After struggling through an injury-plagued season that has culminated in Derek Dooley’s Tennessee Volunteer’s (4-6, 0-6 SEC) first ever 0-and-6 SEC start, there may be a glimmer of light breaking through near the end of the tunnel that has left them in darkness.  This Saturday night in Knoxville, a resurgent Vanderbilt (5-5, 2-5 SEC) squad, led by first-year coach James Franklin, will be looking to run the Vols out on a rail and gain their sixth win of the season that would earn them bowl eligibility for just the second time in the last 30 years.  While the eternal optimist thinks he can see the light, as Vandy has beaten the Vols just three times since 1965,  many die-hard Big Orange fans are worried that Derek Dooley may be tied down to the railroad tracks and James Franklin may be engineering the train.

So how could a game that involves two teams with a combined record below five hundred mean so much?  Well there’s more than one reason, but the primary answer is bowl eligibility.  The other answer, to put it bluntly, Tennessee just doesn’t lose to Vandy, at least not very often, as the Vols hold a significant edge of 72 wins against 27 losses and 5 ties in the all-time series.  For Vol fans, a loss to Vandy would send many of them into a state of panic and signal proof that the program is still in decline under Dooley and not moving forward, as the word patience and SEC football can only be used in the same sentence, well, never.  For Vandy fans, just the opposite as Franklin’s miracle in Music City would continue to gain momentum and his stature as a top-notch SEC field general would receive added credibility.

The Vols

Tennessee got off to a 3-1 start but have just one win in their last six games and that was against the homecoming sacrificial lamb, MTSU.  Life for Dooley’s Vols has been rough after losing two, star offensive weapons in receiver Justin Hunter and quarterback Tyler Bray, not to mention playing the third toughest schedule among 120 FBS programs.  But hey, that’s life in the big-time known as SEC football.

Tennessee’s abysmal running game, that currently ranks 116th nationally, has been well-documented but the problems don’t end there.  The kicking game has been horrific at times and the secondary unit has failed to live up to expectations.

The one thing that the Vols did well, at least early on, was throw the football.  With Bray behind center, Tennessee’s offense averaged a respectable 32 point per game.  After Bray was sidelined with a broken thumb, the offense has struggled to put points on the board, averaging less than 10 points per game.  To add insult to injury, the Vols have not scored in the second-half since the final minutes of the Georgia game for a demoralizing span of five games of second-half offensive futility.  The good news for Big Orange fans is that Bray, who Dooley lists as “questionable” is expected to be back behind center this weekend.  Though not quite 100 percent, having number 8 back in the huddle should make a huge difference in the Tennessee offense. Read more…

Much was made of Tennessee’s inability to effectively run the ball in Derek Dooley’s first season as head coach of the Volunteers.  The Vols were young on the offensive line, had little to no depth and Tauren Poole was a talented but unproven running back at the collegiate level.  Poole put together a solid season, rushing for over 1000 yards, but the Vols still finished dead last in the SEC in net rushing, averaging just 109 yards per game.  So with basically the same offensive line, a recruiting class that added depth and Poole back for his senior season, all things pointed to an improved running attack for the 2011 campaign.  Eight games into the season Tennessee’s ground game has not improved, in fact, they have gotten worse and currently dwell in the SEC cellar with a net rushing average of just 82.6 yards-per-game.  To put it all in perspective, Tennessee’s longest run from scrimmage for the year was a 30-yard scamper by punter Matt Darr on a fake punt.

So just what has happened to a unit that was supposed to be vastly improved?  Let’s take a look at the key components that make up the Tennessee running game.

Offensive Line

The group returned with experienced gained in 2010 with junior tackle Dallas Thomas and four sophomores that included center James Stone, tackle Ja’Wuan James,  guards Zach Fulton and Notre Dame transfer Alex Bullard.  While still a very young offensive line, the unit had high hopes with the additional depth added with four-star in-coming recruits Antonio Richardson and Marcus Jackson.  Stone, who converted from snapping left-handed to a more conventional right-handed approach, struggled with shotgun snaps and has since lost his job at center to Bullard.  More shuffling has occurred recently with Jackson earning a starting roll at guard and Stone out of the starting rotation.  The unit has taken most of the blame from everything from being too soft to communication breakdowns, presumably on who to block.  Dooley has tried various combinations on the line but the rushing results have yet to make the necessary gains.

Running Backs

Tauren Poole – SR- Poole ran for 1,034 yards last season, averaging 5.1 yard-per-carry and put together six 100-yard rushing performances.  This year has been a struggle for the Toccoa, GA native, who has gained an even 500 yards on 134 carries for an average of 3.7.  Poole has rushed for just two touchdowns and his long run for the year is 28 yards.

Marlin Lane – FR – Lane has shown flashes, at times providing a spark, but has just 160 yards on 50 attempts for a 3.2 yard-per-carry average.  The freshman was banged up last week and did not play against South Carolina.

Rajion Neal – SO – Neal backed up Poole last season and pushed the senior in spring practice.  The sophomore has had tough times holding on to the ball which has allowed Lane to surpass him as Poole’s primary backup.  Dooley has experimented with Neal in the slot receiver position, relegating the speedy back to just 12 carries for 55 yards.

Quarterbacks & Receivers

Tyler Bray – SO – Who needed a running game when Bray was shattering the record books early in the year, right?  Well, the answer showed up in the Georgia game as the Vols reached a season low minus-21 rushing yards on 23 carries.  Bray also had an off night before injuring his right thumb late in the fourth quarter.  With a healthy Bray, the offense was obviously a pass-first oriented offense.  After Bray went down, the struggling rushing attack was thrust more into the spotlight.

Matt Simms – SR – Say what you will about the beleaguered senior quarterback, but it is a fact that the Vols ran the ball much better with Simms behind center.  Against the nations best two teams, LSU and Alabama, the Vols ran well considering the dominant defenses they were up against.  Simms received praise from Dooley for his ability to check off at the line into running plays that garnered 111 yards against LSU and 92 against the Crimson Tide.  In both games, the Vols exceeded their per-game average of 82.6 yards.  Despite the running succcess against number one and two, the Vols lost both games by a combined score of 75-13.

Justin Worley – FR – The true-freshman quarterback is fresh off his first career start last Saturday night against South Carolina.  Worley had a rough night and the Gamecocks defense shut down the Vols rushing attack, allowing just 35 yards on 21 carries.  Worley has a bright future, but his lack of game experience and sizing up SEC defenses clearly gave South Carolina an advantage in grounding Tauren Poole and the running game.  Dooley will stick with Worley as long as he can as he waits for his star, Bray, to return.

Justin Hunter – SO – So what’s Hunter got to do with the running game?  Before the freak receiver went down with a season-ending torn ACL, the Vols were averaging 127 rushing yards per game, not great but light years ahead of where they are now.  Bray and Hunter were able to help Tennessee set up the running game with the duo’s propensity to hit the home-run.   After the Vols lost their deep threat and Bray’s number one go to receiver, the defenses were allowed to pack it in.  Without Hunter, the Vols weren’t gonna beat you deep.

Last in the SEC

The Vols rank dead last in the SEC in rushing, averaging just 82.6 yard-per-game.  Ole Miss is 11th in the conference, one notch above Tennessee, but the Rebels average over 40 yards per game more than the Vols, rushing for 122.8 yards per contest.

Tennessee’s 661 net rushing yards and 2.6 yards-per-carry average are also at the bottom of the conference.  On the season, the Big Orange has been out-rushed by their opponents at nearly a 2-1 staggering margin of 1,309 to 661.  Additionally, the Vols have rushed for an SEC-low 46 first downs.

In five SEC games, the Vols are averaging 41.6 yard-per-game and just 1.7 yards-per-carry.  In three of those five SEC games, against Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Tennessee had a combined 65 rushing attempts for a total net-rushing gain of five yards.  Keep in mind that net-rushing  factors in losses from quarterback sacks, but let that number sink in, 65 carries for 5 yards.

Tennessee ranks at the bottom of the conference in time of possession in SEC games, controlling the clock for just 25:43 per game.  The lack of a productive running attack is a heavy contributor to this key statistic, that wears down the defense by keeping them on the field far too long.

NCAA Rushing Stats

Out of 120 FBS programs, the Vols’ 82.6 net rushing yards-per-game checks in at number 119.  Only Miami (OH) is worse.

Tennessee’s 2.6 yard-per-carry average ranks number 117 nationally.  Leaving just Memphis (2.5), Kent State (2.4) and Miami (OH) (2.2) looking up at the Vols.

In eight games the Vols have rushed for just 661 net rushing yards.  Only Florida Atlantic with 600 yards in seven games and Miami (OH) with 540 have less than Tennessee.

Rushing Ahead

With some of the nation’s top defenses in the Vol’s rear-view mirror, the running game has some hope of getting back on track.  The next four opponents; MTSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky allow a combined average of 182 rushing yards-per-game, compared to the 85 yards allowed by the last four; Georgia, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina .  That being said, Tennessee still has their own in-house issues to overcome in order to produce an effective running game, an effective running game that is going to be necessary if the Vols have any hopes of winning at least three of their last four games to gain bowl eligibility.

When Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley brought in eight defensive back recruits on National Signing Day 2011, it appeared that what was already thought to be a strong unit would only get stronger.  The Vols would be returning two All-SEC defensive backs in Janzen Jackson and Prentiss Waggner and experienced players in Marsalis Teague, Art Evans, Rod Wilkes and Eric Gordon.  The incoming class included three 4-star junior college transfers, three 4-star high school phenoms and two other 3-star prospects.  So what has happened since February 2 to late October that has Justin Wilcox’s defensive backfield at or near the bottom of nearly every meaningful statistical category?  It all began to change just five days later on February 7, 2011 when Jackson left the university to deal with “personal issues.”

The loss of Jackson came as quiet a blow to the Vols, who would go through spring practice and summer camp working players out at various positions, fearing that their defensive star and on-field leader might not return.  Jackson appeared to have battled through his personal demons and re-enrolled at the university on July 7, rejoining the football program under strict guidelines set forth by Dooley.  Just six weeks later, Dooley dismissed Jackson for good for failing to live up those guidelines.  The shuffling in the secondary began once again.

Among the eight recruits that Dooley brought in, Eddrick Lofton once again failed to qualify academically, Pat Martin fled Knoxville in transfer-mode before the season ever kicked off, Geraldo Orta and Tino Thomas have lost the entire season due to serious shoulder injuries and Byron Moore, perhaps the most promising of all, reportedly arrived at summer camp overweight and not in playing shape.  So then there were three, JUCO transfer Izauea Lanier and true-freshmen Justin Coleman and Brian Randolph, who have all received significant playing time. Read more…

Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley made quite a fashion statement at the beginning of the season by showcasing, what has now become a trademark of sorts, his bright orange slacks.  Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, while Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) extended their lead to 37-6 over Tennessee (3-4, 0-4 SEC) in the fourth quarter, Dooley made a statement, but this time it wasn’t with his slacks. 

For Dooley it probably seemed like deja vu all over again as quarterback Matt Simms, subbing for injured star-sophomore Tyler Bray, struggled to ignite the Big Orange offense.  Dooley chose to light the fire himself by sending number 14 onto the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium and in turn, setting true-freshman Justin Worley’s red-shirt ablaze.  This afternoon Dooley announced that Worley, from Rock Hill, will start this Saturday against his home-state South Carolina Gamecocks saying, “We just need to make this move.”

Simms, a senior, had a tough draw once Bray went down with a broken right thumb in the final minutes of the Georgia game as LSU and Alabama were lined up on the Tennessee schedule.  In those two games, Simms completed just 14-of-37 pass attempts (38%) with no touchdown passes and his three interceptions surpassed the two that Bray threw in five starts.  The Vols lost to LSU and Alabama by a combined score of 75-13 with Simms very much resembling the same quarterback from a year earlier.  In 10 career starts for the Volunteers, Simms won just two and may very well best be remembered for his touchdown pass to Denarius Moore that beat UAB in double overtime last year in Knoxville.

Simms’ inability to consistently move the Tennessee offense and his propensity for hanging on to the ball far too long gave Dooley little choice in opting for the reigning Gatorade National Football Player of the Year and Parade High School All-American, Justin Worley, in the absence of Bray. 

Tennessee has now lost three straight and will need to win at least three of their final five games to gain bowl eligibility.  Dooley realizes the importance of winning now and his decision shows his unwillingness to sacrifice potential wins in 2011 for potential wins with Worley in a possible futuristic view of the 2015 season.  In the SEC, no coach can hardly afford to look beyond the season at hand and if he makes decisions with a mentality to the contrary, his career will likely be cut short and the future unrealized.  To paraphrase Dooley’s “Opportunity is NowHere” slogan, the future is now here.

Last season it was Bray who was suddenly thrust into the SEC limelight amid Simms’ struggles and the Vols responded by winning their last four regular season game and gaining a birth in the Music City Bowl.  Worley is an unproven commodity at the college level but with five games remaining on the Tennessee schedule, Dooley is ready to roll the dice with the unproven rather than what has proven to be ineffective.

Worley, who at 6’5″ 200 lb. is similar in stature to Bray, was an early commit for Dooley in last years recruiting wars and led Northwestern High School to an undefeated 15-0 mark and the South Carolina Class 4A-II state title.  Worley’s numbers were outstanding, throwing for 5,315 yards and 64 touchdowns while completing nearly 73 percent of his attempts during his senior campaign. 

Worley joins Tennessee football legend Peyton Manning as the only two Tennessee players to receive the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honor, which was founded in 1985.

In sports, numbers don’t always tell the whole story, but more often than not they at least give you an idea of some of the problems that a given team is facing.  Five games into the season, Tennessee’s struggles have been well documented as both the running  and kicking games have been problematic to say the least, but that’s not where the Vol’s pain ends.  Here’s a look at some of the numbers that show just how far Derek Dooley’s Vols (3-2, 0-2 SEC) must climb to regain SEC relevance on Rocky Top.

One - The Vols have one more interception than a dead man and are tied for last in the NCAA with a few other programs that are also suffering from rigor mortis in the secondary.  It seems like ages since Art Evans turned in the pick-six against Montana in Tennessee’s opening game of the season.  Obviously the unit was dealt a blow when All-SEC safety Janzen Jackson was dismissed in late summer but just one interception in five games is somewhat amazing, especially when you consider that no other SEC team has less than four and in-state little brother Vanderbilt leads the conference with 14.

Two - Tennessee is 0 and two in the early portion of their SEC schedule following losses to Florida and Georgia.  Injuries to star players Justin Hunter and Tyler Bray will not help as the Vols’ next four SEC opponents are LSU, Alabama, South Carolina and Arkansas.

Three- Tennessee won a total of three SEC games last season with wins over Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Kentucky.  Subtract Ole Miss from the 2011 schedule, insert Arkansas, and suddenly the road to three SEC wins looks much tougher.  If the Vols can make it 27 straight over Kentucky and stop James Franklin’s improving Vandy squad, they will still need to pull off an upset among the four remaining conference opponents.  Those four other opponents are all ranked in the AP Top 25 with LSU (1), Alabama (2), South Carolina (15) and Arkansas (10).  It will take that signature win that Dooley is still seeking to at least equal last year’s three SEC victories. Read more…

Most reasonable observers, including Barbara Dooley, agree that second-year Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley is not on the “hot seat” but if there is a seat for frustration it might be getting a little crowded, as Dooley may have to share that seat with a few hundred thousand members of the Volnation.  In the progression of temperment, frustration occurs a couple of notches before one gets angry or in this case, let’s say hot.  So while Dooley may not technically be on the hot seat, the natives of the Volunteer state were certainly hoping for more than this season has produced and are growing increasingly anxious as improvement seems to be measured by the inch and not the yard.

Saturday night in Knoxville before a capacity crowd of 102,455, Mark Richt’s Georgia Bulldogs (4-2, 3-1 SEC) came in needing a win to stay in the mix for the top spot in the SEC East.  Tennessee (3-2, 0-2 SEC) had the same opportunity, win and contend.  One team looked up to the challenge, and that team was Georgia.

The two teams played well in the first half connecting for two field goals each.  Despite a 6-6 score at the half, it seemed as if the Vols should’ve had the lead, and they would have if not for another missed field goal by troubled place-kicker Michael Palardy who missed his first attempt of 51-yards.

The bright spot for Tennessee in the first half was the play of the defense, who held Mike Bobo’s offensive unit out of the end-zone and forced the Bulldogs to convert twice on fourth down chances on their opening drive that ended in a Blair Walsh field goal.  But the fact that Richt was going for it on fourth down and converting at will also made a statement: Georgia was not afraid of the Tennessee defense.  On the night, all in the first half, Georgia went for it on fourth down on three occasions and cashed in every time.

The Vols were holding serve and got the ball to open the second half.  Their disastrous opening third quarter drive would set the tone for their second half demise.  Marlin Lane rushed on first down and was tackled for a two-yard loss.  On second down, Bray connected with freshman receiver DeAnthony Arnett for a four-yard gain, setting up a third-and-eight from the UT 22-yard line.  On third down, converted left-handed to right-handed center, James Stone snapped the ball over the head of Bray and the Vol’s quarterback was able to cover the loose ball on the seven yard line.  Matt Darr, who otherwise had a good night punting, picked an inopportune time for his worst boot of the night that sailed just 31 yards.

Georgia took full advantage of the short field opportunity and nine plays later, Isaiah Crowell found pay-dirt from a yard out to give Georgia a lead they would never relinquish.  Georgia’s next offensive series began at their own seven yard line but it didn’t take long for quarterback Aaron Murray, who was fearlessly swinging for the fences all night, to connect with Malcolm Mitchell for a 71-yard bomb that set up Georgia’s final score.  The Bulldogs held a commanding lead 20-6 late in the the third quarter.

The score would remain the same until Tennessee’s last offensive possession in the fourth quarter, and it was on that drive when the Vols would see another one of their star players forced out of the game with an injury.  This time it was quarterback Tyler Bray.  After releasing a pass that was caught by Marlin Lane for a six yard gain, Bray’s right hand came crashing down hard on the helmet of a Georgia defender.  Bray in obvious discomfort remained in the game for one more play but voluntarily came out after his next pass floated wildly with little velocity or direction.

Matt Simms came of the bench in emergency mode and converted two fourth down attempts to keep the drive alive, eventually scoring on a quarterback keeper to pull the Vols back to within striking distance. 

Still with a shot at a comeback, the kicking game failed the Vols once again as Palardy’s try was kicked low and blocked by the Bulldogs.  Tennessee trailed 20-12 and set up to attempt an on-side kick.  Palardy’s kick went out of bounds and Georgia milked the clock before punting the ball away to the Vols, leaving just 18 seconds on the game clock.  Tennessee could make no yardage as time ran out.

On offense, the song remained the same, all Bray or no way, as the Volunteers are quickly becoming the laughing stock of not just the SEC, but the nation, in their attempt to run the ball.  Running back Tauren Poole’s night was cut short after suffering a hamstring injury in the early going and freshman Marlin Lane was called upon to carry the load.   Neither back was effective as Poole gained seven yards on seven carries and Lane had similar results.  It’s hard to imagine the Vols could do any worse than the minus-9 yard performance turned in at The Swamp a few weeks back, but they did.  Adding in quarterback losses, the Vols amassed a combined minus-20 yards of net-rushing.  What was once the hallmark of Tennessee football, “pound the rock,” in the past two seasons has become a bad joke and the punchline is, it continues to get worse, not better.  The new slogan might just as well be “drop the rock,” as the Vols have now fumbled 18 times on the season and amazingly enough have recovered all but four.  After Saturday night, the Vols are now ranked number 114 out of 120 FBS teams.  Only six teams in all of college football have worse rushing offenses than Tennessee and with LSU, Alabama and South Carolina up next, it may get even worse.  In case you’re wondering, those teams are Rutgers, Kent State, Arizona, Miami (OH), Idaho and East Carolina.

Bray played well but was not his usual self and looked out of sync at times and his frustration level was clearly visible on the field.  The sophomore completed 18-of-33 attempts for 251 yards,  and his 10-game streak of throwing at least two touchdown passes came to an abrupt end.  More importantly, the injury to his thumb on his throwing hand forced him out of the game on Tennessee’s last offensive drive.  The results of Bray’s x-rays confirmed what he and many already believed, his right thumb is broken and the star-quarterback is expected to miss four to six weeks.

So with Bray out of the picture for the time being, who will Dooley and Tennessee turn to at the critical position of quarterback?  Enter last year’s early season starter Matt Simms, who will take over as the Volunteer’s signal-caller just in time for a three-game stretch that includes three of the NCAA’s Top 10 teams in total defense – LSU – 5th ; Alabama – 3rd ; and South Carolina – 9th.  Throw in Georgia at number 6 in total defense and the Vols will face four of the NCAA’s Top 10 defenses in consecutive weeks.  Perhaps that’s precisely what Dooley was referring to in post-game when he said, “Nobody is going to feel sorry for Tennessee.”

The Vols have an unforgiving schedule remaining for the rest of the month.  They are without their top play-maker in Justin Hunter who suffered a season-ending injury in the Florida game.  They have the seventh worst ground game in the nation and the status of their number one running back, Tauren Poole, is uncertain.  And now, on top of all that, have no choice but to call on their back-up quarterback, Matt Simms, who struggled woefully last season.  Just when the Big Orange faithful thought the clouds had begun to part and bluer skies were on the horizon, all of a sudden it’s getting darker around Knoxville and it’s all about to get rockier, or dare I say hotter, on Rocky Top.

After converting Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray’s first interception of the year into a touchdown that put Florida up 23-7 early in the third quarter, CBS Sports commentator Verne Lundquist lowly muttered to his broadcast partner Gary Danielson, “T-K-O.”  Lundquist wasn’t playing Jimmy the Greek in prognosticating the Mayweather – Ortiz bout later in the evening, but it seemed apparent to most objective viewers that the Vols had likely just suffered the knock-out punch in this SEC Eastern division bout.  Tennessee would not quit and fought back to gain some sense of respectability, but if this was the head-shot that virtually ended any hope of the Vols snapping their six-game losing skid to the Gators, surely the body-blow that set up the hay-maker came much earlier in the event.

Tennessee came into the annual SEC East showdown riding the hot arm of sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray and his two big-time receivers, Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter.  On the fourth play of Tennessee’s opening drive in the first quarter, Bray routinely found Hunter for a 12-yard gain that gave the Vols a first down.  The wide open Hunter had leaped to snag Bray’s throw and came down awkwardly on his left knee.  Hunter, in obvious pain, was helped off the field and would not return.  Losing their top play-making receiver clearly affected the Vols, not only offensively speaking, but it appeared his teammates were almost at a loss without Hunter on the field.  The opening drive culminated in a missed 37-yard field goal try by Michael Palardy and the Vols were down 7-0 after round one.  The Gators would build the lead to 16-7 at the half.

Following the game Tennesee Head Coach Derek Dooley said, “It was clear that it was a break in your spirit when you saw it happen.  The whole team saw it happen.  You have to move on.  I could tell when he went down that it had an effect on our team.  It is an effect and you have to come out of it and play out of it because it is part of the game.  It is very unfortunate, but that is the way it is.”

In a limited role as a freshman, Hunter showed a glimpse of what he was capable of by recording seven touchdown receptions on just 16 catches.  Ironically, as Hunter was setting a new personal best with his 17th catch in the early going of 2011, a season of so much promise may have been coming to an end.  The sophomore had entered the Florida game as the SEC’s leading receiver in both receptions (16) and yards (302) and had also caught two touchdown passes.  Hunter’s gaudy all-time stats were beginning to pile up as well, as he had recorded 729 receiving yards on 33 receptions for a 22 yard-per-catch average and nine touchdowns. Read more…

This Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers (2-0, 0-0 SEC) kick off their SEC schedule when they travel to Gainesville to take on Will Muschamp’s Florida Gators (2-0, 0-0 SEC).  The past two decades have not been kind to Tennessee in this heated rivalry, but the Vols are heading into The Swamp in an attempt to change the course of history.

Earlier this week, Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley said, “It is only relevant if the team makes it relevant.  I’ve said it all along, you can’t be held hostage to the past.  We played last year and had a good game going , and they whipped us in the fourth quarter.  We had a couple of turnovers at bad times.”

Dooley further added about last year’s game, “We got a bunch of different guys who didn’t play in the game playing now.  So for the bulk of our team, this is the first time they are playing against Florida, and guess what, they have a lot of new guys too.  That stuff doesn’t matter unless you make it matter.  If you make it matter, it matters.”

Dooley’s remarks were in reference to the Florida Gators recent dominance of the SEC East rivalry that was once one of the top grudge matches in college football.  The Vols, who have not beaten the Gators since 2004, are the SEC’s youngest team with 73 percent of the roster comprised of freshmen and sophomores.

Though the youthful Vols are nearly a double digit underdog according to the odds-makers, many believe that this Saturday’s contest in The Swamp may be Tennessee’s best chance at knocking off the Gators in quite some time.

The Gators certainly have history on their side in recent years, winning 15 of the last 20 contests, or 75 percent, and last lost to the Vols at home in 2003.  Florida also holds a slight edge in the all-time series, winning 21 and dropping 19.

So with history and Vegas favoring the Gators, why are Tennessee fans so optimistic about ending a six-game skid against their arch-enemy of the SEC East?  It all begins with a renewed faith in leadership and an explosive young offense lead by sophomore’s Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, as well as a good bit of uncertainty concerning the Gator’s offense.

Though he’s already been through some tough times on Rocky Top, Derek Dooley appears to have the Big Orange headed in the right direction.  Thrown into the middle of a firestorm when he arrived in January 2010, Dooley has masterfully waded through the debris left behind by Lane Kiffin & Co. and still managed to put together two outstanding recruiting classes.  Dooley’s willingness to play young players is already beginning to pay dividends as the Vols are off to their first 2-0 start since 2006 and are winners of six of their last seven games.

Among the stars of Dooley’s early recruits, none have shined brighter than quarterback Tyler Bray and his dynamic receiving duo of Hunter and Rogers.

Since taking over at quarterback last season at Memphis, Bray has been nothing short of phenomenal.  To go along with a 6-1 record, the Vol’s signal-caller has thrown for 2248 yards  and 23 touchdowns in only 7 career starts.  Bray has already broken numerous Tennessee passing records and most recently surpassed Peyton Manning’s mark of seven consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes.

Bray’s sophomore receiving  duo of Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers both saw plenty of action as freshmen but are now becoming full-fledged SEC stars in the early going of the 2011 season.  Each has gone over the 100-yard mark in receiving yards in each of the first two games and last week against Cincinnati, both had 10 catches to set new standards in the UT record books.

Many are still somewhat skeptical of the Vols, claiming the lack of quality opponents during Bray’s impressive run.  That, at the very least, should all change after Saturday.  The Gators come in with a number 16 national ranking and are also looking for improvement after a a lackluster 2010 campaign.  John Brantley is still trying to live up to his much-raved about potential and coaching changes have shown a tiny crack in the stability of the Florida program.  The truth is, both programs are still somewhat of a mystery to many observers.

One thing that is not a mystery to either of these two programs is the historical importance of the game now known as, “The Third Saturday in September.”

For the first 10 years of divisional play, beginning in 1992,  the Eastern Division was represented in the SEC Championship Game by either the Gators or the Vols.  In the 19-year history of the SEC Championship Game, the winner of the Tennessee / Florida game has gone on to capture the conference title 9 times.  Neither team, with the exception of the 1997 Vols lead by Peyton Manning, has ever lost this game and gone on to win the SEC Championship.  So history has shown the stakes are quite high when the Vols and Gators take to the gridiron.

Tomorrow in Gainesville, another chapter will be added to this historic rivalry.