl, not 2005 nor the UCLA nor Wyoming losses. In fact I've long maintained that they were only a powerhouse in the 4 team cfp era because we were not. Anyway, I remember my parents complaining about how uncharacteristically undisciplined we looked against the acc featherweights. And I remember nothing going our way, including one play that has haunted me... Clausen throwing a pick off a linemans heel while trying to spike the ball. But I've skimmed through Larry Smith's upload of the game and didn't see it. In fact I've checked several games from that early 2000s era from Larry Smith and Freak's yt channels as well as play by play recaps and I can't find it. I don't think this is a false memory since I've spoken with others about it, but it still eludes me. Hoping one of you absolute maniacs can help me track this play down.

Edit: it's worth noting that I was very young when this play happened so I'm absolutely an unreliable narrator here, very well could've been a different game or season or it could've even been a play for the other team that had a "positive" result for them. Please help me find this so I can put my mind at ease.

 

[Delmar]

I grew up watching the Vols go from national relevance to whatever we were in the 2010s, supposedly I watched our NC but I have no memories from that. I've always pinpointed the beginning of the downfall as our loss to clempson in the Peach Bowl, not 2005 nor the UCLA nor Wyoming losses. In fact I've long maintained that they were only a powerhouse in the 4 team cfp era because we were not. Anyway, I remember my parents complaining about how uncharacteristically undisciplined we looked against the acc featherweights. And I remember nothing going our way, including one play that has haunted me... Clausen throwing a pick off a linemans heel while trying to spike the ball. But I've skimmed through Larry Smith's upload of the game and didn't see it. In fact I've checked several games from that early 2000s era from Larry Smith and Freak's yt channels and I can't find it. I don't think this is a false memory since I've spoken with others about it, but it still eludes me. Hoping one of you absolute maniacs can help me track this play down.

Don’t believe it was any one play. I think it was mostly a gradual deterioration of talent over a number of years. I did a little research after the Fulmer years back when the KNS had a forum, and I don’t remember the exact numbers. There was a period of time in the Fulmer era where we put a ton of players (as I recall about 30) in the NFL in the first 3 rounds of the draft. In the span of about 5 years after that period, that number was next to nothing. That tells me all I need to know about the cause of our slide. Wish I could remember the exact numbers but it was pretty shocking.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I don’t recall this play, but The beginning of the downfall was on a December afternoon/evening in Atlanta in 2001.

 

[#1fulmerite]

Could it have been the fumble against Georgia in ‘03/04? It wasn’t a spike but a fumble on our their one yard line that Pollack ran 99 yards for a TD. 14 point swing going into the half.

 

[#1fulmerite]

Don’t believe it was any one play. I think it was mostly a gradual deterioration of talent over a number of years. I did a little research after the Fulmer years back when the KNS had a forum, and I don’t remember the exact numbers. There was a period of time in the Fulmer era where we put a ton of players (as I recall about 30) in the NFL in the first 3 rounds of the draft. In the span of about 5 years after that period, that number was next to nothing. That tells me all I need to know about the cause of our slide. Wish I could remember the exact numbers but it was pretty shocking.

Man, had we given him a sabbatical instead of firing, we would have not been in the wilderness for a decade and a half.

 

[Delmar]

Man, had we given him a sabbatical instead of firing, we would have not been in the wilderness for a decade and a half.

Not going to get into that discussion again. I don’t believe for one minute that Phil would have accepted a “sabbatical” nor do I know of any college that’s ever done it. Waste of time to talk about it.

 

[05_never_again]

Could it have been the fumble against Georgia in ‘03/04? It wasn’t a spike but a fumble on our their one yard line that Pollack ran 99 yards for a TD. 14 point swing going into the half.

That is the single most painful individual play I've ever seen.

I also don't know if I've seen a single play have a bigger impact on the psyche of a team within a game. We were down 20-7, but got the ball to start the second half. Went 3 and out, then they scored on a 14-play, 83-yard drive. On our first play of the next drive, we threw an interception deep in our own territory. They scored 3 plays later. On our second play of the next drive, threw another interception deep in our own territory. They scored 2 plays later. That game went from everybody thinking we'd be up 14-13 at the half to being down 41-7 midway through the third quarter.

 

[g0d0fm15ch13f]

Could it have been the fumble against Georgia in ‘03/04? It wasn’t a spike but a fumble on our their one yard line that Pollack ran 99 yards for a TD. 14 point swing going into the half.

I don't think so? I really seem to recall thinking that it was an attempted spike. But the rest of this play aligns with my memory (at the goal line, horrific outcome for the good guys, turnover more or less under center) so it is possible

 

[Chad F]

Fulmer should have left a couple of years earlier than he did. He had clearly fallen behind the game. But given how incompetent our Athletic Directors have been, beginning with Mike Hamilton and lasting until we finally got a competent AD in Danny White, I don’t know if we could have avoided “wandering in the wilderness” for over a decade. Our processes were bad. And our hires, at least in football, were terrible.

 

[MillerTime80]

I remember that bowl loss in the 2003 season... UT did not play well. However, I do not remember an INT off a lineman's heel. With that being said, I am not saying that never occurred. I think you might be thinking of two different games, maybe...

In 2003, Clausen fumbled a snap of the leading blockers leg on a 3rd and goal vs Georgia. The game was 13-7, UGA was up but UT was in good shape to score and take the lead. The fumble occurred inside the 1 yd line. UGA picked up and ran it back 99 yards. Last play before the half.... The game was never competitive after that.
The year before in 2002, Clausen had like 4 fumbled exchanges in a rain-soaked 2nd quarter of a competitive game (some consecutive), that led to UF win as well. Again, UT never bounced back from the sloppy play. I think Larkins fumbled a punt as well. Both were winnable games, where turnovers tipped the scales.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

That is the single most painful individual play I've ever seen.

I also don't know if I've seen a single play have a bigger impact on the psyche of a team within a game. We were down 20-7, but got the ball to start the second half. Went 3 and out, then they scored on a 14-play, 83-yard drive. On our first play of the next drive, we threw an interception deep in our own territory. They scored 3 plays later. On our second play of the next drive, threw another interception deep in our own territory. They scored 2 plays later. That game went from everybody thinking we'd be up 14-13 at the half to being down 41-7 midway through the third quarter.

I was at that game. I don’t know if I’ve seen a collapse like that . We were a good football team that season too. I think it ended up 49-10.

They still show a clip of Richt’s eyes big as saucers waving Jones down the sideline .

I just watched the last minute of that half for the first time since that night. What a kick in the nuts.

 

[g0d0fm15ch13f]

I was at that game. I don’t know if I’ve seen a collapse like that . We were a good football team that season too. I think it ended up 49-10.

They still show a clip of Richt’s eyes big as saucers waving Jones down the sideline .

I just watched the last minute of that half for the first time since that night. What a kick in the nuts.

Yeah trying to find this has been brutal, I've watched just about all of Clausen's interceptions and some of them are just gut wrenching

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I don’t recall this play, but The beginning of the downfall began on a December afternoon/evening in Atlanta in 2001.

Damn

I had actually learned to avoid thinking about that game. Day ruined.

Sigh

 

[Orange Navy]

Fulmer should have left a couple of years earlier than he did. He had clearly fallen behind the game. But given how incompetent our Athletic Directors have been, beginning with Mike Hamilton and lasting until we finally got a competent AD in Danny White, I don’t know if we could have avoided “wandering in the wilderness” for over a decade. Our processes were bad. And our hires, at least in football, were terrible.

I’ve always thought the only Hope would’ve been to name Cutcliffe coach in waiting. Not sure Fulmer would’ve gone for that. But losing Cuttcliffe was the beginning of the end. He did pretty good as HC at Duke considering it was Duke. I’m not sure he would’ve ever won a Natty here but we wouldn’t have fallen off the map like we did.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Damn

I had actually learned to avoid thinking about that game. Day ruined.

Sigh

I apologize . One of the few games that I will not even watch a single replay of . I was 19 at the time and it still stands as the most painful loss of my adult life.

 

[05_never_again]

I’ve always thought the only Hope would’ve been to name Cutcliffe coach in waiting. Not sure Fulmer would’ve gone for that. But losing Cuttcliffe was the beginning of the end. He did pretty good as HC at Duke considering it was Duke. I’m not sure he would’ve ever won a Natty here but we wouldn’t have fallen off the map like we did.

There was an opportunity to bring him back after Kiffin left, but he wanted to bring his entire Duke staff with him and Mike Hamilton said no.

 

[GAVol]

Could it have been the fumble against Georgia in ‘03/04? It wasn’t a spike but a fumble on our their one yard line that Pollack ran 99 yards for a TD. 14 point swing going into the half.

Don’t think it was Pollack, but yeah, that happened. Trying to punch it in at the 1 yard line and the FB knocked the ball out of Clausen’s hand as he ran by him.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

There was an opportunity to bring him back after Kiffin left, but he wanted to bring his entire Duke staff with him and Mike Hamilton said no.

Yeah I remember that to. He had to be the worst AD UT ever had. Fired Fulmer, hired Kiffy and let him put a clause in his contract that the buyout was void if he went to S. Cal. I mean how much notice do you need to know that was his plan all along. Hired Dooley.

How much damage can one man do, he did it.

 

[05_never_again]

Yeah I remember that to. He had to be the worst AD UT ever had. Fired Fulmer, hired Kiffy and let him put a clause in his contract that the buyout was void if he went to S. Cal. I mean how much notice do you need to know that was his plan all along. Hired Dooley.

How much damage can one man do, he did it.

Wasn't a voided buyout, but was a pretty cheap one. I think he owed the University only a few hundred thousand dollars.

 

[ATCVolinmn]

Not going to get into that discussion again. I don’t believe for one minute that Phil would have accepted a “sabbatical” nor do I know of any college that’s ever done it. Waste of time to talk about it.

KState with Bill Snyder. He wanted some time away and came back......

 

[Delmar]

KState with Bill Snyder. He wanted some time away and came back......

Interesting. I didn’t remember that. The difference would be that Phil didn’t want time away and I really doubt he would have accepted that option.

 

[Golfprovol]

I don’t recall this play, but The beginning of the downfall began on a December afternoon/evening in Atlanta in 2001.

Exactly! That is when the mom of Rohan Davey put a 20 year voodoo hex on us. We sucked for 20 years! Curse was over in 2022! Coincidence?? Don't think so.

 

[vol94]

I don’t recall this play, but The beginning of the downfall began on a December afternoon/evening in Atlanta in 2001.

I was in attendance that night & still think it’s the worst loss in TN history. One half of football stood in our way to play the Canes for the natty. We lost to a backup QB and RB while Saban out coached Phil. Horrible night!

 

[Boston Vol]

I grew up watching the Vols go from national relevance to whatever we were in the 2010s, supposedly I watched our NC but I have no memories from that. I've always pinpointed the beginning of the downfall as our loss to clempson in the Peach Bowl, not 2005 nor the UCLA nor Wyoming losses. In fact I've long maintained that they were only a powerhouse in the 4 team cfp era because we were not. Anyway, I remember my parents complaining about how uncharacteristically undisciplined we looked against the acc featherweights. And I remember nothing going our way, including one play that has haunted me... Clausen throwing a pick off a linemans heel while trying to spike the ball. But I've skimmed through Larry Smith's upload of the game and didn't see it. In fact I've checked several games from that early 2000s era from Larry Smith and Freak's yt channels as well as play by play recaps and I can't find it. I don't think this is a false memory since I've spoken with others about it, but it still eludes me. Hoping one of you absolute maniacs can help me track this play down.

Edit: it's worth noting that I was very young when this play happened so I'm absolutely an unreliable narrator here, very well could've been a different game or season or it could've even been a play for the other team that had a "positive" result for them. Please help me find this so I can put my mind at ease.

I honestly can’t recall the play you’re referring to. However, I do remember a similar play happening in that year’s Rose Bowl between USC and Michigan. John Navarre threw a pass deep in Michigan territory that bounced off the heel of Braylon Edwards and was intercepted by the Trojan defense.

 

[Special Ed]

I'll get back to you when I figure out what "scarring play" means.
Be patient; I'm slow.