The Notes: Just One

#1
orange+white=heaven

orange+white=heaven

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#1
There is but one fresh piece this morning. Nothing new in the Tennessean, so the tfp's lone offering follows in it's entirety.

...On a personal note, this season is for me very much a referendum on my opinion of what Fulmer's future at UT ought to be. It was critical that CPF and his staff show me they could keep their team's attention in the wake of the huge setback that was the LSU game. The team was not ready at the start of Saturday's game. I understand the circumstances that surrounded the team, but coaching accountability is at hyper-acute levels this season, and ill preparedness lands squarely on the head coach this year.

This past week was a solid argument on the side of those at the Nation who so earnestly cry for change.
I'm not convinced. I am however, leaning.

Now some objective reading material...

tfpOnline:Return of Ainge?/Other bits
KNOXVILLE — Hog calls still filled the air Saturday night when Tennessee freshman quarterback Jonathan Crompton tred slowly through the underbelly of a cold but elated Razorback Stadium.

There was enough blame to go around after a lopsided 31-14 defeat to red-hot Arkansas, but Crompton wanted all of it.

"I don’t think I prepared myself mentally as much as I should have," he said.

A day later, with bitter vibes of a worthless weekend following the Volunteers and their fans home, UT coach Phillip Fulmer refused to blame his rookie quarterback.

If anything, Fulmer went out of his way Sunday to praise Crompton’s 16-of-34, 174-yard performance. Considering the difficulties of making his first career start in such an environment, Fulmer sounded pleased.

"He’s going to be a really good player," Fulmer said.

But that doesn’t mean Fulmer wouldn’t want starting quarterback Erik Ainge back at 12:30 p.m. this Saturday when No. 22 Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC) seeks in-state revenge at Vanderbilt (4-7, 1-6).

Ainge didn’t play at Arkansas due to a sprained right ankle that kept him out of practice most of last week.

During a season marred by key injuries to players such as defensive tackle Justin Harrell and tailback Arian Foster, Ainge’s ankle has proven to be the costliest. Without him, Tennessee has dropped twostraight games.

"I would think after last week — he did very little last week — that he should be better and much more ready to go," Fulmer said.

Dressed but unavailable for Arkansas, Ainge stood on the sideline without a helmet for most of the night. He left with a walking boot on his foot, which has been standard apparel for a junior who was the league’s leading passer before twisting his foot on a quarterback draw Oct. 28 at South Carolina.

After an inspired, twotouchdown effort in a loss to LSU, Crompton was named the starter for Arkansas, which jumped on UT early and took a 28-7 halftime lead.

Like most of his team, Crompton wasn’t sharp early. More than half of his 174-yard passing total came in the fourth quarter with the game long since decided.

"As an offense, we just didn’t click," receiver Jayson Swain said. "We all take this ‘L.’ We take it on the chin, and we go back to work."

If there was a bright spot, it was tailback LaMarcus Coker’s return from a sprained knee ligament. Coker started the second half en route to 51 yards on a night that demonstrated mild improvement in UT’s stagnant rushing attack.

"I think a lot of that was LaMarcus," Fulmer said.

Tennessee has lineup questions on both sides of the ball after another bruising game. Receiver Robert Meachem suffered a mild ankle sprain late, but should be fine, Fulmer said. Offensive linemen David Ligon (shoulder) and Josh McNeil (ankle) each nursed injuries after the game. First-string defensive end Antonio Reynolds is expected to miss the Vanderbilt game with a sprained neck.
Click to expand...
 
#2
#2
Receiver Robert Meachem suffered a mild ankle sprain late, but should be fine, Fulmer said. Offensive linemen David Ligon (shoulder) and Josh McNeil (ankle) each nursed injuries after the game. First-string defensive end Antonio Reynolds is expected to miss the Vanderbilt game with a sprained neck.
Click to expand...

Just great. I wonder how many Vandy players are fighting injuries this week?
 
#3
#3
You've got to be kidding. ANOTHER D-lineman banged up!? This has gotten ridiculous.
 
#5
#5
These guys obviously have not had Wheaties in their diet. Props to coker for sucking it up and trying to get after it.
 
#6
#6
i too am now leaning. no SEC title by '08 and I'm ready for change. I may be ready for Chavis gone by next year though
 
#7
#7
GVF said:
These guys obviously have not had Wheaties in their diet. Props to coker for sucking it up and trying to get after it.
Click to expand...

Coker came in and did his thing. He actually found a couple of holes to run through mostly because he wasn't ballroom dancing with the football behind the line.
 
#8
#8
Well then... my "Hey, at least no one got hurt!" post was obviously somewhat premature... :wacko:
 
#9
#9
OWB said:
Coker came in and did his thing. He actually found a couple of holes to run through mostly because he wasn't ballroom dancing with the football behind the line.
Click to expand...

Agreed
Watching the game, Coker ws the lone bright spot for our running game, he actully ran with some intensity.

Hardesty, and Coker, looked like they were trying to follow Emitt Smith onto Dancing with The Stars
 
#11
#11
For the first time in my entire history here at the Nation, I concede that I am willing to think critically about Fulmer continuing at Tennessee, and not calls me on it.
Not sure what that says. Nobody knew... nobody cares... or nobody is suprised...
 
#12
#12
No shock O+W. When Arky hands you your worst loss of the season, it is certainly time for some soul searching.
 
#13
#13
I was leaning on the edge and now I'm almost all the way over to that dark side that hat resides in. How many people also feel chavis needs to go?
 
#15
#15
I don't think you can get rid of Chavis without changing the entire regime. And I've reluctantly come around to the conclusion that that's what needs to happen.

It's not losing to Arkansas; it's being totally unprepared to play. Compare our effort to Georgia, who've been enduring a season comparable to our 2005. But instead of mailing it in like we did last year, they played their best game of the season and blew the doors off a better Auburn team. In contrast, we were still playing for a 10-2 record and a decent bowl game on Saturday night -- and not only was there no discernible game plan, but we looked flat from the opening kickoff. It's okay to lose a tough road game at night in the SEC; it's not okay for both the players and coaches to be so ill-prepared for the game. The job's just not getting done.
 
#16
#16
orange+white=heaven said:
For the first time in my entire history here at the Nation, I concede that I am willing to think critically about Fulmer continuing at Tennessee, and not calls me on it.
Not sure what that says. Nobody knew... nobody cares... or nobody is suprised...
Click to expand...

Doing some soul searching of my own, I realize that I turned that corner when the second ACC team in so many years embarassed us in a bowl game.
 
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