I was in line at one of my favorite pizza joints on the planet last night in Lexington, Kentucky, and a Kentucky fan actually held the door open for me. I can only assume that he saw that I was wearing my favorite Tennessee hat, and felt a little sorry for me. He couldn’t conceal the smile on his face when he asked me, “How did Tennessee do yesterday?†Instead of boring him with an argument about college football, strength of schedule, or asking him if he was alive the last time Kentucky beat Tennessee, I just nodded, told him that things were tough on the hill, and that one day the Vols will be back.
It has been a tough season to be a Vol, and things aren’t going to get any easier in dealing with our SEC brethren. Right now, the bottom line is that Vols across the country are forced to grin and bear it. Sure, beating Arkansas State is a reason to celebrate, but it feels a little bit like the first time your dad pours alcohol on one of your scrapes. It still burns, and if you don’t apply some bandages, you are simply left with an unhealed scrape that requires rubbing alcohol five times a day.
Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and Arkansas will all come with handfuls of salt to rub in the Vols fresh wounds, and if we are to compete, there is still a long list of improvements to be made. Otherwise the “Voltanic†will go down without a whimper. In order, here is the grocery list that will make the Vols a better team immediately.
–Tackling: This is the poorest display of tackling that I have seen from a Volunteer football team in several years.
–Special teams: Just when it looks like we fix one area, and don’t allow any points on special teams, all of the sudden we have forgotten how to return punts.
–The Defensive line: This was my biggest concern entering the year, and it is still the weakest unit on the team. The push in the Arky State game was better at times than I have seen all year, but the rushing yards allowed shows how long the road will be for this particular unit.
–Orange Zone Offense: As pleased as I am to have what appears to be a reliable place kicker, all we need to do is look to the Florida game to see that field goals will not do in the SEC.
–Third and short: Third and three should never be a forced passing down for the Vols.
Reflecting on the list, it is interesting that some of the deficiencies are not completely talent related issues. I think an infusion of toughness could actually bandage some of our wounds. Sometimes all it takes is putting a helmet on the man in front of you and “willing†him to move from the space he occupies. Then there are other issues related to talent and scheme that may never really heal as long as this current staff is in place.
Perhaps the bandaging is on the way. For the first time in his head coaching career, Phil Fulmer is really on the hotseat. Sure there have been times in the past when his posterior may have been warm, but it appears that the fire has now truly been lit. The press is no longer clinging to 1998 (with the notable exception of Griffith), Volnation posters who stood behind Phil for a myriad of reasons are now jumping ship, and most importantly, I am convinced that the “feelers†for a new head coach are out. Unfortunately for Phil, there aren’t many Arkansas State games left on the schedule.
It will be an uphill battle to hold this team together. A win against Georgia would be a pleasant reprieve for Vol fans just struggling to get through the season. Hopefully we will see toughness, tackling, scoring in the Orange Zone, and maybe our special teams will play a complete game. If none of that works, I say we play for a little good ole Volunteer pride. Maybe it is time to put the cart before the horse, and hope the Vols play their next few conference games with that Big Orange Swagger that we all know and love. Until next time, GO VOLS.