VOLS FINALLY DO IT
Monday 12/3/01
It is safe to say that most residents of Gainesville will be happy if they never hear “Rocky Top” again. What a game. Congrats all around to the Tennessee coaching staff and players. Head coach Phil Fulmer did a fabulous job overseeing preparations and dealing with his players during the game. He calmed Casey Clausen down right when he needed it. He wouldn’t let TE Jason Witten get down on himself. His coordinators had the games of their lives. Coach John Chavis who was harshly criticized after the Georgia game, and rightly so, called a brilliant game. He sometimes only had 1 lineman in a down position while the rest moved around and then just came flying at the QB. It really started taking it’s toll on the Florida OL in the second half. Rex Grossman took shot after shot and they were legal.
Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders also called a brilliant game redeeming himself for the debacle in Knoxville last year. This Vol team has come a long way since that day. I have long been a critic of Sanders but the guy has come of age this year. Finally, you really have to give it to the players that executed these plans: Casey Clausen, Dante Stallworth, Kelley Washington, the Vol OL, the defense and finally an MVP tailback who just would not be stopped, Travis Stephens. I am amazed at Stephens. In backup duty the last few years I have not seen any flashes of this. He was supposed to be a weak link this year and may be the best back in the country. He is better than Jamal Lewis and Travis Henry.
On the Florida side there are simply 2 things to point to… First the defense just got their butts kicked. UT simply took it to them. Next, Florida’s lack of a running game killed them once again. UT was able to do many of the things they did simply because Florida didn’t have a running attack. It wouldn’t have been any different with Ernest Graham. Graham is a little better than Gillespie but neither are great. It is weird that Spurrier has not been able to recruit a top back because they can be used in his offense. Eric Rhett and Fred Taylor were major parts of past Florida teams. Wuerffel didn’t have as many passing yards as Grossman simply because he had Taylor in the backfield. It was a better team.
It really should have been worse because their were several bad calls in the game. Two times Rex Grossman fumbled the ball and the refs somehow let the Gators retain possession. However the best team won in the end. I really have sensed something special about this Vol team since the Notre Dame game and that is why I picked them to win this game. While obviously I wasn’t too confident because Florida is awesome I really thought they had a good chance to win. It takes a heck of a mature team to play 2 tough games against Bama and South Carolina and go to South Bend and beat a decent Notre Dame team. Now Tennessee did have a near disaster against Kentucky but you are going to have a let down somewhere. I honestly think this Vol team is little better than the the 1998 national championship team.
However they do have one more game to play… The LSU Tigers finally got over the hump and will go the their first championship game. They took care of business against an Auburn team that was finished 2 weeks ago. While Travis Stephens is the best RB in the conference Josh Reed is hands down the best WR in the conference. He rolled up another huge game against Auburn. Davey to Reed is the most lethal combination in the SEC this year statistically. Reed has already set and is adding to the SEC record for receiving yards in a season. LSU has really come together down the stretch after a critical loss to Ole Miss. They needed some help but they took care of business as well after that loss.
As for Auburn, questions are really starting to pop up. How do you blow a 4-0 lead including a win over Florida? All Auburn had to do was win 2 out of their last 4 games. It has become very obvious what head coach Tommy Tuberville’s achilles heel is. He simply doesn’t have the first clue about offense. All of Tuberville’s experience before being a head coach was on the defensive side of the ball. Many great coaches have come from that but Tuberville may not be able to do it. Tuberville doesn’t seem to have a clue and is totally reliant on offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.
Mazzone’s offense has now been proven to be a colossal failure. He has not gotten any better since he has gotten to Auburn. Auburn has averaged 20 points a game in conference play the last 2 seasons and that number has dropped to 19 this year. Auburn has proven playmakers all over the field but they simply cannot get the ball. I believe the Auburn offensive players have lost confidence in the coaches. The coaches have banished several players for simply making a mistake and that is just inexcusable. They have messed up both QBs and even brought in 3rd string QB Jeff Klein in against LSU after he had not taken a snap all season. If changes aren’t made with the offensive coaches Auburn will not do any better next year.