How many walk-ons does it take to screw in a light bulb? Better yet, how many walk-ons does it take to beat a good football team? Unfortunately, by the end of this season, the Vols might have an answer for you.
I’ve seen turmoil on Vol boards. I’ve read stupid posts. In some cases I’m positive that I’ve even contributed to the stupidity. What I’ve been reading since the Auburn loss eclipses any previous witnessed ignorance by a country mile. There are quite a few out there with short memories.
Has anyone bothered to recall last year’s contest against these same Auburn Tigers? It was abysmal to the point of being unwatchable. Sure, it is painful to lose. It isn’t easy to watch special teams give up big plays. I think I may have even passed out from holding my breath every time Jon Crompton dropped back to pass. Yet, in the fourth quarter, I was still entertained.
This coaching staff has taken an offense that was completely broken, and turned it into something that is at least “watchable”. They have done it with two walk-ons and a freshman on the offensive line.
Pass blocking, the supposed Achilles heal of this team, was more than sufficient last week. The run blocking was decent as well. Yet, nobody wants to talk about the vast improvement in this particular area simply because it is clouded by the ineptitude of our passing game.
Jon Crompton is not an SEC quarterback. His receivers are average at best. Those with the potential to perform on levels above the mean have been hampered by injuries at some point this season. Last Saturday, the weakest link of the opposing team was the secondary. UT tried desperately to expose it. They simply didn’t have to resources to get it done.
We can rant and rave about wanting a win. At this point we should all be praying for just a little bit of luck. When the season started, it was a stated fact that the Vols couldn’t afford any injuries. Despite all the players that have missed time, this team continues to improve in the trenches. More specifically, the patchwork offensive line is not all that offensive at all. They seem to actually show slight improvement from week to week.
To some of the yahoos clamoring for wins, that probably doesn’t mean anything at all to you. For those of us that understand the situation, it speaks volumes about how the staff is coaching this football team.
Thank you, Sullins brothers. We appreciate you too, Mr. Douglas. You have worked your tails off to contribute to this football team when they needed it the most. Now it is time for our fans to follow suit.
Until next time, Go Vols!