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From the Chattanooga Times Free Press (11/21/05)......
Vols never really knew what was going on
Mark Wiedmer Commentary
KNOXVILLE Late in Saturdays 28-24 loss to Vanderbilt, an angry Tennessee supporter hurled a Nerf football into Neyland Stadiums south end zone following a pass interference penalty against the Vols.
From inside the press box, a sports writer cracked, "Jonathan Crompton must have thrown that pass. Thats the best throw weve seen all day from anyone in orange."
For those unfamiliar with the redshirt freshman quarterback from Waynesville, N.C., the 6-3, 220-pound Crompton is about to become the most discussed player in the UT program. Hes the guy the entire Big Orange Nation expects to return the Vols to glory after their first losing season since 1988. Hes the guy who is supposed to return this program from Rock(y) Bottom UT coach Phillip Fulmers term following the Vandy loss to Rocky Top.
Hes the guy who is supposed to make Volniacs nationwide forget that Tennessee will head into this weeks season finale at Kentucky without a single SEC East victory this year.
At least thats surely what Fulmer is hoping, since there has been so little to bring hope for the future during these past six games as the Vols have gone 1-5. In fact, you can hear the coachs pregame pep talk already, cant you? "Guys, youre only as good as your last game, and this is our last game. So lets go out there and lay it all on the line for fifth place in the East. Lets beat the team that Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Idaho State couldnt beat. Lets end this season as the best 5-6 football team in America. But if we should somehow end up in the East basement, let none of you remain on scholarship for 2006."
In a way, perhaps Tennessee fans should thank Fulmer and the Vols. After all, this is supposed to be a tough winter for utility bills. UT failing to qualify for a bowl will save its supporters travel expenses to such sexy locales as Shreveport or Nashville.
It will also help the schools sports information staff with the troublesome rule of keeping its outstanding media guide to an NCAA-mandated 208 pages. Thanks to this season, it wont have to squeeze in another bowl result.
Who knows, the Vols brass might accidentally forget to record this season altogether, claiming quarterback Erik Ainge hurled it into a trash can while attempting to avoid that fearsome Memphis pass rush.
And a 4-6 record is forgettable. Especially given the No. 3 ranking at seasons dawn. Seemingly blessed with talent at every position, no one in Orange attempted to downplay national championship talk, least of all Fulmer.
He even openly loved his quarterbacks, saying it didnt matter which he started Ainge or Rick Clausen "because I know well have a good one."
What theyve had from Day One is a divided team, one microscopically split between Ainge and Clausen, one more openly separated into offense and defense. It would not be the first proud program undone by such divisions. Bear Bryants final Alabama team was conflicted internally. Similar divisions cost Gerry DiNardo his job at LSU.
A single moment from the preseason told us more than any of us realized at the time. On the August Saturday that Fulmer announced Ainge would be the starter, I was scheduled to interview a couple of UT receivers for a feature.
As I interviewed one of them, Ainge walked in and sat next to him. The receiver never acknowledged him, never told him congratulations for winning the starting job, never even glanced his way.
From that point forward, this was a team in turmoil. Fulmer can hire and fire all the assistants he wants, but until this team finds a quarterback who can both inspire and execute, the Vols will remain a mystery team, capable of producing both grand moments (handing LSU its lone loss of the year) and gross embarrassments (South Carolina and Vanderbilt).
One other thing. Its time to shut up and play. Quit talking about how good you are in August. Prove how good you are in October and November. t into this season seeming to think they could spin their way into a BCS bowl. Talking the talk was never so cheap as when Kevin Simon proclaimed before the Alabama game, "Were not a 3-3 team. We didnt come from California, Hawaii and Texas to be a 3-3 team. Were not losing again."
Or to borrow a line from Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler as he discussed the UT defense on Saturday, "In the first half, they really didnt know what was going on."
Ten games into a season that was supposed to produce a championship, those may be the most telling words of all.
E-mail Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com
Vols never really knew what was going on
Mark Wiedmer Commentary
KNOXVILLE Late in Saturdays 28-24 loss to Vanderbilt, an angry Tennessee supporter hurled a Nerf football into Neyland Stadiums south end zone following a pass interference penalty against the Vols.
From inside the press box, a sports writer cracked, "Jonathan Crompton must have thrown that pass. Thats the best throw weve seen all day from anyone in orange."
For those unfamiliar with the redshirt freshman quarterback from Waynesville, N.C., the 6-3, 220-pound Crompton is about to become the most discussed player in the UT program. Hes the guy the entire Big Orange Nation expects to return the Vols to glory after their first losing season since 1988. Hes the guy who is supposed to return this program from Rock(y) Bottom UT coach Phillip Fulmers term following the Vandy loss to Rocky Top.
Hes the guy who is supposed to make Volniacs nationwide forget that Tennessee will head into this weeks season finale at Kentucky without a single SEC East victory this year.
At least thats surely what Fulmer is hoping, since there has been so little to bring hope for the future during these past six games as the Vols have gone 1-5. In fact, you can hear the coachs pregame pep talk already, cant you? "Guys, youre only as good as your last game, and this is our last game. So lets go out there and lay it all on the line for fifth place in the East. Lets beat the team that Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Idaho State couldnt beat. Lets end this season as the best 5-6 football team in America. But if we should somehow end up in the East basement, let none of you remain on scholarship for 2006."
In a way, perhaps Tennessee fans should thank Fulmer and the Vols. After all, this is supposed to be a tough winter for utility bills. UT failing to qualify for a bowl will save its supporters travel expenses to such sexy locales as Shreveport or Nashville.
It will also help the schools sports information staff with the troublesome rule of keeping its outstanding media guide to an NCAA-mandated 208 pages. Thanks to this season, it wont have to squeeze in another bowl result.
Who knows, the Vols brass might accidentally forget to record this season altogether, claiming quarterback Erik Ainge hurled it into a trash can while attempting to avoid that fearsome Memphis pass rush.
And a 4-6 record is forgettable. Especially given the No. 3 ranking at seasons dawn. Seemingly blessed with talent at every position, no one in Orange attempted to downplay national championship talk, least of all Fulmer.
He even openly loved his quarterbacks, saying it didnt matter which he started Ainge or Rick Clausen "because I know well have a good one."
What theyve had from Day One is a divided team, one microscopically split between Ainge and Clausen, one more openly separated into offense and defense. It would not be the first proud program undone by such divisions. Bear Bryants final Alabama team was conflicted internally. Similar divisions cost Gerry DiNardo his job at LSU.
A single moment from the preseason told us more than any of us realized at the time. On the August Saturday that Fulmer announced Ainge would be the starter, I was scheduled to interview a couple of UT receivers for a feature.
As I interviewed one of them, Ainge walked in and sat next to him. The receiver never acknowledged him, never told him congratulations for winning the starting job, never even glanced his way.
From that point forward, this was a team in turmoil. Fulmer can hire and fire all the assistants he wants, but until this team finds a quarterback who can both inspire and execute, the Vols will remain a mystery team, capable of producing both grand moments (handing LSU its lone loss of the year) and gross embarrassments (South Carolina and Vanderbilt).
One other thing. Its time to shut up and play. Quit talking about how good you are in August. Prove how good you are in October and November. t into this season seeming to think they could spin their way into a BCS bowl. Talking the talk was never so cheap as when Kevin Simon proclaimed before the Alabama game, "Were not a 3-3 team. We didnt come from California, Hawaii and Texas to be a 3-3 team. Were not losing again."
Or to borrow a line from Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler as he discussed the UT defense on Saturday, "In the first half, they really didnt know what was going on."
Ten games into a season that was supposed to produce a championship, those may be the most telling words of all.
E-mail Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com
